Virgin adopts SR‑9 corridor management plan; council backs county underpass grant push

Virgin—s town council on Sept. 16 adopted a corridor management plan for State Route 9 and agreed to back a Washington County funding request for three pedestrian underpasses on Sheepridge Road, actions proponents said will help manage tourism near Zion National Park and improve safety for recreation users.

The plan, presented by consultant Wanda Maloney, is a voluntary, nonregulatory framework intended to guide management and visitor experience improvements along the SR‑9 corridor over the next five to 10 years and to position the route for an All‑American Road designation. "The plan is is voluntary. It's non regulatory. It doesn't impose anything," Maloney told the council during a slide presentation.

Why it matters: SR‑9 is already a state‑designated scenic byway and part of the corridor has federal recognition. Town officials said adopting the plan will let Virgin participate in coordinated marketing, signage and stewardship efforts and strengthen future grant applications. Council members also discussed using the plan to steer visitor flow away from overcrowded spots and toward underserved local businesses.

Details from the presentation and public comment: Maloney walked the council through the plan—s chapters, which cover resource inventories, visitor experience, roadway safety, stewardship and an action plan. She said the plan was prepared with input from communities along the route and outside consultants and that it can be used to seek funding but does not itself create regulatory requirements. She identified partners and consultants involved in drafting the plan and said it has already been adopted by other entities along the route.

Leslie Fomber, representing Greater Zion (the Washington County convention and tourism office), presented proposals tied to Sheepridge Road improvements and asked the council to sign a letter of support for a county grant application to the state—s outdoor recreation funding program. Fomber described a near‑term county road realignment that will straighten some curves on Sheepridge Road, noted the county intends to pave sections and said some utility work may occur at the same time. She asked the town to back Washington County—s request for funds to build three pedestrian underpasses that would be constructed with the road project or built concurrently to lower the cost and disturbance of retrofitting them later.

Fomber cited trail and road usage data: counters at two trailheads on the Sheepridge network recorded "86,000 plus counts" in nine months in 2024 at two trailheads combined, and other counters along Sheepridge recorded "over 305,000" vehicle counts on the road during a comparable period, figures she used to argue for safety improvements and off‑road trail connections.

Council action and next steps: The council voted to adopt a resolution supporting the corridor management plan (the resolution and plan will also be forwarded to the state as part of the designation process). Council members also authorized sending a letter of support to Washington County for the underpass funding request and directed staff to work with county representatives on next steps. Staff said the town sponsored the UDOT planning grant that paid for the corridor plan and that the grant funds and consultant invoices were drawn from the town—s PTIF account.

Public comment and council discussion touched on whether the plan can be used to obtain grant funding, what types of infrastructure (for example, pullouts and interpretive signage) might be eligible, and how Sheepridge improvements could be coordinated with future paved trail construction. Maloney and county representatives said the plan is intended to help communities apply for state and federal funds when available, but that specific funding streams and amounts are not guaranteed.

What—s next: The plan adoption will be forwarded to the state, and county staff said they will pursue outdoor recreation funds for the underpasses; the town will provide a letter of support and work with the county and the Greater Zion office as the project advances.