The Utah Department of Transportation is conducting an environmental study that will evaluate the use of tolling and enhanced bus service to address winter-time traffic congestion management on state route 190 in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
[Above photo by Utah DOT]
That study – mandated Senate Bill 2 or “SB 2” passed by the state legislature in 2023 and set to conclude December 13 – directs the agency to seek ways to “provide enhanced bus service, tolling, a mobility hub, and resort bus stops for Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.”
Potential improvements Utah DOT is considering as part of the environmental study include enhanced bus service for Big Cottonwood with buses running from a mobility hub near the canyon’s mouth every five to ten minutes during peak hours; enclosed bus stops at the resorts; minor road improvements to help the bus system; and a winter-season tolling system starting below Solitude Entry 1 with variable pricing.
[Editor’s note: The agency recently installed new remote-controlled avalanche mitigation equipment to enhance travel safety and improve the efficiency of avalanche mitigation efforts in the nearby Little Cottonwood Canyon area.]
“Big Cottonwood Canyon is a gateway to some of Utah’s best winter activities. We’re keeping this study focused on the improvements outlined in Senate Bill 2 to address the canyon’s transportation needs,” said Davin Weder, the agency’s project manager, in a statement.
“The road is already at capacity during peak times and our models show travel demand is expected to increase by 2050,” he added. “These public meetings and comment period are a great opportunity for people who visit the canyon to learn more about what we’re proposing as a solution and share their insights with us.”
