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Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets: Response to COVID-19

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November 2020 update

As of November 2, 2020, all streets participating in the Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets initiative have been returned to normal operation. “We are grateful for all those who have been supportive of this initiative and have enjoyed having some extra space to social distance, while staying physically active” said Transportation Division Director Jon Larsen. Over the coming months, city staff will monitor the COVID-19 situation to determine the future of this initiative.

Overview

In April 2020, in response to COVID-19 physical distancing needs, Salt Lake City began opening select streets for community recreation. This followed a week-long online survey that gathered over 6,200 responses about which streets should be prioritized.

These “Stay Safe, Stay Active” Streets allowed more space for walking and biking while maintaining local vehicle access. Drivers were asked to go slowly and cautiously, while pedestrians and cyclists were encouraged to watch for cars and move aside when needed to allow access to homes and businesses.

Street selection was based on survey input, walkability, neighborhood plans, geographic equity, ease of implementation, park and trail access, emergency and transit routes, and existing traffic patterns.

The streets opened as Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets in April and May 2020 included: 

  • 500 North between Redwood Rd and 800 West
  • 900 South between 300 East and 700 East
  • 600 East between 600 South and 900 South
  • Stratford Ave between 1300 East and 2000 East
  • Wasatch Dr between 1300 South and Crestview Dr
  • 4th Ave between A St and N St
  • 200 West between 600 North and North Temple Street
  • Emery Street between 400 South and Harrison 
  • 800 East between 800 South and 1700 South
  • Kensington Avenue between 700 East and 1400 East, and between 1500 East and 1600 East 

View the Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets map.

View the survey results and comments.

Frequently asked questions

What is local traffic? Will this impact garbage pickup, deliveries, or emergency vehicle access?

On the streets where this is implemented, local traffic will be allowed to access homes and businesses. This includes service, emergency, delivery vehicles, etc.

Who has the right-of-way when using the street?

Consider the street to be shared. All users should respect others, allowing each to use the street together. Pedestrians and bicyclists should move to the side of the street when necessary to allow motorists to safely pass on the left. Motorists and bicyclists should drive slowly, passing other street users on the left, only when it is safe to do so.

Will this be implemented City-wide?

The goal is to implement this in as many areas of the City as possible. The responses from the survey will help inform the details of the implementation.

Will this impact on-street parking?

In a handful of locations, it might. For the most part, local access will be allowed, and that includes access to on-street parking.

Do normal traffic and safety laws apply?

Yes – local vehicle traffic are still permitted, and normal bicycle, scooter and pedestrian laws are still in place (i.e. stop at stop signs, don’t park scooters in the middle of the street, etc).

On impacted streets, how do people safely recreate?

Continue to follow CDC guidance: wear a mask, wash your hands before and after going outside, and stay at least 6 feet away from others. Do not gather in groups.

Public safety sign from Salt Lake City Transportation encouraging walking and bicycling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The poster reads: “STAY SAFE, STAY ACTIVE! Street is open to walking & bicycling.” It lists guidelines for physical distancing, sharing the roadway, and allowing access for motorists. A visual shows a person walking and another walking a dog, separated by a 6 ft arrow. The bottom includes the city website: www.slc.gov/transportation.
Spanish-language public safety sign from Salt Lake City Transportation promoting safe walking and biking during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sign reads: “¡Cuídese y Manténgase Activo! Esta calle está abierta para caminar y andar en bicicleta.” It lists safety guidelines including physical distancing, sharing the street, and allowing vehicles to pass and access properties. An illustration at the bottom shows a person walking and another walking a dog, separated by a “6 pies” (6 feet) distance indicator. The Salt Lake City logo is shown in the lower right corner.

Traffic volumes

On the evenings of June 4 and June 25, 2020, Salt Lake City Transportation Division staff members counted bicyclists and pedestrians using the Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets. Staff counted for two hours on all ten streets—from 5 to 7 PM on June 4 and from 6 to 8 PM on June 25.

Count locations

June 4, 2020

  • 1160 West 500 North
  • 450 E 900 South
  • 750 S 600 E
  • 1659 E Stratford Ave
  • Wasatch Dr @ Golf Course
  • 624 East 4th Ave
  • 350 North 200 West
  • 733 S Emery St
  • 1520 S 800 East
  • 1193 E Kensington Ave

June 25, 2020

  • 1339 West 500 North
  • 450 E 900 South
  • 750 S 600 E
  • 1659 E Stratford Ave
  • Wasatch Dr @ Golf Course
  • 624 East 4th Ave
  • 350 North 200 West
  • 575 S Emery St
  • 1520 S 800 East
  • 865 E Kensington Ave

All bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists were counted. Direction and location (sidewalk or roadway) were also recorded. The next two graphs show how many bicyclists and pedestrians used the roadway on each street:

Bar chart showing the number of on-roadway bicyclists and pedestrians at various streets in Salt Lake City on June 4, 2020, from 5 PM to 7 PM as part of the “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative.” Blue bars represent bicyclists and orange bars represent pedestrians. 800 East has the highest combined count (108 bicyclists, 23 pedestrians), followed by 600 East and Wasatch Drive. Streets like Kensington Avenue, Emery Street, and 500 North have the lowest counts. A note clarifies that the graph does not include bicyclists and pedestrians using sidewalks.
Bar chart titled “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative: On-Roadway Bicyclists & Pedestrians – June 25, 2020, 6 PM to 8 PM.” It shows the number of bicyclists (blue bars) and pedestrians (orange bars) on various Salt Lake City streets. Wasatch Drive had the highest number of bicyclists (85) and 4th Avenue had the highest number of pedestrians (62). Other notable streets include 600 East (84 bicyclists, 3 pedestrians), 800 East (50 bicyclists, 20 pedestrians), and Stratford (41 bicyclists, 18 pedestrians). Streets with low activity include Emery Street (10 bicyclists), 500 North (9 bicyclists, 1 pedestrian), and Kensington Ave (21 pedestrians only). A footnote clarifies that sidewalk users were not counted.

The following graphs show the total number of bicyclists and pedestrians by location (sidewalk or roadway):

Bar chart titled “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative: Total Bicyclists by Street & Location – June 4, 2020, 5 PM to 7 PM.” It shows counts of bicyclists on the roadway (blue bars) and sidewalk (orange bars) across different Salt Lake City streets. 800 East has the highest count (108 roadway, 1 sidewalk), followed by 600 East (96 roadway, 3 sidewalk) and Wasatch Drive (87 roadway, 3 sidewalk). Streets like Emery Street (10 roadway, 7 sidewalk) and Kensington Avenue (7 roadway, 0 sidewalk) show higher sidewalk use relative to other locations. Some streets, including 4th Ave, 500 North, and 900 South, had no recorded sidewalk bicyclists.
Bar chart titled “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative: Total Bicyclists by Street & Location – June 25, 2020, 6 PM to 8 PM.” The chart compares the number of bicyclists riding on the roadway (blue bars) versus the sidewalk (orange bars) on various Salt Lake City streets. Wasatch Drive (85 roadway, 2 sidewalk) and 600 East (84 roadway, 1 sidewalk) had the highest total counts. 900 South had a notable number of sidewalk riders (50 roadway, 15 sidewalk). Other streets with moderate counts include 800 East (50 roadway), Stratford (41 roadway, 8 sidewalk), and 200 West (35 roadway). Streets like Kensington Avenue had only 10 roadway cyclists and zero on the sidewalk.
Bar chart titled “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative: Total Pedestrians by Street & Location – June 4, 2020, 5 PM to 7 PM.” It compares the number of pedestrians using the roadway (blue bars) and sidewalk (orange bars) on various Salt Lake City streets. 200 West recorded the highest pedestrian count with 106 on the sidewalk and 13 on the roadway. Other high counts include 600 East (73 sidewalk, 8 roadway), 4th Avenue (33 sidewalk, 39 roadway), 800 East (46 sidewalk, 23 roadway), and Stratford (48 sidewalk, 17 roadway). Lower counts were observed on Kensington Avenue, 900 South, 500 North, and Emery Street, with sidewalk use generally exceeding roadway use.
Bar chart titled “Stay Safe, Stay Active Streets Initiative: Total Pedestrians by Street & Location – June 25, 2020, 6 PM to 8 PM.” It displays the number of pedestrians on the roadway (blue bars) versus the sidewalk (orange bars) across different Salt Lake City streets. 900 South had the highest total with 123 on the sidewalk and 5 on the roadway. Other high counts include 4th Avenue (62 sidewalk, 28 roadway), 200 West (72 sidewalk, 5 roadway), and 800 East (40 sidewalk, 20 roadway). Most other streets had far more sidewalk users than roadway users. Streets with the lowest total counts include Kensington Ave, Emery Street, and 500 North.

Contact us

Email: transportation@slc.gov

Phone: 801-535-6630

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