Upcoming events

Get involved in your community and help make Salt Lake City a better place to live, work, and play. There are several opportunities to participate and directly influence solutions to fix the west-east divide.

• Free stained glass workshops: Join Together Arts and WE Connect to share your vision for the City at one of our free, fast, and fun stained glass art workshops. No prior art experience needed. Designed for ages 16+. Free meal for the first 12 attendees at each session. Email [email protected] to request reimbursement for transportation and childcare.
• Register for reminders or drop in any time!
  • Feb 28, 12–2 pm at Alta Vue Apts
  • Mar 6, 10–12 pm at Forty Three Bakery
  • Mar 13, 2–5 pm at Culture Coffee
  • Mar 27, 2–5 pm at Culture Coffee

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent community events! We appreciate your participation at the Art Installation Celebration (Feb 5, 10 am) and our Community Open Houses at The Other Side Village (Feb 5, 5:30-7:30 pm) and Sorenson Unity Center (Feb 12, 5:30-7:30 pm).

What we heard from you

Between May 2 and June 20, 2025, 1,051 community members shared their experiences with the West-East divide. The majority of participants live in Rose Park, Poplar Grove, and Glendale.

Here are the key themes from your feedback:

The divide causes daily disruption

• Constant delays: 71% of you report being delayed by trains or traffic barriers multiple times a day, daily, or weekly.
• Forced detours: Half the time, drivers choose to use overpasses to avoid potential delays, even though it requires driving further.

Unequal access to essentials

• Nearly half of Westside residents (48%) say they cannot access the goods and services they need—specifically groceries, dining, and healthcare—within their own neighborhoods.
• “Choices are far more desirable on the other side of the tracks… While we can find what we need, why should our neighborhood have to settle for less-than-appealing options.”

The desire to walk, bike, and ride

• “I do not bike in this area because of the lack of safe crossings over I-15 and the railroad tracks where I need them to be.”
• While 92% of participants currently drive, many feel forced to do so because other options aren’t viable.
• 190 participants said they would prefer to walk or bike but feel they have to drive to avoid delays.
• 338 participants expressed a clear desire for more extensive, frequent, and free transit options on the Westside.

Community-centered approach

The SLC West-East Connections Study takes a community-centered approach, ensuring those most affected by the divide define the challenges and help shape solutions. Study success depends on ongoing engagement and collaboration between the city, community, and partner agencies. A Community Advisory Board is helping guide the team throughout the process, with engagement opportunities planned to develop a unified plan by the end of 2026.

A new look, co-created by you

We’re excited to share a major update to the WE Connect study’s visual identity. The WE Connect Community Advisory Board, five local artists, and the project team collaborated to develop new artwork and branding elements that better represent the input you shared with us.

The four puzzle pieces represent the four major problem statements you—the Westside community—told us were caused by the physical divide between the west and east sides of Salt Lake City—travel choice, health and safety, community vibrancy, and access to opportunity.