The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will unveil its draft environmental impact statement for the Heber Valley bypass on January 7. This announcement will detail UDOT's preferred alternative for the bypass and outline the environmental impacts associated with both proposed routes. The development of this statement has been ongoing since early 2020. The primary aim of the bypass is to alleviate traffic congestion on Heber City's Main Street. In March, UDOT narrowed down the potential options from five to two. The two alternatives focus on the area between Potters Lane and 900 North. Alternative A proposes to maintain traffic flow on U.S. 40, while Alternative B suggests a route through the North Fields. Environmental assessments indicate that Alternative B could affect 51 acres of canals, ditches, perennial streams, and wetlands, compared to approximately 22 acres for Alternative A. Additionally, Alternative B would require fewer property acquisitions—10 properties compared to 22 for Alternative A—and is estimated to be $6.5 million cheaper, totaling $590.4 million for Alternative A. The release of the draft environmental impact statement has faced several delays. A recent hold-up in the fall postponed its release from December to January, allowing UDOT officials to complete a necessary technical review. Following the announcement of UDOT's preferred bypass route, a 60-day public comment period will commence on January 9 and conclude on March 9. Once the draft statement is available, UDOT will provide information on how to access the materials and submit public comments through various channels, including their study website, emails, community newsletters, social media, and mailed postcards. The project team will present the draft environmental impact statement in a Wasatch County Council work session at 4 p.m. on January 14, followed by a presentation at the Heber City Council work session at 4 p.m. on January 20. UDOT will also hold two public meetings: a virtual session on January 27 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., where comments will not be taken, and an open house at the Wasatch High School library on January 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., allowing for public interaction and comment collection. Residents interested in speaking during the second public hearing are encouraged to register in advance. Detailed instructions will be provided after the draft environmental impact statement is published. Comments can also be submitted online, via phone, or through email. UDOT requests that comments include specific concerns and supporting evidence. Upon completion of the public comment period, UDOT will review the feedback and potentially adjust the proposal before releasing a final environmental impact statement that will finalize the route and outline responses to public comments. After the final statement is published, construction on the bypass can commence.