Commission approves SR-224 Park City bus rapid transit project, conditions funding on signed P3 parking agreement

The Utah Transportation Commission on March 1 approved expanding scope and funding for the SR‑224 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in the Park City/Kimball Junction corridor, but required that a public‑private partnership parking agreement be fully executed before state funds are released.

The action followed more than an hour of discussion and public comment about whether the BRT — a proposed dedicated bus lane and supportive intersection and utility work on SR‑224 — would function year‑round and whether the project’s anchor parking and developer commitments were secure. UDOT staff described a scope change that included a $17.2 million scope increase, $5.1 million in additional right‑of‑way costs and roughly $30.6 million in construction escalation included in the project request.

Commissioners pressed project partners for certainty on parking and operations. Commissioner concerns centered on whether a parking garage anchor at Kimball Junction would be available to transit users and how many spaces would be guaranteed. Commissioner Jacobson and others asked for a written, signed commitment from the private developer and Summit County to ensure the 400 dedicated transit stalls (the number discussed during planning) — and later references in the meeting that total dedicated and flexible stalls could reach 600 — would be reserved for transit use.

Caroline Rodriguez, executive director of High Valley Transit, told commissioners the project team has worked on the BRT with Park City and Summit County for about 15 years and that High Valley Transit has already executed its portion of the P3 agreement. "That agreement is in final form, High Valley Transit has executed. It is going on Summit County's agenda very shortly and then Dakota Pacific is the last entity to execute," Rodriguez said. She added the P3 calls for 600 total spaces, with 400 dedicated to transit with access control and 200 flexible between housing and transit.

Other commissioners questioned the year‑round utility of a BRT investment in a ski‑season market and urged tighter coordination with Park City’s transit vision. Several members suggested contingencies or delay until all signature lines were completed on the P3 documents. The commission’s final motion approved the scope and funding changes but explicitly required that the P3 parking agreement be signed by all parties (High Valley Transit, Summit County and the private partner) before any state funding is released for the project.

The commission also directed staff to continue coordination with Park City and local transit operators to minimize duplication and to ensure the BRT connections integrate with existing UTA and local services. The motion carried on a roll call vote following the discussion; the chair said staff will confirm the required signatures are in place before funds are obligated.

Next steps: UDOT staff will verify execution of the P3 agreement and return confirmation to the commission before disbursing funds for the SR‑224 scope increase and related work.