Tom Clyde’s Oct. 19 commentary, “UDOT has thrown in the towel,” is well elucidated and quite comprehensive, indicating a fair and balanced understanding of the matter. But one might disagree with some of his points.  His observation of trying to get Wasatch County, Heber and Midway to agree on just about anything, though somewhat cynical, is unfortunately generally correct. His observation of Heber’s willingness to annex and develop just about anything, anywhere is painfully self-evident. He is correct that given the planned growth for the North Village, the self-defining mess called MIDA, and with the coming buildout of the Summit County, Jordanelle, Wasatch County corridor, the traffic studies are already outdated. Coordinated growth is difficult to manage. Indeed, the Wasatch Back may one day appear no different than the Wasatch Front.Except for a few major differences: About a decade back, the electorate of Wasatch County voted squarely and strongly in a referendum to deny the request to upzone the 2,500 acres we dearly call the North Fields (75% to 25%). A few years later, that same electorate put their money where their mouth is, and approved an open space bond. Midway had acted in a similar fashion. Let’s consider some other pertinent history: In about 1960, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (offshore drilling royalties) were used to purchase Wasatch Mountain State Park, 22,000 acres that benefit from National Parks Service regulatory control. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources employed funds from the Pittman-Robinson Act, taxes on firearms and ammunition, to purchase the 11,000-acre Wallsburg Wildlife Management Area.  Soldier Hollow has been preserved, thanks to the Soldier Hollow Legacy Foundation and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation).  Perpetual conservation easements exist in Snake Creek Canyon, Bonanza Flats and Wolf Creek Ranches (17,000 acres, all due to Utah Open Lands initiatives). URMCC brought about the Provo River Corridor. Wasatch County employs a sewer farm. All of these together total about 50,000 acres, but furthermore demonstrated the diversity of public and private organizations that, through the decades, have “put their money where their mouth is” to define the future of this valley. But these are not just environmentally desirable attributes. They directly affect air and water quality, both public health issues. They attract clean high-tech tier one businesses that bring top wage jobs and associated trickle-down taxes.The biggest point of Clyde’s commentary to be contended is that UDOT has not “thrown in the towel.” It is definitely true that the inability for these communities and their leaderships to get along, even among themselves, is frustrating and highly counterproductive. Conversely, the assumption that UDOT will “pave paradise and put up a parking lot” at every opportunity is not a fair statement.I believe that the frustration of the Oct. 9 meeting was not that there are no viable acquirable right of way, but that they are fast disappearing. But this also is not particularly true. Please consider that the current UDOT right of way down Highway 40 is 150 feet wide. Here are a few examples of functional right of way widths of various regional highways:Provo Canyon-Bridal Veil: 110 feet Mountain View corridor: 220 feet minus 83 feet undisturbed median equals 137 feet Pioneer Crossing: 88 feet Bangerter Highway: 153 feet Legacy Highway: 214 feet minus 54 foot undisturbed median equals 160 feetIf the current U.S. 40 were simply widened to 220 feet, 70 feet to the west, it would provide approximately enough AASHTO standard width for a four-lane, separated grade, divided highway with frontage roads.Of course, UDOT engineers will specify the exact width required. This would affect approximately nine driveways, three houses and one business building  This alignment also would affect far less wetlands than any proposed North Fields alignment.  A U.S. 40 alignment will also keep this traffic closer to the North Village corridor and prevent further east-west access highways and growth.If one looks at the current U.S. 40 alignment, it does not simply head north out of Heber. It actually heads north, then curves to the northeast, generally remaining on the bordering uplands. Our forefathers knew why to stay out of the wetlands and on the uplands. We should not be putting ourselves in the position for NEPA to tell us what simple lessons our forefathers knew a century ago.The current situation provides an invitation to UDOT to join the decades long and diverse group of organizations mentioned above that have defined this special valley for decades. I do not believe that they are throwing in the towel. I believe that they are waiting for our collective communities and their leaders to agree.UDOT, will you join us and also place your proud mark on this special place?George Hansen is the founder of the Snake Creek Preservation Society and an open space advocate. He has lived in Midway for 37 years. He is the 1996 recipient of the Pfeifferhorn Award, Utah’s highest environmental award.The post Heber bypass: The towel is still warm and dry appeared first on Park Record.