WFRC staff presented a needs-based phasing framework for the Wasatch Choice 2027–2050 Regional Transportation Plan at the Jan. 15 Regional Growth Committee meeting. Julie (WFRC staff presenting the phasing criteria) outlined a two-step phasing process: first identifying when a project is needed based on technical criteria, then fiscally constraining projects using projected revenue assumptions.

Julie walked the committee through mode-specific criteria. For roadways: access to Wasatch Choice Vision centers, access to opportunities (destination access to jobs/retail/parks/libraries), freight mobility, travel-time/reliability, safety, state of good repair, linkage to prior investments and support for multimodal connections. Transit criteria included access to activity-dense station areas, connections to existing amenities, ridership and first/last-mile improvements. Active-transportation criteria focused on network expansion, quality of user experience, safety and mode-shift potential.

Members pressed for clearer operational definitions. Trustee Beth Holbrook and others asked WFRC to be explicit about what counts as an “amenity” (suggesting grocery stores, childcare, restaurants, healthcare and parks). Julie said past work has used healthcare, schools, grocery stores, government offices and parks as amenity proxies and that methodology work is ongoing to refine distance thresholds and data sources. Professor Ewing and others raised whether livability and traffic-calming measures should be captured; staff said high-level livability goals can be reflected in access and context-sensitive criteria while detailed design is typically implemented later by cities or UDOT.

WFRC opened interactive Slido polls to gather committee rankings of criteria and said poll results would inform but not alone determine final weightings; staff will synthesize input with technical modeling and return a draft needs-based phasing this summer before fiscal constraint.