Hyde Park’s Wolfpack Way extension goes to public hearing; annexation and roundabout plans prompt questions

Cache County held a public hearing Tuesday on a proposed extension of Wolfpack Way that would continue the existing road from Center Street in Hyde Park north through unincorporated Cache County toward 4400 North. The project is being advanced by Hyde Park and requires County acknowledgement because portions of the proposed work lie in unincorporated territory.

Matt Phillips, Cache County Public Works Director, explained the county's role: Hyde Park had proposed the project and the county must hold a hearing so the city can include the county in its COG funding application. Hyde Park's portion of the corridor has received previous CMPO funding for engineering and right-of-way; Hyde Park is not asking the county for construction match funds on the portion it is submitting but is asking the county to be a sponsor so the entire corridor can be improved in a coordinated way.

Hyde Park’s engineer, Josh Nelson of Sunrise Engineering, answered public questions about intersections and future roundabouts. Nelson said there is a proposed roundabout north of the airport (a future phase) but no roundabout at 400 North in the current phase. He confirmed the project aligns with the CMPO regional transportation plan and with Hyde Park’s transportation master plan.

Public comments included support for connectivity and public transit and requests for coordination with Smithfield. Jim Marshall, appearing as a Smithfield Planning Commission member (not representing the commission), encouraged interlocal coordination and urged transit planning to avoid concentrated transit-poverty effects in higher-density development along the corridor. One property owner who had applied for annexation, represented in a letter, indicated no objection to Hyde Park routing the road through his property.

Council members and staff also discussed an annexation application that would move some segments into Hyde Park and noted that portions of the corridor would remain unincorporated and fall under county maintenance unless annexation is completed. Phillips said CMPO has already provided roughly $1.0 million toward engineering for the corridor and that construction would likely be staged, with COG-funded phases submitted separately.

No council vote was required at the hearing; staff will provide a letter of support and coordinate with Hyde Park and CMPO as the city prepares the formal COG application. The county’s formal sponsorship or support letter will be decided before Hyde Park submits its application in August.