Candidates: Mike Weichers and Gay Lynn Bennion
As Cottonwood Heights approaches the November 4, 2025, election, we surveyed mayoral candidates Mike Weichers and Gay Lynn Bennion on critical topics: UDOT’s gondola proposal, Wasatch Boulevard’s future, and the city’s top challenges. Their responses show shared priorities with distinct approaches.
Both candidates strongly oppose UDOT’s 8-mile gondola, wary of its cost and impact. For Wasatch Boulevard, Bennion pushes a multi-use path and traffic-calming to avoid freeway-like expansion, while Weichers backs EIS Phases I and II, with 35 MPH speeds and safe bike/pedestrian paths. They list their top issues CWH faces—Bennion: water conservation, affordable housing, traffic safety; Weichers: suburban preservation, pedestrian safety, illegal rentals—and propose solutions like smart irrigation incentives, community-driven housing plans, and stricter short term rental enforcement.
Read their full responses below to compare their visions.
Please note that we do not contribute to political campaigns nor do any political candidates or campaigns endorse or affiliate with our work.
Question 1: The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has proposed constructing an 8-mile gondola, funded by taxpayer dollars, to improve accessibility to the ski resorts and to accommodate a projected 60% population growth. The Wasatch Front Regional Council estimates the cost of building and operating the gondola would be $1.4 billion. Are you (choose one):
Gay Lynn Bennion: Strongly against the plan
Mike Weichers: Strongly against the plan
Question 2: What are your thoughts for the future of Wasatch Blvd, the challenges it faces, and UDOT’s plans for this artery? What steps will you take to address these challenges and UDOT’s plans?
Gay Lynn Bennion: Our city’s Wasatch Blvd Plan envisions a boulevard with a separate multi-use path, adding aspects that slow down traffic, and not expanding lanes to the point that this boulevard becomes a freeway. I have heard that UDOT is trying to add widening Wasatch Blvd to 5 lanes in current negotiations with certain groups, and that those groups are standing with others and saying no. We need to work to get the flex lane and separate path added so we can see if that is enough to improve the flow before jumping to a wide 5 lane road, which studies show would probably induce more traffic and not improve traffic flow.
Mike Weichers: I support Phase I and II of the EIS which will create enhanced bussing and the redesign of Wasatch Blvd. I support speeds of 35MPH and design change that will reflect a true blvd feel. Medians with vegetation, separated bike and pedestrian paths and safe crossings at all ingress and egress access points.
Question 3: What do you think are the top 3 issues/problems currently facing Cottonwood Heights?
Gay Lynn Bennion:
1. Water conservation and fire mitigation.
2. Increase smaller, affordable housing options for lower income and seniors who want to downsize.
3. Street design in key areas to slow traffic for increased safety for all users.
Mike Weichers:
1. Protection of suburban life in Cottonwood Heights.
2. Pedestrian safety.
3. Eliminating illegal short term rentals.
Question 4: What do you think the CWH Mayor and Council should do more of, less of, or differently to address each of these 3 issues?
Gay Lynn Bennion:
1. To help with increasing costs of water, the city should provide training & incentives to help homeowners use smart sprinklers, reduce unused turf areas, & use native plants to reduce water use and preserve Great Salt Lake. We need to have a city wildfire mitigation program & fully fund Unified Fire Authority to have 4 firefighters at the Wasatch Blvd. station. Our firefighters and community are at risk with only 3 firefighters.
2. The state’s population is growing & our city’s population declines. Local builders are finding solutions, such as Flex-ready homes. https://flexreadyhomes.com/about/. This entails 7 single-family homes on an acre lot, with 3 bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms, with a cost of about $300,000. We need to have community conversations about the need to add affordable housing options. Address short-term rentals with very high standards for licenses.
3. Use participatory budget so residents choose what traffic calming should be added to slow traffic in key areas.
Mike Weichers:
1. We can protect our suburban neighborhoods by continuing to strategically plan for growth in areas that won’t compromise our suburban lifestyle.
2. The Mayor and Council need to continue evaluating areas that are unsafe and focusing time and tax dollars to improve pedestrian and biking safety in our city.
3. The Council is investing into 3rd party software to identify illegal short term rentals to create more housing supply and housing affordability. We need to enact policies to prosecute those illegal rentals.
