Republican lawmakers seek more control over Salt Lake City traffic projects
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
State legislators proposed an expansive transportation bill last week that could further restrict Salt Lake City's autonomy over street planning.
Why it matters: This is the second year in a row the Utah Legislature has made moves to limit SLC's ability to make road changes such as installing bike lanes or reducing lanes of traffic on highways.
State of play: The proposal from state Sen. Wayne Harper (R-Taylorsville) and state Rep. Kay Christofferson (R-Lehi) would require Salt Lake City to partner with the Utah Department of Transportation before starting any traffic-calming projects.
- GOP leaders have said the capital city's roads require additional oversight as its population increases, but critics say S.B. 242 threatens to strip local control from Salt Lake City leaders.
The bill would create four tiers of roads in Salt Lake City based on traffic volume, with the strictest limits on the most-traveled roads.
- The city would be barred from implementing highway reduction strategies on Tier One roads, the city's most heavily trafficked.
- Tier Two projects would require data and impact analyses, extensive public outreach and state approval.
The bill also would set plans and timelines for the city to mitigate impacts from traffic-calming projects on 200 South, 400 South and 300 West, where a bike lane was installed last year.
What they're saying: At a Tuesday work session meeting, city council members expressed deep concern over the bill.
- "Why would the state want us to not address one of the leading causes of death in the city?" Council Member Chris Wharton said, referring to auto-pedestrian crashes in the city. "All we're trying to do here is preserve people's lives."
- Wharton noted families don't want to live in a place where they can't walk or bike safely around their neighborhoods.
The other side: Harper told Axios the bill is intended to push Salt Lake City to take another look at its road projects, pointing to complaints from business leaders who say the changes have made it harder for patrons and employees to access their establishments or park nearby.
- Harper noted he's been working with city leaders on the bill since last August and that a substitute bill is in the works.
What we're watching: In a statement last week, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall described negotiations between the bill's sponsors and the city as "good faith and collaborative."
The big picture: The measure builds on a law passed last year that required a state study into the impact of Salt Lake City's traffic-calming measures.
- That study, released last October, found the city's lane-reduction projects completed over the past decade had little effect on traffic patterns.