Deer Valley looks to the future to reduce single-occupant vehicles in Snow Park
Deer Valley Resort’s plan to build a major development at its Snow Park base area extends past the anticipated completion of the construction in 2030.
The proposal includes the implementation of a five-year Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program that would further enhance measures to decrease the number of vehicle trips, increase alternate modes of transportation such as carpooling and reduce the proportion of traffic on the road during peak travel periods.
The goal of the aspirational plan is to reduce the number of single occupant vehicles in and around Snow Park Village from the current 48% to 30% by 2035.
Deer Valley already is implementing TDM measures, Jon Nepstad, a transportation consultant with Fehr & Peers, told the Park City Planning Commission on Wednesday.
“We’re proposing to go above and beyond the current program,” he said.
The Deer Valley project includes a parking garage with 1,971 spaces, lodging, residences, commercial space, an underground transit hub next to Snow Park Lodge and transportation infrastructure, including a gondola that would run to Silver Lake Village and Park Peak.
Hannah Tyler, Deer Valley’s vice president of resort planning, said the garage will have paid parking.
Park City and Deer Valley are partnering on certain aspects of the project, which is forecast to cost nearly $1.6 billion.
Deer Valley has development rights to the land dating back to the 1970s, but it needs approvals for the Snow Park project.
A memo by Deer Valley and Fehr & Peers lists strategies by year to achieve the TDM program’s objectives.
The 2030 strategies include a marketing campaign promoting transit ridership and more carpooling; a transit priority signal at the intersection of Deer Valley Drive and Deer Valley Drive East, sometimes referred to as the Y intersection; and apres-ski incentives to “linger longer” to reduce traffic at peak times. The incentives could include a food-and-beverage special, live music or family activities.
For 2031, “Know Before you Leave” messaging that provides real-time roadway travel times to guests on-site so they can linger and enhanced employee carpool matching and incentives are among the proposed strategies. Also on the list is an electric bike share program for summer guests.
The strategies in 2032 include enhanced carpool and transit ride rewards; increased amenities at remote parking such as restrooms, real-time transit information and coffee carts; and employing a full-time transportation and parking manager.
Incentives for three-plus carpools and an employee big ideas program soliciting transportation demand ideas from staff members with rewards for the suggestions that are implemented are in the 2033 list. Increasing ridership in a neighborhood shuttle program and enhanced carpool and transit use incentives such as free lockers or baskets for an entire season are proposed for 2034.
The memo says quantifying the elements of a TDM program is not an exact science.
“Deer Valley is committed to piloting new TDM ideas that evolve over time by factors such as technology, costs or human factors,” the memo says. “For example, apps designed for carpool matching, roadway or parking information did not exist 10 years ago whereas now they are ubiquitous.”
The Planning Commission is scheduled Jan. 22 to do an in-depth review of Phase I, including uses, transportation demand management, construction mitigation plan updates, subdivision regulations and project phasing.
Another meeting is slated for Feb. 26 for continued review with potential final action or continuation. The Planning Commission also might schedule additional meetings in 2025.