UDOT regional project manager Craig Hancock told local leaders Oct. 8 plans for the bypass are starting to accelerate.
“This is the furthest we’ve ever been in this process,” he said. “We’re nearing the milestone of releasing the draft EIS.”
That’s the draft environmental impact statement, a document that shows which bypass route UDOT plans to build and why. It will also include information about how the bypass will affect the environment and the community.
Hancock estimated the draft EIS will be published in the first or second week of December.
UDOT will then open a 60-day public comment period to gather community feedback. It’s the longest comment window allowed by law.
“We could maybe make some modifications based on the comments that are received,” Hancock said. “Also gives us a chance to make any corrections.”
Any clarifications or corrections will be added to the final EIS.
Hancock said UDOT hopes to hear focused comments about why residents like or dislike the route decision. The agency is also interested in any details it may have overlooked during its analysis.
He said UDOT will announce its public hearings in many ways, including emails, postcards, social media alerts and through the media. There will be online and in-person options.
Hancock said Wasatch County residents can expect public hearings to happen in the first or second week of January 2026.
UDOT is deciding between two possible routes for the bypass: one that cuts through the North Fields and one that keeps traffic on U.S. 40 until just north of downtown Heber.
