Salt Lake City’s top transportation official is leaving his post, opting to join a state agency.
Jon Larsen, director of the city’s Transportation Division, announced during a meeting Monday that he would be leaving Salt Lake City for a job at the Utah Transit Authority, according to Sofia Jeremias, a spokesperson for the city’s Communities and Neighborhoods department.
“We are grateful for Jon Larsen’s eight years serving as Salt Lake City’s Transportation Division Director,” Tammy Hunsaker, Director of the city’s Department of Community and Neighborhoods, said in a statement Tuesday. “Under his leadership, transformational projects like the 9-line trail on 900 south, Salt Lake City’s first dedicated bus lane on 200 South, and the reconstruction of 2100 South were completed. During a time of immense growth, Jon led a team that worked tirelessly to make our transportation system more equitable, accessible, and well-connected.”
Larsen told Building Salt Lake on Tuesday his first day at UTA will be Nov. 17, and he said his role at the transit authority will be announced at that time.
He said working for Salt Lake City has been, “an absolute privilege,” and he added working for Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall has been an amazing experience. He said he’s proud of the work he did for the city, but the opportunity at UTA was too good to pass up.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done to bridge the East-West divide, creating new connections like the 3rd North protected bike lanes, doing the West-East Connect Study that’s happening right now,” Larsen said. “I feel strongly that the future of the Transportation Division is very bright. We’ve got a stellar team, dedicated staff, and it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to lead that crew.”
Andrew Wittenberg, spokesperson for Mendenhall’s office, issued a statement regarding Larsen’s impending departure: “For over 8 years, Jon Larsen has led Salt Lake City’s Transportation Division with a passion for safe streets that work for everyone. While we’re sad to see him go, we’re happy he’s not going far, and we look forward to working with him in the future.”
Larsen first announced his departure during a Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) meeting Monday, where he told the board he was leaving for a job at UTA after eight years with Salt Lake City. Audio of the meeting was obtained by Building Salt Lake on Tuesday.
“(It was) not an easy decision,” Larsen said during the meeting. “(I’m) excited for the next opportunity with UTA. I’ll be here with the city through the end of the month, this will be my last TAB meeting.”
Salt Lake City has seen a number of ups and downs on the transportation front in recent months. The city has been able to complete a number of road improvement projects recently like added bike lanes and other street improvements, in part thanks to the Funding Our Future bond initiative that carried with it a short timeline to execute. Larsen oversaw those projects.
But recently, the city has been reeling from the ripple effects of Senate Bill 195. The bill, passed during the 2025 Utah Legislative session, effectively paused most new transportation projects in Salt Lake City and required that most traffic-calming measures undergo an additional layer of oversight and study by state transportation officials. Other projects like the city’s ambitious Green Loop project were also impacted by the bill.
Building Salt Lake reported in July that SB 195 largely stemmed from a shoddy academic study and lobbying efforts.
When asked Tuesday, Larsen said SB 195 wasn’t a factor that pushed him out the door. Instead, he said, the recent legislation made it harder for him to leave the city. He said he was proud to be a part of the numerous improvements around Salt Lake City, but seeing state officials override local control was hard to watch.
“I’m really proud of the city team and the incredible work they’re doing,” Larsen said. “And I think in the end, Salt Lake City will land in a good place. And going forward, we’ll continue to do stellar work to not only serve its residents, but business owners and commuters, and the many people throughout the state and region that care about Salt Lake City, visit Salt Lake City, work in Salt Lake City and play in Salt Lake City.”
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