Council OKs UDOT permit application after developer presents Alpine Gateway concept

The Daniel Town Council voted July 6 to authorize staff to proceed with a Utah Department of Transportation access-permit application connected to a proposed commercial concept called Alpine Gateway.

Eric (town staff) told the council that filing the application moves the intersection into UDOT’s priority schedule; the application is the route by which the town seeks state action to construct a future signalized intersection on Highway 40 that would serve the Alpine Gateway area.

Jared Davis, representing the concept’s development team, described a flexible plan for roughly 6.5 acres of commercial frontage that could accommodate small retail, a gas station and, potentially, a hotel. "Our ambition is pure," Davis said, adding that the project aims to preserve rural character while adding tax base and services for highway users.

Council members questioned drive locations, how the road network would tie into existing streets, and truck/trailer circulation for fueling operations. The developer and staff said final intersection siting and curb cuts are UDOT decisions guided by spacing rules (including a referenced 350-foot spacing from existing accesses) and the town’s corridor preservation work. Staff said some alignments are application-driven and that UDOT will assess traffic counts and staging.

A motion to advance the UDOT application passed in a recorded vote, authorizing staff to pursue the permit and to continue coordination with UDOT and developers. The planning commission’s prior concept review and the commission’s buffer-zone work were referenced during discussion; the council did not approve any land-use entitlements or final engineering during the meeting.