WBA Comment on the BCC Transportation Study

Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is taking action to address winter congestion in Big Cottonwood Canyon (BCC) through the Big Cottonwood Canyon Study, authorized by a bill passed by the Utah Legislature in 2023.

Public comments are being accepted now through Monday, January 19, 2026. Please note this date has been updated. 

This is the final opportunity for the public to weigh in on this project! Read WBA’s official comment here and be sure to submit a comment of your own!

Copy, paste, customize the following:

I support the Big Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Assessment and appreciate UDOT’s work to improve safety, mobility, and transit reliability. With a few key changes, this project can better serve all users of the canyon, including dispersed recreation and backcountry users—not just resort patrons.

Please consider the following comments:

Guardsman Pass Access & Tolling

• I support congestion-based tolling, resident and employee exemptions, and using toll revenue to fund bus service.
• If Guardsman Pass cannot be excluded from tolling, UDOT should add a bus stop near Guardsman Road using the Brighton Fire Station access road.
• A HAWK beacon or bus/emergency-activated signal should be installed to safely cross SR-190 at this location.
• Tolling should not begin until there is frequent, reliable bus service that works for both resort and backcountry users.
• I support a FastPass-style tolling system to avoid stop-and-go congestion.

Prevent Trailhead Parking Spillover

• I’m concerned resort visitors may park at trailheads like Cardiff Fork or Spruces to avoid tolls or paid parking, then ride the bus.
• This could reduce access for backcountry and dispersed recreation users.
• UDOT should address this risk in the transportation provider’s operating plan to avoid unintended consequences.

Resort Bus Stops & Public Lands

• New infrastructure should be built on already developed land whenever possible.
• Brighton is giving up existing parking for its bus stop, while Solitude’s stop would be built on National Forest land.
• Any Forest Plan amendment should only be approved if it includes a clear public benefit trade, such as a land exchange and a binding agreement preventing new parking or resort development along Old Stage Road.
• UDOT—not the ski resorts—should hold the Special Use Permit for transit facilities on public land.
• I support the UDOT plow shed at Solitude and the avalanche team loft at Brighton.

Trailhead Bus Stops

• Trailhead bus stops are low cost compared to resort stops and should be better built.
• They should include raised, heated platforms, covered waiting areas, and designs that function during deep snow.
• A bus stop at the S-curves should be included to support summer and shoulder-season transit.

Crosswalks & Pedestrian Safety

• I support shortening the Cardiff Fork crosswalk and using flashing crosswalks at Spruces, Silver Fork, and Silver Lake.
• A crosswalk should also be added near the Brighton Fire Station/Guardsman bus stop.

Mobility Hub

• The mobility hub should be future-ready with electric bus infrastructure, solar power, and real-time parking availability so drivers know if spaces are open before entering the canyon.

Roadside Parking & Public Access

• This project should not reduce roadside parking at historic backcountry access points where no bus stops are planned.
• Existing pullouts should be maintained or repaved as part of the project.

Inventoried Roadless Areas

• The EA should clearly state that the project will not impact Inventoried Roadless Areas.
• No new infrastructure, parking, or access points should encroach on or degrade these protected lands.

Visitor Capacity & Forest Health

• Even if vehicle numbers stay the same, improved transit will likely increase total visitation.
• UDOT and the Forest Service should commit to a visitor capacity study and ongoing forest health monitoring.

Additional Safety Measures

• Add variable speed limit signs for hazardous conditions.
• Improve enforcement of Utah’s zipper-merge law, including cameras at merge points to reduce unsafe behavior.

Thank you for considering these comments and for working to improve safety and access in Big Cottonwood Canyon.