Buckle up for three more years of construction work on SR-224

Bus rapid transit construction begins April 1 along SR-224, with overnight lane reductions this week between Canyons Resort Drive and Bear Hollow Drive. Photo: High Valley Transit

PARK CITY, Utah — Construction is on its way, with another busy season of work slated for the SR-224 Bus Rapid Transit project.

This spring, construction will begin from Olympic Parkway to Canyons Resort Drive, as well as the intersection of Park Avenue and Deer Valley Drive, according to Gabriel Shields, SR-224 BRT Program Manager. Work is anticipated to begin as early as April, with early preparatory work occurring in March.

Traffic will be shifted into the existing medians to allow construction crews to work safely on one side of the roadway at a time while two lanes of traffic remain open in both directions. Periodic closures of a single lane may occur if safety or other factors require a different construction approach.

Shields noted High Valley Transit has led efforts to identify other projects adjacent to the corridor and coordinated construction activities to avoid cumulative effects on drivers.

“An example of this is the Rocky Mountain Power effort to underground transmission lines across SR-248 (Kearns Boulevard),” said Shields. “This effort will introduce significant detours which reroute traffic over to SR-224. Our team has coordinated with Park City Municipal to adjust our work in Park City to occur after the Rocky Mountain Power work on SR-248.”

The BRT construction team will handle a high volume of work this year and in 2027 followed by cleanup, landscaping, and final striping in 2028. The BRT is estimated to cost $119.2 million.

“Bus Rapid Transit on SR-224 is the most effective way to move people from Kimball Junction to Old Town while maintaining the area’s unique mountain character,” said Shields. “With the addition of a dedicated bus lane and signal priority at key intersections, BRT can provide frequent, fast, and reliable transit for more than 5000 people a day on day one.” High Valley has stated that the BRT will be capable of transporting over 50,000 people per day during the 2034 Olympics.

While construction continues, High Valley and their contractor ask motorists to slow down through construction work zones and pay attention to all signage. Drivers should be on the lookout for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.

High Valley also encourages users to share their concerns and feedback with the project team so they can make adjustments. “We are not shy in our awareness of blind spots and we are asking the community to hold us accountable to be the best stewards,” said Shield.

The High Valley website has a link to sign up for construction updates.