Though travelers are increasingly using internet travel guides and electronic gadgets such as global positioning systems in cars, websites Mapquest and Google Maps to find their way around Utah and the world, many still want a paper road map or printed guide.

That could be a short-term problem in Utah. The state has about 10,000 free official Utah road maps left with no plans to reprint until the end of the year. Some travel centers are down to less than 100 and are rationing them.

The Utah Division of Travel also has run out of its Utah Travel Guide. The new 2010-11 publication that is sent at request to travelers all over the world won't be printed until the end of the month.

According to the Travel Division's Tracie Cayford, travelers contacting her agency are currently receiving a post card with a link to the online travel guide, a printed single sheet on must-see Utah destinations and guides to state and national parks.

"Our publications budget has remained the same for many years," she said. "At the same time, we rebranded the state in April of 2006 with the Life Elevated brand. ... Demand for Utah is at an all-time high at the same time budgets have not increased. We have made an effort to be green and we are also cognizant of taxpayer dollars, so we direct as many people as possible to our website. We still need printed materials."

The website is www.utah.travel.

The Utah Department of Transportation actually prints the official state highway map, though the Division of Travel does the design work. It usually prints a million copies at a time every three years. In an average month, about 7,000 are given out.

According to UDOT spokesman Nile Easton, it takes about six months to prepare a new map. The next edition, for example, will include roads built in the past three years including the Legacy Parkway, the Southern Parkway and Pioneer Crossing.

"It takes a lot of time to get precise coordinates," he said. "We have to meet with the Forest Service, the national parks and everyone to have input on what should be included and not included on the map. It's a big process."

Easton said a printable version of the map is available at www.udot.utah.gov.

 

wharton@sltrib.com