Toward The Promised Land

With more people in Utah, how will mass transit figure into state plans to move residents and visitors toward the proverbial promised land of seamless and fast transportation? 
By Taylor Larsen

"What gets you out of Egypt doesn't take you to the promised land."

The quote, as I first heard it, came from Ron Dunn, Founder of Salt Lake structural engineering firm Dunn Associates.

While he was talking about the differences between founding and growing a company, the same principle holds true in developing a robust transportation infrastructure.

In other words: "What got us here will not take us there."

What has taken us here has been development dedicated to personal vehicles and last-mile freight—a stellar network of roads and highways from massive investments in horizontal construction. 

But what will get us "there" to the promised land? What will bring us to a future where Utahns can have the freedom to move without a car?

Unified Plan for a Connected Utah?

We'll certainly wander in the West Desert without a plan. Lucky us, we have hundreds of agreed-upon proposals across metropolitan planning organizations, cities and towns, counties, and even the Utah Department of Transportation. 

The Beehive State's guiding document toward long-term transportation plans, whether for cars or not, is found in the Utah Unified Transportation Plan, also known as the Unified Plan. The visionary document aims to prioritize funding across multiple transportation options and give residents choices, ranging from personal vehicles to mass transit and active transportation. Residents and metropolitan planning organizations across the state have added their input to further unify the state's trajectory.

Key in Utah's Unified Plan, as documented, is analyzing and ultimately determining how transportation projects in Utah should be funded between 2023 - 2050. With projected needs across that timeline estimated at $153 billion in today's dollars, current revenue sources generating just under a projected $95 billion, and future revenue streams projected to generate just over $18 billion, we're going to be short. 

But where is that money going? Most often, it's funding roads. According to the Unified Plan, transportation needs from road capacity, maintenance, preservation, and operations project at a whopping $110 billion between 2023 - 2050, with a $29 billion funding gap in revenue. Funding future mass transit capacity ($14.8 billion) and operations ($19.8 billion) over the next 25 years costs a fraction of the projected costs for roads and highways. 

It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, admittedly, as massive funding for highways and freeways has created so much, but where do state priorities lead?

Budget at a Glance

Utah continues to tread the asphalt and concrete highway to prioritize highway funding. UDOT's FY2026 funding document shows $2.5 billion in funding. Estimated Transportation Investment Fund (TIF) expenditures, primarily used for improving or optimizing capacity, are projected at $1.2 billion. Within the TIF, Class B & Class C Roads, county roads and city streets, respectively, will receive $261 million, Highway Systems Construction $205 million, and Operations/Maintenance $254 million. 
 
It makes sense when $883 million in projected revenue for FY2026 comes from user-based fees, permits, and gas tax revenues (set to be 40 cents per gallon in 2026).

On the other hand, UDOT-funded mass transit receives a bulk of its budget from the above-mentioned Transportation Investment Fund—35% of the index fuel tax sales tax goes into the Transit Transportation Investment Fund. For FY2026, transit and commuter rail projects will receive $103 million.

John Gleason, UDOT's Sr. Public Information Officer, said there is a major shift happening within UDOT over the last decade-plus to give some "gas" to other forms of transportation. 

"All transportation is important to us. For every project we undertake, we are looking at the different components across all modes—cars, transit, bikes, trails," Gleason said. "We need to keep an eye on how the entire transportation system can function across the state."

The words and shift in priorities are welcome, but what "Keeps Utah Moving", will not be more highway lanes or highway construction that receives the lion's share of transportation funding. Utah highways, like those in so many other states, are the victims of induced demand. 

The phenomenon is a matter of economics. For vehicle transportation, each lane added, highway developed, or road widened helps to expand capacity on these newly modified transportation corridors. However, expanding capacity does not mean solving traffic concerns. While capacity expands, more people are "induced" to use these freshly expanded corridors, lanes fill back to capacity, and commutes return to their sluggish nature.

This never-ending quest to meet our transportation needs is set to play out again on I-15. UDOT is set to add another lane on I-15 from Farmington to Salt Lake, and do so at a multi-billion-dollar price tag. Surely this lane will be "The One" that fixes the traffic problem on Utah's busiest transit corridor?

Utah may still be adjusting to roundabouts, but will we ever get out of this circle?  

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Riding Toward a New Trajectory


Alternatives exist. Even if they don't get the same funding dollars, mass transit continues to change the transportation conversation.


In Utah mass transit circles, UTA receives a bulk of the attention and state dollars. Their buses, light rail cars, trains, and more move thousands of people each day across the Wasatch Front. UTA ridership exceeded 40 million in 2024, and the agency has recovered to 91.5% of its pre-pandemic ridership—significantly above the national average of 79%, according to the American Public Transportation Association.


UTA's 2025 budget is divided between operations ($650 million) and capital projects ($330 million). Nearly 80% of operations are funded from sales tax, while the capital budget's most significant funding comes from grants (39% of that budget).


Gavin Gustafson, UTA's Sr. Public Information Officer, said that investing in transit is a win for everyone.


"Even if there are only five people on the bus, that's five cars not on the road," he said. "And then [UTA is] taking hundreds of cars off the road with FrontRunner."


FrontRunner, the commuter rail system, has helped connect cities across the Wasatch Front since opening in 2008. Today, the rail system has a daily average of 14,000 riders.


Think of the traffic it has saved! 


Those who plan our transportation networks certainly have. Gustafson said UTA Moves 2050 Vision Network (UTA Moves) is UTA's long-term plan that looks to bring additional mass transit choices to Utah over the next 25 years. UTA Moves includes plans for new rail stations to Bluffdale, Springville, and Brigham City, new bus routes in West Valley and Magna, and many potential routes and services in an ambitious plan to take us "there". 


How ambitious? Implementing it all would require $6.7 billion in transit infrastructure and $225 million annually (in 2023 dollars) to operate it. UTA Moves documents are clear that these plans are fiscally constrained, stating, "Investments in the 2050 UTA Moves Vision Network must be prioritized to determine which best meet regional mobility needs."


Much like the Unified Plan, "It's a matter of funding," Gustafson said about UTA's long-range plans to further connect riders to destinations. "We would love to do everything, but we need a stronger ridership and more funding to accomplish some of those ambitious goals."


The message is clear to help move Utah in a new direction. It's in big letters on the UTA Jordan River Trail Service Center: Ride The Train. 


Or take the bus, streetcar, On Demand, or vanpool.


FrontRunner Double Tracking;  

New TRAX Line Incoming


Gustafson and Josh Van Jura, UDOT Director of Trails and Transit, are excited about a future transit development: double-tracking FrontRunner. Since just 26% of the 82-mile train line is double-tracked, the UDOT-led project, known as Frontrunner 2x, will add double tracking in 11 strategic locations to take the amount of double-tracked line to 58%. Doing so will decrease the wait times for the next train from 30 minutes to 15 minutes during peak hours. And by 2050, FrontRunner riders can wave to drivers as the train zooms past them on I-15, as the commuter rail service is expected to outperform I-15 travel times—something it already does on occasion.


The project is capital-intensive, Van Jura noted. Currently, Utah has allocated $845 million to Frontrunner 2x and has applied for the federal Capital Investment Grant as a "Core Capacity" project. Van Jura said that this grant will subsidize $2.1 billion of the project.


Much like ongoing efforts with Frontrunner 2x, Utah must continue to expand on its mass transit success to help clean the air, reduce the amount of Utah's notorious drivers on the road, and build additional transit infrastructure to "Keep Utah Moving".


As FrontRunner double-tracking and new stations come to fruition, UTA's light rail system has additional plans in the works with another UDOT-led project: TRAX Orange Line.


Gustafson and Van Jura said that the Orange Line has passed through a few of the initial development phases. Van Jura said that $6 million was recently allocated to the project's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. Once NEPA proposals are reviewed in full by UDOT, the department will issue a final decision on the route, which aims to take riders directly from the Salt Lake City Airport (another form of mass transit!) to the University of Utah's Research Park. 


The Orange Line will require a realignment of the TRAX Red Line and will then modify TRAX Blue and Green Line operations. Passengers and officials hope that TRAX service is fully operational, new routes and all, before the 2034 Winter Olympics.


The future of light rail is exciting, especially for what it means for ongoing development in Salt Lake County and beyond.


Bus Rapid Transit Lines Move Along


This placemaking component is central to Utah's embrace of bus rapid transit (BRT). The concept is straightforward: buses run on a route, usually with dedicated roadways, where they receive priority at intersections where they may interact with other traffic.


Ted Knowlton, Wasatch Front Regional Council Chief Planner & Deputy Director, said, "BRT offers the placemaking aspect of rail with the stations. It's telling the community, 'We're stopping here and we're investing here.'"


According to Knowlton, BRT is a critical piece of how transit can grow in Utah. "BRT projects can be delivered with much lower costs than rail, can get you 'there' as fast as rail, and have great flexibility," he said. "For example, BRT can deviate from its route to deal with things like a traffic accident or a parade."


Investments like these are in operation, with more on the way. Of the two BRT lines currently up and running, the Utah Valley Express (UVX) has buses running every six minutes at its most frequent intervals, taking over 5,000 daily riders across the metro area between Provo Central Station and Orem Central Station. UVX has been UTA's most popular bus route since it began service in 2018.


The second BRT line in operation is the Ogden Express Line (OGX), which began running in 2023. OGX takes over 2,600 daily riders across Ogden in 10-minute intervals. The five-mile route starts at Ogden Central Station before heading east on 23rd Street and 25th Street, and then south on Harrison Boulevard and onto Weber State's campus and on to a final destination at McKay-Dee Hospital. In its first year of service, OGX moved nearly one million riders.


BRT has benifitted the community in other ways, too. Metropolitan planning organization MAG Utah found that, since opening in 2018, UVX and surrounding infrastructure along the route may have played a key part in a 40% reduction in annual car crashes. The University of Utah found that UVX may help to take a conservative average of 1,500 car trips off the road every day.


Building and growing transportation capacity via bus? Maybe induced demand isn’t all bad.


Additional BRT Lines Move Forward


Two more BRT lines are in design or construction. The first, the Midvalley Express (MVX), will feature an all-electric bus fleet to transport future riders between Murray Central Station intermodal hub, Taylorsville and the expanding SLCC Redwood campus, down 4700 South—with portions of this part of the route on dedicated bus lanes—and on to the intermodal hub at West Valley Central Station. Riders will be able to board the dedicated bus stops on the seven-mile route in spring 2026, almost a year ahead of schedule.


Construction of BRT infrastructure is fairly straightforward, according to Maverick Gibbons, Project Manager for transit contractor Stacy Witbeck on both projects in the works. "At their core, these are road projects with enhanced bus stops.”


While BRT may be simple to build, its indirect effects are massive.


Returning to construction, the key to success on a straightforward scope, Gibbons explained, starts with considerable time in preconstruction to identify utilities and plan the various systems required to enhance these bus stops.


Case in point is the second BRT line progressing toward construction: SR-224 BRT for High Valley Transit in the Wasatch Back. The project is the recipient of $25 million in federal DOT funding as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It aims to transport 5,000 riders per day between the Kimball Junction Transit Center and Old Town Park City, and multiple new and existing stops in between, utilizing dedicated BRT lanes between Kimball Junction and Kearns Boulevard in Park City.


Design work began in January 2025, and Gibbons said the team will soon pre-stage the project by installing five miles of fiber-optic cables on the BRT route through Park City. This winter, Gibbons and the Stacy Witbeck team will later work with trade partners to remove landscaped islands near the Canyons Resort.


Gibbons said that ongoing work on the MVX line has encountered a few speed bumps as its path moves from West Valley City to Taylorsville to Murray. 


"Cities all have different ways they want to see things done," he said, before stating that following UDOT specifications or even a standardized approach could help move projects like these along in a more timely manner without having to work through three cities' public works expectations. "We miss the consistency," he said.


The Choice is Ours


Utahns value freedom. While cars are a great symbol of freedom, investing in additional transportation options is how leaders can continue to give residents and visitors the freedom to move however they please.


Plans like the Unified Plan, UTA Vision, and others hold promise, but it remains to be seen whether state transportation leaders will continue to drive in circles of car dependency for 40 years, or embrace a change in transportation funding and prioritization to emphasize mass transit—and take Utah to the proverbial promised land. 

Q&A with Nathan Goodrich

By UC&D • August 1, 2025
Nathan Goodrich

100 Years & Five Generations

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Paul founded Paulsen Construction in 1925 after immigrating from Norway 16 years prior. Sprague Library in Sugar House was originally built by Paul, and then restored nearly 100 years later, led by current President John Paulsen.

State of Industry; State of Progress

By Utah C&D • August 1, 2025
West Valley City Veteran’s Memorial Expansion Owner: West Valley City Architect: EDA Architects GC: Okland Construction Estimated Completion Date: September 2025

Showroom Showstopper

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
Commercial office is not dead. The market is alive and well, according to the design pros at HB Workplaces team. Their new office and showroom in Draper, and what it has done for employees and clients, is a case in point. All it took was a change in scenery. Transitioning from the B'Nai Israel Temple, built in 1890, to a new space was a welcome change for the team. "I just remember working between 2015 and 2020, and it was just," Keilian Meyer trailed off as he described the former office, a historic religious building converted into an office and showroom in 1987. Minimal natural lighting, rooms and layouts misaligned for team needs—their space wasn't bringing out anyone's best work. Meyer, Marketing Director for HB Workplaces, said going to work didn't engender a sense of engagement. "It was kind of punch in and punch out." But everything coalesced with their move. "The timing aligned perfectly," Meyer said of the June 2024 move and their rebrand from the year before from Henriksen/Butler to HB Workplaces. Dual Purposes Come to Life It aligned with every real estate broker's favorite word: location. Planting the HB Workplaces flag in the award-winning Baltic Pointe made perfect sense, especially with its epicenter locale between the booming economies of Salt Lake and Utah counties. HB Workplaces CEO Dave Colling summed it all up succinctly: "Our new headquarters is not just another building; it's a statement of our appreciation and stewardship of design, built upon decades-long heritage of our own, along with MillerKnoll, underscoring our commitment to excellence." The mass timber ceilings in HB Workplaces' first-floor office in Baltic Pointe—the first of their kind for a commercial building in Utah—are part of that commitment. Everything seems warmer, healthier, and better under the all-lumber ceiling. "We've always been drawn to inspiring architecture, and the natural warmth and intentionality of this structure made it a natural fit," said Meyer. HB Workplaces sought to make their mass timber home a showpiece for the beautiful and wide-ranging possibilities of today's commercial interiors, serving as an office for the HB Workplaces team and a showroom for interior designers and architects looking to envision their next project. That dual nature comes through perfectly across the space, with the showroom piece especially highlighted in the "Living Room" and its 382 SF of mid-century modern glory. The unforgettable Eames Lounge chair catches the eye, but closer inspection reveals some nods to the B'Nai Israel Temple's stained glass windows and other homages to the deep histories of the Herman Miller and Knoll brands. The room's mid-century-style lounge chairs, couches, ottomans, and side tables—all MillerKnoll line, of course—combine with gentle lighting to create the perfect spot for hosting. Brit Badger, HB Workplaces' VP of Client Development, explained how the Living Room is ideal for getting to know their design partners and clients, especially for a first meeting. "It's not all the same seating everywhere, like it would be at a conference room," she explained of how the varied seating choices—the Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair is often first dibs—help to create a relaxed and comfortable environment. "It's cool to see who chooses what. It's a fun way to start."

ASCE 2025 Report Card For Utah

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Bragging about a “C+” might seem gauche, but Utah is one of only four states to earn that high a grade, according to the May 28 release by the Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) of the 2025 Report Card for Utah’s Infrastructure. The cumulative “C+” for the Beehive State is the highest mark ever given by ASCE to any individual state—the report card itself spans 12 categories of infrastructure and is virtually unchanged from 2020 (ASCE issues report cards every four years). Utah's grade is also one step higher than the national infrastructure average grade of “C” in the ASCE 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which dropped in March. Roads (B+) and Bridges (B) remain the stars of the class, as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) continues to receive consistent state funding in furthering its aggressive program of building new projects to meet ongoing demand, while diligently maintaining existing infrastructure. “Our transit and transportation are doing fabulous," said Anna Lisonbee, President of ASCE Utah and an Engineer-in-Training at South Jordan-based Hansen, Allen & Luce. “UDOT and UTA are lauded as some of the most efficient [organizations] nationwide, so we’re doing very well in that category.” Aviation infrastructure was the only category to see a grade increase—somewhat predictable given the sheer amount of capital investment made over the past decade at Salt Lake International Airport, Provo Airport, and other regional airports statewide. Three categories—bridges, s tormwater, and transit—saw grade decreases. The remaining eight categories held steady from 2020. "Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, and state leaders have taken steps to ensure the reliability of infrastructure systems as more people move here to enjoy Utah's thriving communities, amazing outdoors, and high quality of life," said Craig Friant, Utah Civil Practice Lead for South Jordan-based Wilson & Company and Chair of the 2025 Report Card for Utah's Infrastructure. Utah grades per category: Roads: B+ Bridges: B Drinking Water, Solid Waste, Transit: B- Aviation, Dams, Hazardous Waste: C+ Stormwater, Wastewater: C Canals: D+ Levees: D-

Limitless Sky

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Standing atop the now-tallest building in Utah—the dynamic 451-foot, 680,000-SF Astra Tower in downtown Salt Lake City—Lance Shields was succinct in describing the otherworldly, 360-degree views available from the 41st-floor rooftop patio. “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” mused Shields, a Principal with Salt Lake-based HKS Architects and one of a half-dozen architects on HKS’ team who contributed to the design of Astra Tower, which features 377 total units, two levels of penthouse suites, and more than 40,000-SF of top-shelf amenity space. Peering southeast to majestic views of the Wasatch Mountains, Shields referenced the striking cantilever structure gracing the building’s southeast corner—a concession that preserved the breathtaking view by eliminating what would have been a structural column. Adding this approximately $2 million change to the bottom line only further illustrated the owner’s desire for a world-class luxury apartment tower. “The uninterrupted views of the valley are really breathtaking at the top floor and is the one thing that visitors I have taken through the project consistently comment on as the best experience they have had,” said Shields, adding that it would have been easy to justify a column in that corner. “I have to hand it to the vision of our team and the owner to see the value of the views and taking steps to preserve it.” Indeed, Boston-headquartered Kensington Investment Company (KIC) had been eyeing the Salt Lake market since 2017, ready to make a splash. In 2018, it purchased the site once home to Carl’s Jr. and hired HKS in 2019 to get the ball rolling on the design side. The pandemic forced KIC to pause its timeline, with construction formally kicking off in January 2022, led by Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction. “We were taking an enormous risk and writing a massive check while making sure we had as many people with experience on our team as we practically could,” said Ed Lewis, CEO of KIC. “We asked ourselves if Salt Lake City was ready for this kind of product—with no [like-building comparisons] to look to—while making the project financially successful. Putting together the capital stack with no comps in the state, and ensuring the team knew what they were doing, was challenging.” Engagement with the community was a priority from the start, said Shane Rensmon, President of Real Estate Development for KIC, as was finding local A/E/C firms with the moxie to take on a unique hybrid design-build project of this magnitude, a delivery method “not common in Salt Lake City, but common across major markets,” he said. “Ownership wanted to utilize local consultants and vendors as much as possible to get the community involved and engaged with the project, which presented new challenges in designing and constructing Astra Tower,” said Rensmon. “We leveraged [KIC’s] skills and experiences to help guide the design and construction teams on issues that they have not seen before or had little to no experience in.” Hotel-like Vibe with Unmatched Amenities Emir Tursic is no stranger to massive projects, having cut his teeth in the hospitality realm as a draftsman-turned-project architect for HKS on Block A of the enormous $10 billion MGM City Center project in Las Vegas from 2007-2008, which included the 61-story, 600,000-SF Aria Hotel. “It was a project I grew up very quickly with,” recalled Tursic, Office Director for HKS’ Salt Lake office, who ended up managing part of the project before it ended. “After this, I could go to the moon and not be scared of anything.” Even amidst the challenges for Tursic and his team, Astra Tower proved to be one of the most exciting, generational opportunities in the realm of world-class residential high-rise design that—ho-hum—also sets a record as the state’s tallest-ever building. “We wanted to create a sustainable urban community that focuses on wellness and sustainability,” said Tursic. “Sustainability is not just about energy and carbon footprint, it’s also [about] health and wellness and the environment. We have this huge amenity program—40,000 SF of indoor and outdoor amenities space focused on physical and mental health.” Tursic said dispersing major amenities across three building levels was a key functional design consideration. Level 8 kicks things off with an expansive club lounge that includes a demonstration kitchen and entertainment area, a state-of-the-art fitness center where views overlook Gallivan Plaza, a remote office space with a conference room and meeting rooms, and what Tursic calls “The bonus space”—an expansive 10,000 SF outdoor urban park. “Instead of a roof on top of the eight-story parking structure, we created a space with an outdoor lawn, hammocks, fire pits, grills—it’s a great social space for Astra’s residential community,” he said. Level 23 includes the outdoor pool and indoor spa, highlighted by a wellness center, steam room, sauna, recovery spas, treatment rooms, and private locker rooms. The pool deck overlook offers excellent views of the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. Level 41 tops the amenity spaces—literally—with an outdoor kitchen, entertainment area, and a spacious outdoor viewing deck that looks down on Salt Lake’s adjacent tallest buildings. “We wanted to provide a variety of experiences,” said Tursic. “The 41st floor is meant for quiet and solitude.” ROAM Interior Design of Los Angeles provided interior design on every level. "With Astra Tower, we set out to design interiors that reflect both the soul and natural beauty of Utah, infused with the energy of modern city living," said Deanne Teeter, Design Director at ROAM. “Every amenity—from the tranquil spa on the 23rd floor to the rooftop lounge with panoramic views—is intentionally crafted to foster wellness through biophilic connection and a true sense of home in the sky." “Astra Tower was purposefully designed to exemplify KIC's commitment to o perating market-leading apartment buildings, featuring state-of-the-art amenities and an unwavering dedication to service excellence,” said Joe Bird, Vice President of Real Estate Development for KIC. “This intentional design ensures an unparalleled living experience, blending sophisticated facilities with exceptional resident-focused service to set a new standard for urban residential excellence in Utah.”

One for the Ages

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Ralph L. Wadsworth watches demolition activity on the I-80/1300 East Bridge Slide in August 2023 with granddaughter, Bradynn Wadsworth (Tod’s daughter), illustrating his genuine passion for construction. (all photos courtesy RLW Construction)

Community First

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
First. Best. Leader. These are some of the many positive ways people described the late Marshall White, the civic hero and namesake of Ogden's past and future community centers. Marshall White is remembered as the first black police officer in Utah killed in the line of duty after being fatally shot in 1963. Equally important was his dedication to other causes outside of police work: the loving father of seven children; veteran and military doctor who helped establish a clinic at Hill Air Force Base post-WWII; youth mentor who partnered with the Elk's Club to establish the Wall Avenue Recreation Center; President of the Ogden chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Marshall White embodied community, and the original Marshall White Community Center, constructed five years after he died in 1968, was its physical manifestation. The building became a safe haven for youth, especially those with darker skin and different ethnicities from those of Utah "pioneer" ancestry, to learn to swim, take art classes, and participate in sports. But as time passed, the building fell into disrepair as Ogden's population shrank from the 1970s through the 1980s. Structural issues in the building appeared before a crack in the pool grew into a metaphorical chasm as COVID and its effects further disconnected society. Ogden needed champions who would follow in White's footsteps to bring people together, and create a space that would continue his community-building legacy. New Center; Relit Community Beacon Salt Lake-based VCBO was hired in 2020 to evaluate the old facility and propose future alternatives. It began, as VCBO Principal Brent Tippets described, "to replace a failing pool and building. […] It quickly became apparent that this community revolved around the Marshall N. White Community Center as both a gathering space and a historical icon for all minorities and people of humble circumstances." "Budget is always a challenge, but perhaps meeting all the affected parties' expectations was more so," said Tippets. "What was originally a pool and gymnasium replacement became a versatile destination with a plethora of participation options. He and the VCBO team worked with an Ogden City-appointed steering committee of passionate residents who provided valuable input on the importance and utilization of recreation and community spaces. "The Mayor, City Council, and City administration were committed to funding the project at the required level to achieve the grander vision for the facility," said Tippets. The Ogden City Council initially set aside $18 million and later increased the budget to $32 million for a new, 68,900-SF community building, doubling the size of the previous structure. Construction Challenges But challenges arose as soon as excavation commenced. Construction teams led by Vernal-based BHI encountered a dark, organic-looking soil that was previously undiscovered in geotechnical test borings. The surprise soil raised immediate concerns due to its lack of stability and reliability in compaction. BHI's history as an industrial contractor, where safety and lightning-fast communication are treasured, escalated the soil problems immediately. They collaborated and aligned with ownership, geotechnical engineers, and designers amidst evolving conditions to create a plan. Instead of utilizing native soils as initially planned, excavation teams removed the unsuitable material and imported structural fill from Ogden and nearby Plain City to meet compaction and bearing requirements, all while maintaining oh-so-important project momentum. "Working with Ogden City involved a different set of communication and coordination protocols than our typical projects," said BHI Superintendent Scot Marrot. "There was a greater emphasis on public transparency and adherence to specific city regulations. However, it was incredibly fulfilling to collaborate with the city officials who were passionate about providing a valuable resource for their community. The partnership fostered a strong sense of shared purpose and pride in the final outcome."

Daybreak: Then and Now

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
Thoughtful consideration on Oquirrh Lake transformed the initial idea for the water feature into a community and ecological asset. The 67-acre lake weaves around the 130-acre recreation space, residential area, and wildlife habitat. (Main rendering and photo pictured courtesy LHM)

Utahraptor State Park

By Taylor Larsen • June 30, 2025
Not often does an opportunity come around to build a new state park. But the project team jumped at the chance and helped bring amenities to the off-roading wilderness around Moab to deliver the new Utahraptor State Park. The unique project received design collaboration from Johansen & Tuttle Engineering, GSBS Architects, Horrocks, and Spectrum Engineers. Hogan & Associates Construction led construction efforts to bring in site infrastructure, utilities, and vertical construction to build new recreation opportunities for Moab’s tourism hotbed. The project’s remote location made this a major challenge. Still, best-in-class coordination helped to mitigate labor concerns and site issues to build a fitting tribute to the area’s history as Utahraptor State Park prepares for its first summer tourist season in 2025. Designing a Fitting Park for the Area The park was created in 2021 via legislative action (H.B. 257), while the infrastructure and more began construction in 2023. The site is historic in two senses. It is home to ancient history, with fossil sites of the Utahraptor found throughout the area—fossils first discovered outside the Dalton Wells Quarry by paleontologist “Dinosaur Jim” Jensen in 1975. It is also an area of 20th-century history as the former site of the Dalton Wells Isolation Center, the Civilian Conservation Corps facility-turned-internment camp where Japanese Americans were detained from 1942-1945 during World War II. Owner’s representatives from the State of Utah’s Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) said an overall goal for Utah State Parks was to preserve these historic assets amidst steady and consistent tourist and recreation growth. According to Matt Boyer, Assistant Director of Capital Development for DFCM, Utahraptor State Park's development would happen “in a way that would preserve the historic nature of the site while maintaining the opportunity for recreation in the process.” According to Clio Rayner, Principal for GSBS, the design goal aimed to complement instead of compete with the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. “We wanted to provide a subtle sense of arrival where people feel a sense of welcome and comfort,” she said. Design leaders wanted the harsh beauty and serenity of the Colorado Plateau Desert to remain the showstopper. “We went into this design not wanting to make an architectural statement but rather wanting to create a visitor experience focused on the landscape. In a place like this, it should not be about the architecture.” Since the built environment of Utahraptor State Park would consist of recreational facilities and a visitor center, Rayner explained, “We used a material palette and building massing that reflected natural features of the site and created flexible open interior space for multiple uses.” Interior design, said Rayner, “Provided an open opportunity for Utah Parks to create interpretive exhibits inside the Utahraptor visitor center that tell the story and convey the significance of the site.” Design incorporated economical and durable features like natural wood and CMU colors and patterns drawn from the stone features that abound in Utah's eastern majesty.