Alta is proud to partner with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in laying the foundation for the Utah Trail Network Vision Plan(UTN)—a one-of-a-kind statewide initiative designed to connect communities through a seamless network of paved trails.
To ensure the network reflects the needs and aspirations of Utah’s diverse communities, Alta is leading workshops across the state, engaging stakeholders, Municipal Planning Organizations, and Associations of Governments.
These workshops are an essential forum for gathering insights, surfacing community priorities, and identifying challenges. Using a combination of public outreach and data-driven analysis, Alta will identify the initial Utah Trail Network to guide planning and programming of funding for years to come.
Civic Analytics Component
Alta’s data driven analysis for this project included a comprehensive set of trail significance metrics spanning connectivity, demand, and mode-shift potential. A backbone to this analysis was a statewide assessment of transportation accessibility gains by testing how each proposed trail integrates into a low-stress network. The evaluation measured changes in access to parks, state parks, existing and projected population and jobs, colleges, and other destinations. These access gains were used to score each trail’s inclusion in the UTN and to inform trail typologies that guide planning and programming.