More snow is in the forecast and lodging projections look a lot like the busy Christmas week and Sundance Film Festival. Park City is moving into their peak traffic mitigation mode for President’s week.
Peak traffic mitigation mode is the lingo used by Park City transportation planners to say they’re implementing systems and personnel to keep cars and people moving during the high skier traffic time periods. Park City Transportation Planning Manager Alfred Knotts says the message signing on Park City’s major roadways help direct drivers to outlying lots and provides travel time estimates. He explains the other traffic mitigation efforts.
“We'll use our officers to support intersection control and emergency response time. Then we also have our traffic command center staffed during the morning and the evening. We’ll be working with UDOT to control and manage the signals and signal timing during peak times. And, then also traveler information will be displayed on our variable message signs notifying people of the resorts being full and to direct to other parking facilities such as the high school and other base areas such as the Canyons.”
UDOT has granted a permit to Park City Transit for buses to use emergency lanes for regular travel during high traffic periods but it’s only allowed from Kimball Junction to the Canyons base area.
“They can utilize and will utilize the shoulders depending on snow clearing and everything. UDOT has gone out there and cleared the shoulders as of right now but we’re expecting another weather event so that may get filled back in and they will work on clearing that snow as the resources allow.”
Backups and slow-moving traffic occur on Deer Valley Drive and Bonanza to Kearns Boulevard during the skier load out hours of 3 to 6 PM. Knotts says dedicating bus lanes on Deer Valley Drive isn’t permitted by UDOT.
Knotts’ advice is to be prepared, plan ahead and try to bus, carpool or walk.
