Why we are against the gondola
“Little Cottonwood Canyon is a world renowned venue that could be irreparably damaged by a hasty decision focused only on traffic congestion rather than on protecting the interests of all Utah citizens and canyon users.”
A ploy to funnel Tax Payer money to benefit two for-profit ski resorts
The proposed 8-mile gondola, ostensibly aimed at alleviating traffic congestion, is instead to be a vehicle for diverting taxpayer money to benefit for-profit private ski resorts, imposing an undue burden of approximately $1,000 on each Utah household. The project is especially difficult to justify given its the technical and safety challenges associated with constructing a first-of-its-kind gondola of this length by UDOT which has no such experience. Cost and risk aside, its commercial success is also questionable, as the anticipated hour-long ride that may deter tourist usage. Additionally, the presence of nearby naturally more easily accessible alternatives like Big Cottonwood Canyon, Snow Basin, and Park City, further casts doubt on the necessity of this disruptive and costly infrastructure. (learn more here)
Preservation Imperative for Little Cottonwood Canyon’s Wilderness
The proposed development in Little Cottonwood Canyon displays a complete disregard for the preservation of its world-class wilderness, which is pivotal not only for its ecological integrity but also for its aesthetic value. The irreversible degradation of this naturally scenic area would be a profound loss. The canyon’s susceptibility to avalanches is intrinsically linked to its untouched natural beauty, which should be preserved rather than managed through artificial means. While we are not opposed to commercial developments per se, as evidenced by recent expansions at Park City and Powder Mountain, we firmly believe in the need to maintain at least one canyon in its natural state as a sanctuary from widespread commercialization. (learn more here)
Click here to learn more of our concerns and talking points to use when speaking to your neighbors and elected officials.
-
Why the Gondola won’t solve traffic congestion
-
The real cost of the Gondola
-
Corporate greed sacrifices natural wonder of Utah. Why preserve LLC?
Video created by Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon
How are we pushing back?
FOA and our alliance have pushed back every step of the way, focusing on a two prong strategy: public outreach and lawsuit. On Dec 2023, we filed a lawsuit. Before that, we have organized our members to attend townhall meetings, broadcasted on media, written letters to UDOT. On June 4th, 2024, we are organizing an outreach fundraiser event. Join us!
An excerpt of the press release of our lawsuit
Today, Canyon Guard Inc., announced that a coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to finding sensible and less damaging solutions for transportation bottlenecks in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) filed a lawsuit challenging the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) decision to install a Gondola system as the final solution. Craig Heimark, spokesperson for the plaintiffs, and Chair of Canyon Guard, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed to facilitate finding sensible transportation solutions in Little Cottonwood Canyon, states, “we hope the lawsuit will induce a pause while additional analysis is performed, providing legislators time to review the over $1B cost of the Gondola Project, which is opposed by over 80% of the public respondents and all the affected areas’ mayors.” Little Cottonwood Canyon is a world renowned venue that could be irreparably damaged by a hasty decision focused only on traffic congestion rather than on protecting the interests of all Utah citizens and canyon users.” Heimark continued, “we expect the lawsuit will create the time and space for Utah legislators to review and direct UDOT to consider and test cheaper and more effective transportation solutions by using the $150M recently authorized BEFORE allocating additional taxpayer dollars or making a final decision.” Alternative solutions include: • Restoring public bus service to at least 2019 levels; • Testing the effectiveness of electric bus technology and service to satisfy demand, improving the quality and frequency of existing public transportation as mandated and funded by the State legislature: • Requiring advance reserved parking; • Enforcing mandatory traction laws for LCC, November 1 to May 1; • Testing selected lane closures for private vehicles during peak traffic hours; to reduce the transit time of buses and micro-transit vehicles; • Installing tolling infrastructure that includes variable pricing to promote carpooling and micro-transit solutions; • Comparing cost and effectiveness of modern Remote Control Avalanche equipment to the proposed installation of very expensive snow sheds. The lawsuit challenges several aspects of UDOT’s process in its review and selection of the Gondola Project. Plaintiffs seek to invalidate the Final EIS and Record of Decision and require UDOT to consider the full impact of the Gondola Project in LCC, on its water resources and in the nearby neighborhoods and canyons. Among other issues, the lawsuit alleges UDOT failed to: • Identify an appropriate purpose and need for the transportation concerns to justify the Gondola Project impacts and costs; • Consider reasonable alternatives and present unbiased analyses; • Adequately scope their Environmental Impact Statement to analyze impacts to views, wildlife, air and water quality, roadless areas, hazardous waste sites, and impacts to areas outside Little Cottonwood Canyon as required by law; • Substantively respond to public comments throughout the NEPA process, including those related to the above impacts and full/accurate costs of the Gondola Project; • Properly coordinate with the United States Forest Service, which manages nearly all of the land through which the Gondola system will be constructed and operate; and • Comply with the 1966 Transportation Act enacted to protect our public recreation area, our trails, and our local climbing areas. Background Info on the UDOT Gondola Project: Wintertime traffic safety and congestion in LCC is the concern driving UDOT. Unfortunately, UDOT did not research the effectiveness of many proven techniques, like reserved parking, and increasing busing, but focused on a first-of-its-kind 8-mile gondola from the Salt Lake Valley to the top of LCC. The gondola ride is expected to take over an hour, would stop at only two for-profit businesses, and cost every Utah household over $1000.
Background Information on The Gondola Project:
In the spring of 2018, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) began an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) and Wasatch Boulevard to provide a transportation system that improves the reliability, mobility and safety for residents, visitors, and commuters who use S.R. 210, especially during wintertime when there is a need to mitigate avalanche.
Summer 2019 - Spring 2020, UDOT created the Draft Purpose and Need and Alternative Screening Criteria. This reviewed the Cog Rail, Gondola from La Caille, Gondola from the Park & Ride near base of LCC , enhanced bus service, and enhanced bus service with alternating peak shoulder lane.
Summer 2021 - Spring 2022, UDOT released the Draft EIS. In that document only two alternatives were considered: Enhance bus service and Gondola from La Caille. Both alternatives included the installation of snowsheds. On July 13 and July 20, a public hearing as part of the EIS was held. Polling conducted by Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics showed that 80% of Utahns oppose the gondola. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski and many other elected officials agree. Unfortunately, UDOT turned a blind eye to concerns expressed by the public.
On July 12, 2023, UDOT released the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS. The ROD was the final step in the EIS process and selected Alternative B, to build a Gondola, with phased implementation of Alternative A, Enhanced Bus Service Alternative components, to improve transportation in Little Cottonwood Canyon. This plan would also include other elements: snow sheds (concrete structures built over the highway to keep it clear of snow in case of avalanches); mobility hubs (larger-capacity park-and-ride lots with transit service); widening and other improvements to Wasatch Boulevard; tolling or single occupancy restrictions; addressing trailhead parking and eliminating winter roadside parking above Snowbird Entry 1
Unfortunately, UDOT did not research the effectiveness of many proven techniques, like reserved parking, and increasing busing, but focused on a first-of-its-kind 8-mile gondola from the Salt Lake Valley to the top of LCC. The gondola ride is expected to take over an hour, would stop at only two for-profit businesses, and cost every Utah household over $1000.
Are we fighting a loosing battle?
No! The Gondola won’t be constructed until phase 3 and only phase 1 has been funded. Remember that this plan is highly unpopular.
Who are against this plan?
Not surprising, this plan that primarily benefit the two ski resorts are deeply unpopular.
-
Our coalition members: Friends of Little Cottonwood Canyon, Save Our Canyon,……..
-
Elected officials: Town of Alta voted against it,
-
Public opinion (80% of residents are opposed, listen to public hearing on 2020, 2021)
-
Petition
The latest: The three lawsuits might be merged into one
Understand the phase approach
To better understand the fight ahead, it’s important to understand what the “phased approach” of Gondola Alternative B will look like.
-
PHASE 1: Phase 1 will include improved and increased bus service, constructing resort bus stops, constructing a mobility hub at the Gravel Pit, tolling, and winter roadside parking restrictions. Phase 1 is anticipated to be operational in the fall of 2025.
-
PHASE 2: If funded, Phase 2 will include widening Wasatch Boulevard, constructing snow sheds, and implementing trailhead parking improvements.
-
PHASE 3: If funded, UDOT will implement the construction of the gondola. Once the gondola is operational, bus service in Little Cottonwood Canyon would be discontinued.
If handled correctly, there is a high likelihood that Phase 1 alone could meet the reduction in traffic congestion sought by UDOT. It could do so in an equitable, environmentally conscious way, that is both scalable and adaptable to meet any challenges that may arise. Currently, only Phase 1 has secured funding. Friends of Alta will monitor the data and outcomes produced by Phase 1 as this information will be vital in determining the effectiveness of the commonsense solutions put forth.
Why Gondola is not right for LCC
Prohibitive Cost
-
Cost of Gondola is between $592 Million and $1 billion.
-
Cost of Enhanced Bus is $510 Million.
-
Snowshed's cost $86 Million. Snowsheds would still have 11 hours per year of canyon closure compared to the current 56 hours.
The Gondola only serves the ski resorts. Is it worth the extra cost? What about the other recreational activities? Are snowshed's worth the extra cost?
Recreational Access
-
Gondola only stops at Snowbird and Alta. It would serve only those who paid to access a private ski area, but leave behind the growing population of hikers, mountain bikers, backcountry skiers, photographers, and other canyon visitors. And depending on cost-feasibility and adoption, it may not run in the summer at all.
Viewshed Impact
-
Snowbird's tallest tower is 140 ft. The gondola towers range from 130 ft to 262 ft.
-
There will be 19 towers up the canyon.
Do you want to see this up the canyon?
Friends of Alta supports common sense solutions to improve canyon traffic, including parking management technologies and policies, carpooling incentives, traction device requirements and enforcement, and the development of regional transportation hubs to promote enhanced busing. These common sense measures meet the goal set out by UDOT to minimize potential harm to the watershed while maintaining the infrastructure to service the whole canyon. This option is flexible and can be changed to meet changing needs for transportation in LCC.
Talking Points
Talking points courtesy of Wasatch Backcountry Alliance
Irreversible & Rushed Decision
There is simply no reason to invest $1 billion in a permanent project with so many unanswered questions.
If common sense could prevail, we would implement cost-effective and environmentally-friendly options such as enhanced busses, tolling, reservations and enforcement of traction laws.
We have seen parking reservations work throughout the Wasatch in the last few years. Tolling has proven to be an effective solution in Millcreek Canyon.
As Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said, these are “common-sense solutions that are fiscally sound.”
The gondola would be permanent. Once it’s built, it’s there forever. The viewscape of Little Cottonwood Canyon would be irreversibly scarred by the more than 20 towers scaling as high as 262 feet into the sky moving 40 large gondolas.
Tax-Payer-Funded, Serving Private Resorts
Why are Utah taxpayers footing the $1 billion bill for a problem two private businesses created and for a solution that will only benefit those two businesses?
As we know, resort executives stand to gain the most from a gondola and have been behind the majority of pro-gondola messaging.
They view the gondola as a tax-payer-funded marketing ploy to increase visitation to their businesses.
UDOT’s EIS states, “The [gondola] would provide an economic benefit to the ski resorts by allowing more users to access the resorts.” [Ch. 6]. If the gondola is implemented, the number of cars visiting resorts will remain the same while skier visits will increase by 20%, per UDOT’s EIS.
Common sense solutions are a fraction of the cost, scalable, and effective. These include tolling, reservations, and enhance bus service.
Ignoring Local Public & Political Opinion
80% of Utahns oppose the gondola, according to a Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Sandy Mayor Monica Zoltanski and many other elected officials agree.
“Rather than rip up the canyon with a half-a-billion-dollar price tag, let’s invest in common-sense solutions. Parking hubs in the valley, electric busing with regular routes, carpooling and tolling, reservations, common-sense solutions that are fiscally sound,” Wilson said at the Truth About the Proposed Gondola event in June.
With no trailhead or backcountry access, the gondola is far from a solution that benefits all of LCC’s users throughout the year.
Not a Convenient Solution
If the gondola is built, your ski day will consist of parking off-site (or paying a premium for one of the limited parking spots near the base), taking a bus to the base station then riding the gondola 31 minutes to Snowbird or 37 minutes to Alta.
And then doing it all in reverse order at the end of the day.
How can it be assured the gondola will be used and actually reduce cars in the canyon?
For the gondola strategy to be effective, there will need to be a major change in public habits.
With no plan by UDOT to limit cars (it is our understanding they plan to implement bussing until the gondola is built but not continue the program afterward) or any analysis of demand, the original issue of traffic is not being solved. It will simply funnel more visitors to the resorts.
Increased Visitation Stress on LCC
If those invested in the gondola are so interested in preserving Little Cottonwood Canyon, the first thing they should do is support a capacity/visitor management study to better understand how many visitors LCC can support.
As our friends at Students for the Wasatch pointed out, if the gondola is implemented, the number of cars visiting resorts will remain the same while skier visits will increase by 20%, per UDOT’s EIS.
The EIS states, “The [gondola] would provide an economic benefit to the ski resorts by allowing more users to access the resorts.” [Ch. 6]
The gondola poses significant risk to our watershed. Through its construction and greatly increased pressure on Little Cottonwood Canyon from increased visitation.
What Will it Really Cost?
The proposed budget to build the gondola comes in at approximately $590 million. But many estimate that number would ultimately come in closer to $1 billion.
We know projects of this size tend to go way over budget. Our new airport (which could use a gondola from Terminal B) was budgeted for $1.8 billion and ended up costing more than $4 billion.
If the gondola is built, it would cost $10.6 million annually just to operate. Plus, UDOT estimates an additional $12.5 million in capital costs, expected by 2037, followed by $16.5 million by 2051, according to the Deseret News.
Is a Gondola Even Necessary?
How many days per winter are you in a complete standstill in Little Cottonwood Canyon? No doubt the red snake is real. But real enough for an expensive, permanent gondola?
Plus, the gondola will not run when howitzers are active during avalanche mitigation in the lower canyon from Lisa Falls to Monte Cristo.
The gondola will only run for a portion of the year and will only service those going to ski Alta or Snowbird. A solution like the enhanced bus alternative would serve all the recreators in the canyon and would do so throughout the entire year at a reduced cost in comparison to the gondola.
Preserving the Beauty of LCC
Little Cottonwood Canyon is a true treasure of our local environment and attracts skiers, climbers and hikers from around the world to enjoy its beauty.
Constructing more than 20 towers reaching 200 feet tall and stretching eight miles through the heart of LCC would destroy the canyon’s natural beauty.
Altering the canyon’s footprint will also destroy popular climbing and hiking areas including Alpenboch Loop Trail.
Push Traffic onto Wasatch Blvd.
The gondola will not solve traffic issues.
It will simply push traffic out of Little Cottonwood Canyon onto Wasatch Blvd, I-215 and surrounding neighborhoods in the Cottonwood Heights community.