Local residents and planners aim to transform Salt Lake City's 300 West into a vibrant hub

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A new framework is evolving the vision for one major Salt Lake City Street, 300 West.

“I used to walk down there before and it was kind of all straight-line shops on the side,” said Brett Hammond, a local Salt Lake commuter. “There was Target, and then it turns into auto shops and different things.”

Hammond uses 300 West all the time, and he said there is room for improvement.

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“There needs to be things in between Walmart and Costco that liven up the area,” he said.

When he learned of a new framework created by Salt Lake City to revitalize the area, he agreed with the potential.

“The idea of grooming that area and making it more walkable is a good idea,” Hammond said. “Especially for bringing in green space, dog parks. I have a little dog and he would just love to go to that area.”

This area is known to be industrial. The city wants to encourage green space, affordable housing options, pedestrian and transportation access to name a few.

“We want vibrant neighborhoods, we know that we have air quality issues, we know that residents want housing choices,” said Michaela Oktay, the Salt Lake City deputy planning director. “What they can expect to see is a guide for all developers and any stakeholders within that area. It’s a framework.”

The plan isn’t a set blueprint, it’s an idea — which means for now, costs haven’t been identified. When one of those ideas become a project, that’s when those discussions happen.

“The plan does identify several intersections,” Oktay said. “That’s where improvements will cost money.”

For Hammond, the benefit of growing business is important.

“Really beautify the area and make it more walkable in a sense that people want to walk there,” he said.

The city is still taking public input on the plan.

You can find how to do that here.

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