Utah's Secret: Changing with the Times is Part of It

The vast majority of Utah’s residents live in towns and cities. This article discusses how mass transit and higher population density are creating lively urban cores in many of these cities. These urban areas are embracing the concepts of smart growth. For example, Salt Lake City has a comprehensive sustainability ordinance that covers everything from building orientation to recycling. Transit-oriented development is also beginning to emerge, with a goal of having 90% of residents of the Wasatch Front within one mile of a major transit stop by 2030. In Salt Lake City, a light-rail system initiated in 1999 is being extended through the urban corridor paralleling the Wasatch Range. This system is supplemented by a 38-mile commuter rail line that also will soon be expanded.