New traffic signal timing aims to ease Heber City Main Street congestion

Looking south along Main Street from 500 North in Heber City, Utah. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

HEBER CITY, Utah — Drivers on Heber City Main Street may have noticed changes to traffic signal timing this summer, as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has implemented adjustments aimed at improving traffic flow and pedestrian safety.

According to Heber City engineer Russ Funk, the changes follow a UDOT-commissioned signal timing study completed in March in response to ongoing congestion concerns. The adjustments are designed to prioritize northbound traffic in the morning, balanced flow at midday, and southbound traffic in the afternoon.

Other improvements include:

• Longer pedestrian crossing times at 100 South, Center Street, and 500 North.

• Timing adjustments near schools at 600 South and 1200 South to ease pick-up and drop-off congestion.

• Better balance for left turns and side street traffic, while still prioritizing Main Street’s higher volumes.

• Reduced likelihood of being stopped at consecutive traffic lights in the prioritized direction.

Funk emphasized to the Heber City Council that the changes are intended to make minor operational improvements, not solve Main Street’s traffic challenges entirely. “There’s only so much you can do,” he said. “The bypass is going to be the best thing we can do to fix traffic, but these will make minor improvements. I’m interested to see what happens when school starts.”