Sustainable Transportation: Transforming Utah Through Community Action

Highlights

Cities can become more sustainable by:

  • Replacing transport modes powered by fossil fuels with modes powered by electricity.
  • Expanding infrastructure for public transit and active transportation (e.g., walking, biking).
  • Providing greater incentives for private electric vehicles.

Transportation in the United States accounts for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Over half of these emissions come from on-road vehicles. Nationwide, Utah has the third highest rate of car ownership, and the resulting air pollution from on-road vehicles has significant implications for the climate and public health. To address these issues, Utah’s government and many other entities are working to expand modes of transport that minimize harm to communities and the environment. Examples include electric buses, trains, and vehicles as well as community planning that allows people to walk and bike safely. Collectively, these efforts are known as sustainable transportation. Still, most people in Utah rely on transportation powered by fossil fuels. Cities can become more sustainable by continuing to (1) replace transport modes powered by fossil fuels with modes powered by electricity, (2) expand infrastructure for public transit (e.g., buses, trains) and active transportation (e.g., walking, biking), and (3) provide greater incentives for private electric vehicles.

Transportation Pollution 

In the United States and globally, transportation is a major contributor to air pollution. In 2021, transportation in the U.S. was responsible for 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, making it the largest source of CO2 emissions in the country, and representing 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and over 4% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (Congressional Budget Office, 2022). Greenhouse gas emissions are the leading driver of anthropogenic climate change, and globally, transportation is the second largest contributor (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA], 2024; Ritchie et al., 2024).

Transportation is also a major emitter of other pollutants. Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from vehicles react to form fine particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5) that increases mortality rates by damaging people’s hearts and lungs (Utah Division of Air Quality, 2021; Pope et al., 2020). Over half of transportation emissions in the U.S. come from passenger cars, medium- to heavy-duty trucks, and light-duty trucks, including SUVs, minivans, and pickups (United States Environmental Protection Agency [U.S. EPA], 2021). Thus, everyday transportation plays a major role in global warming and climate change while also causing significant harm to public health.

Utah has the third highest rate of car ownership in the country, with 96.1% of households owning at least one car (Valentine & Smith, 2024). Transportation is also the state’s largest air polluter. On-road vehicles emit 39% of the state’s annual human-produced air pollution, including 29% of carbon dioxide emissions and 39% of nitrogen oxides, which are a precursor to PM2.5 (Salt Lake City Sustainability, 2022; Utah Division of Air Quality, 2021). Thus, transportation in Utah contributes to global warming and harms human health (NASA, 2024; U.S. EPA, 2022; U.S. EPA, 2023). In response to these impacts, entities in Utah have begun to develop and promote sustainable transportation across the state. Here, we define sustainable transportation, describe organizations and initiatives currently expanding it, and discuss the potential benefits of these programs.

What Is Sustainable Transportation?

Sustainable transportation refers to modes of transport that are affordable, low or zero emission, environmentally friendly, and less reliant on fossil fuels (Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, n.d.). This can look like many things: TRAX (Utah’s electric light rail along the Wasatch Front), electric buses, walking, biking, carpooling, e-scooters, and electric passenger vehicles (Figure 1). Depending on location, sustainable transportation looks different. In denser areas like the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, electrifying current public transportation systems and making communities safer for bikers and pedestrians can significantly reduce emissions. In rural, sparsely populated areas like much of central and southern Utah, biking or light rail options are not practical for everyday use; thus, expanding electric automobile accessibility is likely a more impactful option. To date, however, most action has been concentrated in urban areas.

Utah TRAX light rail Electric school bus charging

Figure 1. (left) Utah’s electric light rail, TRAX, reduces Wasatch Front traffic congestion and pollution, and (right) six Utah school districts received federal funding in 2022–2023 for electric school buses.

Photo credits: (left) Gabrielsen, 2020; (right) Jon Reed/KUER in Daly & Clark, 2022

Sustainable Transportation in Utah

While Utah’s transportation sector is currently the state’s largest emitter of air pollution, that’s changing as electric vehicles grow in popularity (Salt Lake City Sustainability, 2022). In addition to TRAX (Figure 1, left), the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) has put several electric buses into service in Salt Lake City and Ogden, with plans to electrify more buses, vans, and its commuter rail system, Frontrunner (UTA, n.d.). The expansion of TRAX has substantially reduced traffic congestion in Salt Lake City, where, despite population growth, traffic is lower than its 1999 peak (Semerad, 2021). The UTA has also expanded its electric vehicle fleet outside of Salt Lake County. In 2023, the UTA introduced their first fleet of electric vehicles in Tooele County for their On Demand transit service, which lets people order rideshare vehicles from their smartphones, allowing more direct transport compared to fixed-route vehicles like buses and trains.

Building infrastructure to promote active transportation is another goal. In 2023, the Utah Legislature passed S.B. 185, which allocated $45 million annually for Utah’s Department of Transportation to establish and maintain the Utah Trail Network by connecting paved trails throughout the state.

Sustainable transportation helps everyone in Utah by promoting healthier lifestyles, cleaner air, and less traffic. To achieve these benefits, groups throughout the state cooperate with legislative actions using a variety of strategies.

Community Support for Sustainable Transportation

A person riding a bicycle on a paved bike lane in the city.
Bike lanes make active transportation safer.

Utah nonprofit organizations work with communities and governments to develop grassroots innovations. Grassroots innovations for sustainability are defined as “networks of activists and organizations generating novel bottom-up solutions…that respond to the local situation and the interests and values of the communities involved” (Seyfang & Smith, 2007). In Utah, an example of a grassroots organization leading on sustainable transportation is the Bicycle Collective. As a nonprofit with locations around the state (Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and St. George), the Bicycle Collective provides donated bikes and bike education to local communities. Their mission is transportation equity by providing “self-reliant and independent transportation to people in need” (Jeremias, 2023). Groups like the Bicycle Collective, which organizes volunteers and donations, help make sustainable living more accessible.

Grassroots innovations are also crucial for mobilizing community support and influencing policy decisions. A recent successful example of this was a bipartisan organizing effort by the Utah Sierra Club. With the 2021 passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, an initial $1 billion was allocated by the federal government to electrify school buses. Looking to increase support for this opportunity, the Utah Sierra Club hosted educational community meetings and organized volunteers to voice support to local politicians. This activism led to bipartisan support for green school buses, with 12 school districts across the state applying for the federal program (Figure 1, right). Six school districts (Granite, Guadalupe Schools, Morgan, Park City, Tintic, and Uintah) have received funding so far, exemplifying how community organizers can make a tangible difference in policy through public outreach (Sierra Club, Utah Chapter, 2023; U.S. EPA, 2024).

Even for government-led programs, local organizers can play a key role. In Utah, the statewide TravelWise program has expanded on the former annual Clear the Air Challenge to continue helping Utahns limit their transportation carbon footprint. TravelWise encourages people to take public transport, walk, bike, carpool, telework, and chain destinations together to reduce driving. The TravelWise Tracker is a platform where people can document their transportation decisions as well as offer and find carpools, even for multi-hour trips. TravelWise also provides resources and tools so companies can easily customize and implement sustainable transportation challenges for their employees. The TravelWise program is building on the successful approach of the former statewide Clear the Air Challenge, which, since its inception in 2010, has prevented over 7,000 tons of emissions, while saving over $9 million in estimated costs (U.S. EPA, 2015). These positive impacts, and their continuation through TravelWise, would not be possible without the support of smaller organizations and community partners who encourage participation.

Steps Individuals Can Take

Individuals can get involved in grassroots initiatives by joining local environmental organizations, participating in community events, and advocating for policy changes in their cities and counties as well as statewide. Volunteering, educating others, and supporting sustainable businesses are also effective ways to contribute. In everyday life, people can work to reduce their carbon footprint by carpooling, limiting the number of automobile trips taken, and using sustainable transportation options provided by community-based nonprofits and state-funded programs.

Acknowledgments

This publication was produced as part of the Climate Adaptation Intern Program (CAIP) at Utah State University (USU). CAIP is supported by the “Secure Water Future” project, funded by an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant (#2021-69012-35916) from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture as well as funding from USU Extension. We improved this fact sheet based on suggestions from Caitlin McLennan and CAIP participants.

For correspondence, contact Scott Hotaling: scott.hotaling@usu.edu

References


August 2024
Utah State University Extension
Peer-reviewed fact sheet

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Authors

Isabella Erwin, Kendall Becker, Ph.D., Patrick A. Singleton, Ph.D., and Scott Hotaling, Ph.D.

Scott Hotaling

Scott Hotaling

Assistant Professor | Climate Resiliency Specialist

Watershed Sciences

Phone: (828) 507-9950
Office Location: Logan Campus
 

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