SLC Green Loop

Think of it as Salt Lake’s front yard. Part park, part street, the Green Loop provides a more comfortable way for people to get to, through, and around downtown without a car. It offers low stress biking and walking options, and space for relaxation, events, and play while adding more trees and plants downtown.

The Green Loop could:

• 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.
• Bring up to 60 acres of green space of the 94 acres needed by 2040 to keep up with growth.
• Expand our urban forest and cool down our streets.
• Transform 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.
• Connect to the city’s urban trails, neighborhood byways, and transit network to encourage lighter car use downtown and throughout the city.
• 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, and Frontrunner commuter rail.
• Create spaces that are designed to be inclusive and welcoming for all to use and enjoy.

• Developed goals, objectives, and guiding principles for the entirety of the Green Loop.
• Engaged the public in robust discussions about the types of features, amenities and potential programs that could make the Green Loop a community asset.
• Developed design plans that show how the goals, objectives, and guiding principles could be applied along 200 East, from North Temple to 900 South.

• Identifying a preferred northern route – North or South Temple.
• Considering how the goals, objectives and guiding principles can be applied to the western route along 500 West.
• Developing early design concepts to evaluate the feasibility each of these routes. This includes:
  • Examining how changes to the roadway could impact vehicular traffic in and around those segments of the loop.
  • Identifying potential conflicts with underground utilities and assessing the functionality of the existing infrastructure to determine whether replacement or upgrades would be needed.
  • Developing an itemized budget for construction of each leg
• Considering an overall approach to management of a community asset like this.
• Identifying future funding opportunities including City, State and Federal funding or grants.

Salt Lake City and the Green Loop team are dedicated to gathering public opinion in-person and online throughout the process.

In spring 2023 we installed a temporary demonstration area, or “pop-up” on 200 East between 300 South and 400 South as an example of how the public street space could be reimagined as a place for people.  Learn more about the pop-up here . In fall 2024 we hosted an in-person open house,  several walking tours and a bike tour  to give participants a personal view of what the Green Loop could feel like on 200 East. In September 2024, 500 West was temporarily reconfigured between 700 and 900 South to demonstrate how the street can be reimagined to include more space for people to walk, bike and spend time as part of Open Streets Granary.

Participants in all three engagement windows shared their thoughts in person and via online surveys. More than 2200 survey respondents and hundreds of process participants heavily support the concept and the changes it could bring. Overwhelmingly, participants wanted to see more trees, shade, green space, separated bike and pedestrian-only spaces, and features that reduce air and noise pollution. They support the opportunity to add more dining options. public patios, plazas, event spaces and areas for play, as well as opportunities for existing and future businesses. More than 50% of respondents also said that gardens, art, and bike parking were important to them. Approximately 70% of survey respondents say they’d use the Green Loop daily or weekly, with 75% of respondents saying they live or work downtown.

The Green Loop concept has been recommended in city plans dating back more than 15 years. Two projects have made significant investments in segments of the Green Loop. The 500 West Park Blocks from 50 N to 150 S, constructed in the early 2000s, and the 900 South reconstruction incorporating the 9-Line Trail (to be completed in 2023). This study is the first to examine the practicalities of implementing the full Green Loop and will take a concept through the early design stages on 200 East so that the benefits, transportation implications, and costs can be better understood for future implementation.

Other Plans Include:

Many other cities have adapted public areas into forested green spaces while also supporting all modes of travel. Three example projects are:

If you have any questions, contact the project team at  slcgreenloop@slcgov.com