The Utah Department of Transportation recently started construction on a new multi-use trail that will make it safer and easier for students and residents in Vernal, UT, to safely walk and bike between schools, neighborhoods, and other community destinations – including a senior citizen center and two churches.
[Above photo by Utah DOT]
The 1.9-mile trail will extend from 500 North – also known as State Route 121 – to U.S. Highway 40 and will also connect to an existing undercrossing under 500 North, making it easier for students to reach several school campuses in the area, including Uintah High School, Terra Academy, Central Cove Early Learning Center, Uintah Basin Technical College, and Utah State University Uintah Basin-Vernal Campus.
“This trail brings together so many pieces of daily life in Vernal,” said Rob Clayton, director of Utah DOT Region Three, in a statement. “It will help students get to class, give residents another way to reach community services and lay the groundwork for greater connectivity. That’s what active transportation is meant to do: make everyday trips safer, easier, and more accessible for everyone.”
The agency noted that this is the second Utah Trail Network project to begin construction, as in May it began building the first one in Moab, UT. Once complete, the 0.7-mile Moab trail will help keep people off the highway and along the river; creating a safer and more continuous route to recreation destinations like Grandstaff Canyon and the “Whole Enchilada” biking route.
Eventually, the agency said the Utah Trail Network system will link 208 Utah towns and cities, along with 33 universities and community colleges, 74 high-capacity transit stations, six national parks, and 25 state parks. When finished, 95 percent of all state residents will live within one mile of a trail within the network, Utah DOT noted.
