The bypass has been under discussion for decades as a way to pull highway traffic away from Heber’s downtown and ease congestion in the valley.
But rapid growth stymied UDOT’s planning. Leaders admitted last month they’d taken so long to make a decision that none of its five proposals could meet Wasatch County’s needs without adjustments.
Now, UDOT says it’s ready to try again. At a Wasatch County Council meeting Wednesday, Nov. 13, regional project director Craig Hancock said the agency is pursuing a “very aggressive schedule” to bring a bypass to the Heber Valley at last.
“We understand the urgency here and want to move through this process as quickly as possible, still maintaining the integrity of the process and still valuing the input from the community,” he said.
He said UDOT hopes to update the route options by spring 2025 and publish a final decision by the following year.
“We’re tentatively thinking we could finish the final EIS with the record of decision by early spring of 2026,” he said.
Hancock is referring to an environmental impact statement, the process UDOT uses to figure out how construction could affect nearby homes and businesses, wildlife and land, safety, travel speeds and more. That study shapes which route UDOT chooses.
The agency started the EIS process for the Heber Valley bypass back in spring 2022, when it announced five possible routes west of U.S. 40. But Hancock said a study this year showed a roughly 30% increase in traffic on U.S. 40 north of Heber and a 10% increase on Main Street. He said the higher traffic levels forced UDOT to reevaluate its options.
On Wednesday, Hancock told the Wasatch County Council UDOT’s priorities remain the same: improving mobility locally and around the region, promoting active transportation, and allowing Heber to develop its historic town center.
Councilmember Erik Rowland asked whether the county’s priorities could be added to UDOT’s list of considerations. He quoted the county’s vision statement.
“That third bullet point, ‘Allow Heber City to meet their vision for the historic town center,’” he said. “Is it possible to include a fourth bullet point that would outline kind of what we’re hoping to achieve as a county? ‘We are dedicated to honoring and protecting the heritage and rural character of our community.’”
Councilmember Luke Searle agreed UDOT should listen to county residents. He pointed to some locals’ recent efforts to create a town in the North Fields, an attempt to have a say in the bypass process.
“They know specifically what would have less impact or more impact on farming and the waterways,” he said.
Councilmembers have consistently said they want to preserve the North Fields. But routes that go through that agricultural land are still on the table.
Hancock said UDOT is not drawing new route options from scratch. Instead, it will enhance existing designs to meet higher traffic demands.
“Changes in terms of width and the way we make connections to south U.S. 40, north U.S. 40, and U.S. 189 will also be adjusted a little bit as we move forward,” he said.
Those changes could include widening U.S. 40 to three lanes in each direction from 900 North to River Road.
Another possibility is grade separation – for example, creating overpasses at some intersections so traffic wouldn’t need to stop.
UDOT will share the same updates on its timeline with the Heber City Council at its meeting Tuesday, Nov. 19.
More information about the bypass route selection process is available on UDOT's website for the project.
