On Thursday the Park City Council held a work session about the long-term strategy for commuter lots in the Quinns Junction area.
Two properties were discussed: the Richardson Flat park-and-ride lot east of Highway 40 and the vacant Gordo property, which is located along the state Route 248 corridor.
Park City currently provides direct transit into town from the Richardson Flat lot, which has over 500 parking spaces.
Transit Director Tim Sanderson said he’s pleased with the ridership from Richardson Flat, which has increased each year since the city began service there in 2022.
“The one challenge that we find with Richardson Flat is on those non-busy, those non-ski days, we’re having a struggle in order to get people to utilize it on those days,” Sanderson said.
Councilmember Ryan Dickey expressed support for exploring a lot on the Gordo property. He said its location along S.R. 248 on the way into town could encourage more drivers to park and connect to transit.
“I don’t discount the good things about Richardson Flat," Dickey said. "I advocated to use it. I think it’s been successful, but I think it’s a better long-term situation at Gordo.”
Dickey said the city-owned Gordo property has fewer hurdles when it comes to building a long-term site. Park City does not own Richardson Flat, but rather leases it long-term from the Larry H. Miller Company. Building any improvements there would require collaboration with Larry H. Miller and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as there are contaminated soils on the property.
Councilmember Bill Ciraco offered a different perspective. He said the Richardson Flat lot would help keep traffic away because of its distance from the city.
“I view Highway 40, in some senses, as a moat on our eastern border to Park City,” Ciraco said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Friday. “I think if we’re going to do anything, we should keep it outside the moat… So I really love the potential [at Richardson Flat].”
Councilmember Ed Parigian also favored continuing to use Richardson Flat as a park-and-ride. Parigian said the Gordo property could serve another use such as a new home for public works or housing.
Councilmember Tana Toly suggested the city could utilize both properties for parking and transit in the future. But also said she’d like to leave a portion of the Gordo site open for a different use.
The council asked city staff to continue analyzing the viability of both properties, including details like how fast construction could occur and what new bus lines could look like.
The park-and-ride discussion comes as the city continues to study improvements for the S.R. 248 corridor. Potential solutions under consideration include bus rapid transit, light rail and aerial transportation.
