Earlier this year the Utah Legislature budgeted $45 million to construct a statewide trails network.
Native Utahn and avid mountain biker Stephanie Tomlin was tapped as UDOT’s first-ever trails division leader. It will be her job to help the agency determine how to spend that money.
“The idea is if we can give people options and make these really easy to use, we might see people starting to switch modes. Go ‘I could actually jump on my bike to run over to the grocery store’ or something like that,” Tomlin said. “But that requires a really great network in the same way we have a great network for vehicles. If you’re using transportation, you need that network to be seamless, and so that’s the goal of this new program.”
Tomlin said the proliferation of e-bikes across the state creates more potential to get people out of their cars.
“E-bikes may be remembered as the great equalizer in transportation,” she said. “What was really an unattainable commute, either it was grades or just distance, all of sudden becomes much more appealing. Appealing to someone because they get a little bit of exercise and fresh air before they start their workday.”
No specific projects are in the works yet. But Tomlin said there has been some initial planning for a trail up Parleys Canyon.
“It definitely needs to be reassessed with the current cost of materials. And I know, at the time, I think there was some right-of-way considerations. So I think it needs to kind of go through another design process, but it’s certainly something we could potentially look at.”
She said they’re also studying other trail connections in the Wasatch Back.
“Looking at connections out to a lot of the development that’s occurring, out towards like Jordanelle and Kamas, potentially a paved facility out there.”
Tomlin said they’re also researching how to improve the state Route 248 crossing on the Rail Trail.
Her team plans to gather public input and work with local governments and other planning organizations to identify projects. From there, UDOT will prioritize which projects to complete over three 10-year phases.
