UDOT's Plan for Big Cottonwood Canyon Ski Traffic? More Buses and Tolls

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has unveiled a new plan to address traffic in Big Cottonwood Canyon on SR-190 just outside Salt Lake City. The proposed approaches? More buses and tolling.

Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to two popular ski resorts—Brighton and Solitude—and has developed a reputation for major winter congestion.

“Anyone who’s tried to get up the canyon on a busy winter morning knows how challenging it can be,” UDOT project manager Devin Weder said in a news release. 

“This study looks at solutions that can ease those backups by giving people a convenient, dependable way to ride the bus instead of sitting in traffic,” he added.

To curtail traffic, UDOT is evaluating a winter-season tolling system near Solitude’s Entry 1. It would have variable pricing and may include exemptions for people who live and work in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The goal with the toll, Weder said, is to encourage people to ride the bus or carpool.

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For buses, the proposal calls for “enhanced service,” starting with buses running every 10 to 15 minutes in the winter, with wait times falling to between 5 and 7 minutes by 2050 (as of now, buses depart every 30 minutes in Big Cottonwood). The buses would be based out of a mobility hub near the mouth of Big Cottonwood with a 1,750-space parking structure.

Alongside more frequent buses, UDOT wants to add a bus-only transitway to allow buses to bypass Wasatch Boulevard, plus a bus priority lane at the top of the canyon around Brighton Loop Road. According to the agency, engineers estimate that these changes may cut the buses’ travel time by five minutes.

To give riders a warm place to wait, UDOT also suggested the construction of indoor bus stop facilities at Solitude and Brighton, as well as improving existing bus stops. A public comment period for the plan is now open through January 9, 2026. UDOT expects to make a decision by spring 2026.

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