What Is Cedar City Adding to the South Cedar Interchange? Quick Answer
Cedar City would pay UDOT an estimated $1,476,986 to add a waterline replacement and new street lighting to the I-15 South Cedar Interchange project, under a cooperative agreement on the City Council's Wednesday, November 4, 2026, agenda. About $1.05 million is for an old 16-inch waterline that crosses I-15; $425,000 is for lighting on Main Street north of Cedar Boulevard and on Cedar Boulevard.
This report is based on the council packet posted to the Utah Public Notice Website. The outcome of the vote had not been posted when we checked on Nov. 5.
What Is in the Agreement?
| Item | Quantity | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| 30-inch steel casing | 486 ft | $267,786 |
| 16-inch ductile iron pipe, Class 50 | 2,690 ft | $753,200 |
| Combination air valves | 4 | $14,000 |
| Blow-off valves | 2 | $7,000 |
| 16-inch waterline connections | 2 | $10,000 |
| Highway lighting, Cedar Blvd and Main St | Lump sum | $425,000 |
| Total | $1,476,986 |
The agreement is for UDOT's I-15 South Cedar Interchange & Widening project. It says the figures are estimates and that the city pays the actual costs, due within 30 days of UDOT's invoice. UDOT will not add the work to its bid package until both sides sign, and the city must provide on-call engineering support and inspection for its items at no cost to the project.
Why Now?
City Engineer Kent Fugal's memo says the waterline budget has been discussed at earlier council meetings. The lighting includes fixtures from Phase 3 of the city's RDA-funded Main Street lighting improvements. The city took bids on that phase but did not award it, because the lights have to be installed at the same time as UDOT's roadway work. The package also adds some new lights on Cedar Boulevard.
What Else Was on the Nov. 4 Agenda?
- User fee study: hiring Willdan Financial Services, for up to $40,760, to study whether the city's user fees match the cost of providing services and to build an overhead cost allocation plan. Willdan scored highest of seven firms (542 of 600 points).
- Heritage Center fees: a reconsideration of fees, listed under the Red Acre Center. The packet we reviewed gave no figures.
- Iron Horse: a Cross Hollow Road zone change and development agreement, covered in our Iron Horse report.
- Airport hangar: ending a lease with Southern Utah University and signing a new one with 5BY5 Connections, LLC.
- Other items: a $64,887.63 vehicle water tank purchase, an Iron Springs lift station upsizing agreement with BZI Innovation Park, a personnel policy change and an ordinance adding procedures for uses not listed in the city's use table.
For more Cedar City coverage and things to do, see our Cedar City guide and the Cedar City events calendar.
What Is Not Yet Known?
- Whether the council approved the agreement and the other Nov. 4 items.
- UDOT's construction schedule for the interchange and when the waterline and lighting work would happen.
- What changes, if any, the council made to Heritage Center fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Cedar City paying UDOT for the South Cedar interchange?
The draft cooperative agreement estimates $1,476,986 for city-requested work: $1,051,986 to relocate and replace a 16-inch waterline under I-15 and $425,000 for lighting on Main Street and Cedar Boulevard. The city pays actual costs.
Why is Cedar City replacing a waterline at the South Cedar interchange?
The city engineer's memo says an old 16-inch waterline crosses I-15 there. Adding its replacement to UDOT's project lets it be done during interchange construction.
Why is Main Street lighting part of the UDOT project?
The lighting was bid as Phase 3 of the city's RDA-funded Main Street lighting but not awarded, because it has to be built at the same time as UDOT's road work. It now goes into UDOT's project instead.
Did the Cedar City Council approve the UDOT agreement?
The item was on the Nov. 4, 2026 agenda. Minutes and the outcome had not been posted when we checked on Nov. 5.
Sources: Cedar City Council agenda, Nov. 4, 2026; Cedar City Council packet, Nov. 4, 2026, including the UDOT cooperative agreement and staff memos
