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First Utah Trail Network project breaks ground

Kim Bojórquez

Animated illustration of a bike lane being drawn onto a street, and three bike lane icons cycling across it. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Work has begun on the first project in a proposed statewide paved trail network designed to connect Utah communities by foot or bike — no car required.

State of play: It will focus on a nearly mile-long trail along State Route 28, creating connections for pedestrians and cyclists to some of Moab's most visited spots, like Grandstaff Canyon, the Porcupine Rim Trail and a portion of the "Whole Enchilada" route.

For now, a missing link at the end of the Porcupine Rim trail forces mountain bikers heading to Moab onto State Route 28, where there's little to no shoulder.

What they're saying: "It makes it easier to move between trails, campgrounds and destinations in Moab without getting on the highway," Utah Department of Transportation executive director Carlos Braceras said in a statement.

The big picture: The Utah Trail Network, first proposed by Gov. Spencer Cox in 2022, aims to make the Beehive State the most active transportation-friendly state in the U.S., according to Braceras.

Once completed, it will include 2,600 miles of new paved routes and upgrades to about 500 miles of existing ones across the state.
View the master plan here.

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First Utah Trail Network project breaks ground

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