Active · Draft EIS comment period closed
U.S. 40 / Heber Valley corridor
UDOT’s environmental study covers US-40 from SR-32 to US-189. On January 7, 2026 the Draft EIS named Alternative B: leave US-40 at Potter Lane / College Way, cross the North Fields, and rejoin US-40 and US-189 south of town.
What people objected to
- Splitting North Fields farmland
- The Heber Valley aquifer, wetlands, and existing open-space bonds
- The valley’s agricultural views
The comment window ran January 9 through March 9, 2026. A January 30 open house drew about 200 people. The North Fields Irrigation Company and farmland owners opposed Alternative B.
What the councils sent
On March 10, 2026 the Wasatch County Council sent a letter, drafted by Erik Rowland, asking UDOT to shift Alternative B east, as close to U.S. 40 as possible. The letter supports a bypass and opposes that specific North Fields line. Heber’s council wrote in February about local traffic and safety. Midway asked for a line closer to the existing highway and more room for people walking.
In May 2026, reports said UDOT was looking at a modified Option B closer to the highway. A final EIS and a record of decision would still have to come before construction. Rowland’s recorded votes on the bypass and North Fields are on his record.