The proposed gondola system in Little Cottonwood Canyon received the green light. This is a groundbreaking decision made by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), giving the green light for constructing of a state-of-the-art gondola system in the Little Cottonwood Canyon. The project’s goals are to revolutionize mountain access while offering a solution to the current traffic issues pedestrians face while trying to recreate in the canyon. This will be detrimental to the canyon.

According to Gondola Works, a website whose goal is to promote and spread information about the gondola, rapid growth in the Salt Lake Valley has led to an increase in visitors seeking outdoor recreation in Little Cottonwood Canyon and that the existing traffic issues need to be addressed needing a bold intervention.

Their proposed solution is a new gondola system spreading eight miles. Public and private partnerships would fund this gondola. The gondola’s estimated cost has ranged from $521 million to just short of one billion dollars, with an annual operating bruget of $7.7 million.

This approved gondola will be a part of a three-phase project. Alongside the gondola, UDOT will enhance bus services, expand parking facilities, implement tolling, and prioritize safety measures. The gondola promises to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and offer a breathtaking ascent into the heart of the canyon. It’s important to also take into account that this gondola will take many years to reach completion.

Gondola Works also claims that this will be a sustainable solution but other sources disagree. Lots of citizens of the Salt Lake Valley have and are currently attempting to abolish the plan to install the gondola. It’s important to support the ecosytem of Little Cottonwood Canyon.