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UDOT Plan for Big Cottonwood Canyon Backs Buses and Winter Tolling, Drops Gondola

Public feedback opens through Jan. 9 with hearings on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

Overview

  • UDOT’s environmental assessment proposes winter bus service every 10–15 minutes initially, aiming for 5–7 minutes by 2050.
  • Dedicated transit upgrades include a bus-only transitway on Wasatch Boulevard and a priority lane on Brighton Loop Road, with estimated travel-time savings of up to five minutes.
  • Officials are evaluating a variable-priced, winter-only toll near Solitude’s Moonbeam lot to discourage single-occupancy vehicle trips.
  • Rider facilities would add indoor bus stops with restrooms and lockers at Solitude and Brighton and safety enhancements at Cardiff Fork, Spruces, Silver Fork and Silver Lake stops.
  • The omission of a gondola contrasts with the Little Cottonwood plan, where controversy and ongoing litigation have delayed earlier phases.