State-funded Utah Trail Network gains momentum as UDOT maps 3,100 miles and plans $115–$120 million of early projects

UDOT trails staff told the Active Transportation Committee on Feb. 10 that the Utah Trail Network (UTN) master plan — created under 2023’s Senate Bill 185 — is entering its implementation phase, with significant funding and a multi‑year buildout strategy.

“Senate Bill 185 allocated $45,000,000 in one‑time funding and an additional $45,000,000 in annual ongoing funding for the planning, construction, operation of a paved non‑motorized trail network throughout the state of Utah,” said Kate Wright, project coordinator with UDOT’s trails division. UDOT has used that authorization to create a new trails division and a data‑driven prioritization methodology for candidate projects.

UDOT staff described the UTN as three nested categories: a base network of foundational routes; gap‑closure projects that connect existing corridors; and long‑term vision corridors requiring major capital investment. Eric Buell, trails division program manager, said UDOT’s current map of the network shows about 1,700 miles when counting the base network plus gap closures (roughly 500 miles of that are existing trails the agency would designate as UTN routes), and roughly 3,100 miles when vision corridors are included.

UDOT outlined near‑term program steps for 2026: completing the UTN master plan (which will include maintenance strategy, published trail typologies and route typologies), refining prioritization with the Unified Transportation Plan, and programming new UTN projects during the state’s STIP workshop in May. Buell said the agency plans to program about three years’ worth of UTN funding in this upcoming cycle — “about $115–$120 million” — to accelerate construction of priority segments.

Staff said initial programming in 2024–25 included five feasibility studies and 15 design or construction projects statewide; the first UTN project to reach advertisement was the Colorado River Trail Gap project near Moab, which was awarded late last year and is expected to start construction this spring.

Members asked how UTN alignments and project timing would affect local planning. Buell said the map is a working master plan and alignments can change based on community input and MPO modifications: “If one alignment works better than another in that area, we will be sure to kind of work with those local agencies and the MPOs to make sure that those alignments are reflected accordingly” (UDOT). He added routes will be phased similar to RTP phasing and that specific timelines for individual projects will follow project‑by‑project selection and STIP programming.

The committee also debated whether UTN routes should allow class 3 e‑bikes. A Cottonwood Heights official asked staff to reconsider excluding class 3 e‑bikes from regional routes because some regional riders rely on faster e‑bikes for longer trips; other members cautioned that allowing higher‑speed e‑bikes could raise safety concerns for family, recreational and slower users. UDOT staff said they are monitoring active state legislation defining e‑bike classes and are developing route typologies and design standards that differentiate rural and urban route types and consider safety and user comfort.

UDOT staff encouraged cities to coordinate amendments to the Unified Transportation Plan and local active transportation plans to influence UTN alignments and phasing. The agency plans to present candidate projects to the Utah Transportation Commission during the STIP workshop in May and said corridor preservation is authorized in recent legislation to help protect prospective UTN routes.

Looking ahead, UDOT staff said they expect the UTN master plan to guide programming decisions on a four‑year RTP cycle and that communities should watch for the STIP workshop this spring if they want projects considered for early funding.