Utah

Service Redesign Proposed by Utah Transit Authority
The Utah Transit Authority is proposing a new approach to transit service design for the counties on the Wasatch Front, focusing changes on a "core route network" of frequent service.

'We are Entering the Steep Slope of the Epidemic Curve'
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, warned CBS viewers recently that the U.S. was at a "dangerous tipping point" in the pandemic. "We are on the cusp of exponential growth," he added later.

Six States Want Colorado River Pipeline Slowed
The seven states of the Colorado River Compact usually stay out of each other's business once the water is divvied up, but in a surprising move, six of the compact states have signed a letter to raise concerns about Utah's pipeline plans.

Coronavirus Wastewater Testing Yields Positive Results at Universities
Wastewater testing is being hailed as a success at the University of Arizona, credited for stopping a COVID outbreak. In Utah, wastewater analysis forced almost 300 students to quarantine for four days while awaiting their test results.

20 Years Later: Envision Utah's Quality Growth Strategy Deemed a Massive Success
The state of Utah created Envision Utah in the late 1990s to address growth while maintaining quality of life and protecting the environment in the state. The plan set goals for 2020, so it's time to evaluate its success.

Lower Colorado River States Used Less Water in 2019 Than Any Year Since 1986
The states drawing water from the Colorado River's lower basin—California, Arizona, and Nevada—used less water from the river in 2019 than any year since the mid-1980s.

What's So Special About Oregon and Utah?
These two Western states did something that none of the 20 other states in the nation going the wrong way in the pandemic have yet to do: they paused their reopening plans due to rising coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.

Environmental Impact Statement for Lake Powell-to-Utah Water Pipeline Released
Paiute Indians in Arizona oppose a plan to pipe Colorado River water from Lake Powell in Arizona to St. George in Utah, according to documents released by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Water Supply Inadequacies Tied to Coronavirus Infection in the Navajo Nation
On May 24, the Navajo Nation had 4,658 reported cases and 165 deaths in a population of 173,000—more even than New York City—while local organizers scrambled to find the water to cover the need during the pandemic.

Criticism for Plans for Massive Inland Port Plan Near the Great Salt Lake
The Utah Inland Port Authority has moved forward quickly with a plan to build a massive inland port complex, despite the objections of local officials in Salt Lake City.

Mountain Coal States vs. West Coast Cities
A legal battle is being waged between the coal-exporting states of Utah, Wyoming, and Montana and coastal cities in California, Oregon, and Washington that pits the power of local land-use authority against the protection of interstate commerce.

Utah Officials Want to Replace the State Gas Tax
The state auditor and the transportation chief argue that the gas tax is an unsustainable funding source caused by a projected increase in electric vehicle adoption and an increase in fuel efficiency of gas-powered vehicles.

'TED Meets Burning Man' at Summit Powder Mountain
Developers of a ski town in Utah are expanding the weekend tech conference into a village with permanent residents.

5 Transit Projects to Watch in the D.C. Region in 2020
Light rail, bus rapid transit, subway cell service, and more.
Green Hydrogen, Plus Storage, Key to Los Angeles' Plan for Carbon-Free Electricity
The Los Angeles municipal utility will convert a Utah coal power plant to run on natural gas in 2025. According to a proposal unveiled Dec. 10, the plant will incrementally be converted to run entirely on hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, by 2045.

Great Salt Lake, Shrinking From Water Diversions for New Development, Spreads Dust Around Utah
New research is quantifying the environmental consequences of land use patterns and water diversions in Northern Utah.

Development Backlash Follows Population and Job Growth in Western States
As housing prices rise all over the country, quickly growing states like Colorado, Idaho, and Utah are transforming in ways some residents didn't anticipate or desire. Such circumstances are a breeding ground for anti-development politics.

Where Enforcement of Jaywalking Equals Criminalization of Homelessness
Records in Salt Lake City show that police in Salt Lake City concentrate jaywalking enforcement in the corner of the city that houses most of the city's homeless services.

Advocacy to Protect Borderlands Areas Lagging
Construction of a border wall would have grave social and environmental consequences, but retailers with clout are not stepping up as they have when other places have been threatened.

Survey Says: Fear of Cars Drives Scooter Riders to Sidewalks
An email survey of scooter riders in Salt Lake City would seem to make the case for more robust investment in high-quality active transportation infrastructure.
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