The Park City Council voted Thursday to approve a contract with transportation app RideAmigos,something transportation staff says could help alleviate traffic congestion. One councilmember voted against the contract.
Councilmember Steve Joyce, the one nay vote on the RideAmigos contract, says he doesn’t oppose the use of the app as a traffic-reduction strategy—he just wants to see results.
“It wasn’t against the idea of RideAmigos and the app and what they're doing--I love the fact that they're starting to partner with the ski resorts and the big employers in town," Joyce said. "I think that's a huge step up from a community standpoint. It's just I want to know, when we get to the end of the year and you ask us for the next $25,000, did it work? Did it meet the expectations, and are we really making an impact?”
Transportation staff has recommended the app as a way for people to plan trips, carpool, track transit schedules—basically, it’s a platform for commuters to manage their transportation methods, all in one place. The app also works to incentivize commuters to get out of their cars through points programs and games. Park City Municipal is working with Deer Valley Resort and Vail’s Park City Mountain and Canyons Resorts to reduce single-occupant car trips by employees, to reduce traffic and parking needs. The city would share costs with the resorts, and other area employers can also join in.
Councilmember Nann Worel joined Joyce in wanting to see tangible results from transportation demand management strategies.
“I’d feel better if we had some sort of goal or some sort of measurement of success," Worel said. "I think it's awesome that we're partnering with the resort. What do the resorts think is going to happen, in terms of their employees?”
Park City Transportation Director Alfred Knotts says there are many factors to consider—a variety of strategies and the effect of growth on traffic—so it’s difficult to connect any one single policy or program with a reduction in trips. But Knotts says it’s useful to partner with the resorts on the RideAmigos program because the resorts can show the app’s impact on parking.
“So that’s why we’re working on focusing on the resorts because we think we can make move the needle on that," Knotts said. "We have these conversations--the mayor, myself and [City Manager Diane Foster]--going up and talking to Deer Valley about strategies, and this is the result of really having those conversations about putting the money where their mouth is; about trying to reduce just 300 to 400 or 500 cars per day, so they don't have to build more parking; so they're not parking out on the street; so PCMR isn't overflowing into the Empire, Norfolk area and Lowell.”
Park City’s contract with RideAmigos is for $25,000 per year for three years.
