LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — The Utah Department of Transportation is hoping to make life easier for those going up and down Little Cottonwood Canyon during peak times.
UDOT announced Wednesday a plan to build improved bus service and infrastructure over the next two years in the canyon.
Little Cottonwood will benefit from a "mobility hub" being built near the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon — where UDOT recently announced similar initiatives.
UDOT says bus service in LCC will be increasing "significantly" — every 10-20 minutes during peak periods. UDOT says it is planning to build new bus stops at Snowbird and Alta resorts to allow for more riders and to improve the users' experience.
Although the goal of these improvements is to reduce the number of cars on SR-210, people can still drive up and down the canyon. However, UDOT says it is working toward a toll system to reduce traffic congestion — along with eliminating roadside parking during the winter near the popular resorts.
"We need improvements in the canyon now to address the traffic challenges we are experiencing today,” UDOT project manager Devin Weder said in Wednesday's announcement. “By moving forward with these buses and infrastructure improvements, we are laying the foundation for a better, more reliable transportation system in the canyon.”
UDOT is still planning long-term to build a gondola in the canyon. Wednesday's announcements are "Phase I" of UDOT's plan to improve Little Cottonwood traffic issues.
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Mayor Jenny Wilson applauded UDOT's plan to pursue the increased bussing, but reiterated her opposition to a gondola.
“We don’t need to wait decades—or build a gondola—to make real, meaningful improvements in our canyons and I appreciate UDOT’s decision to move forward with Phase I," Wilson wrote in a statement. "The expansion of bus service, creating a mobility hub, and managing demand with practical tools like tolling and parking restrictions are common-sense solutions that I have called for since the early stages of the UDOT process.”
