Traffic

Personal vehicles are the primary method of transport in LCC, which lead to traffic. These vehicles are often not well-equipped with snow tires, 4WD/AWD, or chains, so driving in the canyon can be unsafe during snowstorms.

Traction laws are not currently enforced.

The Utah Transit Authority provides a public transit option to Alta and Snowbird but buses and parking at bus stops are too few to meet demand.

The Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan states: “Increases in development can degrade water sources and diminish the scenic quality of the canyons and leads to additional demands on infrastructure… Transit provides an important mode of transportation to access the ski resorts and other recreation destinations. Winter ski service is popular, and some park-and-ride lots near the mouths of the canyon reach capacity on a regular basis. Unfortunately, this sometimes encourages canyon users to drive their vehicles up the canyon.” This document was written in 2008, so the inadequate transit system was acknowledged at least 13 years ago.

In the July 27, 2021, Josh Van Jura (UDOT project manager) told the Sandy City Council that the limiting factor for people to take the bus is the fact that there is not enough parking. (view recording here) Why don’t we try providing more parking before spending $500+ million dollars?

UDOT’s preferred alternatives are inefficient solutions to LCC’s traffic. Currently drivers wait in traffic on Wasatch Boulevard and S.R. 210 (on holiday weekends and powder days in the winter). If either of UDOT’s plans are put into action, people traveling to LCC will still experience traffic because the parking for the gondola/bus service will funnel riders to the mouth of the canyon. The capacity goal of both preferred alternatives is only 30%. This means that 70% of people traveling up the canyon will still be in their vehicles on the road IF these plans are successful in accomplishing the 30% goal.