The Central Wasatch Commission will embark on a year-long process to further refine and develop the transportation principles and initiatives outlined in Mountain Accord. Over the course of one year, the Central Wasatch Commission will aim to arrive at a proposed comprehensive year-round transportation system that includes the Salt Lake Valley, Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, Parleys Canyon, and connections to the Wasatch Back. Stakeholders, and the public will be invited to engage at every juncture during this exploratory process, beginning with a public comment period on the initial scope, goals, and attributes of the Mountain Transportation System process. The Central Wasatch Commission Mountain Transportation System will be shaped by the scope and attributes for the Mountain Transportation System laid out in the Proposed Central Wasatch Blueprint, developed during Mountain Accord: Mountain Transportation System will] connect residents and visitors to mountain destinations and connect communities and people to jobs via efficient and sustainable transit choices. The solutions would manage the impacts of a rapidly growing population in ways that will reduce reliance on automobiles and decrease impacts on the environment. The proposed transit network would not only provide a more sustainable way to travel, it would also provide a powerful tool for the region to shape growth, reduce sprawl, and promote transit-oriented development that supports economic growth, quality of life, and environmental protection.Accordingly, the Central Wasatch Commission has developed a Mountain Transportation System Plan and Scope, and a proposed timeline for the year-long process. We are opening this process by soliciting public comment on the proposed scope, attributes, and objectives of a potential mountain transportation system. Read the Mountain Transportation System planning and scoping document here View the Mountain Transportation System process timeline here Please provide comments on the scope and attributes of the initiative, specifically focused on what a Mountain Transportation System that stewards year-round, world-renowned recreation access to the Central Wasatch Mountain Range with minimal impact on the ecosystems and watershed of the Central Wasatch Mountains, is respectful of the users and uses, and sustains the vibrant economy. Public comment will be open for this phase of the process will be open through Sunday, March 1st. Comments can be submitted by filling the comment form out below, by emailing the CWC staff at comments@cwc.utah.gov, or by postmarking comments by March 1st and mailing to the CWC offices at: Central Wasatch Commission 41 N Rio Grande St. Ste. 102 SLC, UT 84101
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Other Information
Goal:
Further refine and develop the transportation principles and initiatives of the Mountain Accord to
arrive at a proposed comprehensive Mountain Transportation System for the Central Wasatch
Mountains. Use a consensus-driven process for a year-round mountain transportation system.
Outline potential funding sources.
Mountain Accord represented a unique agreement: all federal, state, and local jurisdiction and
private entities participated and agreed to an approach that would reflect a common approach to
resolve decades of conflict in the Central Wasatch Mountains. The Accord was also signed by
all four Cottonwood Canyon ski resorts (Alta Ski Area, Snowbird, Brighton Resort, and Solitude
Mountain Resort), conservation groups, private citizens, and other entities and persons involved
in the Central Wasatch Mountains.
The Accord identified four central goals:
1. Protect the environment and natural resources of the Central Wasatch Mountain
Range,
2. Ensure high quality recreational experiences,
3. Enhance regional transportation, and
4. Strengthen the regional economy.
The following Mountain Transportation System process will be carried out over the next 9-12
months.
Scope:
The area in which this planning process considers is within the Central Wasatch Mountains and
connections to the current regional transportation system. Mountain Accord states:
The Blueprint proposes to connect residents and visitors to mountain destinations and
connect communities and people to jobs via efficient and sustainable transit choices. The
solutions would manage the impacts of a rapidly growing population in ways that will reduce
reliance on automobiles and decrease impacts on the environment.The proposed transit
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network would not only provide a more sustainable way to travel, it would also provide a
powerful tool for the region to shape growth, reduce sprawl, and promote transit-oriented
development that supports economic growth, quality of life, and environmental protection.
Guidance from the Mountain Accord (Section 3.9-3.13) include:
Support maintaining Guardsman Pass Road in its current management in winter (closed)
Focus future development in urban areas near transit corridors
Limit additional mountain development in the Cottonwood Canyons to clustered nodes
Alternatives that connect to the existing regional public transportation system, incentivize public transit use, and dis-incentivize single-occupancy vehicle access
The CWC's Mountain Transportation System initiative will work in a parallel and collaborative effort with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Little Cottonwood Canyon Environment Impact Statement (LCC EIS) process. The scope of UDOT's LCC EIS is limited to Wasatch Boulevard (between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon) and State Road 210, or Little Cottonwood Canyon Road. The CWC Mountain Transportation System Initiative seeks to achieve consensus for a locally preferred alternative that includes the Salt Lake Valley, Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, Parleys Canyon, and connections to the Wasatch Back.
Project Deliverables:
Develop a preferred local alternative by the CWC for implementation of a comprehensive mountain transportation system for the Central Wasatch Mountains and adjacent valleys. The following list are recommendations from the Blueprint of the Mountain Accord for further development and refinement:
High-capacity transit in the Little Cottonwood Canyon/Big Cottonwood Canyon/Park City corridor.
Transit incentives and automobile disincentives including parking/pricing strategies.
Year-round local bus service in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
Fast transit service from the airport to the