HomeMy WebLinkAboutTransmittal - 7/30/2024SALT LAKE CITY TRANSMITTAL
To:
Salt Lake City Council Chair
Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency Chair
Start Date:
07/30/2024
Date Sent to Council:
07/30/2024
From:
Employee Name:
Yuill, Megan
E-mail
Megan.Yuill@slcgov.com
Department
Mayor
Department Director Signature Chief Administrator Officer's Signature*
Director Signed Date
07/30/2024
Chief Administrator Officer's Signed Date
07/30/2024
Subject:
Green Loop Update
Additional Staff Contact:
Nancy Monteith, Senior Landscape Architect, nancy.monteith@slcgov.com
Presenters/Staff Table
We anticipate the following presenters, but will keep the Council Office updated if there are changes. Nancy Monteith nancy.monteith@slcgov.com, Rachel Otto rachel.otto@slcgov.com, and representatives from Wenk Consultants.
Document Type*
Information Item
Budget Impact*
Yes
No
Budget Impact:
Recommendation:*
None
Background/Discussion (?)
The purpose of this transmittal is to provide an update for the City Council related to the Green Loop project. See the attached document, which includes a summary of work completed to date.
Will the City Council need to hold a public hearing for this item?*
Yes
No
Public Process
Chief Administrator Officer's Comments
Green Loop
Update
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INTRODUCTION
Salt Lake City has a bold vision for sustainable growth that
retains the unique balance of urban nature that has long
defined Utah’s capital city. The Green Loop will be Salt Lake
City’s signature thoroughfare — easing traffic, lowering heat,
and offering countless opportunities to connect, relax, and
play.
The Green Loop will add green and park spaces in
the Central Community, which is the area in the
City with the greatest need and highest frequency
of visits.
Brings up to 60 acres of green space of the 94
acres needed by 2040 to keep up with growth.
Includes up to 50 trees per block, cooling our
streets down and creating an urban forest.
Transforms 5.5 miles of streets with pathways,
bikeways, and additional mid-block crossings to
create safe, inviting walking and biking routes for
all ages and abilities, from kids to seniors.
Connects to the city’s urban trails, neighborhood
byways, and transit network to encourage lighter
car use downtown and throughout the city
Creates spaces that are designed to be inclusive
and welcoming for all to use and enjoy.
The idea for a Green Loop has been around for a while,
starting with a concept in the Chamber of Commerce’s 2007
Downtown Rising Vision Plan and more fully described in the
2016 Downtown Master Plan adopted by the City Council.
An assessment of the entire route along with the concept
design for the 200 East portion of the project is currently
underway and intends to better understand the components of
what a Green Loop could be and to confirm opportunities,
barriers, and implementation costs. Feeding into this work is
feedback from engagement efforts, which included a pop-up
park on 200 East between 300 and 400 South in the Summer
of 2023.
This document highlights where we have been, what is in
progress, and next steps to implement the Green Loop.
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VISION
The Green Loop is a revolutionary approach to the city’s public
realm, converting portions of right-of-way to a transformative
green space and a valuable community asset. Adding
greenery alongside gathering spaces and multimodal
pathways will help cool downtown, provide more travel
options, better manage stormwater, and improve water quality.
While innovative within Salt Lake City, other cities around the
country have recently constructed similar projects,
transforming their downtowns, strengthening their economies,
and providing transformative transportation options for their
residents. Examples include Boston’s Rose Kennedy
Greenway, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Atlanta’s Beltline,
Lexington’s Town Branch Commons, and Ogden Utah’s Grant
Avenue Promenade.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
These guiding principles for the Green Loop have been
distilled from public input on the project, compiled during the
200 East Green Loop pop-up in 2023. They are in priority
order, based on what has been heard from constituents.
• Develop a robust downtown urban forest
• Serve as an active transportation corridor for
walking and biking
• Improve water quality through stormwater
management
• Create inviting social spaces that provide a variety of
amenities and attractions
• Create public front yards and gardens within the
Downtown that support the needs of all users.
GREEN SPACES
The Green Loop would integrate up to 60 acres of green
space/infrastructure in our downtown neighborhood, a
neighborhood experiencing rapid population growth with very
little existing green space. Significantly reducing the
hardscape along the green loop corridor to make way for
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trees, shade, plants, people, play and recreation will create a
more livable and family-friendly downtown.
The Green Loop will increase the density, diversity, biomass,
and cooling capacity of the downtown urban forest by adding
thousands of trees. More space for larger varieties of trees to
grow to maturity means more shade and cooler temperatures.
Integrating permeable pavements and gardens to accept
surface stormwater reduces flash flooding from large storm
events and supports a diversity of native and naturalized
plants that bring birds and pollinators to our doorstep. Plants
treat water where it falls to improve water quality. Shaded
green spaces can be as much as 10-15 degrees cooler than
nearby sunbaked paved areas, extending the time we can
enjoy being outdoors. Plants help filter air, remove pollutants
and produce oxygen.
Green spaces make life better for people. The Green Loop
improves connectivity for active transportation in and around
downtown, it can be a place to exercise, relax, play, and enjoy
nature. The mature trees and diverse plantings make
commercial areas more vibrant and neighborhoods appear
nicer. It connects us to nature, the plants provide homes to
birds, insects and other animals. The green loop brings nature
to downtown to make better living spaces through resiliency,
beauty and connections.
MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY
The project will provide vital transportation connections,
especially for people of all ages and abilities traveling by foot
and bicycle. The Green Loop itself, and via connections to
other trails and byways, will connect neighborhoods
throughout the city to downtown. For those commuting to work
on foot, by bike, or from public transportation, the shade and
cooler environment of the green loop will support a more
hospitable travel experience even in the hotter days of
summer.
Transportation connections created through this project are
vast, thanks to the bike and path networks throughout the City
that will be linked together through this project. One could
begin their journey near or on the Jordan River Trail, connect
to the Green Loop on the 9-Line or Folsom Trail, and stop in
downtown or continue to a destination in Sugarhouse via the
McClelland Trail or continue traveling east on the Parley’s
Trail. The Green Loop fills the missing middle in the heart of
downtown to a network that already connects people to
destinations across the City.
RESILIENCY
Stormwater quality areas are integrated along the Green Loop
to infiltrate surface stormwater and improve water quality.
These infiltration areas also mitigate the impact of frequency of
surface stormwater flooding during large summer storms.
Infiltration areas support a diversity of plant species and add
nature to the urban core.
Incorporating a private utility vault in the redesigned corridor
will improve management of the private utilities and offer better
access for the utilities to manage their infrastructure.
Collaboration with Public Utilities has defined access
requirements to manage underground utilities and design
strategies to reduce below ground conflicts.
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HISTORY OF THE GREEN LOOP
The concept of the Green Loop was first proposed nearly 20
years ago, in the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce’s 2007
Downtown Rising Vision Plan. More recently, the concept has
been further refined in two adopted city plans: the Downtown
Master Plan (2016) and Reimagine Nature Public Lands
Master Plan (2022).
The 2016 Downtown Master Plan, created with public input
and adopted by the City Council, identifies an interconnected
park network as one of five key projects for a vibrant and
thriving downtown. Salt Lake City’s biannual residents’ poll
consistently ranks open space within the top three most valued
urban amenities. The Downtown Plan recommends the Green
Loop as one of five “key moves” that would make important
green space improvements for people and vehicles in the
downtown, with the next step being investigating wide streets
with low traffic volume for feasibility: “The Green Loop
introduces new urban landscapes through the downtown,
linking important open spaces” and in some locations, “it will
serve as an important social and recreational amenity where
none currently exists. It will serve ecological and public health
purposes, too, providing shade, stormwater infiltration, and
filtering pollutants.” The Green Loop has the potential to add
up to 60 acres of green space with space for thousands of new
trees downtown.
Reimagine Nature, adopted in 2022, identified the alignment of
the Green Loop shown in the next image and calls it out as a
key near-term investment to grow the park system and an
addition to our green spaces that are specifically needed to
keep pace with increased downtown residential growth. This
plan from Public Lands recommends the Green Loop as a
transformative project to meet level of service goals for park
acreage per resident in the downtown area. An action step in
this plan included the need to provide leadership in the
planning, public engagement, design and implementation of
major greenway projects such as the Folsom Trail and Green
Loop. The Administration relies on the approval of plans like
Reimagine Nature to prioritize workload and projects.
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In FY22, Public Lands received funding through the CIP
process to study the Green Loop concept further through
conceptual design which includes survey, community and
stakeholder engagement, and 30% design for 200 East, one of
the high priority sections of the Green Loop. This work will be
substantially complete in late summer 2024.
The consultant team has also begun a technical study of the
Green Loop’s northern (N/S Temple) section and western
section (500 West) to determine preferred alignments and
location of proposed green space in the right-of-way. This
work, supported by FY22 CIP funds approved for urban trail
development, is the first step in conceptual design.
Full conceptual design on these legs is awaiting additional
funding for the community and stakeholder engagement,
design drawings, and review process to complete a 30%
design and cost estimate equivalent to the work currently
underway on 200 East. The technical study will develop
framework alternatives for northern and western legs of the
green loop to be ready to evaluate the pros and cons of each
with public and stakeholder input.
NEEDS & CONDITIONS
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The 2019 Public Lands Comprehensive Needs Assessment
identified key deficiencies in the public lands system, as well
as trends in population growth and access to green space.
The assessment recommended adding 94 acres of open
space to the city by 2040 to meet projected population growth
and maintain park level-of-service that residents are
accustomed to. Additionally, “High Needs Areas” of the city
were identified by evaluating population density, household
income, percentage youth ages 0-17, percentage of seniors,
and areas of potential growth. Areas of high need indicate the
need for new parks, where there is a higher lack of access to
existing parks, and where capital investment in existing sites
should be prioritized.
The Central Community showed the greatest concentration of
High Needs Areas, while also having less than half the level-
of-service (LOS) than the citywide average of green space.
The LOS tells us how many acres of green space are in an
area per 1,000 people. The low LOS in the Central Community
indicates that this area has fewer green space per 1,000
people than other areas with higher LOS ratings. The Central
Community has these low service levels of parks and green
spaces, but it also has the parks that are most frequently
visited.
Downtown population growth continues to outpace projections
with nearly 4,000 housing units permitted since 2019. Recent
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zoning changes now allow for unlimited building height in the
Central Business District. Downtown residents rarely have
private green space and depend on public green space for
leisure, recreation and connection to nature.
No new significant green space has been added to meet the
needs of these new residents, and the lack of green spaces in
the City’s most dense area is a particularly crucial downfall for
attracting families into downtowns. Other components that are
currently being addressed through redevelopment of City
owned properties include prioritizing family-sized homes,
adding local daycares, and designing streets for families and
kids.
URBAN HEAT ISLAND
Salt Lake City’s summer temperatures this year were often 10
degrees higher than average with many days over 100
degrees. In July of 2023, a heat mapping campaign measured
temperatures across the city to identify urban heat islands. In
places where tree coverage is low, temperatures can be as
much as 15 or 20 degrees higher than areas of the city with
large mature trees and green space. Heat concentrates in
areas of the city with wide asphalt streets that have little to no
canopy cover and the impacts of extreme heat are likely to
continue increasing. Green spaces provide cooling throughout
the day and extend the time when people can be outdoors.
The following map visualizes field measured temperature data
collected in July 2023 as part of a heat mapping study, that
Sustainability partnered on. The map is a detailed analysis of
the distribution of heat in the morning, afternoon and evening
with highly urbanized areas suffering most. The section of the
500 West leg of the Green Loop is in the center of an area in
the city that is at the highest temperatures.
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Public Lands is also moving forward on several projects that
will invest in creating green spaces, that offer relief in other
areas that see urban heat island impacts, through the General
Obligation Bond. This bond allocated more than half of the
$85M funds to west side projects including major investments
in Glendale Park for $27M; Jordan River Corridor investments
for $9M; Folsom Trail from 500 West to 10000 West for $5M;
and an additional $3M for the two council districts for a total of
$44M in Westside projects.
ROADWAY RECONSTRUCTION
When Salt Lake City reconstructs roadways, city ordinances
and state laws both direct the reconstruction project to include
the implementation of the City’s Complete Streets ordinance
and appropriate City general plans. Recent reconstructions,
such as 200 South Downtown, Highland Drive in Sugar House,
and 300 West just east of I-15; and upcoming reconstructions
such as 600 North and 900 West have all made transformative
changes to the look, feel, and function of our streets. The
Engineering Division makes recommendations for streets to be
reconstructed based on their estimated Overall Condition
Index (OCI), which applies a degradation factor to information
gathered in the 2021 citywide street condition survey.
The blocks that most need capital maintenance overlap with
sections that would be most desirable to lead the construction
of the Green Loop for a variety of reasons:
• 200 East from 100 South to 400 South needs to be
reconstructed and would also greatly benefit from the
addition of downtown green space in an area that has
had intense redevelopment and addition of new
dwelling units. Reconstruction is ultimately needed for
the entirety of 200 East from South Temple to 600
South.
• The south part of 500 West from 600 South to 900
South needs to be reconstructed. It’s located in the
Granary District, where property owners have been
very enthusiastic about the Green Loop as a part of the
area’s economic development strategy. This also
makes a strategic connection to the 9-line Trail.
• The 9-Line Trail and 900 South reconstruction, in final
stages of completion, form the south leg of the loop.
This segment was already prioritized back in 2018 for
the Streets Bond based on the confluence of pavement
condition with the then-recently completed 9-Line Trail
Extension Study, and also knowing that the 9-Line
would become part of the Green Loop.
• The north part of 500 West already hosts the “Park
Blocks” constructed in the early 2000s. These public-
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way green spaces have recently been revitalized by
new apartment buildings on their west side. Enhancing
active transportation connections through the park
blocks, especially to reach the Folsom Trail and the
North Temple / Guadalupe Frontrunner Station, will
complete the loop in this area.
200 East from South Temple to 500 South has already been
included in the Engineering Division’s notice of Street
Construction for 2024-2026. The upcoming notice extending to
2027 is likely to include 500 West as a possible candidate
street for reconstruction in 2026 or 2027.
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CASE STUDIES
Infrastructure investments like the Green Loop vision have been successful all over the world. A few projects with similarities to the
Green Loop are highlighted below:
Lexington’s Town Branch Commons
The Lexington Town Branch Commons project is an urban revitalization project for a historic waterway
that reconnects the city to its historic roots. The project includes a surfaced waterway, green space,
scenic view and trails for walking and biking and supports urban livability, new businesses and
economic development. The new green space hosts a variety of community events such as festivals,
farmers’ markets, and outdoor concerts. It is a draw for tourists interested in outdoor recreation and
urban exploration that benefits local hotels, restaurants and shops, evidenced by the opening of new
businesses along the greenway.
The Project had both public investment and private contributions totaling $100 million. The project attracts thousands of visitors a
year and led to increased property values, higher tax revenues and enhanced business opportunities.
Atlanta Beltline
The Atlanta Beltline is a significant urban redevelopment project in Atlanta, Georgia and
managed by a non-profit. It transforms 22 miles of historic railroad corridors into a greenway
with multi-use trails, transit and parks and green space. The project is being implemented in
phases. The Beltline mission is to revitalize neighborhoods, promote sustainability, enhance
connectivity and foster community. As of 2024, the Beltline has sections that have been
completed with design and construction with full completion anticipated in the mid-2030’s. The
Atlanta Beltline Inc. is responsible for maintenance and operations costs through a combination
of public funding, private contributions, and revenue from the Beltline’s assets. The Beltline
promotes local small businesses through initiatives like the Beltline Partnership Program, which
offers support and resources to local entrepreneurs and businesses. The Beltline has spurred over $10 billion in private investment
that includes residential, commercial and mixed-use developments.
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Indianapolis Cultural Trail
The Cultural Trail is an 8-mile-long urban trail that connects neighborhoods, cultural
districts, and landmarks in downtown Indianapolis with trails for walking and biking. It is
renowned for its public art installations and hosts various events and festivals throughout
the year. It has contributed $1 billion in economic impact to the city with increases in
property values, new business investments and increased tourism. It has brought over
$500 million in new construction and renovation projects along its route, bringing
restaurants, retail and new businesses along its route. The trail attracts more than 1.5
million visitors annually. Developers have invested in properties adjacent to the trail due to
the increased foot traffic and the attractiveness of the area. For every dollar invested in the Cultural Trail, there has been a return of
about $8 in economic benefits. The project was constructed in City right of way and was supported by both city funds and significant
private contributions from corporations, foundations and individual donors. Operations of the Cultural Trail are handled by a non-
profit.
Boston Rose Kennedy Greenway
The 1.5-mile-long greenway was created as part of the Central Artery Project (colloquially known as
“The Big Dig”), a project that involved routing a major interstate into a tunnel beneath the city.
Named after prominent Bostonian Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, it is a celebrated example of urban
renewal and offers a blend of nature, art and community activities in downtown Boston. The
greenway opened to the public in 2008. Greenspace, gardens, public art, events markets and
historic markers highlight the rich history and development of the greenway. The public park is
managed by a non-profit established by the state legislature and an annual budget comes from a
Business Improvement District and other private funding sources.
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Salt Lake City’s S-Line and Sugar House Greenway
The S-line urban redevelopment transforming a former railroad corridor providing space for
the S-Line streetcar and adjacent Sugar House Greenway. The 1.4-mile long greenway
along much of the 2-mile streetcar line has public art, multiuse trails and diverse
vegetation. Salt Lake City’s 5.5 blocks of greenway, set into the foundation created with
the completed transit corridor, cost $7.6 million in 2014.
A recent study by the University of Utah showed the streetcar and greenway project has
spurred more than $2 billion dollars of economic development over the last 10 years. This
includes over 2,000 new high-rise apartments along the corridor, new retail and office spaces on land within ½ mile of the corridor,
and boosted property values in the area. Growth along the S-line has been in the form of higher density, mixed use neighborhoods.
The project cost $55 million with nearly half of that coming from federal transportation grants.
Use of the Sugar House Greenway corridor is all about motion – people and dogs walking, bicycling, and strolling – in addition to the
streetcar itself. A summer evening sitting along the path has revealed senior citizens with rollators (wheeled walkers), teenaged
mountain bikers, middle-aged sport/fitness bicyclists, bicycling families heading out to dinner at one of the Sugar House restaurants,
parents pushing strollers, and people of all ages walking dogs. This is a true all ages and abilities facility.
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CONCEPT
The Green Loop will add access, green space, and connectivity. This greenway will counteract the urban heat by creating a
downtown oasis of trees and water wise native plants, create recreation opportunities for the 10,000+ residents anticipated in
downtown core by 2025, and develop gathering places for business lunches, evening dinners, and entrepreneurial networking. By
connecting to many of Salt Lake City’s major trails such as the 9-Line, Folsom Trail, and Jordan River Trail, the greenway will link
east- and westside neighborhoods and provide access to popular downtown destinations such as the Main Library, Memory Grove,
City Creek Center, the Gateway, the Delta Center, Temple Square, and Frontrunner commuter rail.
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As the project has moved from vision towards concept, the
ways it has become more clear how the Green Loop could
transform Salt Lake City’s roads.
The Green Loop could redesign our straight and wide streets
into spaces that help improve water quality and stormwater
retention while also creating spaces to gather or sit outside for
lunch. It has the potential to turn right-of-way into a place for
residents and visitors to travel more safely on protected multi-
modal paths, but it can also transform our downtown into a
backyard in places where higher-density leaves many without
their own outdoor spaces.
Compare conditions on the road today (examples from 200 E
and 500 W are shown below), to the conceptual renderings
(from the work completed on 200 E) on the left. Moving from
what exists on today to the Green Loop will be a major change
in how the roads look, feel, and operate.
These spaces currently serve many functions for the City and
community, and they will serve more functions in the future as
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the Green Loop. Naturally, there will be conflicts and
challenges in making sure roads serve all functions well. This
will need to be explored in detail as each section moves
forward through conceptual design and further design. A few
of these include:
• Greening while continuing to provide access to
underground utilities,
• Adding green spaces and plazas while maintaining fire
access for tall buildings,
• Configuring the many roadway elements in ways that
meet the project vision while also working within
complex technical realities, and
• Adding more functions in our right-of-way with
consideration for future maintenance realities.
The concept design for 200 East has been a study in
overcoming these conflicting priorities to show how the Green
Loop vision can be implemented. Throughout the concept
development the project team engaged the community,
stakeholders, and City to work through the details and resolve
conflict.
200 E CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Based on pavement condition and the need for a future street
reconstruction on 200 East, the Public Lands Department and
the Transportation Division requested funds in FY22 Capital
Improvement Program to take the first step in Green Loop
design, which has included developing a vision with
community and stakeholder input, through a phase called
Conceptual Design. The Salt Lake City Council funded the
Public Lands design-focused 200 East project along with a
Transportation request to undertake a quick-build or pop-up
project as part of the community engagement for the full build.
Conceptual Design (otherwise known as 30% design drawings
for this work) for 200 East from South Temple to 900 South will
soon be complete. The conceptual design goes beyond the
high-level concepts and explores the following items in detail
by:
Before: 200 E Today
An Aspirational Tomorrow
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• Reimagining 200 E from South Temple to 900 S with
technical, public, and stakeholder input,
• Exploring options for feasibly increasing the tree
canopy and creating a robust urban forest amongst
engineering and public utility constraints,
• Identifying roadway configurations that work amongst
these constraints while also creating safe spaces for
bicyclists and pedestrians,
• Outlining opportunities for creating a vibrant and
inviting downtown public realm where you can meet
your neighbors and experience the city, and
• Seeking solutions for increasing biodiversity and
resiliency.
The concept has been informed by both feedback from the
community and stakeholders as well as by technical
constraints from experts in this type of work and within the
City. Engagement began in Spring 2023 through a pop-up
park on 200 East that showed visitors what opportunities could
exist in a space traditionally thought of as only for cars. Of the
1000+ people who responded to a survey about the pop-up,
more than 60% of respondents said they supported a concept
that provided more features to reduce air and/or noise
pollution, and would increase pedestrian only space, street
trees, and green space downtown.
More than 150 people attended the public open house,
walking and bike tours in November 2023. Participants shared
ideas about specific amenities, improvements, and programs
they’d like to see along 200 East and generally around the
Green Loop. They also asked questions and shared concerns
about traffic congestion, security, and maintenance.
The project team hosted a series of walking tours and on-site
engagement in November 2023. A second project survey
opened to the public at the same time and closed at the end of
January 2024. Of the 1000+ survey participants, 76% like or
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strongly like the concept with 63% saying they’d use it daily or
weekly. 90% of those survey respondents live or work
downtown.
The project team has also met with some adjacent
stakeholders including the Heber Wells and Olene Walker
State office buildings, Metro Condos and Salt Lake Arts
Academy to engage those communities in more detailed
conversations about their frontages on 200 East.
Future engagement will continue as current and future project
phases move forward, and the input received thus far is being
combined with information from engagement with departments
across the City and the project team’s understanding of
technical needs to further conceptual design.
Technical considerations, several of which were previously
identified, are being explored more deeply through conceptual
design. Along 200 East specifically, those that are rising to the
top include Public Utilities, Fire, and long-term maintenance of
the Green Loop.
Coordination with all departments will continue, but higher
levels of coordination have been occurring with those who are
impacted by these complex technical considerations. The
image at the bottom of the page highlights some ideas being
considered that could make the Green Loop more compatible
with future development and needs related to upsizing utilities.
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Diving deeply into the most complex issues through
conceptual design has been key to understanding the full
costs, constraints, and required collaboration needed.
The goal throughout this project thus far has been to bring all
that has been learned from other recent roadway
reconstructions and green space projects to the table, identify
challenges early, and seek collaborative solutions.
NORTH/SOUTH TEMPLE & 500 W SECTION
UPDATE
The consultant team has begun to study the Green Loop’s
northern (N/S Temple) section and western section (500 West)
to determine preferred alignments and location of proposed
green space in the right-of-way. The study will develop
framework alternatives for northern and western legs of the
green loop to evaluate the pros and cons of each. Alternatives
of each street will be developed in plan and section, and will
include the proposed location, type, and size of trails and
sidewalks; street and lane configuration; on-street parking;
connections and adjacencies; and the open space program
areas, trees, and landscape types. The alternatives will also
evaluate existing and proposed utilities, potential conflicts, and
make recommendations for upgrades or replacement, if
needed. In this process the consultant will work closely with
the City and project stakeholders.
The project scope area is defined as:
• The six full blocks of North Temple and South Temple in
between State Street and 500 W, with the addition of
connections or extensions for those walking or bicycling
to reach the Frontrunner Transit Station and the Folsom
Trail;
• Northwest corner options including 200 West (N Temple
to 100 S), 400 West (N Temple to 100 S), 500 West (50
South to 100 S), 100 South (200 West to 500 West),
and/or 50 South (400 W to 500 W); and
• Eight additional blocks of 500 West (100 S to 900 S)
(with collaboration with RDA consultants 200 S – 400 S
to provide consistent approach but prevent duplicate
work).
PHASING & FUNDING
Draft recommendations for phasing of the Green Loop have
been grounded in knowledge of pavement condition and
reconstruction needs, current tree coverage and open space,
technical feasibility, and funding opportunities. Reconstruction
of City streets opens the door for major transformations like
what has been seen on 300 W and 200 S and therefore the
blocks most in need of reconstruction easily rise highest in
priority for seeking funding. This includes most northern blocks
of 200 East (100 S to 600 S) and southern blocks of 500 West
(600 S to 900 S) and of 2024, these blocks are currently in
need of reconstruction, based on the Engineering Division’s
estimated Overall Condition Index (OCI).
Anticipating the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
(IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), in
2021, staff initiated a technical and conceptual design of the
Green Loop, in order to take the project from the broad vision
described in master plans to a more refined conceptual design
and cost estimates that are appropriate for seeking state and
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federal funding for final design and/or construction. Each
segment of the Green Loop will need to go through conceptual
design, including public engagement, before it is ready to seek
construction funding. This is quite simply because conceptual
design is needed to develop an accurate budget, to know how
much funding is needed to construct the loop.
Ultimately, each phase of the loop to be constructed will need
a conceptual design, a cost estimate, and then a funding
package likely assembled from multiple sources – state,
federal, private, philanthropic and city. The respective sections
may have unique elements that qualify for different funding
types or allow specific sections to leverage external funds in
ways that couldn’t be leveraged elsewhere.
Applications for federal funding for one or more segments of
the Green Loop is likely. As the new federal grant programs
made available by IIJA has been rolling out, it has become
clearer that these highly competitive sources are likely to fund
portions of the loop with amounts in the $15-30 million range.
The federal transportation bill is 5-year authorizing legislation
and expires in September 2026; continuation of IIJA programs
will be determined by the new authorization. Larger
contributions of state and private funds may be more likely.
A working draft of potential phasing over 10 years is shown
below. This draft is likely to change over time. First, cost
estimates are still under development. Second, the way
funding packages come together will influence the phasing.
And finally, over 10 years, many changes are anticipated in
Salt Lake City and the United States. Large construction
projects in a thriving downtown (which already has many large
construction projects) continually need to be coordinated to
maintain access and optimize design opportunities to create a
seamless urban fabric. As much as is possible, the phasing
plan will seek to remain flexible to these opportunities while
skirting around any challenges.
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To date, the Green Loop has received funding or applied for
funding from:
• Capital Improvement Program – design only
• UDOT included a connection between downtown
TRAX and Memory Grove / Avenues in a federal
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability
and Equity (RAISE) grant. This includes a block of
State Street (North Temple to South Temple) that is
vital to the Green Loop. $2.8 million awarded for
design and construction.
• Utah Transit Transportation Investment Fund (TTIF
First Last Mile)
o 200 East (100 South to 500 South) – top ranked
project in the state, $9.8 million award still
pending.
o North Temple (State to 500 West) – this project
was awarded $3.3 million based on a
nomination in 2020. At the time, TTIF was a
new funding source; it turns out that due to
Temple Square work and the 200th Anniversary
of the LDS Church, this North Temple project
will be withdrawn and will be resubmitted after a
conceptual design is completed. This will line
this project up in the right year for eventual
construction in the early 2030s.
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
The Administration is prioritizing operations and maintenance
costs at the front end of this concept to ensure the City has a
long-term and sustainable strategy for taking care of this
asset. To that end, a preliminary study was completed to begin
identifying options for how to approach operations and
maintenance of the future Green Loop.
CLASSIFICATION
The classification options for the Green Loop are key in
understanding the potential benefits and impacts for long-term
operations and maintenance. Maintaining the Green Loop
could be supported by departments within the City, and if
several are engaged in the operations and maintenance, a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) would be needed to
formally outline responsibilities and funding allocations for
each team involved. There is also a potential for external
partners to lead or support operations and maintenance long-
term, depending on the selected classification. Each of the
options are outlined below.
Separately from classifications and management structures
related to the operations and maintenance of the Green Loop,
land use classification is not explored in depth here, but will
also be an important consideration for future operations and
nearby commercial development opportunities and limitations.
The Green Loop as a ROW
If the Green Loop remains as public ROW, it will be available
and accessible 24/7. There will be little limitation on the types
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of businesses that can be established near the Green Loop.
Maintenance responsibilities in the ROW are shared between
many departments and although they share good working
relationships, there are no formalized work agreements.
Oftentimes, as a community member, it is not clear who to
contact when there is a problem. Annual expenses to manage
the ROW are typically allocated to owner/managers of the
asset, but not necessarily towards the departments that
maintain it. Departments that have current roles in maintaining
the ROW include Public Services (Streets and Facilities),
Public Lands (Urban Forestry and Parks), and Public Utilities;
the way the ROW would be split up is shown below.
The Green Loop as a Greenway or Parkland
Classifying the Green Loop as a greenway or parkland
simplifies the responsibilities. Public Lands would have most of
the responsibilities, and their operating budget will need to
increase significantly to take on that responsibility. Additional
maintenance facilities will be needed downtown to
accommodate equipment, tools, offices, and general
operations.
The Green Loop as a Special Assessment Area (SAA)
A third classification for the Green Loop, and one that is
already in use in SLC, is the Special Assessment Area (SAA).
The funding for this type of area would come from an
assessment collected from properties that are within the
boundary. The SAA would keep the assessment for
maintenance and capital projects, unlike the other two
classifications, in which any collected revenues will be
returned to the General Fund. The SAA must be approved by
at least 61% of property owners and is typically administered
by the City or a single, private entity. The SAA would be
responsible for funding capital projects and maintenance as
well as costs for activations, events, site security and other
operational needs. The SAA would require a manager,
whether it is through the City or by a single, private entity.
Similar to an SAA is a sports, entertainment, cultural, and
convention district (SECCD) where there are allowable
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changes to the buildings and setbacks within the district to
accommodate their uses.
The Green Loop managed by one entity
The Green Loop could also be managed by one single entity,
whether it is led by one of the existing departments within the
City, or a new agency/ organization. A single entity will ensure
an advocate is in place dedicated to the mission and care of
the Green Loop, in contrast to other departments, which have
other responsibilities throughout the City and cannot
guarantee the Green Loop will be their first priority. The single
entity could be an existing department, an SAA or a BID or
managed by a (newly formed) non-profit organization.
ESTIMATED MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
An analysis of maintenance requirements was done for a
typical block along 200 East. The list of amenity types is
indicative of skill sets that will also be required. The estimated
annual hours required to maintain a block of 200 East is
between 827 (lower) to 1,734 (higher) hours includes many
trades and disciplines. Looking at just the hours, it is roughly
equivalent to .5 to 1.0 full time staff person will be required per
block of the Green Loop.
Downtown public spaces in dense neighborhoods are more
heavily used and often require higher levels of care to achieve
the same outcome as neighborhood parks in other areas of
the city. Allocating disproportionate resources to certain areas
of the city can be challenging for departments who have a
citywide focus. Looking at the allocation of resources per
population rather than just acreage could help balance the
equation. Still, new approaches are needed to adequately fund
maintenance and operations for the downtown realm. A quality
downtown public realm also has the potential to generate high
returns in economic development. When we think of the
identity of a city is, it is the images of our downtown public
spaces that come to mind.
Funding for ongoing maintenance will be greatly impacted by
the model chosen, which has yet to be determined. Future
work will include learning more about the maintenance models
that can be used, and a consultant could be engaged to
support us in learning more about the feasibility of a preferred
option.
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NEXT STEPS
• Identify routes for the north leg and the northwest corner of
the loop and adjust the cost estimate. This is needed to
finalize costs estimates for the project.
• Complete concept design (30%) for 200 East.
• Continue the technical analysis of three corridors: 500
West and North and South Temple sections.
• Continue work on the State Street corridor with UDOT,
who has received a RAISE grant for this section.
• Further explore management and operations solutions by
learning from other Cities and consider contracting out a
feasibility study for the preferred option.
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