UDOT Is Finally Doing Something About Little Cottonwood Canyon's Ski Traffic
It’s no secret that ski traffic in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon has gotten a bit out of hand in the last few years.
The never-ending line of cars winding up the canyon has earned the nickname the ‘Red Snake’ and has become a pain point for Wasatch skiers. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has proposed a number of solutions to the Red Snake, with varying degrees of support from the community.
On December 17, 2025, UDOT announced a new plan to improve travel and reduce traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon on State Route 210. The plan is largely based on improvements to the bus service and infrastructure over the next two years.
First on the docket is the construction of a mobility hub near the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon. This mobility hub will provide a central location for skiers to park in the valley and transfer to buses, with the hope that the added convenience will reduce the number of vehicles in the canyon. Anecdotally, these transit hubs can also act as a convenient meeting place for carpoolers.
Tap or click the video below to hear a message from Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) project manager Devin Weder.
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Along with the new transit hub, UDOT will also increase the volume of bus schedules for more frequent and reliable routes. Busses will operate every 10-20 minutes during peak periods, which is an increase from the current schedule of every 30 minutes. Bus stops that are designed to handle more people and improve rider comfort are also being built at Alta and Snowbird.
Lastly, UDOT is planning to implement a tolling system to help manage traffic demand and reduce congestion in the canyon, and remove all roadside parking in Little Cottonwood. The tolls will be rolling, with the cost dependent on the number of cars trying to get through the canyon, but will not be enacted until adequate bus services are in place.
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“We need improvements in the canyon now to address the traffic challenges we are experiencing today,” said Devin Weder, UDOT project manager. “By moving forward with these buses and infrastructure improvements, we are laying the foundation for a better, more reliable transportation system in the canyon.”
Notably, one of the major solutions proposed by UDOT was the construction of a gondola. However, following a public comment period in 2023 and lawsuits from several organizations, UDOT put the gondola on the back burner.
Initially, UDOT had intended to wait on implementing any other phases of the greater traffic reduction project until the lawsuits were settled. It was ultimately decided that the risk of moving forward with these new systems was worth it for the potential benefits to the community.
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