What Is Active Transportation and Why Does It Matter?
Active transportation (AT) refers to travel by walking, cycling, and other human-powered and assistive or adaptive mobility devices. These modes are a critical component of transit accessibility and of the overall success of a transit agency in providing mobility services. Every transit trip requires some form of AT prior to boarding or after exiting a transit vehicle, whether an individual walks or rolls, is dropped off or picked up, or parks a bike or a vehicle at a stop or station.
At times, barriers may make AT journeys impossible for some users or promote dangerous travel behaviors due to the absence or inconvenience of safe options. Some examples of this include:
- Absence of a sidewalk or a missing pavement section in a sidewalk
- Snow, ice, or flooding impeding access or creating safety hazards
- Vegetation or debris blocking movement on sidewalks or trails
- Absence of curb cuts
- Absence of safe opportunities to cross streets or other barriers
According to UTA’s 2024 On-Board Survey, most respondents (83%) access transit by walking to the stop or station or by another AT mode such as personal bikes (3%), e-scooters (1%), or a mobility device (1%).
Bikes on UTA
Bringing your bicycle aboard almost any UTA vehicle is easy, allowing you to get where you need to go with confidence. Click here for information on how to bring your bikes on buses and trains, storing them at our stations, and other helpful resources!
Active Transportation Studies and Efforts by UTA & Partners
Active Transportation to Transit Plan 2023 (AT3P)
The AT3P is all about helping UTA riders experience more quality, convenience, comfort, safety, and dignity when walking or rolling to access transit. By elevating the importance of AT within UTA, establishing a method for identifying systemwide gaps, and developing select pilot project recommendations, the AT3P helps improve our riders’ access to transit services. Click here for the full report.
UDOT-Led Studies & Resources
Risk Assessment of Non-Motorized Access to Rail Transit Stations
UTA supported the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in this study, published in January 2018, which examines the roadblocks and incidents riders experience while trying to use transit services and offers recommendations to improve safety and make transit services easier to access. Click here to read the full study.
Increasing Public Transportation Ridership by Integrated Transportation Planning With Micromobility Services in the State of Utah
UTA collaborated with UDOT on this study, published in June 2024, examining how micromobility services such as e-scooters help people access transit services. Click here to read the full study.
Move Utah
The Move Utah program helps local governments across the state of Utah plan for active transportation by providing technical expertise, resources, and funding. Click here to learn more about this program.
Bike Utah Study
The Utah Active Transportation Study was completed in 2017. This study allows planners, communities, and businesses to asses upcoming programs and projects to better understand how they will improve access to bicycling and walking for transportation and recreation. Click here to learn more.
TIGER Projects
In July 2016, the United States Department of Transportation awarded the Utah Transit Authority a $20 million grant through its annual discretionary grant program, TIGER (renamed to BUILD in 2018 and again renamed to RAISE in 2021), to build hundreds of active transportation projects connecting to the regional rail system. Click here to learn more about the projects completed from this effort.
Other Partner Agency Resources
Wasatch Front Regional Council Active Transportation Page
Click here to learn about active transportation projects in the Wasatch Front Regional Council jurisdictional area.
Mountainland Association of Governments Active Transportation Page
Click here to learn about active transportation projects in the Mountainland Association of Governments jurisdictional area.