Traffic plagues the canyon
For many decades, "The Greatest Snow on Earth" brings heaps of eager skiers in their personal vehicles to "The Greatest Canyon on Earth", Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Utah seeks solutions
Winter 2017
The Utah State Legislature passes Senate Bill 277, which gave $100 million to the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to improve access to recreation in the state.
UDOT allocates $66M to address ski traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC).
The project begins
Spring 2017
UDOT begins evaluating traffic solutions. Because of the large scale and potential impacts of the project, UDOT is required to follow the NEPA Process.
During the NEPA Process UDOT will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
UDOT evaluates traffic solutions
Spring 2018 - Spring 2021
UDOT evaluates 124 traffic mitigation strategies such as various bus systems, gondola alignments, and cog rail. These solutions also include tolling, road adjustments, and snowsheds.
A private developer approaches UDOT with The Gondola proposal
UDOT pursues two options in the Draft EIS
June 25, 2021
UDOT chose two potential solutions in the Draft EIS:
1. Enhanced Bus Service in Peak Period Shoulder Lane
2. Gondola B from La Caille
A 70-day public comment period begins.
The public and elected officials criticize the gondola option
Fall 2021
UDOT releases the Final EIS which has the gondola as their preferred solution.
Students for the Wasatch is born
Nov 10, 2021
Three LCC-loving, University of Utah students meet to discuss how they can save the canyon.
SFW rides electric bus to Alta
Feb 9, 2022
Gondola proponents had previously criticized electric buses, saying that EBs were slow a weak and are incapable of ascending the steep canyon.
Students for the Wasatch set out to prove them wrong.
SFW partnered with an electric bus company to show capabilities of the technology for canyon transit. They rode the EB from the U's campus to the Capitol Building to speak with state legislators. Then, took the bus to Alta, picking up Sandy City's Mayor Zoltanski, Cottonwood Heights's Councilwoman Birrell, and Alta's Mayor Bourke.
The EB zipped to the top of the canyon and the riders heard support of the technology for canyon transit from the three elected officials.
UDOT announces they will pursue a gondola in the Final EIS
Aug 31, 2022
UDOT releases the Final EIS which has the gondola as their preferred solution.
The comments show resounding opposition to the gondola
Fall 2022
Members of Students for the Wasatch and other community groups read all 13,069 comments UDOT received on their Final EIS.
88.58% of comments opposed the gondola. Only 8.33% of comments were supportive of the gondola and the remaining few percent had no clear opinion.
Salt Lake County Council condemns gondola in resolution
Oct 4, 2022
The SLCo Council signed a resolution urging UDOT to eliminate the gondola from consideration and pursue the Common-Sense Solutions Approach that the county put together.
UDOT releases official Record of Decision
July 12, 2023
The NEPA Process is finished with UDOT releasing the Record of Decision (ROD).
In the ROD UDOT selects the gondola with phased implementation. Phase 1 includes improved busing and tolling. Phase 2 includes showsheds and widening of Wasatch Boulevard. The final phase, Phase 3, involves building a gondola and stopping the bus service implemented in Phase 1.
UDOT has not released an official timeline, but it is estimated Phase 1 will be in operation in 2025, Phase 2 between 2033-2042, and Phase 3 will begin in 2043.
To the public's knowledge there is no method to evaluate the success of the phases before moving on to the following phase.
Three lawsuits challenging UDOT's gondola are filed
December 11, 2023
1. Save Our Canyons, a local environmental organization, challenges UDOT's decision of the gondola stating UDOT did not properly follow the NEPA process and potentially violated environmental and administrative law.
2. Canyon Guard, a new grassroots coalition, sues UDOT on the basis that they did not conduct an unbiased analysis, properly assess alternatives, and consider public comment.
3. Salt Lake City, Sandy City, and The Metropolitain Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy claim UDOT did not responsibly and accurately assess impacts the gondola and its construction would have to the Little Cottonwood Creek and impacts to the watershed.