A Utah mayor writes in support of state legislation that tasks state agencies with coordinating major transit projects, citing it as a positive step toward accommodating Utah’s explosive growth.

In an opinion piece for Desert News, Troy Walker, mayor of Draper, Utah, explains his support for recently passed state legislation that “authorizes [Utah Department of Transportation] UDOT to manage and oversee transit capital projects that the Utah Transit Authority would then operate and maintain.”
According to Walker, “Utah is doubling in population and leading the country on a number of key economic metrics,” and its public transportation infrastructure should reflect this regional growth. “With a state agency delivering transit capital projects, the Legislature will likely feel more comfortable allocating additional state funding to transit. Over time, this could potentially make hundreds of millions of dollars available for regionally significant transit projects.”
As Walker points out, “Having a state department of transportation manage the delivery of a rail or bus line is not regularly done in other parts of the country. However, UDOT delivers multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects ahead of schedule and under budget all the time.”
On the benefits of the new bill, Walker writes that“HB322 institutionalizes collaboration between Utah’s largest transportation agencies and will ultimately save taxpayer resources through improved coordination and efficient streamlining of our critical transportation resources.”
Walker’s support for better public transit stems in part from Draper’s role as home to The Point, a planned development designed as a transit-oriented 15-minute community that Walker calls “arguably the most significant economic and quality-of-life opportunity in state history.” The goal of The Point, Walker argues, can only be achieved by providing residents with effective transit connections to other parts of the state. For now, while it prioritizes car-free transportation and multimodal travel, current plans for The Point include around 40,000 parking spaces, though developers are looking at ways to reduce this number.
FULL STORY: Opinion: Utah is the fastest-growing state, and public transit needs to catch up

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions