Salt Lake City plans complete streets

Utah mayors express support

Steve Hawley, Apr 29, 10.

Salt Lake City planners hope to turn one of the city’s main streets into a complete street that would allow cars, pedestrians, and transit to share space, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The plan would first be implemented on State Street, but other cities might choose to follow its example.

The Tribune reports:

[P]lanners hope to stagger walking and transit-centered zones with places where the car remains king but a pedestrian might not feel totally isolated, the way one does on much of the street today. It is a voluntary plan that each city would need to incorporate into its local zoning scheme, but the various mayors have endorsed it.

Local planners hope to create a model that would work in urban and suburban places alike. The plans include wide sidewalks and greener surroundings for pedestrians, as well as space for cars and transit. Cities could also choose to adopt high-density zoning in those areas, allowing taller buildings and accommodating more people.

Salt Lake City and its surrounding suburbs are working to expand transit service, introducing bus rapid transit and streetcar routes.