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After canyon logjam, council demands enforceable special‑event permit for marathons
Summary
Following this year’s Big Cottonwood/Rebel marathon — which the town said left residents stranded and clogged the canyon — organizers and public safety staff outlined steps to reduce impacts. Council directed staff to create an enforceable town permit with interagency planning and reserved the right to deny future events that fail to meet conditions.
Brighton — Council members sharply criticized this year’s Rebel Big Cottonwood Marathon after organizers and public safety officials described a breakdown in traffic control that left residents unable to exit the canyon for hours.
Daryl Fippin, the marathon organizer, said the event drew about 4,700 participants and acknowledged major staging and egress problems. He told the council the organizer plans to limit numbers next year (the proposal discussed was roughly 1,200 for the full marathon and 3,000 for the half), implement wave starts, narrow runner lanes and use traffic‑control cones and law‑enforcement pilot cars to improve the flow of vehicles.
Public‑safety speakers including the incident commander and UPD representatives described communications gaps and pilot‑car failures during the event. The mayor said the town might not allow the event next year if organizers cannot meet permit deliverables; she instructed staff to build an enforceable permit process requiring event organizers to submit permits and provide proof of approvals from any adjoining agencies (UDOT, county and others) and to convene a multi‑agency planning meeting that includes sheriff, UPD, UFA, resorts and county representatives.
Organizer Fippin offered to apply for a Brighton permit and to consult with the town on notification and resident communications. Council asked staff to finalize permit language and to produce a packet the council can review at the next meeting.
Next steps: staff to draft an enforceable town permit, set a meeting with all agencies, and notify past event organizers of the new permit requirement and review schedule.
