Plans continue to move forward on a project that hopes to eliminate flooding events in downtown Vernal. The Vernal City Council approved a cooperative agreement with UDOT to begin design on the project during their Council meeting. They also approved moving forward with a $200,000 loan for Vernal City’s match for the project. UDOT committed almost half of the $2.6 million to update the downtown storm system and address flooding on Main Street. The Community Impact Board approved $1.2 million in grant funding towards the project as well as the $200,000 low-interest loan. The need for the project is due to events when storm water flows over the curbs, runs onto the sidewalks, and into downtown businesses. The project is being designed this spring and constructed during summer 2019 and involves replacement of the storm drain trunk line in Main Street from 900 West to 500 East and an overflow line at 100 South. Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion says the project aims to reduce or possibly eliminate the number of flooding events to downtown buildings.
