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Salt Lake City rolls out concept plan for 500/600 South ‘Grand Boulevard’ vision; public engagement to start this spring
Summary
Transportation staff briefed the council on a year‑long concept development for converting portions of 500/600 South into two Grand Boulevards; project funded by the TLC program, will include mobility, urban design, and phased implementation and coordination with UDOT.
Salt Lake City transportation staff presented a concept development plan on April 1 for reimagining segments of 500 South and 600 South as “Grand Boulevards,” aiming to improve mobility and connections as the corridor redevelops.
The plan, funded by the Transportation and Land Use Connection (TLC) program with collaboration from Wasatch Front Regional Council and the Utah Department of Transportation, will assess whether one‑way streets can be redesigned with multimodal improvements, improved crossings, and identity districts. ‘‘These streets are major transportation barriers, particularly for people who walk and bike, and have a history of fatalities and serious injury,’’ a staff presenter told the council.
The project team — DIG Studio with subcontractors Alta Planning and Horrocks — expects a roughly 12‑month process with the bulk of engagement over the summer. Existing‑conditions and gap analysis are nearly complete; public outreach will begin mid‑to‑late May and continue through July. Two draft framework plans will be shared with the public before a final framework and high‑level cost estimates are presented to the planning commission and council.
Council members raised concerns about maintaining vehicle flow, impacts to downtown businesses and UDOT right‑of‑way constraints. Transportation staff emphasized coordination with UDOT (UDOT owns portions of Fifth and Sixth South near State Street) and noted that recent state legislation limits changes that would reduce lanes or increase congestion on certain arterials; staff said they have been working with UDOT Region 2 leadership to avoid surprises. The presentation named Rocky Mountain Power, outdoor advertisers, hotel operators, developers and neighborhood groups as invited stakeholders.
Staff said the study will examine phasing options and include mobility, bike/pedestrian recommendations and potential gateways and identity treatments for neighborhoods along the corridor. It will also identify data gaps and recommended next steps. A second draft will go to the planning commission and the council for recommendations before finalization.
Ending: The council indicated support for early and targeted stakeholder engagement, and asked staff to prioritize business outreach and clear messaging on how long‑term designs differ from short‑term construction impacts.
