UDOT, Forest Service EA outlines winter bus service, tolling and mobility-hub plan for Big Cottonwood Canyon

Devin, the project lead for the UDOT/Forest Service environmental assessment (EA), presented the Big Cottonwood Canyon draft EA released Dec. 3, opening a public comment period that runs through Jan. 12.

The EA evaluates two alternatives — a no-action baseline and a proposed-action package that includes enhanced bus service to resorts and mid-canyon stops, a larger mobility hub serving both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, and winter-only variable tolling aimed at keeping the roadway near 1,000 vehicles per hour. "We have around 200,000,000," Devin said when summarizing project funding available, and later explained that program totals include roughly $144 million attributed to this EA and another $114 million already programmed in Little Cottonwood, for a combined program near $250 million.

The proposed transit service would begin with 10–15 minute frequencies, ultimately building to 5–10 minute service as demand grows and additional buses and drivers are added. The EA models travel times in 2050 and reports potential reductions for private vehicles (from modeled 56 minutes AM / 44 minutes PM under no action to about 29/28 minutes under the proposed action) and even larger time savings for buses.

Project elements include mid-canyon ADA pads and stops (Cardiff, Spruces, Silver Lake), resort bus stops with driver facilities and restrooms, a mobility hub with about 1,750 shared public spaces, priority bus lanes on the upper half of the loop and an interchange with Wasatch to direct buses to a gravel-pit staging area. The EA lists about 28 acres of impacts at the gravel pit and roughly 5.6 acres inside the canyon, mostly affecting resort parking and a limited number of roadside trees.

Devin and Forest Service staff emphasized there would be no home takings; "We're not impacting anyone's homes," he said, but acknowledged there could be construction or long-term impacts to driveways and frontage in a small number of parcels and promised targeted outreach and mailings to affected owners.

The tolling concept is winter-only and variable. Staff described an enforcement approach using license-plate cameras and back-end billing; local residents and some employees would likely receive exemptions, but operational rules (how many exemptions per household, guest access) will be defined later in contracts and implementation plans. "It point is to change behavior," Devin said of tolling, adding that the fee level will be set to manage traffic flow, not maximize revenue.

The EA identifies potential, mostly temporary, wetland and habitat impacts (including for sensitive amphibians and cutthroat habitat) near some creek relocations and notes that the Forest Service would need to consider a project-specific forest-plan amendment and special-use permits for infrastructure on National Forest land. The Forest Service described separate NEPA timelines; the objection window for standing to object runs Dec. 11–Jan. 9, so commenters who want objection rights must file within that period in addition to the broader UDOT comment window.

Staff urged residents to submit written comments through the official UDOT/Forest Service channels; they reminded the audience that in-meeting remarks do not substitute for formal comments. The team said, if the EA is finalized and decisions clear legal review and funding, design work and procurement could follow with an estimated multi-year timeline for hubs, interchanges and bus procurement.

Next steps: the EA comment period remains open through Jan. 12; the Forest Service objection window and UDOT comment procedures have specific deadlines (Dec. 11–Jan. 9 for standing-objection eligibility). The project team will review comments, potentially revise the EA and advance toward a decision in the spring. Residents with concerns about property impacts, driveway access or the toll exemption approach were instructed to contact the project lead for individualized follow-up.

Ending: The council and presenters encouraged written comments through the official docket to ensure issues are considered in the EA record.