Bus Rapid Transit has emerged as one of the most cost-effective tools in the modern transit toolkit — delivering rail-like frequency, reliability, and rider experience at a fraction of the cost of light rail, while preserving the flexibility of bus operations. The SR-224 "Bobsled Express" is a textbook example of the model done right: dedicated bus-only lanes to bypass congestion, mixed-flow operations where appropriate, signal priority at intersections, level boarding platforms, real-time arrival information, and ADA-accessible zero-emission electric vehicles — all on a corridor that the Park City Chamber of Commerce says is critical to the functioning of the local economy.
Stacy Witbeck brings to this project the same alternative delivery philosophy — collaboration, transparency, early contractor involvement, and self-performance of key scopes — that has made them the go-to contractor for complex urban transit projects from Portland to San Diego to Seattle. High Valley Transit brings something equally rare: deep community trust, a free-fare model that removes economic barriers to ridership, and a coalition of partners including UDOT, Summit County, Park City, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, and Canyons Village that has been building toward this moment for nearly a decade. Today we talk to both of them about what it means — economically, operationally, and strategically — to build the infrastructure that keeps a mountain resort community moving.
