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SALT LAKE CITY — As Utah's plan to handle Little Cottonwood Canyon traffic remains in litigation over concerns tied to a possible gondola in the third phase, the state is looking for options to address similar issues in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Utah Department of Transportation officials announced Wednesday the beginning of the environmental study process for additional transportation options in the canyon. The measure would be closely related to initial changes planned for Little Cottonwood Canyon after Utah lawmakers directed $150 million toward a mobility hub, enhanced bus service, tolling and resort bus stops in both canyons last year.
"Our goal is to use the money already provided by the Legislature to address traffic in the canyon now and into the future," said Devin Weder, a project manager for the agency.
The agency's study will have no mention of a gondola, but its announcement also came a day after representatives of a few local environmental and land use groups spoke at an event to continue their opposition to a possible gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon, which they say would be costly and detrimental to its land.
Gondola concerns linger
UDOT selected the gondola as a final phase project in an environmental impact statement completed last year, which started with a goal to cut about 30% of vehicle traffic in the canyon.
The plan calls for tolling and increased bus service in its first phase, as well as a mobility hub with 1,500 parking stalls by Big Cottonwood Canyon. New snow sheds are included in a second phase to address avalanche safety before a possible gondola. The 8-mile gondola line would offer service to Snowbird and Alta from a base with 2,500 parking spaces at the mouth of the canyon.
The whole project was estimated to cost $729 million, not including operation and maintenance costs.
While the resorts and pro-gondola advocates celebrated the decision, it quickly faced litigation. Salt Lake City, Sandy and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy filed one lawsuit, while local groups Save Our Canyons, Friends of Alta and International Outdoor Recreation Asset Alliance also sued.
The lawsuits were eventually combined into one, alleging impacts on drinking water, wildlife and other angles weren't properly studied, while multiple federal laws were violated. Ben Huot, UDOT's deputy director of planning and investment, told lawmakers in August he didn't expect the case to pick up in court until mid-2025.
Some of the people behind the lawsuit and other experts appeared at a panel discussion about the gondola held at Salt Lake Community College Tuesday evening, where they expounded on concerns.
A gondola is a "pretty efficient" transportation system when the line is maintained properly, but it would likely be difficult and costly to maintain a line of its size, said Pat Shea, co-founder of Friends of Alta. The proposed line is about double the longest gondola ever built, which means there aren't any comparable projects.
This may open the door for the project to exceed cost expectations, said Craig Heimark, chairman of the group Canyon Guard.
"Cost overruns are pretty common," he said. "If you look at academic studies around public studies, what they'll tell you is that the projects that tend to be unique and one-of-a-kind tend to have the worst cost overruns."
Shea, Heimark and others who spoke Tuesday argued taxpayer funds would generally serve two private resorts while there are greater transportation needs in the state. That's why the groups spent the evening advocating for ways to utilize increased bus service and expand skiing and snowboarding interest to other resorts, which they believe could better solve the issue at a lower cost.
"We believe in preserving the current canyon experience for all users, not just downhill skiers," said Michael Marker, co-founder and president of Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, explaining that people come to Utah for the "mountain experience" and not a bunch of highways, towers and other developments that cut into it.
While the first phase would include expanded bus service, its implementation remains up in the air. UDOT initially expected to increase bus service beginning in the fall of 2025, but Huot said the project will likely be delayed by "a couple of years" while it plays out in court.
Tackling Big Cottonwood Canyon
In the meantime, UDOT is trudging forward with plans for Big Cottonwood Canyon, which has its own transportation challenges. The agency notes the canyon is already "at capacity," drawing 1,000-1,200 cars per hour during peak travel periods, and travel demand will only increase as the state grows.
"Once you get past that, that's when you start to see a lot of congestion and travel times go up significantly," Weder said.
The new study will review a new mobility hub and buses that run up and down state Route 190 every 5-10 minutes during peak hours. The $150 million from state funds covers a large chunk of the estimated $240 million cost that Huot said was needed to implement everything included in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon enhancements.
An in-person open house about the plan is scheduled for Nov. 13 at Butler Elementary School, 7000 S. 2700 East, in Cottonwood Heights. Nov. 13 is also the first day that UDOT will begin collecting public comments. A virtual meeting will be held online the following evening, and then the comment period will end on Dec. 13.
A draft document is expected to be released as early as next summer before a final decision possibly by the end of 2025.
"Big Cottonwood Canyon is a gateway to some of Utah's best winter activities," Weder said. "We're keeping this study focused on the improvements outlined in (state funding) to address the canyon's transportation needs."
Contributing: Deja Brown
