Park City's Main Street could become a one-way street for cars under a concept city staff presented to the City Council at a work session Tuesday, Aug. 18, aimed at reclaiming sidewalk space for pedestrians and keeping the historic commercial strip competitive.
The proposal, laid out at the Marsac Building, would funnel private vehicles northbound (downhill) in a single travel lane while creating a separate two-way transit lane, according to the Park Record. Curbside parking along the travel lane would remain, and widened pedestrian zones on both sides of the street would feature benches, public art and large potted plants to buffer walkers from traffic.
Staff also brought potential improvements to Swede Alley, though two-way traffic there would remain, and raised the possibility of aerial transit serving the corridor.
No vote was taken. The session was structured to give staff direction on which elements should move forward and whether they should be bundled into a coordinated Main Street investment strategy.
Why now
The discussion marks the council's first concrete step on Main Street redesign since December 2024, when elected officials heard divided public testimony and declined to adopt the full Main Street Area Plan. After that rejection, the council asked staff to evaluate individual elements rather than the sweeping package.
Communications director Clayton Scrivner said ahead of the work session that staff returned with "updated cost and visitation information, and specific questions for council about what — if anything — should advance and whether these individual efforts should be considered together as part of a coordinated Main Street investment strategy."
The push comes as Main Street faces growing traffic headaches. Park City police have regularly encountered rideshare drivers stopping in travel lanes during summer 2026 to pick up or drop off passengers, snarling the corridor during peak tourism periods.
What it means for businesses
City leaders have framed the effort as essential to keeping Main Street's shopping, dining and entertainment district competitive against other commercial destinations in the Wasatch Back. A one-way conversion would trade some vehicle throughput for wider sidewalks and safer pedestrian crossings, potentially drawing more foot traffic to storefronts.
The tradeoff is real. Specific cost estimates for the one-way conversion, transit lane, pedestrian zones or aerial transit were not released publicly.
What comes next
Staff will evaluate which elements the council wants to advance and return with recommendations. No follow-up meeting date has been announced. Residents can watch the recorded Aug. 18 session at parkcity.gov.
