LOCAL LINK CIRCULATION STUDY 2020
Executive Summary
Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, Millcreek and Holladay collaborated on the Local Link Circulation Study to better understand how people travel in and around the Sugar House Business District. With each partner community facing increasing development pressures and growth, it is critical to plan for multimodal transportation choices including transit, bicycle and pedestrian options, and improvements to existing roads. By providing diverse transportation options, the partner communities can increase the resiliency, flexibility, and sustainability of the transportation network. The purpose of the Local Link Circulation Study is to evaluate and accommodate transportation options (walking, bicycling, transit, automobile) and identify gaps and barriers that make it difficult for people to efficiently travel through and around the study area.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
There are several guiding principles for improving multimodal connections in the study area, including:
THE VISION
These guiding principles were developed collaboratively by the partner communities and support the following vision for transportation in and around the Sugar House Business District:
The transportation network that connects to the Sugar House Business District will be safe, inviting, sustainable, and provide comfortable travel choices for everyone. It promotes a connected network between local neighborhoods and regional centers in South Salt Lake, Millcreek, and Holladay to the Sugar House Business District. Active and Public transportation connections to schools, neighborhood centers, parks, and other public attractions are prioritized.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
To assess multimodal opportunities, challenges, and needs to the Sugar House Business District, the planning team analyzed a variety of topics, including:
- Key Destinations such as the Sugar House Business District, Millcreek City Center, Brickyard, or South Salt Lake Downtown
- Land Use Density indicating high demand areas for trips
- Planned construction projects, such as road reconstructions, utility projects, or other capital projects that may offer opportunities to reprogram streets or corridors to provide more diverse transportation options
- Bicycle and pedestrian networks identifying where active transportation infrastructure investment may be missing or inadequate
- Safety including bicycle and pedestrian crash history throughout the study area
- Transit network illustrating potential first-last mile priority locations
- Freight networks illustrating corridors that may have special operational considerations for freight traffic
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Public outreach efforts were divided into two phases: 1) Existing Conditions and 2) Recommendations. The Existing Conditions phase was focused on learning from locals about opportunities and barriers to walking and biking in and around the study area, while the Recommendations phase was geared towards getting feedback on recommended projects, policies, and programs. In both phases, methods for public input included online surveys and online interactive maps.
KEY NEEDS AND PRIORITIES
Based on the existing conditions analysis and public engagement, several key needs and priorities emerged. These included site and corridor-specific needs at intersections or roadways, but also global needs throughout the study area.
Location-specific needs include:
- Global Address gaps in Parley’s Trail through the Sugar House Business District and South Salt Lake Downtown
- Address east-west connectivity into Sugar House for active transportation users on 2100 S, 2700 S, and 3300 S
- Address connectivity between the Sugar House Business District and Brickyard/Millcreek City Center
- Improve pedestrian conditions at various intersections throughout the study area
Global needs include:
- Improved first-last mile improvements
- More convenient and secure bike parking
- Comprehensive wayfinding signage
- Comprehensive traffic calming on local streets
- Improved pedestrian realm elements including street trees, site furnishings, and public art, and other placemaking features
Final Project Recommendations
Final Program & Policy Recommendations
PROCESS OVERVIEW
The map below illustrates final recommendations for improving circulation in the Study Area. Click on the lines, polygons, and points to learn more about each solution. Click on the link in each pop-up box to read more.
LocalLink_PImaterials
Background Data
The following interactive maps depicts the existing conditions within the study area.
KEY POINTS IN THE STUDY AREA
The study area includes three existing or developing central business districts or downtowns in the Salt Lake Valley.
Sugar House Business District
Since the 2013 Circulation Study in this area, the Sugar House Business District has seen tremendous transformation and continues to. The area south of 2100 South, north of I-80, east of 900 East, and west of 1300 East, has had significant redevelopment of new shopping, housing, hospitality, and office space. The new development is denser, more compact, and has an overall urban feel.
South Salt Lake Downtown
South Salt Lake is building a downtown city center across 235 acres at the northeast corner of where I-80 and I-15 meet. Over the course of its development, the City expects more than 2,500 new multi-family housing units, 1.5 million square feet of retail and 3 million square feet of office/commercial space, plus parks, a greenway, Parley’s Trail, and cultural and social attractions.
Millcreek City Center
The newly incorporated City of Millcreek is also building a city center. Its city center will be located north of 3300 South, between Highland Drive and 1300 East. It will feature a prominent and vibrant multi-use open space at its center with mixed uses including office, residential, retail, and civic buildings surrounding it. It will include over 100,000 square feet of office, over 40,000 square feet of retail, and over 450 multifamily units over the next decade.
The land uses in and between these three centers includes a broad mix of commercial, office, residential, and industrial (in South Salt Lake). In addition to the general land uses described above, there are a number of other destinations in the study area:
- 2 Colleges (Salt Lake Community College, Westminster College)
- 17 K-12 Schools (3 High Schools, 2 Junior High Schools, 11Pre-K & Elementary Schools, 1 School for the Deaf and Blind)
- 10 Parks
- 2 Libraries (Sprague Branch Public Library, Millcreek Community Library)
- 3 Hospitals or Health Clinics (University of Utah health Clinic - Sugar House, St. Mark's Hospital, South Main Public Health Center)
- 3 Community or Recreation Centers (Fairmont Aquatic Center, Columbus Center, Central Park Community Center)
- Salt Lake County Government Center
- South Salt Lake Creative Industries Zone
- Entertainment and Shopping Areas (Brickyard Shopping Center, Sugar House Shopping Center, Century 16 Theater, Cinemark Theatre
Parley's Trail and S-Line Corridor
In addition to the point and district destinations and features of the study area, Parley’s Trail and the S-Line Corridor currently define a prominent transit and active transportation corridor running east-west between the Sugar House Business District and South Salt Lake’s Downtown
ONGOING AND PLANNED CONSTRUCTION
Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake, and Millcreek have a number of upcoming and ongoing road construction projects. The map shows six classifications of construction projects: bus stop improvements, road reconstruction projects, trail projects, road restriping projects, road resurfacing projects, and water storm and sewer projects. This study can take advantage of this future construction work to make recommendations that may inform some of the final designs selected for each of these roads. Specific improvements are listed below by construction year:
2020
- Reconstructing Elizabeth Street - Stratford Avenue to Whitlock Avenue
- Reconstructing Zenith Avenue - 800 East to 900 East
- Reconstructing Parkway Avenue - Elizabeth Street to Highland Drive
- Canal Replacement & Green Infrastructure Improvements - Wilmington Avenue to Ashton Avenue
- Route 21 Bus Stop Enhancements
2021
- Reconstructing 900 East - Hollywood Avenue to 2700 South
- Resurfacing Highland - Warnock to Salt Lake City line
2023
- Reconstructing 1100 East / Highland Drive - Ramona Avenue to Warnock Avenue
- Reconstructing Ashton Avenue - 1100 East to Highland Drive
- Reconstructing 1000 East - Atkin Avenue to 2700 South
- Reconstructing Lincoln Street - Elm Avenue to 2100 South
- Reconstructing Meadow Lane - Green Street to 700 East
- Reconstructing Gregson Avenue - 900 East to Lincoln Street
- Reconstructing Simpson Avenue - 1100 East to Highland Drive
2024
- Reconstructing 1300 East - 2100 South the Salt Lake City Boundary
2025
- Reconstructing 2100 South - 700 East to 1700 East
LAND-USE DENSITY
The following four maps illustrate existing and future land use density in the study area. Together, they illustrate areas of higher building density located in and around the Sugar House Business District, much of the South Salt Lake Area adjacent to I-80, and property in and around the Brickyard Shopping Center and the Millcreek City Center.
This first map illustrates parcel-building density which is the total building square feet divided by the parcel size. It shows the intensity of development on each parcel. The darker the red, the more intense the parcel-building density. Parcels that are not red are likely single family homes with large lots, open spaces and parks, or other parcels with small buildings.
This map shows parcels with multiple building stories. The darker the red, the more building stories. There is a concentration in the Sugar House Business District, the parcel of the Salt Lake County Building, the area near South Salt Lake’s Creative Industries Zone, and along 3900 South near St. Mark’s Hospital.
The third and fourth maps show Household and Office Job estimates according to the Wasatch Front Regional Council’s 2030 projections by transportation analysis zone (TAZ). While households are spread throughout the study area, there appear to be clusters south of 3300 South and north of 2100 South.
This 2030 office projection map shows concentrations in the southeast corner of the Sugar House Business District and the TAZ encompassing the Salt Lake County Building.
BICYCLE FACILITIES
The Sugar House Business District possesses a number of important bikeway connections offering adjacent neighborhoods convenient access to numerous shopping and entertainment destinations. This includes east-west connections like Parley's Trail and bicycle facilities on 2700 S. The McClelland Trail provides a good north-south route linking Sugar House to the 9th & 9th District. Bicycle facilities are generally deficient in linking the Sugar House Business District to points south including Millcreek City Center and Brickyard. Parley's Trail also possess a vital gap between the Sugarmont TRAX station and "The Draw" where Parley's Trail crosses under 1300 East into Sugar House Park.
ANNUAL STRAVA DATA BICYCLE COUNTS (2019)
The most heavily used corridors by Strava users include Parley’s Trail, 1700 South, and 2700 South going east-west. This is likely attributed to the bicycle infrastructure on those roads and trails. Going north-south, there are more corridors used by riders, but the most heavily used are 900 East, 2100 East, and 2300 East south of I-80. Additional routes that seem to see higher volumes include Main Street, 300 East, 500 East, and 1300 East south of 3300 South.
BICYCLE TRAVELSHED ANALYSIS
The planning team analyzed existing bikeways and lowvolume roadways suitable for bicycling to understand how accessible the Sugar House Business District is via surrounding neighborhoods based on typical trip durations of 5-, 10-, and 20-minutes. Sugar House Plaza was used as the origin for determining these "travelsheds". Given a gridded street network and ample streets suitable for bicycling, travelsheds would appear diamond-shaped. In Sugar House, east-west connectivity is strong thanks to the existence of Parley's Trail. Connections north towards Westminster and the East Liberty Park neighborhood are also good thanks to the McClelland Trail and several low-volume local streets. Bicycle connectivity begins to breakdown traveling south out of Sugar House. A lack of suitable bicycle facilities on 1300 E or Highland prevents access to Brickyard and Millcreek City Center within the 10- and 20-minute travel sheds. With improved bikeways, it could be possible to easily bike between the Sugar House Business District and Brickyard / Millcreek City Center in as little as 10-minutes.
BICYCLE CRASHES
The planning team analyzed bicycle crashes between 2010 to 2019 by severity, location, year of occurrence, and daylight characteristics. Between 2010 and 2019, there were a total of 527 reported crashes involving bicycles. As shown in Figure 1, 3 of these crashes were fatal; 43 were reported as causing “serious injury;” 253 were reported as causing “minor injury;” 187 were reported as causing “possible injury;” and 41 were reported as causing “no injury.” The three fatal injuries occurred at the intersection of 2100 South and 1200 East, 3300 South and 1570 East, and 900 West and 3100 South.
70% (366) bicycle crashes occurred at intersections, while 30% (161) occurred at non-intersections. Only two percent of crashes occurred at a bicycle or pedestrian path intersection. 30% (160) of bicycle crashes occurred on roadways with designated bicycle infrastructure, whereas 70% (367) occurred on roadways without designated bicycle infrastructure, pointing to the importance of developing safe and comfortable bicycle facilities. The majority of crashes occurred on the largest arterial roads such as State Street, 2100 South, and Highland Drive.
Reported bicycle crashes have decreased over time, with earlier years showing higher number of crashes than later years as shown in Figure 2. In 2011, 79 crashes were recorded. In 2019, only 19 crashes were recorded. Note that this could be due to incomplete crash reporting.
ANNUAL STRAVA DATA PEDESTRIAN COUNTS (2019)
The pedestrian count data indicates the heaviest activity in and leading to Sugar House Park, which makes sense given its recreative nature. 1100 East, 2100 South, and the S-Line and Parley’s trail also see a fair number of pedestrian counts. More pedestrian activity seems to occur in the northeast quadrant of the study area.
PEDESTRIAN TRAVELSHED ANALYSIS
The planning team analyzed existing sidewalks suitable for walking to understand how accessible the Sugar House Business District is via surrounding neighborhoods based on typical trip durations of 5-, 10-, and 20-minutes. Sugar House Plaza was used as the origin for determining these “travelsheds.” Given the area’s gridded street network that’s outfitted with sidewalks on most streets, the pedestrian travel shed is roughly diamond shaped similarly to the bicycle travel shed. Connectivity to the north, west, and east is strong thanks to the existence of sidewalks on nearly every street in these neighborhoods. Connectivity to the south is weaker due to the lack of sidewalks on some local roads, dead-end cul-de-sacs, and the division of some neighborhoods by Interstate 80. Many roads either dead-end at the Interstate or do not provide adequate walking facilities, presenting a challenge for those walking to the south of the Sugar House Business District. With focused investment on implementing missing sidewalk links and connecting cul-de-sacs, the 20-minute pedestrian travel shed could be expanded to include the Highland Park Elementary School neighborhoods and other nearby areas.
PEDESTRIAN CRASHES
The planning team analyzed pedestrian crashes between 2010 to 2019 by severity, location, year of occurrence, and daylight characteristics. Between 2010 and 2019, there were a total of 550 reported crashes involving pedestrians. As shown in Figure 4, 33 of these crashes were fatal; 78 were reported as causing “serious injury;” 237 were reported as causing “minor injury;” 181 were reported as causing “possible injury;” and 21 were reported as causing “no injury.”
69% (378) of pedestrian crashes occurred at intersections, while 31% (172) occurred at non-intersections. Crashes appear to be centered around commercial areas with high to moderate pedestrian activity, such as the Sugar House Business District, 3300 South, State Street, 2100 South, and State Street.
The number of reported crashes has varied over time, with the majority of crashes occurring in 2017 (64), 2013 (63), and 2015 (60). 2019 showed the lowest number of reported crashes, with only 41 crashes reported. Note that this number could be due to incomplete crash reporting.
TRANSIT CONNECTIONS
The study area is well served by bus transit with routes running along major north-south and east-west corridors. A summary of the bus routes and their peak period headways in the study area is shown in the table below.
The study area is also served by light rail service including three TRAX lines on the west side and a streetcar (the S-Line) which runs from Central Pointe Station in South Salt Lake to its terminus at Fairmont Station in the Sugar House Business District. At Central Pointe Station, riders can transfer from the S-Line to the Green, Blue, and Red TRAX light rail lines. These lines reach West Valley and the Salt Lake City International Airport, Draper and Salt Lake Central Station, and Daybreak and the University of Utah, respectively. The table below provides a summary of light rail service.
The two charts below show more detailed information on SLine ridership. The first shows a steady increase in ridership from 2014 to 2017 and then a slight drop in years 2018 and 2019. The second chart shows that ridership remains steady throughout the months, with slight peaks in August and September.
An Alternatives Analysis (AA) study will be conducted following this study to explore extending the S-Line south of its current terminus at Fairmont Station to Millcreek and Holladay, either down Highland Drive or 1300 East or a combination of north-south streets.
The region’s heavy rail commuter line, Front Runner, also appears on the map, but is considered out of the study area.
TRANSIT BOARDINGS
The map shows average daily boardings at bus stops and SLine stations. It shows that the majority of boardings occur along the S-Line, 2100 South, 3300 South, and at major road intersections such as 900 East and 3900 South.
TRANSIT ALIGHTINGS
The transit alightings (when passengers get off the bus) map show that while the same bus stop locations tend to show more activity, 2100 South, 3300 South, and intersections such as Highland Drive and 3300 South, there is overall less activity. This may or may not accurately reflect actual alightings since fewer people “tap off” when getting off the bus.
FREIGHT NETWORK
The freight network through the study area consists of freeways, arterials, and major collectors. These routes include I-80, I-15, State Street, 700 East, 3300 South, and 2100 South west of State Street. These roads tend to be auto-priority and should likely be avoided as routes for active transportation.
SUGAR HOUSE PARLEY'S TRAIL
The map shows how Parley’s Trail (magenta line) currently connects through the Sugar House Business District. It passes north of the S-Line tracks east along Sugarmont Drive. It picks up at Wilmington Avenue and continues east, where it cuts north and goes through an alley behind Wilmington Flats, through the southeast corner of Hidden Hollow and then east through The Draw tunnel into Sugar House Park. The connection between Sugarmont Drive and Wilmington Avenue along Highland Drive is unofficial and informal. The map conveys several routing alternatives through the Sugar House Business District, which include a route for pedestrians through the new Sugarmont Apartments. The McClelland Trail is also depicted in green and green dashed lines for existing and expected routes, respectively.
BIKE PARKING IN SUGAR HOUSE BUSINESS DISTRICT
This map illustrates the extent of bicycle parking in the Sugar House Business District as of July 2020. Many of the facilities are still in place that existed when the 2013 study was completed. As new development has happened, bicycle racks have been added next to several new buildings indicating more acceptance and support of cycling in the study area.
SUGAR HOUSE TRANSIT SERVICE
The Sugar House Transit Service map shows four bus lines (209, 21, 213, 220) and the S-Line streetcar route as well as 2019 total average daily boardings and alightings for stops in the study area. The map illustrates a concentration of activity at the Fairmont Station (corner of McClelland and Sugarmont), and at 900 East and 2100 South. Some of the new office development in Sugar House such as the University of Utah Health Clinic likely has not been around long enough to impact bus stop use on Highland Drive between Ashton and Stringham, but it is likely that location will begin to see more activity.
The line chart below shows average daily ridership on bus lines that run through the Sugar House Business District from 2010 to 2019. Ridership has remained mostly flat or has risen for most lines except route 205, which has seen a slow decline that has flatten since 2011. All lines saw a small dip in service in 2014, which may be related to the launch of the S-Line.
Public Comment Summary
The study engaged the public over several months in the summer and early fall of 2020. The first format was through an interactive public comment map in which members of the community could leave general or specific comments on circulation in the study area. Specific comments were tied to either points or lines that they drew on a map.
The majority of comments pertained to safety and biking (see pie chart). Beyond those overarching comment tags, the three most common big ideas revolved around:
- Improved signage & wayfinding
- Need for addition bicycle facilities to improve ridership and safety
- Improved street crossing environments for pedestrians
Improved Signage & Wayfinding
Several comments addresses the lack of or limited signage for the trails that connect in the study area including Parley’s, the McClelland, and the Millcreek Trails.
Additional Bicycle Facilities
In general, several corridors were identified as lacking bicycle lanes which made riders feel unsafe traveling along them, especially where cars may be traveling at high speeds.
Improved Street Crossings
Many intersections or mid-block crossings were identified as places for improved pedestrian infrastructure. Respondents indicated they felt unsafe and did not walk because it was too difficult to connect in some of these areas without better pedestrian facilities.
Preliminary Public Comment Map
Gaps & Barriers
A gaps and barriers analysis was done by assessing information gathered in existing conditions and in the public comments about the study area. The following three maps indicate major barriers and gaps and targeted pain points for active transportation circulation.
BARRIERS
The study area is dissected by three large linear barriers: I-80 dividing areas north and south, and State Street and 700 East dividing areas east and west. These auto-priority thoroughfares can be challenging and create undesirable conditions for traveling for cyclists and pedestrians. The thick blue lines on the map indicate these barriers’ locations. White lines across them indicate safer or more welcoming crossing conditions. Dashed white lines indicate locations where it is physically possible to cross, but the environment may not be ideal and will likely deter all but the most determined of people.
Smaller barriers are also indicated to show smaller corridors that are difficult to cross. They are at the intersection of the S-Line and TRAX lines near Central Pointe Station, between the Sugar House Business District and Millcreek City Center along Highland Drive, and a small point along Sugarmont Drive between McClelland Street and Highland Drive.
GAPS
The gaps on the map depict areas and corridors of missing connections or infrastructure for active transportation in the study area. There are six primary gaps listed below. Additional gaps in connectivity are illustrated with dashed lines. Those include connections from the northeast neighborhoods into the Sugar House Business District, connections east-west through the City of Millcreek, and a possible connection south of I-80 that could function as an alternate route to cycling infrastructure that exists on 2700 South and Parley’s Trail.
- Gap 1: Parley’s Trail through Sugar House Business District
- Gap 2: 2700 South - 700 East to 1300 East- gap in bikeway infrastructure
- Gap 3: Sugar House Business District to Millcreek City Center/ Brickyard; gaps in bikeway and pedestrian infrastructure
- Gap 4: 3300 South: Gaps in bikeway and pedestrian infrastructure; future study planned
- Gap 5: 2100 South: lacking bikeways, inconsistent pedestrian facilities outside of Sugar House Business District
- Gap 6: 900 East - 2700 South to 3300 South- Gap in regional bikeway network; connects to Millcreek City and planned Salt Lake City bikeway
PAIN POINTS
The third map in this series illustrates specific pain points across the study area. These are comprised of trail areas that are confusing, dangerous or difficult intersections to cross, missing active transportation infrastructure such as sidewalk, and other similar issues that make connectivity in the area challenging.
- Parley’s Trail route confusing
- Lack of sidewalk on 400 East creates difficulty accessing the S-Line
- Signal to cross is slow and de-incentivizes biking
- Dangerous crossing conditions for pedestrians/cyclists via multi-use path
- Confusing and dangerous intersection
- Parley's Trail signage and location confusing - often blocked by vehicles
- Difficulty crossing 1300 East via Westminster Ave even though it is a common route to SHBD from northeast
- Tunnel not inviting to AT, but wide enough for additional facilities
- This intersection is extremely difficult/ unfriendly to cyclists/ pedestrians
- Difficulty crossing 2100 South into park, signs about directionality not clear, lack of bike racks
- Difficult crossing at 1700 East - debris and snow accumulate in protected northbound bike lane
- McClelland Trail not clear
- Parking on Highland Drive not used - bike lane opportunity?
- Difficult intersection to cross
- Sidewalks in poor condition - but wide enough to install shared use path
- Dangerous crossing conditions
