Unlike other states, Utah lacks a really solid public transportation system outside of the Salt Lake Valley. Now, the Salt Lake Valley is great and all but here are three things to keep in mind if you want to live in Utah without a car.
Secret #1 - I - 15 is the lifeblood of the state
Wherever you live, live close to I-15. You can live as far south as Payson and as far north as Brigham City and still have bus access to most of the Wasatch Front. Bus service doesn't always run on the freeway so when shopping for an apartment stay close to main street or center street, which you will find in all Utah towns. Most bus lines will run on backroad highways rather than on the freeway to connect these towns together and the highways are what connect the center and main streets of the different communities.
Secret #2 - Bikes are Not Frowned Upon
In some status, there is a continuous fued between bikers and drivers, especially truck drivers. However, in Utah, bikes arent' common enough to be annoying so if you ride a bike you will most likely get treated very well by Utah motorists. In many areas, they even have special bike routes setup and months designated for people to start riding their bikes to work and school. Don't forget to wear a helmet and obey traffic laws though because although the motorists are friendly, the cops are not afraid to get after cyclists for being dumb and reckless.
Secret #3 - Get a Dirt Bike
I know I know, a dirt bike is another form of motorized transportation. But beacuse a lot of Utah is farm land and these kids grow up on ranches and back roads, many of them own and eventually sell dirt bikes that they have already made street legal. These can sell for a s little as $500 and get some crazy good gas mileage (try 60 mpg). Plus, there is special parking all over the place for motorcycles that poor car drivers just can't take
Gregg Blanchard is a student and avid cyclist who spends time doing internet marketing work for Bristlecone Salt Lake Property Management.
