More parking is coming to the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

The Cottonwood Heights City Council recently approved a contract with Miller Paving to construct a park-and-ride lot to include roughly 50 to 60 parking stalls at the northeast corner of Wasatch and Fort Union Blvds. The company will also complete storm drain upgrades and a trail extension in the area.

The storm drain work and parking lot construction should be “done before the snow flies,” City Manager John Park said. The trail extension may not be finished until next spring.

“We are the ‘city between the canyons’. There are a lot of people that park in this area. They use our canyons frequently. We have problems with parking. It’s not just a city problem; it’s a regional problem,” he said.

The project is being funded jointly by the State of Utah, Cottonwood Heights and Murray City. The budget for the project is roughly $1.2 million.

The property where the formal parking lot is being constructed was previously a gravel lot used for parking, but Public Works Director Mike Allen said improving the area with a paved surface will better accommodate commuters and improve the storm drain system.

“We’ll improve the whole quality of storm water. We’ll actually treat the water before it gets to Big Cottonwood Creek. That doesn’t always happen the way things are set up now,” he said.