-CITY NEWS-
Jan 9, 2026
UDOT Announces Their Preferred Bypass Route B
What do you think?
How will this affect our City & Valley?
On Jan 7, 2026 UDOT
announced their
preferred Bypass Route
B through the North
Fields to Potter Lane.
Click on map.
PUBLIC HEARING for
Comments:
JAN. 28, 2026
5:30-8:30 p.m.
WHS Library
930 South 500 East
Heber City.
*Attend to give
comments.
Jan 9th - March 9th:
Email UDOT public
comments at:
More on Route B:
Read the Entire EIS:
https://hebervalleyeis.udot.utah.gov/draft-eis/#draft-eis
"More ways to comment:
-
Voicemail: 801-210-0498
-
Address for Written letters (mailed or hand delivered):
Heber Valley Corridor EIS
c/o HDR
2825 E Cottonwood Parkway # 200
Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121
"What to include in comments:
-
Clearly identify the issue or resource you’re concerned about.
-
Reference specific sections or topics in the Draft EIS.
-
Include data, citations, observations, or personal experiences that support your comment.
-
Comments are more impactful when they are solution-oriented.
-
Comments may also be in the form of a question, in addition to statements."
More Info at: https://hebervalleyeis.udot.utah.gov/
JAN. 27, 6-7:30 p.m.: VIRTUAL MEETING AND Q&A
-
Held on Zoom
-
Presentation followed by question and answer session with team
-
Not accepting formal comments
-
Check UDOT link above to attend.
After Public Comments are analyzed UDOT will release the Final EIS and Record of Decision by summer 2026.
Route B Issues
1st Issue: Route B Cuts off Connectivity to Southwest Quadrant of City:
Route B stops current north & south travel ability on the southwest side of City.
-In Route B citizens are LOSING travel connectivity & property values:
- Route B stops north/south travel on Industrial Parkway, see pg. 60-61 at link above.
- No northbound or westbound access at Walmart intersection. Need to drive to 300 West or up to 100 South or down to Airport Road for Bypass Access.
- Southside citizens trying to get to Walmart will be forced east to Main Street, then turn west at 1000 South - a turn lane with no traffic signal.
2nd Issue: Citizens on 1250 South and West Meadow Walk Drive will have a 30 feet tall highway built in their backyards with likely a sound wall on top of that.
- When did Heber City want to become Bangerter Highway?
- UDOT predicts 2,400 vehicles per day on this new 1300 South (see pg. 65), including 600-700 diesels (see pg. 68).
- Will UDOT pay these citizens for decreased property values with a 30’ highway in back yards? No promise from them on this.
- UDOT's first version of the Bypass on new 1300 South was two lanes at grade level--now it is 30 feet high with four lanes.
- The proposed new 1300 South will dramatically decrease the quality of life for these neighborhoods. Yet UDOT thinks that traffic off Main Street is more important (see pg. 61 at link above.)
1st & 2nd Issues - SOLUTIONS:
- MUST MOVE new part of 1300 South further south starting at Walmart Intersection, going SW down Highway 189 and then west across to Southfield Road
The orange line above MOVES 1300 South further south. It briefly affects Bypass traffic yet is a tremendous benefit to our citizens.
BENEFITS:
-No 30’ tall highway in citizens’ back yards on 1250 South and West Meadow Walk Drive with a tall sound wall.
- Don't put a Bangerter Highway in Heber City. Keep property values.
-No highway pollution and noise in those neighborhoods.
- Keeps existing north - south travel connectivity on Industrial Parkway, 300 West.
- Can actually lower UDOT's costs by not building a 30’ high road on 1300 south with on ramps/off ramps, and overpasses.
3rd Issue: Southfield Road will dead end on south end.
- Citizens can't go south to Highway 189 on Southfield Road with Route B.
- On north end, Southfield Road will need to be re-routed costing millions just to take a left turn toward Midway, or to go north on Bypass.
3rd Issue SOLUTION:
- Bottom Orange line above shows moving new part of 1300 South Bypass further south.
- Top orange line curve above shows needed connection on Route B's dead end at bottom of Southfield with on ramp going north onto Bypass.
- PLUS Blue line above shows a needed underpass under Route B and on ramp to go south to Highway 189.
- We can't lose north - south connectivity on Southfield Road.
- The loss of travel ability conflicts with criteria in the Federal Highway Administration Regulations Title 23 USC Section 109(h) that UDOT considers "impacts to neighborhoods or community cohesion; changes in travel patterns and accessibility," see pg. 46, at https://hebervalleyeis.udot.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HVC_DEIS_03_Environmental.pdf
Route B costs $760+ Million
Route A costs $711+ Million
4th Issue: UDOT wants to spend $50 Million more on Route B to save only 1:10 - 1:45 seconds (one minute and seconds) at peak travel times.
https://hebervalleyeis.udot.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HVC_DEIS_03_Environmental.pdf ; (pg. 72, Table 3.5-1)
5th Issue: UDOT admits there is no guarantee that diesels will use Route B over Main Street.
- UDOT says there could be "less incentive to take a longer-distance Heber Valley Corridor route during most other hours of the day" (pg. 73, link above).
6th Issue: Route B does not solve back-up at the Hub Intersection, Hwys 189 and 40.
-Even with Route B, the Hub Intersection is still "near failing" (see pg. 85 at link above.)
7th Issue: Route B does not solve the "failing" & "near failing" intersections between 100 North to 100 South on Main Street (see pg. 88 at link above).
How Will Route B affect
The North Fields?
8th Issue: Route B will turn 276 acres of North and South Fields into a 250' wide Bypass Right of Way. (pg. 19, Table 3.2-4, at link above.)
9th Issue: Despite overwhelming public opinion to protect the North Fields permanently, UDOT stopped conservation easements in the North Fields for Route B.
- The EIS says UDOT "lacks the authority to condemn property held in an NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program easement." (See pg. 20 at link above.)
- That's why UDOT stopped private property owners from getting federal matching farm grants in 2024 to preserve their land for future generations then chose Route B in Jan 2026.
10th Issue: Route B will also affect up to 149+ acres of Agricultural Protection Areas in the North Fields, with 6-7 property owners.
- The Wasatch County Council needs to protect the 341 acres of Agricultural Protection Areas status in the North Fields from Route B. (Pg. 30 at link above.)
- The County Council can tell UDOT to not use Route B because of the Agricultural Protection Areas.
- You can email the County Council at:
11th Issue: Route B allows Heber City to potentially annex to the new Route B putting high development pressure between Highway 40 and new Bypass Route B.
- UDOT says they will buy up highway accesses in building Route B.
**Question: do you trust that future state legislators, county councils and city councils won't put pressure on UDOT to sell highway access to allow higher density development in the North Fields?
12th Issue: Route B cuts off agricultural access to farms in North Fields. New access ability "might be provided" (see pg. 93 at link above).
-How would you like your business operations disrupted without access?
- No one knows how Route B will affect family farming operations or wildlife in the North Fields. Access to current farming and grazing operations in the North Fields MUST be provided by UDOT.
How Will Route B affect
Existing Highway 40
On North Side of City?
13th Issue: Route B creates bottlenecks at 900 North & 100 South for citizens trying to get to Bypass.
14th Issue: Route B keeps four new traffic lights on Highway 40 between 900 North and River Road intersection.
- This means MORE gridlock and traffic stops from 1500 South to new 'College Way' intersection light / Potter Lane, especially as we wait for Bypass to be built.
15th Issue: UDOT did NOT do any traffic modeling on existing north Highway 40 under Route B at city's full build out.
- Likely that Main Street gridlock will continue north past 900 North with new lights.
- Before UDOT makes their FINAL DECISION they must model future traffic from 900 North to River Road on Highway 40 at full build out with the new density coming.
- Heber citizens will be stuck in traffic just trying to get to the Bypass going north to new College Way flyover.
- Route A makes existing Highway 40 free flowing from 900 North to River Road--no traffic lights.
- Route A would use on ramps and off ramps for cross streets--no gridlock with more traffic lights and more growth.
16th Issue: No one knows the cumulative effects on Water Quality & Quantity with Route B's high water table in the North Fields.
- The EIS does not say WHEN UDOT did the wetlands or water table testing.
- 2024-2025 were not high water years, so were the wetlands and water tables low during UDOT's field testing times?
November 5, 2025
Mayor Franco WINS City's General Election!
Thank you to all who voted in the November Election. I appreciate your support and will work hard to listen and represent your voice!
August 13, 2025
Mayor Franco WINS City's Primary Election!
Mayor Franco thanks all of the terrific Heber Neighbors who supported her in the Primary.
June 21, 2025
Heber City Mayor Heidi Franco Opens New Coyote Springs Park
On June 21, 2025, Mayor Heidi Franco opened the new Coyote Springs Park at 1651 North Ostler Peak Road, Heber City, UT; as the last event for Heber City’s Unity Week.
Mayor Franco proposed the park when the land was annexed years ago. Now it is an amazing place for you and your family!
Register to Vote at: https://secure.utah.gov/voterreg/index.html
More to Come!
I look forward to serving you this year and in the future! Thank you for caring about our Heber City!