Midway Council endorses county letter urging UDOT to realign Route B of Heber Valley Corridor

Midway City Council voted 5-0 on March 6 to endorse a Wasatch County letter urging the Utah Department of Transportation to realign Route B of the proposed Heber Valley Corridor.

Wasatch County Council Member Erik Rowland presented the draft letter to Midway elected officials, saying the document was intended as fact-based feedback to UDOT and would not carry legal weight. Rowland outlined priorities including protection of water quality in the North Fields, historic‑preservation, conserving open space and working lands, consolidating infrastructure within existing corridors, and improving pedestrian safety. He said the county had modified its draft to avoid presenting a mapped alignment as a finalized study and recommended local leaders work together to identify alternatives. “We do not want to be adversarial,” Rowland said, and urged unity to increase the community’s influence with UDOT.

The council and attendees discussed likely local impacts if the corridor were built as currently proposed. Officials noted that an elevated highway could alter the area’s rural character and that much of the traffic on Heber Main Street originates locally. Participants emphasized protecting the North Fields aquifer; meeting minutes record concern that the aquifer’s water quality could be compromised if the corridor is sited improperly. Rowland said UDOT is obligated to respond to comment submissions and that the agency would close Southfield Road as part of its chosen alignment, and that easements with the North Fields Irrigation Company would be needed where the route crosses irrigation facilities. He also said the final environmental impact statement was expected by the summer of 2026 and that construction was likely to occur after the Winter Olympics.

Public commenters asked Midway to coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions and civic groups. Courtland Nelson, chair of the Midway Open Space Advisory Committee, encouraged partnership with Heber City officials and urged consideration of east–west alternatives. Linda Middleton, a member of The Friends of Heber Valley, said she and other residents were prepared to help circulate written comments to UDOT and asked whether wildlife crossings might be needed. Another attendee noted UDOT had funded unrelated local projects and asked how that fit with the corridor planning.

Council Member JC Simonsen moved to support the letter as presented and to have each council member sign it; Council Member Andy Garland seconded the motion. The council approved the motion with Council Members Garland, Lisa Orme, Andrew Osborn, Kevin Payne and JC Simonsen voting aye. The minutes state the letter was to be signed and submitted the following Monday.

The action is procedural endorsement of the county’s requested changes and does not change UDOT’s official route selection or the federal/state environmental review; according to Rowland, further influence would come from coordinated, fact-based comments and, if necessary, legal processes. The council adjourned at 1:08 p.m.