Livable Streets
Did you receive a postcard? We’re looking for your feedback! Take our Livable Streets Survey (la encuesta está disponible en Español tambíen) and come to our community meetings. We’re also available via email at livablestreets@slcgov.com. This is your chance to give the project team feedback that will help shape the design of the streets in your neighborhood!
Program Overview
The Livable Streets Program aims to implement neighborhood traffic calming in Salt Lake City at a citywide scale. Our goal is to improve the overall safety, livability, and attractiveness of your neighborhood streets. This program was established through funding approved by the City Council to create the first traffic calming program in the City since 2003. Learn more from a brief video overview of the Livable Streets Program.
What is traffic calming and livability?
Traffic calming is the deliberate slowing of traffic in residential areas through physical design. It seeks to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. It is tool to combat speeding and other unsafe behaviors of drivers and aims to encourage safer, more responsible driving. Visit our traffic calming toolkit webpage to see examples of existing traffic calming around Salt Lake City. We define livability as the factors that can contribute to a neighborhood’s increased quality of life. It can include both built and natural elements of the environment, community safety, accessibility, connectivity to goods and services, and the equitable distribution of all of these factors.
Program Development
The Livable Streets Program identified 403.5 miles of candidate streets in Salt Lake City on which traffic calming treatments could be implemented. Our team established 113 zones in order to help the City decide where to spend potential traffic calming funds. The zones were prioritized based on factors such as injury crashes, traffic speeds, access to community assets, and socioeconomic data.
Community Feedback
We are now beginning public outreach on our top four highest priority zones and we want to hear from you! We’re hosting public meetings to better understand the specific needs of your community. This is your chance to give the project team feedback that will help shape the design of the streets in your neighborhood! Use the flyer or map below to find your zone, take our Livable Streets survey (la encuesta está disponible en Español tambíen), and come to the community meeting for your zone!
Zone 2 meeting: Tuesday, August 22nd from 6 PM to 7:00 PM at Forest Dale Golf Course (2375 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84106). Join us online!
Zone 3 meeting: Wednesday, August 23rd from 6 PM to 7:00 PM at Sorenson Unity Center (1383 S 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84104). Servicios linguisticos para español serán disponibles. Join us online!
Zone 4 meeting: Thursday, August 24th from 6 PM to 7:00 PM at Neighborhood House (1050 W 500 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84104). Servicios linguisticos para español serán disponibles. Join us online!
Livable Streets Zone Map
FAQs
Livable Streets FAQ
When will I see traffic calming implemented on my street?
Livable Streets plans will be developed for each zone in the order established in the Livable Streets program document. The City is divided into 113 zone and it is currently not known how many zones can be addressed by Transportation staff each year.
How and why were the zones prioritized?
The zones were prioritized based on crash, speed, and demographic data (The number of households within each zone, and the percent of those households recorded as living below the federal poverty line, identifying as Hispanic and/or non-white, and not having access to a car according to the most recent American Community Survey (2016)). They were prioritized to promote equitable distribution of transportation investment on neighborhood streets where it is most needed. For more information see the Livable Streets Program document.
What are examples of “traffic calming measures?”
Examples of traffic calming measures include roundabouts, speed bumps, speed feedback signals and curb extensions. For a more in-depth review of the traffic calming measures we use, check out the Traffic Calming Toolkit webpage.
How is the Livable Streets Program funded?
During 2022, the City Council approved $2M of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds for this program.
Who can I contact if I have questions about the Livable Streets program?
Send and email to livablestreets@slcgov.com to ask questions or to provide quick, easy feedback on any of the projects within the Livable Streets program
Speed Limit Ordinance Change (25 MPH to 20 MPH) FAQ
When does this ordinance change take effect?
In May 2022, the City Council voted to reduce the default neighborhood speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph. The amendment to the City code, which coincides with the ordinance taking effect, was recorded shortly after.
Will all streets currently labeled 25 mph be changed to 20 mph?
The change will affect 420 miles of City-owned roadways, or about 70 percent of our streets. The change will not apply to streets maintained by the Utah Department of Transportation (like State Street or 700 East).
When will the signs be changed?
The Transportation Division started installing new speed limit signs in late July. The City expects to install over 500 signs by the end of summer 2022.
Will the new speed limit increase traffic?
The reduced speed limit on local streets will have very little impact on travel times by bus and car. The goal of the change is to improve safety and livability in Salt Lake City neighborhoods.
For more details on the 20 MPH speed limit reduction, visit the 20 MPH Local Streets Initiative page.
Watch a brief video overview of the Livable Streets Program.
For more background, read the Salt Lake City Traffic Management Program Document from 2003 or the University of Utah Effectiveness of Traffic Calming Measures in Salt Lake City document from 2019.
Contact Us
Project Manager | Dan Bergenthal
Email | Dan.Bergenthal@slcgov.com
Project Email | livablestreets@slcgov.com
Phone | 801-535-6412
Social Media | @SLCmoves @SLCgov