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Wikipedia

Interstate 70 in Utah

Interstate 70 (I-70) is a mainline route of the Interstate Highway System in the United States connecting Utah and Maryland. The Utah section runs east–west for approximately 232 miles (373 km) across the central part of the state. Richfield is the largest Utah city served by the freeway, which does not serve or connect any urban areas in the state. The freeway was built as part of a system of highways connecting Los Angeles and the Northeastern United States. I-70 was the second attempt to connect southern California to the east coast of the United States via central Utah, the first being a failed attempt to construct a transcontinental railroad. Parts of that effort were reused in the laying out of the route of I-70.

Interstate 70

I-70 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by UDOT
Length231.673 mi[1] (372.842 km)
Existed1957[2]–present
Major junctions
West end I-15 near Cove Fort
Major intersections
East end I-70 / US 6 / US 50 at Colorado state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountiesMillard, Sevier, Emery, Grand
Highway system
  • Utah State Highway System
SR-68 SR-71

Unlike most Interstate Highways, much of I-70 in Utah was not constructed parallel to or on top of an existing U.S. Route. Portions of I-70 were constructed in areas where previously there were no paved roads. Because it was built over an entirely new route, I-70 has many features that are unique in the Interstate Highway System. For example, the 110 miles (180 km) between Green River and Salina makes up the longest distance anywhere in the Interstate Highway System with no motorist services. This same piece is noted as the longest highway in the United States built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway, and the longest piece of Interstate Highway to open at a given time. The construction of the Utah portion of I-70 is listed as one of the engineering marvels of the Interstate Highway System.

The choice of the route had a significant impact on the character and culture of the Sevier Valley. It has also been a motivating factor for environmentalists to create a new national park along the path of the highway to protect scenic areas around the route. I-70 from Green River to Grand Junction, Colorado, is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, making I-70 one of the few Interstate Highways to be named a National Scenic Byway. Attractions listed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway on or near I-70 include, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, Goblin Valley State Park, Ruby Canyon, and Westwater Canyon. The designation lists several side roads branching from I-70 that lead to dinosaur bones or footprints.

Route description

I-70 begins at a trumpet interchange with I-15, near Cove Fort. It then proceeds east over the Pahvant Range, cresting at Clear Creek Summit with an elevation of 7,180 feet (2,190 m).[3] The eastern descent from the Pavant range features bridges high above Clear Creek and its side canyons. The longest of these bridges is the Fish Creek bridge at 1,180 feet (360 m) long.[4] The descent into Clear Creek features a brake check area and runaway truck ramp to aid truckers down the steep slope.[1] The freeway then skirts the edge of Fremont Indian State Park and Museum before entering Sevier Valley.

Sevier Valley

I-70 serves as the main thoroughfare of the valley, the only area traversed by the freeway in the state with more than a few hundred residents. Richfield is the largest city along I-70 in the state.[5] The highway enters the valley just north of Big Rock Candy Mountain, a mountain named for a song attributed to Harry McClintock.[6] The highway proceeds northeast along the western edge of the valley, passing to the west of the communities of the valley, including Joseph, Monroe, Elsinore, and Richfield. As I-70 approaches Salina, it cuts across the valley passing to the south of that town. The highway avoids the downtown areas of all of these cities.[7] The portion between Richfield and Salina is the busiest, with an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 11,535 vehicles in 2006.[8] In the Sevier Valley, I-70 was built parallel to U.S. Route 89 (US-89); both highways now run concurrently between exit 23 (US-89 south to Marysvale and Panguitch) and exit 56 in Salina.

Wasatch Plateau

 
I-70 routed through Spotted Wolf Canyon

At Salina, US-50 joins I-70, and the two highways run concurrent for the rest of the way through Utah. After leaving exit 56 in Salina, I-70 departs on a 104-mile (167 km) course to the first Green River offramp, exit 160. Though there are a number of exits in between the two cities, this is the longest distance in the Interstate Highway System with no motorist services directly along the highway.[9] The route to Green River crosses two major geographic obstacles, the Wasatch Plateau and the San Rafael Swell.[10]

I-70 ascends the Wasatch Plateau via Salina Canyon. The top of the canyon is the highest point of any of Utah's Interstate Highways, although the elevation differs from source to source. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has listed the elevation at 7,923 feet (2,415 m) and 7,886 feet (2,404 m).[7][11] Other maps have listed the figure 7,980 feet (2,430 m).[12] At least one map has given this point a name, Emigrant Pass.[13] This portion of I-70 is on protected lands as part of Fishlake National Forest.[1] The freeway exits the Wasatch Plateau at Fremont Junction, the name of the junction of I-70 with State Route 10 (SR-10).

San Rafael Swell

Between Fremont Junction and the junction of SR-24 near Green River, I-70 crosses a geologic feature called the San Rafael Swell. The construction of the freeway through the swell is listed as one of the engineering marvels of the Interstate Highway System, with one engineer claiming this section as "one of the most significant highway construction feats of its time".[2] The construction of I-70 through the swell required boring through many solid rock canyons, cliffs, and mountains.[14] The swell is noted for its sheer canyons and rock formations and is home to a large amount of exposed dinosaur remains. This includes the largest known collection of Jurassic-period dinosaur remains at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry at the north end of the swell.[15]

 
I-70 crossing Eagle Canyon inside the San Rafael Swell

The highway ascends the western edge of the swell on a steady slope loosely following the north rim of Devils Canyon. At the top of the grade is a view area with a view of Devils Canyon and an overlook of the country west of the swell.[10] It then crosses Eagle Canyon via a pair of steel arch bridges. The eastbound bridge is 489 feet (149 m) long,[16] and the westbound bridge is 523 feet (159 m) long.[17]

The highway then ascends Ghost Rock Summit, the highest point for I-70 inside the swell. At the summit is another view area overlooking the Little Grand Canyon of the San Rafael River.[10] The summit is named for unusual rock formations nearby. The Ghost Rocks themselves are at 7,405 feet (2,257 m), although the freeway is slightly lower.[10] I-70 meanders through a relatively flat portion of the swell until reaching Spotted Wolf Canyon, which provides the exit route to the swell. The eastern descent features one brake check area and two runaway truck ramps to aid trucks down.[1] About halfway down is a view area of the canyon narrowing as it approaches the eastern escarpment of the swell, the San Rafael Reef. Just as the highway exits the swell, it passes to the north of Goblin Valley State Park. The highway exits the swell near Green River.

Book Cliffs

 
A sign reading, "Next services on I-70 110 miles [180 km]", near Green River

West of Green River, US-6 and US-191 join I-70. Also at Green River, the freeway reaches the southern edge of the Book Cliffs, a mountain range which I-70 follows to Grand Junction, Colorado. This portion of I-70 is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, recognized as a scenic byway by both the National Scenic Byways and Utah Scenic Byways programs.[18][19] Listed attractions along the byway in the Green River area include Crystal Geyser, Capitol Reef National Park, and Green River State Park.

 
Looking west on I-70 across Sagers Flat

From this point east, the freeway is routed across a flat area between the Book Cliffs and the Colorado River, called Sagers Flat.[10] Along the way, it passes by the towns of Crescent Junction, Thompson Springs, and Cisco. Natural features visible from this portion include Arches National Park and Castle Valley. Other listed attractions along the byway near this section include Canyonlands National Park and various areas with Morrison Formation, a layer of rock where dinosaur remains are common.[20] I-70, US-6, and US-50 all enter Colorado concurrently. Where I-70 follows the Book Cliffs, it was built parallel to or on top of US-6/US-50.[7]

History

Old Spanish Trail

The first route through this portion of Utah was the Old Spanish Trail, a trade route between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California. The trail was in common use before the Mexican–American War in 1848.[21] Although the trail serves a different route than I-70, they were both intended to connect Southern California with points further east. I-70 generally parallels the route of the Old Spanish Trail west of Crescent Junction. I-15 south of the junction with I-70 also generally parallels the trail.[22]

Transcontinental railroads

The first attempt to build a modern trade route through the area is credited to William Jackson Palmer, founder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RG). Palmer started a project in 1880 to make what had been a local railroad from Colorado into a transcontinental railroad empire. This would mean a second transcontinental railroad would be built across Utah. This would also place the D&RG in competition with the first transcontinental railroad, then operated by the Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad.[23]

 
The San Rafael Reef as seen from I-70

Disagreements in the company led to two proposals. Both proposals called for extending the railroad west from Colorado as far as what is now Green River. West of Green River, a "northern route" would extend the railroad towards Ogden, Utah, there connecting with the established Overland Route. This proposal was eventually completed as the Utah Division, loosely following the route of modern US-6 across eastern Utah. This line soon became the main line of the D&RG and remains one of the main transcontinental rail arteries of the US, now operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as the Central Corridor.[24]

The second proposal was a "southern route" that would continue due west from Green River and head toward Los Angeles, similar to the route of modern I-70. This proposal would require extending the railroad farther west, to connect with what would become the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.[25]

 
Inside the San Rafael Swell

Due to disagreements in management and poor communication, construction began on both routes. It was soon obvious that the southern route was unfeasible given the remote area, technology available at the time, and the rough terrain of the San Rafael Swell. In 1883, the D&RG spent $217,470 (equivalent to $5.49 million in 2021[26]) on the project before declaring it a failure. One of the accounts in the book Utah Ghost Rails states the railroad fired the lead surveyor, even though the workers had graded a path past the San Rafael Reef.[25] This route today is a jeep trail. According to a sign placed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), had the southern route succeeded, it would have been the shortest transcontinental railroad in the US.[25]

Construction resumed in 1901 on a portion of the southern route, to build a spur line to service coal mines on the Wasatch Plateau. The railroad branched from an existing line at Salina and traveled east up Salina Canyon. After the mines closed, the railroad bed was used to improve SR-10, between Salina and Fremont Junction. I-70 would later use the railroad bed for a path across the Wasatch Plateau.[25]

Planning

By the time the Interstate Highway System was in the planning stages, no paved road had yet entered the San Rafael Swell.[27] The established highway through the area was US-6/US-50 which, like the railroad, entered Utah from Colorado and turned north around the swell.[12]

 
Eagle Canyon as seen from I-70

As first proposed in 1956, the western terminus of I-70 was Denver, Colorado.[2] Officials from Colorado pressured the federal government to extend the plans for I-70 further west. After several discussions with Utah officials, Utah supported an extension that would follow US-6/US-50 (now US-6), to connect with I-15 at Spanish Fork. This proposal would connect the Salt Lake City area with Denver. While accepting the Colorado/Utah proposal, federal planners also decided to show a modified proposal, with the terminus of I-70 at Cove Fort, to planners at the Department of the Army. The planners opposed the extension to Salt Lake but felt the modified proposal would benefit the US Army by providing a better connection to southern California. The new route would shorten the distance between Los Angeles and Denver by about 200 miles (320 km). The route to Cove Fort was approved on October 18, 1957. A general announcement was made, with no prior notice given to Utah officials of the modification. The commissioner of the Bureau of Public Roads later admitted that the lack of notice was intentional, fearing infighting if the bureau did not announce a final decision.[2]

A state historian stated the news hit Utah "like a bombshell". Except for the officials in Utah that represented the area, most opposed a freeway that would serve no populated areas in the state. The route was mocked as a public relations blunder and a "road to nowhere".[2][9] Utah officials attempted to revert plans to their preferred alternative but later resigned to construct I-70 on the federally selected route. Governor George Dewey Clyde concluded, "Utah had no choice but to accept the Cove Fort routing, or have none at all."[2] Even attempts to route the freeway slightly north, to serve more cities in Emery County, were blocked. Federal planners insisted the freeway pass Green River on a southwest course and not turn north.[2] Even today, there is no direct Interstate link between Salt Lake City and Denver. Motorists must choose between the two lane routes (US-6 or US-40) or detour on I-80 through Wyoming.[28]

Construction

 
Some noncontiguous portions of I-70 were temporarily signed as SR-4.

With the plans for I-70 extended, a transcontinental route would again be attempted across the San Rafael Swell. The area west of Green River was so remote that survey crews followed wild horses with jeeps to survey parts of the route. According to a story told at the highway's dedication by an engineer who surveyed the highway, his group was approached by a sheep rancher and asked what they were doing. The rancher fell over laughing when he was told they were building a freeway.[29]

The survey crew did not use the route of the railroad past the San Rafael Reef. However, they did use the route of the railroad across the Wasatch Plateau. The construction crews destroyed two of four tunnels when the bed was widened for the freeway. The two remaining tunnels are visible just south of the freeway and are used by a frontage road.[25]

Some noncontiguous portions of I-70 over the Pavant Range and Wasatch Plateau were temporarily signed as SR-4.[3] The portion over the San Rafael Swell opened to traffic in 1970, finally making the Utah portion of I-70 a drivable route.[2]

I-70 was dedicated on December 5, 1970, at the Ghost Rocks view area inside the swell, even though it would take another 20 years to fully complete the freeway.[2] At the ceremony, the mayors of cities recently made neighbors, including Grand Junction, Colorado, introduced themselves. Then-Governor Cal Rampton noted that I-70 was the longest road the US had built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway, during World War II. It was also noted this was the longest piece of the Interstate Highway System to open at a given time.[2]

 
Goblin Valley State Park just south of I-70

Initially only two lanes, now the eastbound lanes, through the swell were constructed. The official highway map for Utah noted the new freeway but qualified its existence with the words "two lanes open".[3]

The Utah portion of I-70 was not completed to Interstate Highway standards until 1990, when the second Eagle Canyon bridge was dedicated. A second dedication ceremony was held at the bridge declaring the Utah portion of I-70 complete. Archie Hamilton, one of three engineers who worked for UDOT long enough to see I-70 progress from conception to completion, said the most memorable moment was seeing the excavation at Spotted Wolf Canyon. He said before construction began, he could stand in one spot and touch both sides of the canyon. To carve the first eight miles (13 km) through the canyon required excavating 3,500,000 cubic yards (2,700,000 m3) of rock. In 1990, it was estimated construction cost for the San Rafael Swell portion was $388 million (equivalent to $722 million in 2021[26]); $105.5 million in 1970 (equivalent to $577 million in 2021[26]) to build the first two lanes and $78 million in 1990 (equivalent to $145 million in 2021[26]) to construct the rest.[29][30] At the 1970 dedication, it was noted the cost of land acquisition helped to offset the cost of the massive excavation. UDOT acquired the right of way to build the majority of I-70 from the BLM at the lowest cost per mile of any highway in Utah.[2]

Effect on rural Utah

In 2002, the Salt Lake Tribune interviewed the mayor of Richfield about the change I-70 brought to the Sevier Valley. Previously, these were isolated farming communities, whose residents felt they were unaccustomed to the crime and other effects that a transcontinental highway can bring. Residents of Richfield soon started to call I-70 "Cocaine Lane". The mayor stated that I-70 is a mixed blessing. He stated the highway is a boon to the hospitality industry and has made Richfield more accessible to other cities. However, the new road brought types of crime previously unknown to the city. The mayor lamented that after the completion of I-70, many residents started locking their doors for the first time. The interview resulted from an event that served as a "wake-up call", that rural Utah is "not isolated from crime". Panic ensued after the public witnessed Utah Highway Patrol troopers carrying away a suspect in handcuffs while removing plastic bags and coolers full of body parts from the trunk of his car. The event caused a frenzy of people checking on their neighbors, fearing the murder victims were local residents.[31] In 2007, there were 11 violent crimes in Sevier County,[32] a county of 19,386 residents.[33]

Green River is the largest and only incorporated city directly served by I-70 in eastern Utah.[5][10] Unlike the communities of the Sevier Valley, Green River was founded as a stopover for travelers along transcontinental arteries. The area was first used as a stopover for travelers navigating the Green River. Later, the town was formed to serve travelers along the Old Spanish Trail and stagecoach mail routes. Green River was an established stopover by the time the railroad and later highways were built through the area.[34]

Effect on the San Rafael Swell

 
Desert overlook from I-70

Before the construction of I-70, the San Rafael Swell was relatively inaccessible and not well known or explored. There were, however, a few efforts to protect the swell as early as 1935.[27] Since the construction of the freeway, the number of visitors to the swell has increased significantly, as the swell can now be accessed by automobile.[27] As such, several groups are increasing efforts for protected status of the area, via national park, national monument, or wilderness designation.

A major push occurred in 2002 when officials from Emery County, joined by Utah governor Mike Leavitt, petitioned President George W. Bush to use the authority of the Antiquities Act and create a San Rafael Swell National Monument.[35] This effort lost momentum after the governor promised to honor the wishes of Emery County residents via a nonbinding referendum, which did not pass.[36] Common reasons given by residents for opposing the designation included fear of the federal government restricting access and a repetition of events that occurred with the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. This monument was established in 1996 by President Bill Clinton. In that case, the monument was proposed at the federal level in secret. Boundaries were drawn without the consent or even knowledge of local residents. This incited anger and triggered a backlash in rural Utah.[37]

Most of the swell is administered by the BLM and is not given special consideration.[27] A small portion on the eastern edge is protected as Goblin Valley State Park, administered by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation. In 2019, after lobbying by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, congress directed the BLM to study 17 specific areas of Southern Utah for designation as a wilderness areas, including several in the San Rafeal Swell. In the same act, Congress directed the BLM to create a San Rafeal Swell Recreational Area.[38][39]

Route number changes

Before the formation of I-70, there was a road over the Pavant Range numbered SR-13 that was similar to the route of I-70. The highway, which largely still exists as a two-lane road between SR-161 (former US-91) at Cove Fort and US-89 at Sevier, had been taken over by the state on August 2, 1912,[40] and assigned the label by the early 1920s as part of Utah's initial highway numbering.[41] In the Wasatch Plateau, the base for I-70 was derived from a portion of SR-10. Both of these were transferred to SR-4, which was the state legislative designation for all of I-70 in Utah, in 1962.[42] US-50 was changed to overlap with I-70 through most of Utah in 1976, with US-6 remaining on its former route.[43] In 1977, Utah renumbered its state routes so that the legislative and signed numbers would match. With this change, the state designation for I-70 is now SR-70.[42]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Millard0.0000.000  I-15 – Las Vegas, Salt Lake CityNational western terminus; I-15 exit 132; trumpet interchange
1.3462.1661Historic Cove Fort (SR-161)
Sevier7.83512.6097Clear Creek Canyon Road
17.15927.61517Fremont Indian State Park
23.18837.31723 
 
US 89 south – Panguitch, Kanab
West end of US-89 overlap
Joseph25.76341.46225 
 
SR-118 north – Joseph, Monroe
Elsinore31.67650.97831Elsinore, Monroe (SR-258)
Richfield37.12459.74537 
 
  I-70 BL east / SR-120 – Richfield
40.25864.78940 
 
  I-70 BL west / SR-120 – Richfield
48.92078.72948 
 
To SR-24 (SR-259) – Sigurd, Aurora
Salina56.70591.25856  
 
 
 
I-70 BS / US 89 north / US 50 west – Salina
East end of US-89 overlap; west end of US-50 overlap
63.193101.69963Gooseberry Road
73.924118.96973Salina CreekFormerly signed as "Ranch Exit"
86.773139.64886Ivie Creek rest areaAccess via SR-76
91.011146.46891 
 
 
 
SR-10 north / SR-72 south – Price, Loa
Emery99.488160.11099Millers CanyonFormerly signed as "Ranch Exit"
104.620168.370Salt Wash view area
108.011173.827108Lone TreeFormerly signed as "Ranch Exit"
115.634186.095Devil's Canyon view area (eastbound)
116.513187.509116MooreEagle Canyon view area also signed westbound
122.566197.251Ghost Rocks view area
131.507211.640131Temple Mountain RoadFormerly signed as "Ranch Exit"
142.585229.468Spotted Wolf Canyon view area
146.337235.507San Rafael Reef view area (westbound)
149.198240.111149 
 
SR-24 west – Hanksville
157.924254.154157 
 
 
 
US 6 west / US 191 north – Price, Salt Lake City
West end of US-6/191 overlap
160.403258.144160  
 
I-70 BL / SR-19 east – Green River
I-70 Bus. not signed westbound
Grand164.547264.813164  
 
I-70 BL / SR-19 west – Green River
I-70 Bus. not signed eastbound
175.585282.577175Floy
Crescent Junction182.153293.147182 
 
US 191 south – Crescent Junction, Moab
East end of US-191 overlap; former US-160 east
187.413301.612187  SR-94 – Thompson Springs
189.876305.576Rest area / Visitors Center (westbound)
193.469311.358193Yellowcat
204.738329.494204 
 
SR-128 south – Cisco
214.367344.990214Danish Flat
221.885357.089221Sulphur
227.086365.459227Westwater
228.352367.497Harley Dome view area (westbound)
231.673372.842 
 
 
 
 
 
I-70 east / US 6 east / US 50 east – Grand Junction, Denver
Continuation into Colorado
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Staff (August 28, 2007). "Route 0070P". Highway Reference. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 18, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Weingroff, Richard F. (November 22, 2011). "Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah?". Ask the Rambler. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Official Highway Map (Map) (1974 ed.). 1 in = 17.4 mi or 28.0 km (1:1,102,000). State Road Commission of Utah. 1974. § H4.
  4. ^ Staff (2007). "NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 4C 684)". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 16, 2008. Note: alternate site December 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine for data
  5. ^ a b . Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. July 1, 2008. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  6. ^ Ege, Carl. "Big Rock Candy Mountain". Utah Geological Survey. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c Official Highway Map (Map) (1995 ed.). 1 in = 17.4 mi or 28.0 km (1:1,102,000). Utah Department of Transportation. 1995. § H5.
  8. ^ Staff. "2006 Annual Average Daily Traffic". Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 24, 2008.
  9. ^ a b Geary, Edward A. "Interstate 70". Utah History to Go. State of Utah. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Utah Road and Recreation Atlas (Map) (2002 ed.). 1:250000. Benchmark Maps. 2002. p. 68. § D6. ISBN 0-929591-74-7.
  11. ^ Official Utah Highway Map (Map). Utah Department of Transportation. 2007. § H5. Retrieved March 3, 2008.
  12. ^ a b Road Atlas (Map). H.M. Gousha Company. 1967. p. 42. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
  13. ^ Google (March 10, 2008). "Salina, Utah" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 10, 2008.
  14. ^ Weingroff, Richard F. (Summer 1996). "Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels". Public Roads. Federal Highway Administration. 60 (1). Retrieved February 15, 2008.
  15. ^ Staff (March 9, 2012). . Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  16. ^ Staff (2007). "NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 2C 495)". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 16, 2008. Note: alternate site December 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine for National Bridge Inventory data.
  17. ^ Staff (2007). "NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 4C 755)". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved February 16, 2008. Note: alternate site December 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine for National Bridge Inventory data.
  18. ^ Staff. . Dinosaur Diamond Partnership. Archived from the original on September 18, 2007. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  19. ^ Staff. "Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway". Utah Office of Tourism. Retrieved October 13, 2007.
  20. ^ Staff. . America's Byways. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on March 26, 2007. Retrieved February 28, 2008.
  21. ^ von Till Warren, Elizabeth. . Old Spanish Trail Association. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2008.
  22. ^ . Old Spanish Trail Association. Archived from the original on February 1, 2008. Retrieved February 28, 2008.
  23. ^ Griffin, James R. (2003). "Invading the Rockies". Rio Grande Railroad. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing Company/ Voyageur Press. pp. 28–9. ISBN 0-7603-1442-X.
  24. ^ Staff. "UPRR System Map". Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved February 12, 2008.
  25. ^ a b c d e Carr, Stephen L.; Edwards, Robert W. (1989). "Castle Valley Railway, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway". Utah Ghost Rails. Salt Lake City, UT: Western Epics. pp. 169–70, 188–94. ISBN 0-914740-34-2.
  26. ^ a b c d Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved January 1, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series.
  27. ^ a b c d . Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  28. ^ Western States (Map) (1979 ed.). 1 inch = 40 mi. American Automobile Association. 1979.
  29. ^ a b Brown, Matthew (September 28, 1990). "I-70 Project reaches end of road at last". Deseret News. Salt Lake City, UT.
  30. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  31. ^ Burr, Thomas (March 18, 2002). "Residents Would Be Shocked to Know What Passes on I-70". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  32. ^ Federal Bureau of Investigation (2007). . United States Department of Justice. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014.
  33. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  34. ^ Geary, Edward A. . University of Utah. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2008.
  35. ^ Berkes, Howard (April 22, 2006). . Morning Edition. NPR. Archived from the original (Transcript) on December 8, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  36. ^ Draper, Electa (November 7, 2002). "Utah Monument 53 percent vote against protecting historic land". The Denver Post.
  37. ^ Gross, Mathew Barrett (February 13, 2002). . Headwaters News. University of Montana. Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2008.
  38. ^ "San Rafael Swell Recreation Area". Bureau of Land Management. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  39. ^ Judi Brawer (December 13, 2021). "Planning Process Underway for San Rafael Swell and Surrounding Public Lands" (Press release). Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  40. ^ Staff. "Route 13". Highway Resolutions. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
  41. ^ "Utah State Trunk Lines". Utah State Road Commission. 1923. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
  42. ^ a b Staff. "Route 4". Highway Resolutions. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 17, 2007.
  43. ^ Staff. "Route 50". Highway Resolutions. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 17, 2007.

External links

Route map:

KML is from Wikidata
  • Utah@Rocky Mountain Roads – Interstate 70 Photo guide for I-70 in Utah by Rocky Mountain Roads.com
  Interstate 70
Previous state:
Terminus
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This article is about the section of Interstate 70 in Utah For the entire route see Interstate 70 Interstate 70 I 70 is a mainline route of the Interstate Highway System in the United States connecting Utah and Maryland The Utah section runs east west for approximately 232 miles 373 km across the central part of the state Richfield is the largest Utah city served by the freeway which does not serve or connect any urban areas in the state The freeway was built as part of a system of highways connecting Los Angeles and the Northeastern United States I 70 was the second attempt to connect southern California to the east coast of the United States via central Utah the first being a failed attempt to construct a transcontinental railroad Parts of that effort were reused in the laying out of the route of I 70 Interstate 70I 70 highlighted in redRoute informationMaintained by UDOTLength231 673 mi 1 372 842 km Existed1957 2 presentMajor junctionsWest endI 15 near Cove FortMajor intersectionsUS 89 near Joseph US 50 US 89 in Salina US 6 US 191 near Green River US 191 at Crescent JunctionEast endI 70 US 6 US 50 at Colorado state lineLocationCountryUnited StatesStateUtahCountiesMillard Sevier Emery GrandHighway systemInterstate Highway SystemMain Auxiliary Suffixed Business FutureUtah State Highway SystemInterstate US State Minor Scenic SR 68 SR 71Unlike most Interstate Highways much of I 70 in Utah was not constructed parallel to or on top of an existing U S Route Portions of I 70 were constructed in areas where previously there were no paved roads Because it was built over an entirely new route I 70 has many features that are unique in the Interstate Highway System For example the 110 miles 180 km between Green River and Salina makes up the longest distance anywhere in the Interstate Highway System with no motorist services This same piece is noted as the longest highway in the United States built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway and the longest piece of Interstate Highway to open at a given time The construction of the Utah portion of I 70 is listed as one of the engineering marvels of the Interstate Highway System The choice of the route had a significant impact on the character and culture of the Sevier Valley It has also been a motivating factor for environmentalists to create a new national park along the path of the highway to protect scenic areas around the route I 70 from Green River to Grand Junction Colorado is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway making I 70 one of the few Interstate Highways to be named a National Scenic Byway Attractions listed by the Federal Highway Administration FHWA for the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway on or near I 70 include Arches National Park Canyonlands National Park Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry Goblin Valley State Park Ruby Canyon and Westwater Canyon The designation lists several side roads branching from I 70 that lead to dinosaur bones or footprints Contents 1 Route description 1 1 Sevier Valley 1 2 Wasatch Plateau 1 3 San Rafael Swell 1 4 Book Cliffs 2 History 2 1 Old Spanish Trail 2 2 Transcontinental railroads 2 3 Planning 2 4 Construction 2 5 Effect on rural Utah 2 6 Effect on the San Rafael Swell 2 7 Route number changes 3 Exit list 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksRoute description EditI 70 begins at a trumpet interchange with I 15 near Cove Fort It then proceeds east over the Pahvant Range cresting at Clear Creek Summit with an elevation of 7 180 feet 2 190 m 3 The eastern descent from the Pavant range features bridges high above Clear Creek and its side canyons The longest of these bridges is the Fish Creek bridge at 1 180 feet 360 m long 4 The descent into Clear Creek features a brake check area and runaway truck ramp to aid truckers down the steep slope 1 The freeway then skirts the edge of Fremont Indian State Park and Museum before entering Sevier Valley Sevier Valley Edit I 70 serves as the main thoroughfare of the valley the only area traversed by the freeway in the state with more than a few hundred residents Richfield is the largest city along I 70 in the state 5 The highway enters the valley just north of Big Rock Candy Mountain a mountain named for a song attributed to Harry McClintock 6 The highway proceeds northeast along the western edge of the valley passing to the west of the communities of the valley including Joseph Monroe Elsinore and Richfield As I 70 approaches Salina it cuts across the valley passing to the south of that town The highway avoids the downtown areas of all of these cities 7 The portion between Richfield and Salina is the busiest with an annual average daily traffic AADT of 11 535 vehicles in 2006 8 In the Sevier Valley I 70 was built parallel to U S Route 89 US 89 both highways now run concurrently between exit 23 US 89 south to Marysvale and Panguitch and exit 56 in Salina Wasatch Plateau Edit I 70 routed through Spotted Wolf Canyon At Salina US 50 joins I 70 and the two highways run concurrent for the rest of the way through Utah After leaving exit 56 in Salina I 70 departs on a 104 mile 167 km course to the first Green River offramp exit 160 Though there are a number of exits in between the two cities this is the longest distance in the Interstate Highway System with no motorist services directly along the highway 9 The route to Green River crosses two major geographic obstacles the Wasatch Plateau and the San Rafael Swell 10 I 70 ascends the Wasatch Plateau via Salina Canyon The top of the canyon is the highest point of any of Utah s Interstate Highways although the elevation differs from source to source The Utah Department of Transportation UDOT has listed the elevation at 7 923 feet 2 415 m and 7 886 feet 2 404 m 7 11 Other maps have listed the figure 7 980 feet 2 430 m 12 At least one map has given this point a name Emigrant Pass 13 This portion of I 70 is on protected lands as part of Fishlake National Forest 1 The freeway exits the Wasatch Plateau at Fremont Junction the name of the junction of I 70 with State Route 10 SR 10 San Rafael Swell Edit Between Fremont Junction and the junction of SR 24 near Green River I 70 crosses a geologic feature called the San Rafael Swell The construction of the freeway through the swell is listed as one of the engineering marvels of the Interstate Highway System with one engineer claiming this section as one of the most significant highway construction feats of its time 2 The construction of I 70 through the swell required boring through many solid rock canyons cliffs and mountains 14 The swell is noted for its sheer canyons and rock formations and is home to a large amount of exposed dinosaur remains This includes the largest known collection of Jurassic period dinosaur remains at the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry at the north end of the swell 15 I 70 crossing Eagle Canyon inside the San Rafael Swell The highway ascends the western edge of the swell on a steady slope loosely following the north rim of Devils Canyon At the top of the grade is a view area with a view of Devils Canyon and an overlook of the country west of the swell 10 It then crosses Eagle Canyon via a pair of steel arch bridges The eastbound bridge is 489 feet 149 m long 16 and the westbound bridge is 523 feet 159 m long 17 The highway then ascends Ghost Rock Summit the highest point for I 70 inside the swell At the summit is another view area overlooking the Little Grand Canyon of the San Rafael River 10 The summit is named for unusual rock formations nearby The Ghost Rocks themselves are at 7 405 feet 2 257 m although the freeway is slightly lower 10 I 70 meanders through a relatively flat portion of the swell until reaching Spotted Wolf Canyon which provides the exit route to the swell The eastern descent features one brake check area and two runaway truck ramps to aid trucks down 1 About halfway down is a view area of the canyon narrowing as it approaches the eastern escarpment of the swell the San Rafael Reef Just as the highway exits the swell it passes to the north of Goblin Valley State Park The highway exits the swell near Green River Book Cliffs Edit A sign reading Next services on I 70 110 miles 180 km near Green River West of Green River US 6 and US 191 join I 70 Also at Green River the freeway reaches the southern edge of the Book Cliffs a mountain range which I 70 follows to Grand Junction Colorado This portion of I 70 is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway recognized as a scenic byway by both the National Scenic Byways and Utah Scenic Byways programs 18 19 Listed attractions along the byway in the Green River area include Crystal Geyser Capitol Reef National Park and Green River State Park Looking west on I 70 across Sagers Flat From this point east the freeway is routed across a flat area between the Book Cliffs and the Colorado River called Sagers Flat 10 Along the way it passes by the towns of Crescent Junction Thompson Springs and Cisco Natural features visible from this portion include Arches National Park and Castle Valley Other listed attractions along the byway near this section include Canyonlands National Park and various areas with Morrison Formation a layer of rock where dinosaur remains are common 20 I 70 US 6 and US 50 all enter Colorado concurrently Where I 70 follows the Book Cliffs it was built parallel to or on top of US 6 US 50 7 History EditOld Spanish Trail Edit The first route through this portion of Utah was the Old Spanish Trail a trade route between Santa Fe New Mexico and Los Angeles California The trail was in common use before the Mexican American War in 1848 21 Although the trail serves a different route than I 70 they were both intended to connect Southern California with points further east I 70 generally parallels the route of the Old Spanish Trail west of Crescent Junction I 15 south of the junction with I 70 also generally parallels the trail 22 Transcontinental railroads Edit The first attempt to build a modern trade route through the area is credited to William Jackson Palmer founder of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad D amp RG Palmer started a project in 1880 to make what had been a local railroad from Colorado into a transcontinental railroad empire This would mean a second transcontinental railroad would be built across Utah This would also place the D amp RG in competition with the first transcontinental railroad then operated by the Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad 23 The San Rafael Reef as seen from I 70 Disagreements in the company led to two proposals Both proposals called for extending the railroad west from Colorado as far as what is now Green River West of Green River a northern route would extend the railroad towards Ogden Utah there connecting with the established Overland Route This proposal was eventually completed as the Utah Division loosely following the route of modern US 6 across eastern Utah This line soon became the main line of the D amp RG and remains one of the main transcontinental rail arteries of the US now operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as the Central Corridor 24 The second proposal was a southern route that would continue due west from Green River and head toward Los Angeles similar to the route of modern I 70 This proposal would require extending the railroad farther west to connect with what would become the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad 25 Inside the San Rafael Swell Due to disagreements in management and poor communication construction began on both routes It was soon obvious that the southern route was unfeasible given the remote area technology available at the time and the rough terrain of the San Rafael Swell In 1883 the D amp RG spent 217 470 equivalent to 5 49 million in 2021 26 on the project before declaring it a failure One of the accounts in the book Utah Ghost Rails states the railroad fired the lead surveyor even though the workers had graded a path past the San Rafael Reef 25 This route today is a jeep trail According to a sign placed by the Bureau of Land Management BLM had the southern route succeeded it would have been the shortest transcontinental railroad in the US 25 Construction resumed in 1901 on a portion of the southern route to build a spur line to service coal mines on the Wasatch Plateau The railroad branched from an existing line at Salina and traveled east up Salina Canyon After the mines closed the railroad bed was used to improve SR 10 between Salina and Fremont Junction I 70 would later use the railroad bed for a path across the Wasatch Plateau 25 Planning Edit By the time the Interstate Highway System was in the planning stages no paved road had yet entered the San Rafael Swell 27 The established highway through the area was US 6 US 50 which like the railroad entered Utah from Colorado and turned north around the swell 12 Eagle Canyon as seen from I 70 As first proposed in 1956 the western terminus of I 70 was Denver Colorado 2 Officials from Colorado pressured the federal government to extend the plans for I 70 further west After several discussions with Utah officials Utah supported an extension that would follow US 6 US 50 now US 6 to connect with I 15 at Spanish Fork This proposal would connect the Salt Lake City area with Denver While accepting the Colorado Utah proposal federal planners also decided to show a modified proposal with the terminus of I 70 at Cove Fort to planners at the Department of the Army The planners opposed the extension to Salt Lake but felt the modified proposal would benefit the US Army by providing a better connection to southern California The new route would shorten the distance between Los Angeles and Denver by about 200 miles 320 km The route to Cove Fort was approved on October 18 1957 A general announcement was made with no prior notice given to Utah officials of the modification The commissioner of the Bureau of Public Roads later admitted that the lack of notice was intentional fearing infighting if the bureau did not announce a final decision 2 A state historian stated the news hit Utah like a bombshell Except for the officials in Utah that represented the area most opposed a freeway that would serve no populated areas in the state The route was mocked as a public relations blunder and a road to nowhere 2 9 Utah officials attempted to revert plans to their preferred alternative but later resigned to construct I 70 on the federally selected route Governor George Dewey Clyde concluded Utah had no choice but to accept the Cove Fort routing or have none at all 2 Even attempts to route the freeway slightly north to serve more cities in Emery County were blocked Federal planners insisted the freeway pass Green River on a southwest course and not turn north 2 Even today there is no direct Interstate link between Salt Lake City and Denver Motorists must choose between the two lane routes US 6 or US 40 or detour on I 80 through Wyoming 28 Construction Edit Some noncontiguous portions of I 70 were temporarily signed as SR 4 With the plans for I 70 extended a transcontinental route would again be attempted across the San Rafael Swell The area west of Green River was so remote that survey crews followed wild horses with jeeps to survey parts of the route According to a story told at the highway s dedication by an engineer who surveyed the highway his group was approached by a sheep rancher and asked what they were doing The rancher fell over laughing when he was told they were building a freeway 29 The survey crew did not use the route of the railroad past the San Rafael Reef However they did use the route of the railroad across the Wasatch Plateau The construction crews destroyed two of four tunnels when the bed was widened for the freeway The two remaining tunnels are visible just south of the freeway and are used by a frontage road 25 Some noncontiguous portions of I 70 over the Pavant Range and Wasatch Plateau were temporarily signed as SR 4 3 The portion over the San Rafael Swell opened to traffic in 1970 finally making the Utah portion of I 70 a drivable route 2 I 70 was dedicated on December 5 1970 at the Ghost Rocks view area inside the swell even though it would take another 20 years to fully complete the freeway 2 At the ceremony the mayors of cities recently made neighbors including Grand Junction Colorado introduced themselves Then Governor Cal Rampton noted that I 70 was the longest road the US had built over a completely new route since the Alaska Highway during World War II It was also noted this was the longest piece of the Interstate Highway System to open at a given time 2 Goblin Valley State Park just south of I 70 Initially only two lanes now the eastbound lanes through the swell were constructed The official highway map for Utah noted the new freeway but qualified its existence with the words two lanes open 3 The Utah portion of I 70 was not completed to Interstate Highway standards until 1990 when the second Eagle Canyon bridge was dedicated A second dedication ceremony was held at the bridge declaring the Utah portion of I 70 complete Archie Hamilton one of three engineers who worked for UDOT long enough to see I 70 progress from conception to completion said the most memorable moment was seeing the excavation at Spotted Wolf Canyon He said before construction began he could stand in one spot and touch both sides of the canyon To carve the first eight miles 13 km through the canyon required excavating 3 500 000 cubic yards 2 700 000 m3 of rock In 1990 it was estimated construction cost for the San Rafael Swell portion was 388 million equivalent to 722 million in 2021 26 105 5 million in 1970 equivalent to 577 million in 2021 26 to build the first two lanes and 78 million in 1990 equivalent to 145 million in 2021 26 to construct the rest 29 30 At the 1970 dedication it was noted the cost of land acquisition helped to offset the cost of the massive excavation UDOT acquired the right of way to build the majority of I 70 from the BLM at the lowest cost per mile of any highway in Utah 2 Effect on rural Utah Edit In 2002 the Salt Lake Tribune interviewed the mayor of Richfield about the change I 70 brought to the Sevier Valley Previously these were isolated farming communities whose residents felt they were unaccustomed to the crime and other effects that a transcontinental highway can bring Residents of Richfield soon started to call I 70 Cocaine Lane The mayor stated that I 70 is a mixed blessing He stated the highway is a boon to the hospitality industry and has made Richfield more accessible to other cities However the new road brought types of crime previously unknown to the city The mayor lamented that after the completion of I 70 many residents started locking their doors for the first time The interview resulted from an event that served as a wake up call that rural Utah is not isolated from crime Panic ensued after the public witnessed Utah Highway Patrol troopers carrying away a suspect in handcuffs while removing plastic bags and coolers full of body parts from the trunk of his car The event caused a frenzy of people checking on their neighbors fearing the murder victims were local residents 31 In 2007 there were 11 violent crimes in Sevier County 32 a county of 19 386 residents 33 Green River is the largest and only incorporated city directly served by I 70 in eastern Utah 5 10 Unlike the communities of the Sevier Valley Green River was founded as a stopover for travelers along transcontinental arteries The area was first used as a stopover for travelers navigating the Green River Later the town was formed to serve travelers along the Old Spanish Trail and stagecoach mail routes Green River was an established stopover by the time the railroad and later highways were built through the area 34 Effect on the San Rafael Swell Edit Desert overlook from I 70 Before the construction of I 70 the San Rafael Swell was relatively inaccessible and not well known or explored There were however a few efforts to protect the swell as early as 1935 27 Since the construction of the freeway the number of visitors to the swell has increased significantly as the swell can now be accessed by automobile 27 As such several groups are increasing efforts for protected status of the area via national park national monument or wilderness designation A major push occurred in 2002 when officials from Emery County joined by Utah governor Mike Leavitt petitioned President George W Bush to use the authority of the Antiquities Act and create a San Rafael Swell National Monument 35 This effort lost momentum after the governor promised to honor the wishes of Emery County residents via a nonbinding referendum which did not pass 36 Common reasons given by residents for opposing the designation included fear of the federal government restricting access and a repetition of events that occurred with the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument This monument was established in 1996 by President Bill Clinton In that case the monument was proposed at the federal level in secret Boundaries were drawn without the consent or even knowledge of local residents This incited anger and triggered a backlash in rural Utah 37 Most of the swell is administered by the BLM and is not given special consideration 27 A small portion on the eastern edge is protected as Goblin Valley State Park administered by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation In 2019 after lobbying by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance congress directed the BLM to study 17 specific areas of Southern Utah for designation as a wilderness areas including several in the San Rafeal Swell In the same act Congress directed the BLM to create a San Rafeal Swell Recreational Area 38 39 Route number changes Edit Before the formation of I 70 there was a road over the Pavant Range numbered SR 13 that was similar to the route of I 70 The highway which largely still exists as a two lane road between SR 161 former US 91 at Cove Fort and US 89 at Sevier had been taken over by the state on August 2 1912 40 and assigned the label by the early 1920s as part of Utah s initial highway numbering 41 In the Wasatch Plateau the base for I 70 was derived from a portion of SR 10 Both of these were transferred to SR 4 which was the state legislative designation for all of I 70 in Utah in 1962 42 US 50 was changed to overlap with I 70 through most of Utah in 1976 with US 6 remaining on its former route 43 In 1977 Utah renumbered its state routes so that the legislative and signed numbers would match With this change the state designation for I 70 is now SR 70 42 Exit list EditCountyLocationmi 1 kmExitDestinationsNotesMillard 0 0000 000 I 15 Las Vegas Salt Lake CityNational western terminus I 15 exit 132 trumpet interchange 1 3462 1661Historic Cove Fort SR 161 Sevier 7 83512 6097Clear Creek Canyon Road 17 15927 61517Fremont Indian State Park 23 18837 31723 US 89 south Panguitch KanabWest end of US 89 overlapJoseph25 76341 46225 SR 118 north Joseph MonroeElsinore31 67650 97831Elsinore Monroe SR 258 Richfield37 12459 74537 I 70 BL east SR 120 Richfield40 25864 78940 I 70 BL west SR 120 Richfield 48 92078 72948 To SR 24 SR 259 Sigurd AuroraSalina56 70591 25856 I 70 BS US 89 north US 50 west SalinaEast end of US 89 overlap west end of US 50 overlap 63 193101 69963Gooseberry Road 73 924118 96973Salina CreekFormerly signed as Ranch Exit 86 773139 64886Ivie Creek rest areaAccess via SR 76 91 011146 46891 SR 10 north SR 72 south Price LoaEmery 99 488160 11099Millers CanyonFormerly signed as Ranch Exit 104 620168 370Salt Wash view area 108 011173 827108Lone TreeFormerly signed as Ranch Exit 115 634186 095Devil s Canyon view area eastbound 116 513187 509116MooreEagle Canyon view area also signed westbound 122 566197 251Ghost Rocks view area 131 507211 640131Temple Mountain RoadFormerly signed as Ranch Exit 142 585229 468Spotted Wolf Canyon view area 146 337235 507San Rafael Reef view area westbound 149 198240 111149 SR 24 west Hanksville 157 924254 154157 US 6 west US 191 north Price Salt Lake CityWest end of US 6 191 overlap 160 403258 144160 I 70 BL SR 19 east Green RiverI 70 Bus not signed westboundGrand 164 547264 813164 I 70 BL SR 19 west Green RiverI 70 Bus not signed eastbound 175 585282 577175FloyCrescent Junction182 153293 147182 US 191 south Crescent Junction MoabEast end of US 191 overlap former US 160 east 187 413301 612187 SR 94 Thompson Springs 189 876305 576Rest area Visitors Center westbound 193 469311 358193Yellowcat 204 738329 494204 SR 128 south Cisco 214 367344 990214Danish Flat 221 885357 089221Sulphur 227 086365 459227Westwater 228 352367 497Harley Dome view area westbound 231 673372 842 I 70 east US 6 east US 50 east Grand Junction DenverContinuation into Colorado1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete accessSee also Edit U S Roads portal Utah portalMuddy CreekReferences Edit a b c d e Staff August 28 2007 Route 0070P Highway Reference Utah Department of Transportation Retrieved January 18 2008 a b c d e f g h i j k Weingroff Richard F November 22 2011 Why Does I 70 End in Cove Fort Utah Ask the Rambler Federal Highway Administration Retrieved April 2 2012 a b c Official Highway Map Map 1974 ed 1 in 17 4 mi or 28 0 km 1 1 102 000 State Road Commission of Utah 1974 H4 Staff 2007 NBI ASCII Files Utah 2007 structure 4C 684 National Bridge Inventory Federal Highway Administration Retrieved February 16 2008 Note alternate site Archived December 8 2008 at the Wayback Machine for data a b GOPB DEA Sub County Estimates Governor s Office of Planning and Budget July 1 2008 Archived from the original on August 21 2008 Retrieved August 3 2009 Ege Carl Big Rock Candy Mountain Utah Geological Survey Retrieved March 3 2008 a b c Official Highway Map Map 1995 ed 1 in 17 4 mi or 28 0 km 1 1 102 000 Utah Department of Transportation 1995 H5 Staff 2006 Annual Average Daily Traffic Utah Department of Transportation Retrieved March 24 2008 a b Geary Edward A Interstate 70 Utah History to Go State of Utah Retrieved February 16 2008 a b c d e f Utah Road and Recreation Atlas Map 2002 ed 1 250000 Benchmark Maps 2002 p 68 D6 ISBN 0 929591 74 7 Official Utah Highway Map Map Utah Department of Transportation 2007 H5 Retrieved March 3 2008 a b Road Atlas Map H M Gousha Company 1967 p 42 Retrieved January 27 2008 Google March 10 2008 Salina Utah Map Google Maps Google Retrieved March 10 2008 Weingroff Richard F Summer 1996 Dwight D Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways Engineering Marvels Public Roads Federal Highway Administration 60 1 Retrieved February 15 2008 Staff March 9 2012 Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry Bureau of Land Management Archived from the original on February 2 2012 Retrieved April 2 2012 Staff 2007 NBI ASCII Files Utah 2007 structure 2C 495 Federal Highway Administration Retrieved February 16 2008 Note alternate site Archived December 8 2008 at the Wayback Machine for National Bridge Inventory data Staff 2007 NBI ASCII Files Utah 2007 structure 4C 755 Federal Highway Administration Retrieved February 16 2008 Note alternate site Archived December 8 2008 at the Wayback Machine for National Bridge Inventory data Staff Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway Dinosaur Diamond Partnership Archived from the original on September 18 2007 Retrieved October 13 2007 Staff Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway Utah Office of Tourism Retrieved October 13 2007 Staff Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway America s Byways Federal Highway Administration Archived from the original on March 26 2007 Retrieved February 28 2008 von Till Warren Elizabeth Old Spanish Trail History Old Spanish Trail Association Archived from the original on March 8 2008 Retrieved March 19 2008 Old Spanish Trail Association Maps Old Spanish Trail Association Archived from the original on February 1 2008 Retrieved February 28 2008 Griffin James R 2003 Invading the Rockies Rio Grande Railroad Osceola WI MBI Publishing Company Voyageur Press pp 28 9 ISBN 0 7603 1442 X Staff UPRR System Map Union Pacific Railroad Retrieved February 12 2008 a b c d e Carr Stephen L Edwards Robert W 1989 Castle Valley Railway Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway Utah Ghost Rails Salt Lake City UT Western Epics pp 169 70 188 94 ISBN 0 914740 34 2 a b c d Johnston Louis Williamson Samuel H 2023 What Was the U S GDP Then MeasuringWorth Retrieved January 1 2023 United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the Measuring Worth series a b c d The San Rafael Wilderness Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Archived from the original on December 8 2008 Retrieved January 16 2008 Western States Map 1979 ed 1 inch 40 mi American Automobile Association 1979 a b Brown Matthew September 28 1990 I 70 Project reaches end of road at last Deseret News Salt Lake City UT 1634 1699 McCusker J J 1997 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States Addenda et Corrigenda PDF American Antiquarian Society 1700 1799 McCusker J J 1992 How Much Is That in Real Money A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States PDF American Antiquarian Society 1800 present Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Consumer Price Index estimate 1800 Retrieved April 16 2022 Burr Thomas March 18 2002 Residents Would Be Shocked to Know What Passes on I 70 The Salt Lake Tribune Federal Bureau of Investigation 2007 Uniform Crime Reports Offenses Known to Law Enforcement by State by Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties 2007 Table 10 Utah United States Department of Justice Archived from the original on November 20 2014 Sevier County UT National Association of Counties Archived from the original on June 16 2008 Retrieved December 5 2008 Geary Edward A Green River Utah History Encyclopedia University of Utah Archived from the original on April 11 2008 Retrieved March 16 2008 Berkes Howard April 22 2006 Proposed National Monument Riles Utah Locals Morning Edition NPR Archived from the original Transcript on December 8 2008 Retrieved January 16 2008 Draper Electa November 7 2002 Utah Monument 53 percent vote against protecting historic land The Denver Post Gross Mathew Barrett February 13 2002 San Rafael Swell monument proposal could prove that Bush realizes the importance of a fair and public process Headwaters News University of Montana Archived from the original on November 26 2007 Retrieved January 16 2008 San Rafael Swell Recreation Area Bureau of Land Management Retrieved February 24 2022 Judi Brawer December 13 2021 Planning Process Underway for San Rafael Swell and Surrounding Public Lands Press release Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Retrieved February 24 2022 Staff Route 13 Highway Resolutions Utah Department of Transportation Retrieved May 20 2008 Utah State Trunk Lines Utah State Road Commission 1923 Retrieved May 15 2008 a b Staff Route 4 Highway Resolutions Utah Department of Transportation Retrieved November 17 2007 Staff Route 50 Highway Resolutions Utah Department of Transportation Retrieved November 17 2007 External links EditRoute map KML file edit help Template Attached KML Interstate 70 in UtahKML is from Wikidata Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 70 in Utah Utah Rocky Mountain Roads Interstate 70 Photo guide for I 70 in Utah by Rocky Mountain Roads com Interstate 70Previous state Terminus Utah Next state Colorado Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Interstate 70 in Utah amp oldid 1092045700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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