The University of Utah’s Kem Gardner Policy Institute report examines how the state can leverage the 2034 Winter Games to solve problems and position itself for success.
Dr. Jennifer Gibson, the institute’s chief of staff, said Utah is approaching the Olympics in an “incredible position.”
“It’s everything around our state’s economy, the growth in jobs, the diversity of our industries, high household income, low poverty rates, a well-trained and well-educated workforce, fast-growing population,” Gibson said.
But Utah also faces several critical challenges — many of them familiar to the Wasatch Back — that could jeopardize its future success if left unaddressed.
“Housing affordability in Park City is an issue,” she said. “It’s an issue in a number of places in our state.”
Other growing problems include traffic congestion. Delays on Utah roadways have increased by nearly 6% annually on average, which is almost four times faster than the state’s current rate of population growth.
The report also highlights concerns about third grade reading proficiency.
“It should be concerning to not just parents, but to business leaders and state leaders as well,” Gibson said. “Third graders are not reading at grade level right now.”
The institute also cites threats to water security, a potential deficit in energy supply and increasing rates of Utah adults with poor mental health.
The report centers on several ideas to stimulate a statewide discussion to tackle these challenges.
“One of the ideas that we have for dealing with traffic congestion is prioritizing connected autonomous vehicles and the advancements in that area,” Gibson said.
For housing, the institute has proposed the idea for a statewide community land trust, which could accept land for affordable housing from public, private and nonprofit entities.
“It’s a possible way to quickly and effectively lower housing costs where it involves land donations, long-term leases, separating the price of the land from the price of the new home,” Gibson said.
On water, the report highlights several potential tools to increase water conservation by 250 to 500 thousand-acre-feet from municipal, industrial and agricultural sources. They include greater incentives for water rights holders, pricing changes and agricultural water leases.
To increase youth literacy, the institute recommends placing trained professionals in classrooms to offer tutoring.
See all the recommendations in the full report here.
