Beaver Creek Resort took its first official step Friday toward upgrading its fixed-grip triple-chair Rose Bowl lift to a high-speed four-seater.

The resort submitted a proposal to the White River National Forest, which will now take comments from the public for the next two weeks.

Don Dressler, the winter sports administrator for the U.S. Forest Service’s Eagle/Holy Cross Ranger District, said the new lift would cut the ride time from 11 minutes to five minutes.

“That’s a big part of why this project is important,” Dressler said. “When you reduce the lift time, not only are you improving the overall experience for the guest, but we think we’ll get better utilization of the existing terrain there and improve skier circulation.”

Beaver Creek spokeswoman Jen Brown issued a statement Friday about the proposal, saying the upgrade would improve the guest experience as well as shift density from the front side of the mountain.

“A high-speed quad would provide a better experience for lower-level intermediate skiers and snowboarders and ski school through ease of use and the convenience of a high-speed quad,” Brown said.