Differences Between the CWC MTS & LCC EIS
The Mountain Transportation System (MTS) initiative is a regional transportation plan led by the Central Wasatch Commission (CWC) and member jurisdictions. The Little Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Impact Statement (LCC EIS) is an environmental study led by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Each study is following an independent and separate process and differs in intended outcomes, geographic scope, timeline, and the decision makers involved.
The Mountain Transportation System (MTS) initiative is a regional transportation plan led by the Central Wasatch Commission and member jurisdictions.
- The MTS was initiated in January 2020 and is expected to be complete at the end of 2020.
- The MTS study area encompasses the Salt Lake Valley, including S.R. 190, S.R. 210 and also includes the Wasatch Back.
- The intended outcome of the MTS is a consensus recommendation for transportation modes for a regional mountain transportation system serving the Wasatch Front and Back.
The Little Cottonwood Canyon Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is an environmental study led by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) in partnership with Utah Transit Authority and the USDA Forest Service to provide an integrated transportation system that improves the reliability, mobility and safety for residents, visitors and commuters who use S.R. 210.
- The EIS began in 2018 and is expected to be complete at the end of 2021.
- The EIS study area is S.R. 210, from Fort Union Boulevard to the town of Alta.
- The intended outcome of the Little Cottonwood Canyon EIS is the selection of a preferred transportation alternative that has fulfilled all required environmental clearances in order to allocate funding and preserve land for a future project.
I just want to be sure that my opinion/comments get counted, even though I may have already commented. Please know that I vehemently oppose the construction of a train or gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon–as neither of these begin to solve the problem of too many private cars and too many people in the canyon on high-use days during the Winter. The best solution is an improved bus system, meaning more buses, more times, and more designated routes–i.e. one for Alta, one for Snowbird, and one for dispersed recreationists (trailusers). The same would hold for Big Cottonwood Canyon–one for Brighton, one for Solitude, and one for those people wishing to snowshoe, cross-country ski, back-country ski/snowboard. This could all be accomplished with the existing infra-structure, without constructing extra-lanes on the canyon highways, larger trailhead parking lots, snowsheds, etc.. Additionally, I am opposed to constructing larger canyon mouth parking lots, or widening Wasatch Boulevard. Bike-lanes would be nice, and reasonable bus fares would great too. In other words, since the State government believes they have enough money from taxpayers to throw at building gondolas or train routes, or even tunnels–why not spend it instead on the buses and lowering the bus fares. Finally, in addition to more buses in the canyons (including a shuttle in Millcreek Canyon), more bus routes to the canyon mouths from around the Salt Lake Valley metropolitan area, need to be designated and more frequented–so that people don’t have to get into their cars (except for maybe getting to a nearby mass-transit station) in order to get to the beautiful canyons that we all love– year-round. As you know, summer use has been on the (huge) increase during recent year. Thanks for your attention.