COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — More snow is expected to hit the Utah mountains this week. As people plan their trips to Cottonwood Canyons, they may want to plan for long lines of traffic.

“We’re coming into the busiest recreational ski times of the season,” said Sgt. Gary Young of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department.

Young shared how after the holidays and into the early months of the year, he expects to see an influx of visitors to Cottonwood Canyons.

“Especially on these snow days when people are trying to get up to the ski resorts, it’s going to be crowded, so if you have that sticker, they’re going to go right past you,” said Zackery Jensen, manager at Big O Tires in Fort Union .

UDOT and law enforcement agencies are moving away from the traction law. According to the UDOT Cottonwood Canyons website:

“The law of attraction is Utah Administrative Rule (R20-6) that the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and law enforcement enforce during severe winter driving conditions. It’s important to make sure you have traction devices (snow tires, chains, snow socks, etc.) suitable for winter driving conditions, it’s the rule of the road. Traction devices are required during severe winter weather conditions on Utah roads, including Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.”

There is also an effort to make traffic flow smoother by banning unsafe vehicles.

“When you go up a canyon and you don’t have the right gear, then you can’t get up the canyon and you’re stuck on the road,” Young said.

Jensen explained the importance of having a snow-ready vehicle while driving through Cottonwood Canyons. He also shared how they’ve already seen many customers come in for the sticker.

“I’ve been crazy busy. Everyone came to get their snow sticker before the snow started flying down the canyon,” Jensen said.

At the bottom of the Cottonwood Canyons, agencies will inspect vehicles once UDOT adopts the traction law.

“Two-wheelers must have the tri-spoke tire on the vehicle and then they must have the traction devices in all four tires of the two-wheeler,” Young said.

They check that the cars are ready for the snowy road conditions in the canyons.

“Check the tread depth, make sure the tires are good for going up the canyon, make sure they’re snow tires, 3-spoke or mud and snow,” Jensen said.

The Cottonwood Heights Police Department advises drivers to plan ahead.

“There’s going to be a lot more traffic out there and especially if your car isn’t ready yet, doesn’t have the sticker or the proper gear yet, it’s going to slow everybody down going up and down the canyon,” Young said.