Brighton officials and resorts vow fixes after weekend canyon gridlock left residents stranded

A severe weekend in Big Cottonwood Canyon that combined a law‑enforcement operation, a traffic crash and heavy wintry precipitation left motorists stranded for hours and prompted Brighton officials to pursue immediate operational fixes and longer‑term transit solutions.

Resident Mary Ziegel told the council that she and others were effectively stranded for “7 hours” trying to get home after being stopped near the Redmond Campground entrance, and she urged the town to press ski areas and state agencies for traffic‑management changes. “It was also observed that many, many cars were in the canyon with improper tires…no chains, and snow tires,” she said, warning of both public‑safety and watershed pollution effects from idling vehicles.

Unified Police Department personnel, introduced to the council as a department representative, said their violent‑crimes unit had been executing a high‑risk warrant in Brighton when an explosive device was discovered and UFA bomb technicians were engaged; that incident, paired with a separate crash that produced injuries, led the sheriff’s office to close the canyon in both directions and created the traffic gridlock. UPD reported that in January it responded to 311 calls for service for the area, including 65 slide‑offs and 29 stranded‑motorist calls, and urged residents to report snow‑machine/watershed violations through dispatch at (801) 840‑4000.

Brighton Resort operations staff acknowledged extraordinary storm conditions and said the scale of the weekend event outstripped normal plans. Resort leadership listed several near‑term communication improvements — more prominent variable message signage, geofencing pilot work to reach incoming drivers, and improved social‑media messaging — and emphasized on‑site assistance by employees and patrollers who helped dig out cars and supply fuel and hand warmers. “We’re not opposed to closing the canyon when it makes sense,” the resort representative said, while also noting operational limits when parking lots are already full.

Fire officials said response access was compromised in places and described UFA staffing and training efforts to increase capacity for summer and wildland response. Council members and staff agreed that short‑term tactical changes are needed but framed the long‑term fix as less parking and more transit access. In his mayor’s report the mayor reiterated the town’s goals tied to the UDOT EIS for Big Cottonwood — adding lanes around the loop and establishing transit hubs — and said the town has secured state funds and lobbying support to pursue a large parking structure and transit improvements, while acknowledging legal and interagency hurdles remain.

Council members directed staff to continue collaborative meetings with UPD, UFA, the ski resorts and UDOT to identify near‑term operational measures ahead of future high‑demand weekends, and to bring parking‑management changes (including a proposed adjusted roadside reservation fee) back for formal action. Public commenters urged clearer enforcement of traction rules, better on‑the‑ground triage protocols to prevent multi‑hour strandings, and expanded sheltering options for stranded visitors.

The council said the town will press partners for operational changes this week and continue pursuing the longer‑term infrastructure and policy changes aimed at reducing car traffic in the canyon and improving emergency access.