Utah — While the gondola was chosen by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to solve Little Cottonwood Canyon’s traffic issues, it’s still a costly option that would take time. So, what options in the near term can improve the situation?
Last week, Canyon Guard hosted a panel discussion with several opponents of the proposed Little Cottonwood Gondola to discuss what alternatives could reduce the Canyon’s traffic woes. The panel, which Salt Lake Community College moderated, included representatives from Friends of Alta, Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and Save Not Pave. KSL reports that their top pick is added bus service, as a lack of buses has been a prominent complaint for skiers and riders over the past few years.
Before the pandemic, Canyon Guard alleged that 87 buses went in and out of Little Cottonwood Canyon each day. Last season, they allege only 27 roundtrip buses ran. KSL checked in with Gavin Gustafson, the senior public information officer of the Utah Transit Authority, who couldn’t confirm those numbers. However, they did confirm that buses are down from this pre-pandemic era due to the loss of bus drivers.
“We lost some operators. We were in the process of bringing on new operators but training for just regular operators is one thing,” said Gavin Gustafson. “There’s some additional experience and training that goes into having to drive up the canyons.”
Here are Canyon Guard’s eleven core alternatives:
- Restore historic UTA routes to 87 buses/day (Increased bus service is planned for this winter)
- Enforce Existing Traction Laws (This seems like it’s going to happen this winter)
- Pass New Traction Law
- Reward Carpoolers
- Prevent Unsafe U-turns in Little Cottonwood Canyon
- Improve Merging by adding traffic lights
- Build Up-Canyon Snow Plow Parking
- Augment with Private Shuttle Services
- Implement Permit Parking Programs (Particularly at Snowbird)
- Stagger Open/Closing Hours for Ski Resorts
- Incentivize High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) by giving them lane priority on peak days
I think there are some excellent ideas on the list above. Others, I’m not so sure about. For example, Alta and Snowbird already have staggered closings. Alta closes two of its core chairlifts (Collins and Sunnyside) at 4:30, and Snowbird has a scattered lift closing schedule. It may be possible to close later in the spring, but I’m not sure how much these operational hours can be moved.
Overall, there are some good ideas, some of which are coming this winter. Whether these changes will happen or whether this was nothing more than a brainstorming session has yet to be determined.
Image/Video Credits: Greg Rakozy, Gondola Works
