Study Overview
The Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) mission is to keep Utah moving while enhancing quality of life through transportation improvements in our state. UDOT is conducting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate potential transportation solutions to improve mobility through the Heber Valley and the operation of U.S. 40.
Alternative Concepts and Public Meetings Information
UDOT has identified 13 alternative concepts that are under consideration in the EIS. Alternative concepts were developed using information from previous studies, public comments and traffic analysis conducted by the EIS project team. These alternative concepts will be evaluated in a multi-level screening process to determine which alternatives will be carried forward for detailed environmental analysis.
Study Area
The Heber Valley Corridor EIS project team will be working with the stakeholders to evaluate improvements to address and enhance mobility through the Heber Valley and improve the operation of Heber City Main Street (U.S. 40).
Through this process UDOT will develop transportation alternatives that could include a variety of solutions including reconfiguration of Main Street, improvements to other area roads, constructing new roads, and other options identified by the public.
Current Phase
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has identified 13 alternative concepts that are under consideration in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Alternative concepts were developed using information from previous studies, public comments and traffic analysis conducted by the EIS project team. These alternative concepts will be evaluated in a multi-level screening process to determine which alternatives will be carried forward for detailed environmental analysis.
West Bypass Alternatives
- Four alternative concepts for a western bypass have been developed. The primary differences between the alternatives are speed limit and connections to the local network (interchange or intersection locations). Three western bypass concepts generally follow the corridor that has been preserved by Heber City and Wasatch County; each of these has an option to realign U.S. 189. The fourth concept extends farther to the north, using roundabouts.
East Bypass Alternatives
- Three alternative concepts for an eastern bypass have been developed. The main differences between these concepts are speed limit and connections to the local network, either interchanges or intersections, and the connection locations. Two of the eastern bypass concepts would be parallel to 1200 East; the third would be on 1200 East (Mill Road).
Existing U.S. 40 Improvements
- Six concepts for improving U.S. 40 have been developed. These include widening, intersection improvements, tunneling/bridging, converting to a one-way couplet and utilizing reversible lanes between 500 North and 1200 South.
Public Comment
A 30-day public comment period began on October 5. UDOT is asking the community to comment on the range of alternatives, the criteria used to screen alternatives and identification of any social, economic, and environmental impacts. All concepts will be screened or eliminated from consideration based on how well they meet the project purpose & need and their potential impacts to key resources. Comments may be submitted until November 4 through the project website, email, public meetings, voicemail, or sending a letter to the address found in the Contact section. Mailed comments need to be postmarked by November 4.
The project team will collect all questions and comments submitted throughout the public comment period and group these according to commonly asked subjects. A frequently asked questions guide will be developed to address those subjects, which will be posted on the project website.
Study Process and Timeline
The anticipated project timeline outlines the phases to accomplish development of the Heber Valley Corridor EIS. Ongoing engagement with the public will take place during the estimated time periods to keep the community informed during the EIS.
Submit Comment
A 30-day comment period is open from October 5 through November 4, 2021. UDOT is asking the public to comment on the range of alternatives, the criteria used to screen or eliminate alternatives and identification of any social, economic, and environmental impacts. Comments may be submitted through the project website, email, public meetings, voicemail, or sending a letter to the address found in the Contact section.
The project team will collect all questions and comments submitted throughout the public comment period and group these according to commonly asked subjects. A frequently asked questions guide will be developed to address those subjects, which will be posted on the project website.
Comments provided to the project team will be reviewed and considered by UDOT as it develops the project. All comments received will be documented in the project record. The study team will contact you if they need additional information or clarification.
Comments provided during the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to UDOT are a matter of public record and subject to public release, if requested. For more information, see the Terms of Use at the bottom of the Utah.gov website.
Comments that are publicly displayed through online tools must follow our UDOT Social Media Policy Participant Code of Conduct. Comments that are unacceptable under that policy may be removed at the administrator’s discretion.
If you receive an error when trying to submit a comment, please refresh your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Environmental Impact statement
- An EIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for actions that could significantly affect the quality of the natural and human environments when there is a federal action (e.g., federal funding, federal permit or approval).
- Other studies, such as a corridor study, may identify a potential corridor or route for consideration and planning purposes. An EIS provides in-depth analysis of impacts to the natural and human environments for a range of alternatives. The EIS identifies a preferred alternative based on a comparison of potential benefits and associated impacts of each alternative evaluated in detail.
- In addition, an EIS provides decision-makers with the necessary information to make an informed decision on the anticipated benefits and impacts of the action.
- UDOT is the project sponsor and the lead agency on the EIS, responsible for things such as:
- Managing the process and resolving issues.
- Identifying and involving cooperating and participating agencies.
- Providing opportunities for public involvement in defining the purpose of and need for the project.
- Determining the range of alternatives and determining methodologies and the level of detail for the analysis of alternatives.
- As the lead agency, UDOT is responsible for the decision on the preferred alternative and whether to move forward with an action.
- UDOT has assumed the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) responsibilities under NEPA. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by UDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated January 17, 2017, and executed by FHWA and UDOT.
- Part of the process is engaging with cooperating and participating agencies, stakeholders and the public. UDOT will be engaging with all those groups in various ways.
- A cooperating agency is an agency or tribe, other than a lead agency, that has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved in a proposed project or project alternative. A state or local agency of similar qualifications may, by agreement with the lead agency, become a cooperating agency.
- A participating agency is a federal, state, tribal, regional, or local government agency that might have an interest in the project.
- Key stakeholders are audiences that are integral to achieving the study’s objectives and goals. The range of stakeholders may be expanded as the study develops.
- Air quality
- Residential and commercial property impacts
- Economic development
- Hazardous materials
- Historic structures
- Land use
- Noise
- Potential construction impacts
- Social (e.g., emergency services, neighborhood unity and community character)
- Wildlife and threatened and endangered species
- Wetlands
- Safety
- Bicycle and pedestrian access
- Business and residential access
- Complex utility relocations
- Economic development plans
- Regional mobility
- Regional growth
- School walking routes
- Transit
- Travel delay and congestion
- Freight movement
- UDOT conducts planning studies early in the project development process to help determine if there is a need to progress a project into the environmental stage. It also helps UDOT identify potential issues to better understand a project before moving it forward.
- One purpose of planning studies is to preserve corridors in rapidly-developing areas. However, corridor preservation does not predetermine the outcome of the EIS process but does allow local jurisdictions some level of future planning.
- In addition, the preliminary study helped UDOT build stakeholder relationships and learn stakeholder needs.
- Conducting a planning study also allowed UDOT to clearly identify a need for further environmental study and inform that study of key issues and recommendations.
Public Involvement
- The EIS project team encourages public involvement throughout each phase of the study and will consider public input in developing the EIS as well as to support the decision-making process.
- This EIS will feature a robust public process, including formal public comment periods, public meetings, solicitation of public input, email updates and notifications, and project information shared on social media channels and the project website.
- Preferred alternatives are not determined based on the amount of positive or negative comments received.
- Commenting is not a vote on an alternative or action, but a way for the public to provide the project team with information for consideration in the NEPA decision-making process.
- Decisions will be made by following the process, utilizing best available data including public input.
- Comments received outside of the Draft EIS formal comment period will be documented in the project record but will not be formally responded to or included in the Final EIS.
- Only responses to comments made during the Draft EIS formal comment period will be included in the Final EIS.
- Social media discussions are not part of the official EIS record, but they provide insightful information and help the team make the most informed transportation decisions for the Heber Valley study area.
- Outside of the formal NEPA public comment periods, the EIS team will update the public on the current status of the project and provide notice when new information will be available.
- Preferred alternatives are not determined based on the amount of positive or negative comments received.
- Commenting is not a vote on an alternative or action but a way for the public to provide the project team with information for consideration in the NEPA decision-making process.
- Decisions will be made by following the process, utilizing best available data including public input.
- Comments received outside of the Draft EIS formal comment period will be documented in the project record but will not be formally responded to or included in the Final EIS.
- Only responses to comments made during the Draft EIS formal comment period will be included in the Final EIS.
- Social media discussions are not part of the official EIS record, but they provide insightful information and help the team make the most informed transportation decisions for the Heber Valley study area.
- As the EIS progresses, the project team will update the public on the current status of the project and provide notice when new information will be available.
Contact Us
For more information on the environmental study underway in the Heber Valley and to share your ideas, please contact the project team through one of the ways listed below.
