The city’s central business district is bustling with more activity than before the pandemic.
Based on an analysis of cell phone data, downtown Salt Lake City is seeing a stronger recovery than any U.S. city, reports Jared Brey in Governing. The study showed a 139 percent increase in downtown activity between March and May of this year as compared to the same period in 2019.
While there are several ways to measure ‘recovery,’ Karen Chapple, director of the School of Cities at the University of Toronto, says “when it comes down to it, the whole picture is given by humans being downtown.”
What worked in Salt Lake City? “Researchers say Utah did a relatively good job managing the pandemic, especially in terms of limiting economic damage,” Brey explains. “Ana Valdemoros, a Salt Lake City councilmember who represents the downtown, also says the city’s financial management helped set it up to avoid laying off public workers and to better support businesses in the early days of the pandemic.”
The region around Salt Lake City also has a diverse economy that drives the growth of the entire state. While neighboring states are generally specialized in industries like gaming or energy production, “Utah also has strong tech, tourism, agriculture, distribution, health and education sectors.”
Brey adds that downtown SLC has fewer residents than many other big cities, but over 3,000 housing units are currently under construction. Meanwhile, “State and local officials have been working to offset the growth in housing costs by passing bills to support new affordable housing and loosen zoning rules to permit more housing construction.”
FULL STORY: What’s Behind Salt Lake City’s Remarkable Recovery?
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.