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A major online polling effort on Utah's future comes to an end this weekend, and its sponsors already have hit their goal of hearing from 50,000 residents.
The interactive "Your Utah, Your Future" survey, conducted by the regional planning group Envision Utah, ends late Sunday.
In the largest public-polling campaign in state history, the group is collecting Utahns' views on a host of growth-related issues, including air quality, transportation, housing, water and education.
Planners hope the survey results — to be released in the fall — will offer a blueprint of public sentiment as the Legislature and a host of municipal governments deal with an expected doubling of Utah's population by 2050.
Envision Utah has launched a two-month media blitz promoting the gamelike survey, with radio and online advertising spots and a social media campaign. Sometime late Thursday afternoon, the poll topped 50,000 participants.
"This is by far the largest response to this kind of effort anywhere in the country," said Ari Bruening, Envision Utah's chief operating officer. Although the survey reached its participation target, he said, it will remain active through Sunday.
"If we reach 60,000," the COO said, "we'll be ecstatic."
Once survey collection ends at midnight Sunday, Envision Utah will take a month for data crunching, Bruening said. Results also will be compared with responses to an independent and more traditional survey on the same topics, conducted by the Utah-based pollster Dan Jones & Associates.
Bruening said Envision Utah then expects to explore the findings with panels of experts assembled to examine issues related on each topic, with a view to publishing public policy positions in October.
Twitter: @TonySemerad —
To participate
O Residents can weigh in on the "Your Utah, Your Future" poll by going to envisionutah.org.