Utah DOT considers rail, other transit options for Little Cottonwood Canyon

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is studying transit options that include rail for reducing traffic congestion in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The department is working with the Utah Transit Authority and the U.S. Forest Service on a plan for an integrated transportation system that would improve the reliability, mobility and safety for residents, visitors, and commuters who use State Route 210 into Little Cottonwood Canyon.

"Ultimately, the partners seek to deliver transportation options that meet the needs of the community while preserving the value of the Central Wasatch Mountains," UDOT officials said in a statement posted on the agency's website.

Department officials are working on a draft environmental impact statement slated for completion in the summer.

"[We're] looking at different transit options including rail, seeing what the implications are of having rail go up and down the canyon," UDOT Project Manager John Thomas said yesterday in a FOX 13 news report.

Other options being considered are enhanced bus service and aerial systems such as gondolas and tramways.