UDOT

Deadline to express interest is Wed., Oct. 4, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.

The UDOT Cottonwood Canyons sticker program is a winter safety, preparedness and education program specifically designed for the Cottonwood Canyons. The goal of this program is to increase vehicle safety and preparedness by pre-inspecting vehicle tires for winter driving conditions in advance of drivers traveling in the canyons. Our objectives with this goal are to help public transit function more efficiently and to help redirect underprepared drivers to transit, shuttles, carpooling or delaying travel until road conditions improve.

The sticker program is free of charge, completely voluntary, and will run from Nov. 1, 2023 to Feb. 28, 2024. Stickers are NOT REQUIRED to drive Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon. If a vehicle’s tires/traction devices meet the requirements, a sticker is placed on the windshield to show a vehicle has proper traction devices for traveling in the canyons when the Traction Law is in effect.

UDOT would like to increase the number of sticker inspection locations available to participants by partnering with additional tire shops. If your business is interested in participating in the sticker program, please see the requirements for partnership below.

• Fill out and submit the Google Form no later than Wed., Oct. 4, at 9:00 a.m. Interested tire shops must fill out the form by the deadline and will be contacted by UDOT.
• Meet with UDOT for a one-hour sticker program training and orientation between Oct. 5 – 20.
• Work within Google Forms & Spreadsheets for sticker program data collection and the inspection process.
• Sticker program participants must NOT be charged for the inspection of the tires as part of the sticker program.
• Inspect tires and distribute stickers only to those that meet the requirements of the program, free of charge.
• Must NOT collect sticker program participant information for marketing purposes if the participant is only there for the sticker program and does not expressly give consent.
• Must NOT use sticker program inspections to pressure motorists to upgrade tires or purchase other products or services. It is appropriate to offer upgrades, products and/or services. It is NOT appropriate to make a purchase a requirement for receiving a sticker.

PARTNER INFORMATION
In order to qualify for a sticker, a vehicle must meet the following conditions:

• 4WD/AWD Vehicles: 3PMSF or M+S tires with a tread depth of 5/32 minimum
• 2WD/FWD Vehicles: 3PMSF tires on all wheels with a tread depth of 5/32 minimum or proof of chains (chains must be in vehicle at time of inspection)

*According to Utah Code 41-6a-1636, a person may not operate a vehicle if one or more of the tires in use on the vehicle has a tread depth less than 2/32 inch measured in any two adjacent tread grooves at three equally spaced intervals around the circumference of the tire.

*Due to the challenging winter driving conditions often present in the Cottonwood Canyons, the sticker program requirement is a tire tread depth minimum of 5/32.

Participating businesses are not to charge sticker program participants for the inspection of the tires as part of the sticker program.

• Tire shop employees will inspect tires and distribute stickers to those that meet the requirements of the program.
• If a vehicle is not properly equipped for winter driving and fails to meet the requirements of the sticker program, the driver can choose to purchase compliant tires/traction devices at the business of their choice or opt out of the program.
• Participating businesses are not to collect sticker program participant information for marketing purposes if the participant is only there for the sticker program and does not expressly give consent.
• Participating businesses must NOT use sticker program inspections to pressure motorists to upgrade tires or purchase other products or services. It is appropriate to offer upgrades, products and/or services. It is NOT appropriate to make a purchase a requirement for receiving a sticker.

Having a sticker does not guarantee access to the canyons, rather it verifies the vehicle’s tires meet the required equipment standards when the traction law is in effect.

• Vehicles may still be subject to inspection at the discretion of law enforcement.
• Having a sticker is not a requirement for vehicle travel in the canyons and does not allow holders to enter the canyon during closures.
• The sticker does not allow vehicles with the sticker to have priority to enter the canyons.