Public pressure, legal questions and UDOT timeline update mark WFRC's Cottonwood Canyon public comment

Salt Lake City — At its May 28 meeting, the Wasatch Front Regional Council heard more than an hour of public comment pressing the agency to prioritize enhanced bus service and mobility hubs for the Cottonwood Canyons and to reconsider whether including a proposed Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola in the region's long-range plan remains appropriate.

Chair Don Ramsey opened the public comment period after the council amended its agenda to accommodate guests. Jack Stouse, executive director of Save Our Canyons, told the council: "We strongly support the advanced... enhanced bus service and bus rapid transit to mobility hubs near the mouths of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons," and urged WFRC to support a second mobility hub at 9400 South Highland.

Why it matters: The gondola has been part of the region's planning discussion since the 2023 RTP and is tied to a separate environmental impact statement (EIS) and record of decision (ROD). Residents and recreation groups told the council they want clearer metrics, up-to-date cost estimates and firm operations funding for any canyon transit program before any further movement on a gondola option.

Canyon advocacy groups presented specific requests. Charlie Luke, executive director of Canyon Guard, put four items before the council: establish consensus-based metrics for phases one and two; identify and support operations and maintenance funding for enhanced bus service; plan a mobility hub at 94th South and Highland Drive; and update cost estimates for all three EIS phases. "We believe that the gondola never should have been included in the 2023 2050 RTP," Luke said, and asked the council to require stronger interim benchmarks so phase three cannot proceed automatically.

Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon's Emily Pitch questioned the legal basis for prior inclusion of the gondola in the RTP, asking the council to seek a second independent legal opinion. Pitch cited federal planning regulations: "The memo failed to consider appendix A of 23 CFR section 450," she said, and argued that FHWA guidance suggests projects should flow from planning, not the reverse.

Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson's written statement, read aloud to the council, reiterated opposition to the gondola while endorsing expanded transit and mobility-hub investments: "Expanded busing and transit improvements can succeed if we collectively commit to using them," the letter said.

UDOT update and timeline: Council members asked state officials for a status update on phase-one canyon work. Carlos Brceris of the Utah Department of Transportation said the environmental assessment for Big Cottonwood Canyon is complete, a progressive design-build team for the Gravel Pit Mobility Center has been selected and a contract is expected in July. On procurement he said officials are "evaluating different bus suppliers" and leveraging a Washington State cooperative contract. "We're thinking it's about 50 buses," Brceris said, adding that bus prices are rising and that the program has a "fixed budget of just a little over $350 million." He estimated roughly two years to have the phase-one service operating.

WFRC context and limits: WFRC Executive Director Andrew Gruber summarized the relationship between the RTP and NEPA/EIS processes, warning the council's discretion is constrained when a ROD from an EIS exists but reaffirming the council's 2023 position that phases one and two should be implemented and evaluated before advancing a phase-three gondola proposal. "When there is an EIS that's done... the discretion of WFRC is significantly limited," Gruber said.

What comes next: The RTP itself was not on the council's agenda for action and WFRC members said they expect further discussion in 2027 as the plan is updated. Meanwhile, UDOT plans to move forward with the phase-one mobility-hub and bus procurement work described to the council.