YOUR AD HERE »

More parking to be asked for during Kimball Junction Transit Center public hearing

The first phase of Summit Countys long-awaited transit center, located in Kimball Junction, is scheduled to be complete this week. However, Summit County staff on Tuesday are asking the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission to consider approving additional parking spaces for the next phase.
(Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

While construction crews complete the final touches on the first phase of the Kimball Junction Transit Center this week, the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission will be asked to consider approving additional parking spaces for the next phase.

The bulk of Summit County’s long-awaited second transit center, located on the west side of State Road 224 behind the Sheldon Richins Building on Landmark Drive, is mostly complete. Park City officials are hoping to start routing buses through it over the weekend and a ribbon cutting is scheduled for Dec. 6 at 2:30 p.m.

The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission plans to hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the Sheldon Richins Building to discuss the Planning Department’s request to amend the existing permit to include 19 additional spaces and a charging station for an electric bus. The item is set for a public hearing and possible approval.

As currently built, the transit hub includes space for seven buses and five parking spaces, with an additional 13 spaces approved to be built under phase one. However, residents have consistently complained about the small number of spaces that are being provided.

“When we went to the planning commission last time the parking thing came up. But when this was first envisioned back in 2010 it wasn’t identified as being a park-and-ride facility,” said Derrick Radke, Summit County Public Works director. “We have looked at it, but if we created a 300-to-500 space parking lot it would bring more congestion.

“The purpose behind this center is to be more of a hub,” he said. “But we can recognize that there will still be some folks that come to this area and park on this property.”

Staff members are asking the commission to consider approving the additional spaces, which would be completed during the second phase of construction, bringing the total to 37 spaces. The first phase was intended to make the center operational. A second phase would include a transit building, plaza and additional parking.

“We know people will park there and if they park in front of the library it leaves less room for patrons,” Radke said. “So we are creating more. Whether that will work, who knows, because the opinions vary about how much parking we need. The site could evolve and in five years we could need more.”

The transit center is intended to reduce congestion throughout Kimball Junction by shortening bus trips and intercepting drivers on their way into Park City. The Federal Transit Administration awarded Park City Transit a $1.7 million grant for the $2.5 million project. Park City has contributed $450,000 and the county added another $750,000 for construction.

The Basin Planning Commission approved a permit for the transit center in 2012 and amended it more than a year ago. Construction began in May.

The proposed charging station will accommodate one of the 10 electric buses Park City Transit recently received a grant for. The buses are expected to arrive in the spring.

“It is a big deal as far as sustainability goes,” said Ray Milliner, Summit County planner. “The reason we are talking about it is it wasn’t anticipated in the original design and we want the planning commission to have a look at it.

“It is a pretty big piece of equipment and it will be visible from the road,” he said. “We want to make sure the planning commission is OK with the mitigation.”

The public hearing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Sheldon Richins Building. To view the staff report prepared in anticipation of the meeting, go to http://summitcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/4080.

Summit County

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Park City and Summit County make the Park Record's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.