If your commute into and out of Park City has been a hassle lately, consider this: It’s going to get worse.

According to a recent traffic study commissioned by Summit County, Park City and Vail Resorts, local commuters and visitors will find themselves fuming in even bigger traffic jams unless steps are taken now to address future growth.

To help citizens understand those challenges, and examine potential solutions, the county is hosting a public meeting Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Richins Building. Representatives from Park City and Wasatch County are expected to attend.

Summit County Manager Bob Jasper said it is important not to minimize the problem.

“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” he quipped, adding “We believe this is an important issue so we’ve hired the best consultants.

Surprisingly, Jasper said, the study indicates that most of the traffic, 57 percent, is generated by residents, not tourists, and that is expected to increase as local developments in Snyderville and Wasatch County are built out.

According to Summit County Engineer Leslie Crawford, population statistics from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget predict an 85-percent increase in population in Summit County over the next 30 years and a 149-percent increase in neighboring Wasatch County.

And those numbers don’t reflect increases in traffic generated by the ski resorts and special events.

“Summit County will have twice as many employees as we do now,” she said, adding that now is the time “to address, in a common sense way, how we travel so we can create a more positive experience.”

Summit County Community Development Director Patrick Putt said transportation issues have a profound effect on every resident.

“Every morning someone wakes up and drives to work or takes a child to school. Every day we interface with our transportation system, that is why this meeting is so important Our lifestyle is a direct product of how people move from place to place.”

Beyond residents’ quality of life, Putt said the area’s economic future also depends on being able to ensure that traffic flows smoothly.

Tuesday’s hearing will feature a 10′ by 10′ map highlighting current and proposed traffic corridors. Attendees will also have the opportunity to consider several options aimed at reducing traffic congestion, both long range and short range.

According to Jasper there will be some difficult political questions to answer in the near future and it is imperative that residents weigh in.

Some of the options under consideration include:

  • Widen S.R. 224
  • Widen S.R. 248
  • Designate HOV lanes on S.R. 224 and/or S.R. 248
  • Create Kimball Junction Transit Center
  • Add circulator bus route at Kimball Junction
  • Add circulator bus route at Canyons
  • Increase Kimball Junction/Old Town Transit Center bus service
  • Extend Powderwood Drive
  • Connect Bitner Road to Silver Creek Road
  • Widen Rassmussen Road
  • Widen Kilby Road
  • Create Landmark Drive/S.R. 224 overpass
  • Increase capacity at Quinn’s Junction

The Snyderville Basin Short Term Needs Assessment Study can be found online here