UDOT Starts Cottonwood Canyons Sticker Program

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah – Utah Department of Transportation officials launched a pilot program for residents and employees in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons to ensure their vehicles are ready for winter driving conditions.

Vehicles that meet requirements and pass an inspection will be given a sticker allowing them to bypass field inspections when weather road restrictions are in place.

However, the stickers do not equal priority.

“It doesn’t allow anybody to cut inline they will still be waiting in line but when they pull up to the cop, the cop will see their sticker and be able to wave them through and continue up the canyon,” said UDOT spokesperson Siera Whitten.

Officials started handing out stickers Wednesday morning at the UDOT maintenance shed in Cottonwood Heights.

Here’s a look at the UDOT stickers being given after inspection at @UDOTcottonwoods to canyon employees & residents. There’s 5,000 stickers only. The hope is after 6 months of measuring the pilot program they will determine expanding to the public for winter canyon driving. pic.twitter.com/zpEaNHK0Wz

— Felicia Martinez (@FeliciaKSL) January 8, 2020

Drivers may start to see less congestion at the mouths of the canyons during winter driving conditions with the program. The stickers will also help with safety, which is a concern for regulars like Jennifer Lee, who drives up to work at Snowbird Ski Resort each day.

“I saw a lot of smaller vehicles that were chancing it and actually swerved off the road and I worry about them falling completely off the road,” Lee said.

Lee is among 5,000 canyon employees and residents who can pick up a sticker while supplies last. Whitten said the stickers will also help law enforcement during snowy conditions.

“A lot of heavy snow days we have UPD checking and enforcing the traction law at the mouth of the canyons but it also creates a lot of congestion,” Whitten said.

UDOT officials said the hope is after six months, they’ll have a good sense of whether the program has alleviated congestion and whether or not they’ll extend it to the public.

Overall, Lee hoped it’s a program that sticks around.

“I think it’s just a smarter thing to do because everyone else that sees a sticker knows that you’re responsible,” she said.

The stickers are just for residents and workers in Big and Little Cottonwood canyon and UPD inspection crews will ask for verification. They will be handing out stickers until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Future Inspection Dates

• Fri., Jan. 10, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Last vehicles checked at 4:45 p.m. (Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton employees)
• Sun., Jan. 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Last vehicles checked at 4:45 p.m. (Residents)
• Tue., Jan. 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. / Last vehicles checked at 4:45 p.m. (Residents)