What’s the best way to fix gridlock traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon? The public is considering two options: a gondola or widening the road to accommodate more buses (why not both)?

KSL reports Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson thinks neither option is the way to go:

“To me it’s sort of like a Jenga game. If everything stacks up perfectly, every assumption plays out, you’re going to be fine. But you pull one piece out and the Jenga pieces fall to the ground.” 

Wilson proposed building user-friendly transit hubs, investing in comfortable buses, implementing tolling and carpooling, and using technology to keep people moving. Snowbird general manager Dave Fields said a gondola base station built at the mouth of the canyon is the answer:

“It’s the most reliable way to get people up and down the canyon.”

Gondola cars would carry up to 20 people every two minutes.

“It would be a stunning ride up the canyon. Now you have revenue that could offset the cost. People aren’t going to bring their in-laws in town and hop on a bus.”

UDOT’s other proposal would widen the road to four lanes, allowing buses to run every five minutes during peak times. They say both options cost about the same over a 30-year period. So far, UDOT has received about 6,000 comments from the public. Time is running out if you want to voice your opinion….public comment period ends September 3 (GO HERE TO COMMENT).

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