Council asks staff to prioritize transit interventions for Chapel traffic as part of targeted STIP refresh

Councilors asked staff to make the Chapel of the Holy Cross a near‑term priority for a targeted refresh of Sedona’s transit implementation plan, citing repeated weekend gridlock and public safety concerns.

“I’d like to get my council colleagues consensus to be providing direction that we need to … step up and show some leadership … to figure out whatever a solution for the Chapel Of The Holy Cross,” Vice Mayor Fultz said during the Jan. 14 meeting, urging quicker action on a problem that police described as resource‑intensive.

Amber Wagner, the city’s transit administrator, said transit remains a tool to reduce spillover to neighborhoods and that staff will fold Chapel strategies into the planned targeted STIP refresh. She outlined near‑term tactics: optimizing existing connect and micro‑transit, piloting an uptown circulator, and exploring park‑and‑ride and timed entry or fee options to manage demand.

Police and staff warned that Chapel’s multiple entry points and narrow streets limit enforcement options such as towing. The police chief said concentrated patrols, ticketing and temporary closures help but are not sustainable during peak visitation; staff proposed a coordinated, multiagency plan and immediate operational steps for upcoming high‑visitor periods.

Council signaled support for a focused approach: staff were asked to return with a package that includes specific shuttle/park‑and‑ride options, enforcement tactics for peak days, and cost/revenue scenarios (including targeted fees for trailhead or shuttle use) at the next budget work session.