Over the years, Utah’s commitment to infrastructure investments has improved safety and accessibility through bridges, roads, and tunnels, spanning the state’s diverse landscapes. Embracing technological advancements such as electronic tolling systems, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and electric vehicle infrastructure, Utah continues to build a more efficient and sustainable transportation network.
We’re at a critical junction as access to transportation is crucial to maintain and improve quality of life, yet our current infrastructure is aging and in need of an update.
In October 2020, a 4th generation National Science Foundation-funded engineering research center, ASPIRE (short for Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification) was born in Utah. Headquartered on the Innovation Campus at Utah State University in Logan, the ASPIRE Engineering Research Center is rethinking the interactions between power grids, transportation, and infrastructure to eliminate boundaries while pursuing proven and innovative technologies.
During the 2023 General Legislative Session, our state legislators passed Senate Bill 125 (SB125,) which was signed into effect by Governor Spencer Cox on March 23, 2023. This granted the ASPIRE Engineering Research Center authority to define and develop an action plan for electrification in an intelligent transportation infrastructure that fills the needs of communities throughout Utah. ASPIRE is preparing Utah’s plan under the leadership and direction of a seven-member Steering Committee chaired by the Utah Department of Transportation’s executive director with the assistance of an Industry Advisory Board to offer guidance for the strategic planning and development of the initiative.
For example, in Utah’s Air Quality 2021 Annual Report, we learn that heavy-duty diesel vehicles account for only 7.5% of the total vehicle miles traveled in the state, yet they produce over 30% of the on-road air pollution. Electrifying transportation with innovative technologies presents an opportunity to improve Utah’s air quality and reduce shipping costs as we renovate and rebuild our aging transportation infrastructure.
By integrating electrified transportation as an option now, we envision a greater quality of life for Utahns through better air quality, job creation, and workforce development ultimately improving the resiliency of Utah’s power grid while growing our economy and reducing the cost of transporting goods.