§ 72-1-217 — Department of Transportation study items.

(1) The department shall carry out transportation studies described in this section as resources allow.
(2) (2)(a) The department shall study items related to advanced air mobility as described in this Subsection (2).
(2)(b) The department shall study vertiport locations and infrastructure, including:
(2)(b)(i) identification of suitable locations for vertiport infrastructure and parking infrastructure for vertiports in metropolitan areas;
(2)(b)(ii) identification of commuter rail stations that may be suitable for vertiport placement; and
(2)(b)(iii) identification of underutilized parking lots and parking structures for vertiport infrastructure placement.
(2)(c) The department shall study best practices and implementation of advanced air mobility technologies, including:
(2)(c)(i) seeking input through community engagement;
(2)(c)(ii) state and local regulations;
(2)(c)(iii) unmanned aircraft system traffic management; and
(2)(c)(iv) weather reporting and monitoring for advanced air mobility safety.
(2)(d) The department shall study unmanned aircraft traffic management infrastructure, including:
(2)(d)(i) unmanned aircraft system traffic management development, implementation, procedures, policies, and infrastructure; and
(2)(d)(ii) obtaining a full understanding of unmanned aircraft system traffic management, including:
(2)(d)(ii)(A) designation of airspace for advanced air mobility;
(2)(d)(ii)(B) creation of geographic categorical areas;
(2)(d)(ii)(C) identifying the appropriate number and location of advanced air mobility sensors; and
(2)(d)(ii)(D) other state specific details regarding unmanned aircraft system traffic management.
(2)(e) The department shall study the creation of an advanced air mobility sandbox, including:
(2)(e)(i) potential locations for the sandbox testing area and desirable attributes of a suitable sandbox location;
(2)(e)(ii) requirements to create a geographical advanced air mobility testing area and the parameters for the types of technology that may be utilized in the testing area; and
(2)(e)(iii) testing and studying different types of advanced air mobility transportation of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles, including:
(2)(e)(iii)(A) aerial vehicle size;
(2)(e)(iii)(B) aerial vehicles that carry cargo, including medical cargo;
(2)(e)(iii)(C) commercial aerial vehicles; and
(2)(e)(iii)(D) public transportation aerial vehicles.
(2)(f) On or before September 30, 2023, the department shall provide a report to the Transportation Interim Committee of the department's findings from the study items described in Subsections (2)(b) through (2)(e).
(2)(g) The department may only use existing funds to cover the expenses incurred from the study of items described in Subsections (2)(b) through (2)(e).
(3) (3)(a) The department and a large public transit district shall jointly study programs offered by government entities related to human services transportation, including:
(3)(a)(i) coordinated mobility services;
(3)(a)(ii) paratransit services;
(3)(a)(iii) nonemergency medical transportation;
(3)(a)(iv) youth transportation programs, excluding school bus transportation; and
(3)(a)(v) other similar fare-based or fee-based programs provided or coordinated within the boundary of the large public transit district, including those involving the department, a large public transit district, local governments, or other government agencies and nonprofit entities that provide similar services.
(3)(b) The study shall evaluate strategies to consolidate the transportation services described in Subsection (3)(a) to improve efficiency and service.
(3)(c) The department and large public transit district shall:
(3)(c)(i) provide a preliminary report on the study to the Transportation Interim Committee on or before November 1, 2025; and
(3)(c)(ii) prepare and present recommendations to the Transportation Interim Committee on or before November 1, 2026, for the consolidation of the services described in Subsection (3)(a).
(4) (4)(a) As used in this Subsection (4):
(4)(a)(i) "City" means Salt Lake City.
(4)(a)(ii) "Highway reduction strategy" means any strategy that has the potential to permanently decrease the number of vehicles that can travel on an arterial or a collector highway per hour, including:
(4)(a)(ii)(A) reducing the number of motorized vehicle travel lanes on an arterial or collector highway;
(4)(a)(ii)(B) narrowing existing motorized vehicle travel lanes on an arterial or collector highway; or
(4)(a)(ii)(C) any other strategy that when implemented may increase congestion or impede traffic flow for motor vehicles driving on an arterial or collector highway.
(4)(a)(iii) "Mobility and environmental impact analysis" means a study that assesses the impacts within the study area of implementing a highway reduction strategy on arterial or collector highways, including the impacts to other state and local highways, mobility, traffic flow, pedestrian and nonmotorized vehicle flow, the economy, public health, quality of life, air quality, maintenance, and operations.
(4)(a)(iv) "Study area" means the area within Salt Lake City that is west of Foothill Drive, north of 2100 South, east of I-15, and south of 600 North.
(4)(b) (4)(b)(i) Except as described in Subsection (4)(c), a city may not implement or begin a project as part of a highway reduction strategy on an arterial or a collector highway within the study area unless the project is part of a mobility plan approved by the department as described in this Subsection (4)(b).
(4)(b)(ii) For a mobility plan described under Subsection (4)(b)(i), the city shall:
(4)(b)(ii)(A) assess the alternate routes for traffic and impacts on surrounding highways due to any lane reduction;
(4)(b)(ii)(B) evaluate impacts to vehicle trip time;
(4)(b)(ii)(C) evaluate impacts to air quality;
(4)(b)(ii)(D) evaluate the cumulative multimodal and safety impact of the proposed highway reduction strategies, including the cumulative impact from previous highway reduction strategies implemented over the previous five years;
(4)(b)(ii)(E) provide options to mitigate negative impacts to vehicle traffic, vehicle trip time, air quality, or adjacent travel routes;
(4)(b)(ii)(F) in collaboration with the department, assess impacts to state highways;
(4)(b)(ii)(G) proactively seek out and consult with relevant stakeholders, including business owners, commuters, and residents impacted by the mobility plan and each proposed project within the mobility plan;
(4)(b)(ii)(H) present the plan in an open and public meeting, including public comment;
(4)(b)(ii)(I) provide an open house or other event to allow public interaction and feedback regarding the impacts of the mobility plan;
(4)(b)(ii)(J) present the plan to the membership of the city's chamber of commerce and other business groups; and
(4)(b)(ii)(K) provide the plan to the department for the department's review.
(4)(b)(iii) (4)(b)(iii)(A) After the department receives a complete mobility plan as described in Subsection (4)(b)(ii), the department shall determine if the mobility plan and each project included in the mobility plan meet the requirements of this section and shall approve or reject the plan within two months of receiving the mobility plan.
(4)(b)(iii)(B) As part of the mobility plan, the city shall demonstrate to the department the manners in which the city involved and received input from the business community, the public, and other stakeholders as required in Subsection (4)(b)(ii).
(4)(c) (4)(c)(i) The city may begin or continue construction on an arterial or collector highway project related to any reduction strategy within the study area if the project has been advertised on or before February 25, 2025.
(4)(c)(ii) (4)(c)(ii)(A) For a project related to any highway reduction strategy that was programmed by the department on or before July 1, 2024, but has not been advertised on or before February 25, 2025, the department may conduct an expedited review of the project.
(4)(c)(ii)(B) If the department approves a project after an expedited review as described in Subsection (4)(c)(ii)(A), the city may begin or continue construction on the project.
(4)(d) The department shall, in partnership with the city, conduct a mobility and environmental impact analysis to determine the impacts of highway reduction strategies within the study area that the city has implemented on or after July 1, 2015, or has plans to implement on or before July 1, 2035.
(4)(e) As part of the mobility and environmental impact analysis, the department shall:
(4)(e)(i) assess the cumulative impact of each highway reduction strategy within the study area that the city has implemented or has plans to implement between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2035; and
(4)(e)(ii) consult with relevant stakeholders, including business owners, commuters, and residents impacted by the highway reduction strategy.
(4)(f) A city subject to a mobility and environmental impact analysis under this Subsection (4) shall provide to the department any information the department determines necessary for conducting the mobility and environmental impact analysis, including any plans that city has adopted or discussed with regards to a highway reduction strategy.
(4)(g) (4)(g)(i) The department shall provide the mobility and environmental impact analysis to the Transportation Interim Committee on or before October 15, 2025.
(4)(g)(ii) The city shall provide a response to the mobility and environmental impact analysis to the Transportation Interim Committee on or before November 1, 2025.
(4)(h) (4)(h)(i) As provided in Section 63I-1-272, this Subsection (4) is subject to a sunset review by the Transportation Interim Committee during the 2028 interim.
(4)(h)(ii) The Transportation Interim Committee may also evaluate the mobility plan process described in this Subsection (4) during the 2027 interim.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 452, 2025 General Session