Consultants present 'neighborhood nodes' plan for Big Cottonwood Canyon nodes; council to review final report

Consultants from Arcadis presented a neighborhood-nodes plan for the Big Cottonwood Canyon corridor to the Brighton Town Council on June 10. Jordan Swain of Arcadis described four nodes — Cardiff Fork, Silver Fork, Solitude Village and the Brighton Loop — and proposed concepts to unify mobility and recreation while preserving the area’s mountain-village character.

Key recommendations included a 10-foot shared-use 'node connector' trail linking nodes, a dedicated lane around the Brighton Loop to prioritize buses, emergency vehicles and shuttles, a future transit hub with boarding amenities near the resort, and gateway redevelopment concepts that could include low-impact retail and a small parking structure integrated with active-transportation facilities. The plan proposes a reversible or time-of-day-dedicated lane to allow peak-direction transit bypasses, and suggested trial engineering and environmental assessments (UDOT was identified as a stakeholder in a transit-hub environmental review).

Swain stressed community engagement: Arcadis conducted stakeholder workshops, in-person and virtual open houses, and a public story map survey; feedback emphasized preserving character while supporting public transit and trail connections. The consultant said the final report will include detailed site options, materiality analysis and further engineering steps.

What’s next: the council will review the final Arcadis report when published and coordinate with UDOT, resort operators and the Forest Service on further design and environmental scopes.