TRUTHS

1. It Does NOT Fix Main Street Traffic

Traffic is real — but Option B is the wrong solution.

  • UDOT’s own data shows only 25–30% traffic reduction.

  • Most congestion is local, especially on the east side, and won’t shift to the bypass.

  • Trucks can’t be forced to use it, and many make local stops.

  • Similar towns saw traffic return as development followed the bypass.

A decade of construction for a few minutes saved is not a solution.

2. It Threatens Our Critical Drinking‑Water Aquifers

The North and South Fields are Class 1 aquifers — among the most important in Utah.

They supply drinking water to:

  • The Wasatch Back

  • Provo

  • Salt Lake

Building a major road over wetlands risks contamination from:

  • Oil and gas

  • Road salt

  • Runoff

  • Long‑term pollution from elevated structures

This land protects our water. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

3. It Permanently Destroys the North Fields — Essential Infrastructure, Not “Empty Land”

The North Fields are the valley’s heart and lungs. They provide:

  • Water filtration

  • Air cleansing and inversion protection

  • Generational agriculture, which will be taken through eminent domain

  • Wildlife habitat and wetlands

  • Tourism, scenery, and the identity of Heber Valley (blue ribbon fishing, open views, the reason people visit)

This is irreplaceable land. Option B trades it for negligible traffic relief.

4. It Is NOT a Fiscally Responsible Choice

Option B is  the most expensive and least effective option on the table.

Taxpayers pay twice:

  • First for the road itself

  • Then for the infrastructure, services, and long‑term maintenance required when development follows the bypass

Additional fiscal concerns:

  • Development costs more than it brings in: $1.50 in services for every $1 in taxes

  • Elevated roads, bridges, and wetland engineering dramatically increase long‑term costs

  • Tourism declines when the valley’s signature scenery is damaged

This is not responsible stewardship of public money.

5. It Accelerates High‑Density Development and Higher Taxes

A bypass doesn’t preserve open space — it invites development along its entire corridor.

  • Fields must be dried to build

  • High‑density growth follows new roads

  • Residents pay for new utilities, schools, emergency services, and road maintenance

  • Open space actually saves taxpayers money

If you don’t like the growth happening now, Option B makes it much worse.

6. It Harms Farmers and Generational Landowners

Option B forces families to give up land through eminent domain.

  • Hundreds of acres of farmland and grazing land lost

  • Water rights jeopardized

  • Farmers already lost $25+ million in grants when this route was proposed

This is a direct hit to the valley’s agricultural heritage.

7. It Creates Major Environmental and Construction Impacts

To cross wetlands, the road must be elevated, requiring:

  • Bridges

  • Overpasses

  • Long‑term structural maintenance

Construction brings:

  • Years of heavy trucks

  • Detours

  • Added congestion

  • Runoff that threatens soil, water, and wildlife

Shortcuts have consequences.

8. It Compromises Community Assets and Safety

Option B places a major highway next to:

  • The new high school

  • The Heber Valley Railroad

  • Key recreation and tourism areas

It risks student safety, harms local businesses, and undermines the valley’s character.

9. Many Drivers Still Won’t Use It

Even after construction:

  • East‑side residents won’t use the bypass

  • Visitors stop for gas, food, and trail access — they stay on Main

  • Can’t force large vehicles to use the bypass

A bypass that people don’t use is not a solution.

The Bottom Line

Option B sacrifices our water, farmland, scenery, tourism economy, and community identity — while failing to fix traffic and burdening taxpayers with enormous long‑term costs.

This land protects us. We protect it.
Say NO to Option B.
Save Our North Fields.