SLC.gov

July 7, 2026

Salt Lake City’s popular 9-Line corridor and future Fleet Block open space are going to get a lot greener and cooler for the thousands of residents who use the urban trail and live nearby, thanks to $11.5 million in grants secured from the Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening America’s Cities initiative. Salt Lake City is one of eight U.S. cities to receive grant funding in 2026 from the program.

“Trees, plants, and shade change how a place feels,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “They tell families they can stay a little longer, give people walking and biking a safer trip, and make it easier for customers to keep showing up for local businesses in the heat of summer. That is what this investment is about: making the 9-Line and Fleet Block more welcoming, more usable, and more connected.”

Greening America’s Cities is a multi-year Bezos Earth Fund initiative that transforms underutilized urban land into parks and green space. Launched in 2023, the program has now invested $150 million across 11 cities, with a goal of $400 million total, prioritizing communities with the greatest gaps in green space access.

“At the Bezos Earth Fund, we want to make the planet a place people can and want to live, and that includes making sure people have green spaces woven into daily life—places to cool down and get shade, bring their families, or simply walk through on their commute. Those places shouldn’t be a luxury,” said Tom Taylor, CEO and President of the Bezos Earth Fund. “Greening America’s Cities shows what’s possible when communities, local leaders, and partners come together to transform overlooked spaces into something extraordinary. Our hope is that these projects serve as a blueprint for turning vacant land into community assets and encourage even more investment in green spaces—from government, philanthropy, and others—in cities across the country.” 

Research shows affordability remains a top concern for Salt Lake City residents. To reduce financial costs to residents, Mayor Mendenhall and Salt Lake City Corporation are actively seeking partnerships between the public sector and philanthropic entities to address needed infrastructure and quality of life improvements citywide. 

Adding shade to the 9-Line Trail

With a $9.5 million grant, Salt Lake City aims to make the trail more usable for pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders, and bus passengers by converting 9.5 blocks—1.7 miles—of gravel park strips into green ribbons planted with 285 trees and 350 water-wise shrubs that will add shade, cool the air, and improve air quality.

Improvements will also include water-smart drip irrigation, new soil, benches, tables, wayfinding, and placemaking elements that beautify the popular urban corridor for users and small businesses.

“The 9-Line Trail has quickly become one of Salt Lake City’s most loved and well-used public spaces, and this investment will make it even better,” said Blake Thomas, Salt Lake City Senior Advisor on Real Estate and Capital Projects. “Just as exciting, these improvements will extend into the future Fleet Block green space, strengthening connections between the Central 9th and Granary neighborhoods and creating a more welcoming experience for the hundreds of thousands of people who use the trail each year.”

Cooling Fleet Block’s future public open space

Concepts for the upcoming 2.4 acre-public open space at the former Fleet Block are moving forward, and this $2 million grant will allow the City to enhance the planned green space. During the City’s engagement process, the community shared that a greener, cooler, more natural space is critical to their comfort and the space’s resilience and long-term success.

The funding, in conjunction with $6 million from the 2022 General Obligation Bond passed by residents, will transform the former industrial brownfield site by directly supporting the planting of 150 trees and converting hardscape surface to open lawn areas, native plantings, and rain gardens.

When completed, at least 3,200 residents living within a 10-minute walk will have more equitable access to high-quality green space, and more than 55,000 residents in the Central Community Plan area will benefit from reduced heat exposure, improved health, and access to usable green space. The public can continue to get project updates and find future feedback opportunities for the public open space on shape.slc.gov. A final vision for the public space is anticipated to be unveiled this summer.

Salt Lake City Foundation is undertaking the grant projects in partnership with Salt Lake City.

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The Bezos Earth Fund, guided by the belief that Earth is the best planet in this solar system, works to protect and restore the natural world. Working with partners around the globe, we are developing innovative solutions to ensure the planet remains a place we can–and want to–live on. Based in the United States, the organization is led by President and CEO Tom Taylor, under the direction of Chairman Jeff Bezos and Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez Bezos. To learn more, visit bezosearthfund.org.