This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. How our communities grow directly impacts everyone’s physical health and mental well-being. To help plan for the future, the Utah Department of Transportation established “Move Utah” to encourage biking and walking. Here’s UDOT’s Heidi Goedhart with more.
HEIDI GOEDHART
Each year, hundreds of experts, including city planners, engineers, and community leaders from across the state come together to discuss best practices for improving decision-making related to health, transportation, and land use.
In March, “Move Utah” had approximately 400 people attend our virtual programming, and biking and walking tours. The walking tour focused on health disparities in South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City, where just a one-zip-code change means an average drop in life expectancy of ten years.
The biking tour focused on how Utah’s transportation agencies collaborated to include critical walking and biking infrastructure in what was previously just a $450 million freeway project. By working together, Utah now enjoys what is called the Golden Spoke – a regional trail system spanning more than 100 miles from Ogden to Provo — the most extensive biking and walking network in the Western United States. Find out more at Move.Utah.Gov.
DEREK MILLER
Walking and riding bikes reduces traffic congestion, improves air quality, enhances our mental health and makes Utah a healthier place to live. We’re fortunate to have leaders engaged in these issues through the Move Utah effort. I’m Derek Miller with the Salt Lake Chamber, Speaking on Business.
