Midway open-space committee hears UDOT bypass choice, outlines conservation priorities and public outreach

The Midway Open Space Committee discussed the Utah Department of Transportations recently announced preferred bypass alternative and its possible effects on local traffic, wetlands and future land use, and set a timeline for community outreach and next steps for several conservation projects.

Chair (speaker 2) opened the meeting by summarizing UDOTs public materials and urging members and residents to review the agencys map, video and written data. "If you can get the map first, that might be the most helpful," the Chair said, noting the committee would not take a formal position but wanted to understand local impacts. Committee members said UDOTs preferred plan keeps three access points, will cross wetlands and would require mitigation; one member described mitigation ratios discussed in the briefing as likely ranging from 1:1 to as much as 3:1.

Members questioned whether the bypass would relieve local Main Street congestion. One committee member summarized UDOTs traffic rationale: the agencys counts show much of the heavy flow runs from Park City toward the Orem/Provo corridor; the committee pushed back, saying the plan appears to prioritize intercity traffic and provides limited local-relief projections. Several members also flagged freight and rail changes that could alter truck volumes but said UDOT provided scant data on that point.

Committee members emphasized timing and public participation: a committee member said the EIS is open for public comment until about March 9 and noted that UDOT must reply to comments but is not required to change the outcome. The Chair also reminded the group that two UDOT public open houses were scheduled in January for citizen comment.

The meeting quickly shifted to the committees conservation priorities. The Chair described three parcels of interest: a city-owned portion of Broody Hill (annexation and access complications); a parcel owned by the hamlet that was discussed as a potential habitat-improvement site or small public amenity; and Cemetery Ridge, a steep-sloped property constrained by the committees sensitive-lands rules. Committee members cited code limits tied to slopes greater than 25 percent, road-length and access restrictions and said these rules often make development, and therefore acquisition, complex.

Members discussed funding constraints and tactics for preserving smaller, strategic parcels while federal funding is less certain. The group reviewed the Land and Water Conservation Fund as a matching source and reiterated a typical leverage target the committee uses for projects; members said federal money has tightened and that will reduce leverage for some acquisitions. "Open space is very much supported in this community," an agency official attending the meeting said, adding the citys support would continue as the committee pursues projects.

The committee agreed to several next steps: request a targeted assessment of at least one high-priority parcel (members asked staff and volunteers to prepare slope and easement maps and to analyze access constraints); present an FYI briefing to Midway City Council in February (a tentative date of Feb. 17 was discussed); and hold a public open house in March with a mix of general plenary material and smaller-topic breakouts to explain the committees work, funding realities and opportunities for public input.

Members recorded short operational updates: the Center Street trail project was completed and the committee expects a reimbursement of roughly $750,000 in about three weeks; the committee also agreed to invite local nonprofit partners (Summitlands Conservancy and Utah Open Lands) to present at the February meeting.

The meeting included two formal votes on routine business: the committee approved the December minutes and later voted to adjourn. The Chair closed the session after assigning follow-ups on mapping, outreach planning and coordinating the February council briefing.

The committee encouraged residents to review UDOTs online materials for the bypass EIS and to consider submitting comments by the stated deadline; it also invited the public to the March open house, where the group plans to present maps and explain the committees funding approach.