UDOT intends to build a highway through part of Wasatch County’s North Fields to alleviate traffic in the valley.
It published a draft of its plans earlier this year, and now it’s making adjustments before finalizing the route.
Project manager Craig Hancock told the Wasatch County Council July 8 UDOT is still evaluating whether the highway should be shifted farther east, closer to U.S. 40.
“We did receive some additional funding through our transportation commission to look at an adjustment there and the work that we would need to do that,” he said. “We’re going to have to do some additional fieldwork and some additional traffic analysis.”
Evaluation criteria, such as how well the route meets traffic needs and how much it affects the community, will remain the same.
The agency is also working with the North Field Irrigation Company to examine ditches, farms and wetlands affected by the highway.
“Some of our team members met with them in the field [and] spent the morning going over some of the key historical features that they wanted to point out to us, focused primarily around historic ditches,” he said.
Councilmember Luke Searle thanked Hancock for listening to the community.
“You’re hearing us, which is exciting,” he said. “I just want to acknowledge that, and that this process is going in the right direction for us.”
He emphasized the community wants UDOT to consider the needs of working farms when designating wetlands for environmental mitigation.
UDOT staff will be in the valley over the next several months to map out the wetland areas.
The agency plans to publish its finalized route by the end of this year or early next year.
