Cache County hears update on Western Corridor study and US‑89/8991 corridor concepts from UDOT and MPO

Cache County officials received a multi-part briefing on road planning for the valley’s western and primary east‑west corridors, including a newly funded Western Corridor study and a UDOT-led refresh of the US‑89/8991 corridor agreement.

The most immediate item is an 18‑month Western Corridor study, Public Works Director Matt Phillips said, funded in part by a $2 million appropriation obtained for Cache County. Phillips said phase one will last about six months to define scope, identify stakeholders and shape public engagement; “Phase one’s gonna last probably about 6 months,” he said.

Nut Graf: Officials said the studies are intended to preserve corridor options, guide future land‑use and transportation planning, and avoid costly retrofitting as valley growth continues.

UDOT’s revisit of the 2006 corridor study for US‑8991/US‑89 covers a broader area from Brigham City to Logan. Jeff Gilbert of the Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization summarized initial concepts the state is considering: possible long‑term grade‑separated interchanges at several locations (including Mount Pisgah Road/Highway 23, Wellsville/101, and Tenth West in Logan), variable speed limits for weather‑sensitive segments, shared-use paths and proactive access management to reduce driveway and signal conflicts. Gilbert noted the previous corridor agreement anticipated a 15‑year revisit.

Council members and staff discussed interim safety measures UDOT is proposing where interchange construction is not yet justified: a lower‑cost “R‑cut” (sometimes called a Michigan jug‑handle) to remove problematic left turns while longer‑term interchange planning proceeds. Phillips cautioned interchange construction can be expensive — on the order of $100 million to $150 million — and said UDOT will manage procurement and consultant contracting for the studies.

Ending: Officials said public engagement and environmental review will follow; the consultant is expected to receive notice to proceed on the Western Corridor phase one imminently and the public will have opportunities to comment as the studies proceed.