Jan 14, 2025
At a Wasatch Open Lands board meeting Monday, the Utah Department of Transportation’s Craig Hancock presented an update on the Environmental Impact Statement for the long-awaited bypass along the Heber Valley corridor. Local North Fields landowners spoke up to say the plan thus far leaves farmers in the dust.Hancock said that there is still a long way to go before any concrete plans come to light. Now UDOT is in the process of modifying the five alternative bypass routes they have been working with, and making changes to those plans so that they can meet the traffic demands. An updated traffic study was presented to Wasatch County Dec. 15. The plan, Hancock said, is to make adjustments to the alternative, run them through a new screening process, and circle back with revised alternatives “that will likely look a little different within the ones that we currently have.”One group of options includes changes to the route from Heber City up to River Road, S.R. 32, such as an additional lane in each direction on U.S. 40 and making “intersection improvements” at areas including 900 N, Coyote Canyon Parkway, and River Road. The other set of alternatives include creating a set of free-flow options. “What this entails is adding interchanges, bridges and direct connect ramps to and from the pass to the existing roadways,” Hancock said, adding that the option would be applicable to the alternatives that use the North Fields route. Hancock said UDOT is accounting for 250 feet for the main bypass through the North Fields area. For options that do not include the North Fields, UDOT is planning to include a concrete barrier. Mark Wilson, a property owner in the North Fields, said that no matter what UDOT comes up with, there must be a frontage road for local property owners and farmers. “You mentioned the 250 feet, and you said that the freeway will be on the west side of 600W. There must be a frontage road on the west of that to give us access to the property that is west of the freeway,” Wilson said. Hancock said that there would be bridges over 1800 N, 1400 N and West Potters Lane, and that landowners will “still have the same road network that you have today.”“Which is very dangerous. … Going home, it’s a deathtrap,” Wilson said, adding that the route is nearly impossible to navigate with a tractor. “Each one of these properties, now, you’ve got hay coming out of them and you’ve got cattle going back and forth through them. We’ve got a freeway with no frontage. Now, we can’t go to the intersection and cross with our cattle to get to the other side of the road,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t work. … Tell me how you do that with this plan.”While Hancock said this update is highly preliminary and happening for transparency, Wilson said that no matter what, “you’ve got to also think about a seventh-generation farmer who has now got an island that he can’t get through.”“It’s great to have the transparency up front,” said Wendy Fisher, Utah Open Lands executive director. “I think the thing that I look at is that it would be really great to be able to continue to have a dialogue.” Heidi Franco, Heber City mayor and Wasatch Open Lands board chair, said her priority is to protect the landowners in the valley. “If you can do anything to help them have frontage roads, access points where they can be safe and not have to compete with diesels down the two or three land highway, that would be fantastic,” Franco said. “We don’t want to force them out. We don’t want to put their safety at risk. I don’t think their vehicles have been included in your traffic modeling.”The Environmental Impact Statement from UDOT will be complete by fall 2025, according to Hancock, with preferred bypass route alternatives included. A record of decision will follow in spring 2026. Hancock said in the meeting that UDOT will sit down with North Fields landowners for a conversation after the screening process for the preferred bypass route alternatives. “I urge you, please, take care of them so they can continue their agricultural operations,” Franco said. The post North Fields landowners claim UDOT bypass options leaves farmers at risk appeared first on Park Record.
Respond, make new discussions, see other discussions and customize your news...

To add this website to your home screen:

1. Tap tutorialsPoint

2. Select 'Add to Home screen' or 'Install app'.

3. Follow the on-scrren instructions.

Feedback
FAQ
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service