Salt Lake County and City councils reject Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola proposal - Axios Salt Lake CityLog InLog InAxios Salt Lake City is an Axios company.

Salt Lake County and City Councils reject gondola proposal

A rendering of a gondola towner in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Image: Utah Department of Transportation. Salt Lake City and County councils voted Tuesday to reject a controversial gondola as a proposed solution to mitigate traffic up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Details: Through a joint resolution with Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, county council members voted 5-4 to remove the project from the Utah Department of Transportation's consideration.Salt Lake City Council also unanimously voted to condemn it through a joint resolution with Mayor Erin Mendenhall. The big picture: Though not enforceable, the resolutions signal strong local opposition to the project. Context: The proposed $550-million gondola is UDOT's to reduce cars on a heavily trafficked road used to travel to Snowbird and Alta ski resorts.The proposal also includes the near the mouth of the canyon that will include 2,500 parking spaces.Other alternatives listed in include enhanced bus services and a $1-billion cog railway, railroads used to travel steep slopes. Yes, but: The proposal has received mounting scrutiny from city and local governments and conservationists for its cost and environmental impact. Between the lines: Instead of the gondola, the county council's resolution included adding electric buses with mobility hubs, tolls and incentives for carpoolers as alternative solutions. What they're saying: In a statement, county council member Jim Bradley said taxpayers shouldn't foot the bill for "a permanent and risky project like this." "When we could invest in common-sense solutions like electric buses that can also be used to benefit transportation issues across Salt Lake Valley," he said. What's next: UDOT spokesperson John Gleason invited the public to on the proposal through Oct. 17."We have worked and communicated with both Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City throughout the study process, and we look forward to receiving their comments on the Final [Environmental Impact Statement]," he said in an email. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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