Traffic and Transportation

UDOT’s Big Cottonwood Canyon Study

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) was directed by Utah Senate Bill 2 (SB2) to conduct an $80 million environmental study focused on managing winter traffic congestion along SR 190. The study, scheduled for completion in Spring 2026, is evaluating several potential solutions, including:

Enhanced Bus Service: Buses would run every five to ten minutes during peak hours from a mobility hub located near the canyon’s mouth.
Improved Bus Stops: This includes enclosed bus stops at the ski resorts and minor improvements to existing stops at Silver Fork, Cardiff Fork, and Spruces.
Tolling: Winter-season tolling below Solitude Entry 1, with pricing adjusted based on traffic and demand.

Brighton’s Role

As UDOT and other stakeholders develop solutions, I believe the Town of Brighton should adhere to the following principles:

• Transit solutions should prioritize minimizing impacts to the watershed and natural environment
• Brighton residents should have a seat at the table in canyon transportation decisions
• Mass transit must be the foundation, adding more cars to the canyon is not a sustainable solution
• Expanded bus service, optimized parking, reservations, and carpooling—should be central to reducing congestion
• Old Stage Road parking lots are not a viable long-term transportation solution
• Emergency access must be a priority. Fire, medical, and search-and-rescue teams must be able to move in and out of the canyon
• There should be equitable access so no group of canyon visitors is financially excluded from accessing public lands
• Tolling should encourage bus use over driving, with Brighton residents exempt from tolls and vehicle caps
• Strict enforcement of the traction law is essential for safety and keeping traffic moving during winter storms
• Year-round solutions are needed, summer visitation is also growing and requires proactive planning
• Solutions should be flexible and adaptive. As visitation trends evolve and additional data is collected, so should traffic management

Updates to the Traction Law
In March 2025, Governor Spencer Cox signed Utah House Bill 196 – Vehicle Traction Amendments (sponsored by Brighton’s Utah House Representative, Gay Lynn Bennion) into law. This legislation strengthens the state’s traction requirements and gives highway authorities more tools to manage traffic in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons during severe weather.

Under the new law, UDOT and law enforcement can now enforce traction requirements before a storm begins – rather than waiting until snow is already falling. Drivers who fail to comply with traction control requirements law can now be issued a ticket carrying a fine of up to $750.

While the law does not specifically address rental cars, canyon visitors are responsible for ensuring their vehicles, including rentals, meet traction standards. Several rental car companies operating out of the Salt Lake City airport have partnered with UDOT on the Cottonwood Canyons Sticker Program, which certifies that participating rental vehicles are properly equipped for winter conditions.

Speed Limits
At recent Brighton Town Council meetings, there has been discussion about reducing the speed limit on SR 190, from mile marker 10 to the fire station, from the current 45 mph down to 40 or 35 mph. I support this idea, along with additional traffic calming measures within Brighton’s neighborhoods.

That said, there are some open questions about the town’s authority to change the speed limits on a state highway, whether a speed study would need to be conducted (and if it could inadvertently raise the speed limit), and whether initiating such a change could shift financial responsibility for snow removal on SR 190 from the state to the town.

What do you think? Let me know.