SALT LAKE CITY — Utah transportation officials have started work on a study of Salt Lake City traffic following a bill that caused a stir earlier this year.
However, city officials and some residents have concerns about a new survey tied to it.
Utah Department of Transportation officials launched its Urban Mobility Assessment Survey on July 23, seeking to gather transportation information from people who live, work or visit an area from 300 West to Foothill Drive, and 600 North to 2100 South within Salt Lake City. It asks respondents to explain their tie to the city, why and how they travel within the study area and other types of experiences, including thoughts on recent transportation projects.
“All of that kind of stuff (helps) us understand how transportation and the transportation system within the city works for them,” said Lisa Zundel, deputy director of UDOT Region 2, which includes Salt Lake County.
It’s part of a study mandated by the SB195, an omnibus transportation bill that the Utah Legislature passed this year, which requires UDOT to review mobility and any “highway reduction strategy” implemented in the section of the city. That includes new bike lanes or traffic calming projects.
But it was approved only after meetings between Utah lawmakers and city leaders on a final version of the bill to narrow the scope of the study to larger roads in the core of the city, after amendments to add the study caught the city by surprise. The agreement included a one-year pause that affected some projects planned for this year, but others were allowed to move forward.
The new survey, Zundel says, seeks to understand the behavioral aspect of recent road projects in Salt Lake City.
“We’re looking to understand how some of the projects ... (have) changed — for good or bad — the way they commute, the way they visit the city, how they park, things that they do in the city and just get that understanding of how transportation for each individual works within the city,” she said, explaining that changes could include using new routes or new transportation methods.
Yet, some questions sparked debate online among residents. It appears to focus more on parking and feedback from people coming into the city from elsewhere rather than asking about the intent of the projects and the opinion of residents, said Troy Saltiel, secretary of the organization Sweet Streets, a group of residents that have advocated for road safety projects across the city.
Saltiel, who also has a role within the Central City Neighborhood Council in the survey area, believes many of the city’s projects addressed a growing need for safety improvements as the city’s core becomes increasingly residential.
“I think one of the things that this survey is missing is the fact that Salt Lake City is trying to make it safer to get around for everyone,” he said, adding that he expected to see more questions about road safety.
While not every resident agreed on SB195, Salt Lake City normally receives over 500 requests for traffic safety projects every year, which far exceeds the city’s funding capabilities, said Sofia Jeremias, spokeswoman for the Salt Lake City Department of Community and Neighborhoods.
City officials were able to weigh in on the survey as it was created, but Jeremias said the city is still concerned that participants may confuse temporary construction delays with completed projects. The city is also concerned that it doesn’t separate city projects from other projects that can disrupt traffic, since UDOT, Utah Transit Authority and various utility providers all have active or recent projects that have caused headaches.
The city wants residents to fill out the survey, but it isn’t concerned about feedback from nonresidents, either, since the city brings in so many people, she added.
Businesses and commuters were included since it’s listed in the legislation, Zundel said. The agency is seeking to capture a “full range” of road users.
It’s just one piece of the study process, as well. The survey will close on Aug. 6, and findings will be paired with a technical analysis also being compiled. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings will be presented to state lawmakers in October.
Salt Lake City is required to submit a mobility plan to UDOT sometime after that. It’s unclear how the study will change Salt Lake City transportation, but city officials are keeping tabs on it.
“We are waiting to see how everything shakes out,” Jeremias said, noting that it could become a “nice complement” to the city’s previous transportation research and ongoing demand for road safety infrastructure. “We are looking forward to, and interested in, seeing those survey results.”