Advocacy Alert: Salt Lake City’s 200 S Bike Lane Comments Due by Dec. 6, 2020

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200 S in Salt Lake City is slated to be reconstructed in 2022 from 400 W to 900 E. Salt Lake City’s Funding Our Future bond has provided funds for the reconstruction of this street, improved transit, and housing, including the reconstruction of 200 S.

There are three project concept options: 1. Buffered bike lanes and no bus lane. 2. A curb separated bike lane with dedicated side running bus lanes. 3. Protected bike lanes with a center running bus only lane. The project website has full details.

Cyclists are encouraged to take the survey by December 6, 2020 to help determine which option is best.

200 S in Salt Lake City will be reconstructed in 2022. Options include protected bike lanes. Photo by Dave Iltis

Overall, Salt Lake City has put a great deal of thought into the project, and the options have the potential to completely remake the street as a people priority street.

In our opinion, concepts 2 and 3 are the best for bicyclists. Each provides a protected bike lane on this important east-west cycling connnection. 200 South is the only downtown street that connects the east and west sides of Salt Lake City. Other than 200 South, cyclists must travel to 800 south or N. Temple to cross I-15 safely.

Concept 3, which would have a center running bus only lane seems as though it would result in the least number of conflicts for bike and buses, cars, and delivery trucks. Option 2 (a side running bus only lane) would likely see delivery trucks park in the bike lane. Concept 1, buffered bike lanes and no dedicated bus lane, is pretty much the status quo, and, while not terrible, is not progressive either.

A key to the success of this project is how the block between State and Main is reconstructed. This is not part of the survey, but this block is a bottleneck on the street due to access to an underground parking garage. Cycling Utah has previously and successfully lobbied to redo the green lane on 200 S. While not ideal in the long run, this has made conditions safer for riders as of fall 2020.

Take the survey here: https://www.slc.gov/mystreet/2020/03/27/200-south-corridor-plan/

Or, submit comments to: [email protected]

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