UDOT narrows US‑40 planning to two grade‑separated alternatives; Daniel officials seek traffic‑calming protections

UDOT project staff presented an updated alternatives screening April 7 for the US‑40 corridor between SR‑32 and US‑189, telling Daniel Town Council that a revised travel demand model and projected growth required focusing on grade‑separated “free‑flow” options. UDOT said two free‑flow alternatives advanced to the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS).

Craig Hancock, UDOT project manager, said the most recent travel demand model showed significantly more traffic than earlier forecasts, driven mainly by new development to the north and east of Heber City. The increased projected volumes prompted the agency to add free‑flow (grade‑separated) variants to previously considered at‑grade alternatives; UDOT ultimately eliminated options that realigned US‑189 through the sewer‑field area because they provided no net regional mobility benefit, increased impacts and would have raised costs and potential right‑of‑way needs.

UDOT said the two alternatives now carried forward are: Alternative A (adds grade separations and improvements on the existing north‑40 corridor, with interchanges at key crossroads), and Alternative B (a bypass through the Northfields area with interchanges near Potter Lane/College Way and at SR‑32). Project staff said grade separation produced 30–50% better travel times in modelling and would shift more regional truck traffic to the new facility rather than Main Street.

Council members asked how proposed routing would affect local roads in Daniel, particularly whether the existing 189 alignment would remain in place and whether 3000 South would see increased cut‑through traffic. UDOT confirmed that existing local roads would remain; in some alternatives the existing segment of US‑189 would function as a local road with jurisdiction reverting to local authorities (Heber or Wasatch County) and would no longer carry regional through traffic. UDOT said it could not unilaterally decide route designation changes — that decision rests with the Federal Highway Administration and later coordination among state and local jurisdictions.

Daniel officials pressed UDOT on whether the agency would support local traffic‑calming measures to discourage drivers from using 3000 South as an alternative. UDOT said it would raise the concern with regional staff and the Mountainland Association of Governments; the agency noted it is not the final authority on some local funding or B‑ and C‑road requirements but agreed to refer the request to its regional operations/planning staff.

UDOT said it will release a draft EIS in the fall that identifies a preferred alternative; a final record of decision and funding prioritization would follow. Project staff said moving to a free‑flow routing now helps future‑proof the corridor and reduce long‑term impacts associated with retrofitting grade separations later.

UDOT presenters on the project included Craig Hancock (project manager), Susan (environmental manager), Sarah Rygaard (consultant) and communications staff; Hancock encouraged the council and residents to review the alternative screening report posted on UDOT’s project website and engage during the DEIS comment period.

Next steps: UDOT will continue environmental analysis, release the draft EIS this fall, and identify a preferred alternative; local leaders asked UDOT to evaluate support for traffic calming on 3000 South and report back.