OPINION:
Transportation is so much more than moving people and objects from point A to point B. Where we build roads, bridges and freeways shapes our neighborhoods, our Main Streets, our economy and the very way we live our lives.
As governor of the fastest growing state in the nation, I’m well aware that the decisions we make today will affect the quality of life of our children and grandchildren. That’s why, over the past four years, I’ve challenged our state’s transportation team to keep future generations in mind as they plan and dream big.
Two of those big dreams are now in the process of becoming reality. The first focuses not on our highways, but on our byways. Our goal is to connect every city and town in our state by a paved trail.
Utahns love to walk, run, bike, scooter, skate and use other low-impact ways to experience the great outdoors, and this new Utah Trail Network will allow Utahns of all ages and abilities to visit any city or town in the state without a car. Our state already has a robust trail system, and the vision is to fill in the gaps as well as build new paths to form a fully integrated regional paved trail network.
Last year, we worked with the Utah Legislature to create a fund specifically for this active transportation effort. And this year, the Utah Transportation Commission approved nearly $95 million to build 19 new paved trails and fill in trail gaps across the state.
The network has clear benefits for tourists who want to experience our stunning landscapes. For example, a new 3-mile trail extension will connect the Moab Canyon Pathway with the future Raptor State Park Visitors Center and tie into the existing trail system that continues south into Moab.
But the trails will provide new routes for commuters, too. A new 0.5-mile trail in the Bluffdale in the Salt Lake Valley will connect a trail crossing over the Union Pacific Railroad and UTA FrontRunner tracks to a nearby segment of the Jordan River Parkway Trail, offering commuters yet another safe transportation option.
Even as we reimagine new ways to expand our ground transportation needs, we’re also looking heavenward.
Earlier this year, the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah State University successfully launched the state’s first air taxi from a vertiport. We’re using years of in-depth research to target areas from parking lots to the tops of office buildings that would make excellent vertiports. And we’re envisioning a transportation system in the air that connects safely and seamlessly with the transportation system on the ground.
Just like “The Jetsons,” we’re not too far away from drones and air taxis that carry packages and people. Our vertiport demonstration showcased how aircraft can take off and land near homes and businesses without completely disturbing the peace.
Both our vertiport plans and our trail network will revolutionize the way Utahns commute, recreate and travel in our state. As our state grows, we want to give people multiple travel options so that they can choose their own adventure and get from point A to point B in a way that’s safe, convenient and accessible for all.
• Gov. Spencer Cox is Utah’s 18th governor.
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