Interstate 70 in Utah

Infobox road
state=UT
type=I
route=70
section=112
maint=UDOT

---

map_notes=Highways in Utah with I-70 highlighted in red
length_mi=232.15
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table1.cfm|title=FHWA Route Log and Finder List: Table 1 - Interstate System|accessdate=2007-04-30|date=2002-10-31|format=CFM|publisher=Federal Highway Administration]
established=1962
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=UT|I|15 near Cove Fort
junction=Jct|state=UT|US|89 near Joseph
Jct|state=UT|US|50|US|89 in Salina
Jct|state=UT|US|6|US|191 near Green River
Jct|state=UT|US|191 in Crescent Junction
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=CO|I|70|US|6|US|50 near Fruita, CO
previous_type=SR
previous_route=68
next_type=SR
next_route=71Within the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 70 (I-70) runs east–west for convert|232.15|mi|km|2 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 highway was built as part of a connection between 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, after a previous failed attempt at a transcontinental railroad that would partially serve as the guide for the route of I-70.

Unlike most Interstate Highways, I-70 in Utah was not constructed parallel to or on top of an existing U.S. Highway. 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 notably unique in the Interstate Highway System. For example, the convert|110|mi|km|0 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 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 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 and Westwater. 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 Interstate 15 near Cove Fort. It proceeds east over the Pavant Range cresting at an unnamed summit with an elevation of convert|7076|ft|m|0.cite map
publisher=State Road Commission of Utah
title=Official Highway Map
edition=1974
year=1974
scale=1 inch equals 17.4 miles or 28.0 km (1:1,102,000)
section=H4] 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 convert|1180|ft|m|0|sp=us long.cite web
url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/ascii.cfm
title=NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 4C 684)
accessdate=2008-02-16
publisher=Federal Highway Administration Note: [http://nationalbridges.com/nbi_record.php?StateCode=49&struct=4C+684 alternate site] for National Bridge Inventory data] The descent into Clear Creek features a brake check area and runaway truck ramp to aid truckers down the steep slope.cite web
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=7264223371010820
title=Highway Reference- Route Name 0070P
date=2007-08-28
accessdate=2008-01-18
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation] The freeway then skirts the edge of Fremont Indian State Park before entering Sevier Valley.

evier Valley

I-70 serves as the main thoroughfare of the valley, the only area of significant population served by the freeway in Utah. Richfield is the largest city along I-70 in the state. The highway enters the valley just north of Big Rock Candy Mountain, a mountain named for a song attributed to Harry McClintock.cite web
url=http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/geosights/candymtn.htm
title=Big Rock Candy Mountain
first=Carl
last=Ege
accessdate=2008-03-03
publisher=Utah Geological Survey - State of Utah] The highway proceeds northeast along the western edge of the valley. The highway passes 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.cite map
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation
title=Official Highway Map
edition=1995
year=1995
scale=1 inch equals 17.4 miles or 28.0 km (1:1,102,000)
section=H5] The portion between Richfield and Salina is the busiest, with an annual average daily traffic of 11,535 vehicles in 2006.cite web
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:5894716386340033936::::V,T:,1381
title=2006 Annual Average Daily Traffic
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation
accessdate=2008-03-24] In the Sevier Valley, I-70 was built parallel to U.S. Route 89.

Wasatch Plateau

At Salina, US-50 joins I-70, and the two highways run concurrent for the rest of the way through Utah. After leaving Salina I-70 departs on a convert|110|mi|km|0|adj=on course to Green River. This is the longest distance in the Interstate Highway System with no motorist services.cite web
url=http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/utah_today/interstate70.html
title=Utah History to Go - Interstate 70
accessdate=2008-02-16
publisher=State of Utah
first=Edward A
last=Geary] The route to Green River crosses two major geographic obstacles, the Wasatch Plateau and the San Rafael Swell.

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 convert|7923|ft|m|0 and convert|7886|ft|m|0.cite map
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation
title=Official Utah Highway Map
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/f?p=100:pg:2117854713443240831::::V,T:,346
year=2007
section=H5
accessdate=2008-03-03
accessmonth=03
accessyear=2008] Other maps have listed the figure convert|7980|ft|m|0.cite map
publisher=H.M. Gousha Company
title=Road Atlas (hosted by Broer Map Library) http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/NorthernRockies/gousha_ra_1967_024.html
year=1967
page=42
accessdate=2008-01-27
accessmonth=01
accessyear=2008] At least one map has given this point a name, Emigrant Pass.cite web
url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Salina,+Utah&ie=UTF8&ll=38.782391,-111.486425&spn=0.024488,0.031929&t=p&z=15&iwloc=addr
title=Google Maps, Salina Utah
publisher=Google, using NAVTEQ map data
accessdate=2008-03-10] This portion of I-70 is on protected lands as part of Fishlake National Forest. The freeway exits the Wasatch Plateau at Fremont Junction, the name of the junction of I-70 with State Route 10.

an Rafael Swell

Between Fremont Junction and the junction of SR-24 Interstate 70 crosses a geographic feature called the San Rafael Swell. The construction of the freeway through the swell is considered "one of the most significant highway construction feats of its time" and is an engineering marvel.cite web
url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/covefort.cfm
title=Ask the Rambler: Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah?
accessdate=2007-01-30
publisher=Federal Highway Administration] The construction of I-70 through the swell required boring through many solid rock canyons, cliffs, and mountains. The swell is noted for its sheer canyons and rock formations. The swell is also home to a large amount of exposed dinosaur remains. This includes the largest known collection of Jurassic era dinosaur remains at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry at the north end of the swell.cite web
url=http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/price/recreation/quarry.html
publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
title=Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry
accessdate=2008-03-19]

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.cite map
publisher=Benchmark Maps
title=Utah Road and Recreation Atlas
url=http://www.benchmarkmaps.com
edition=2002
year=2002
scale=1:250000
page=68
section=D6
isbn=0-929591-74-7] It then crosses Eagle Canyon via a pair of steel arch bridges. The eastbound bridge is convert|489|ft|m|0|sp=us longcite web
url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/ascii.cfm
title=NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 2C 495)
accessdate=2008-02-16
publisher=Federal Highway Administration Note: [http://nationalbridges.com/nbi_record.php?StateCode=49&struct=2C+495 alternate site] for National Bridge Inventory data] and the westbound bridge is convert|523|ft|m|0|sp=us long.cite web
url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi/ascii.cfm
title=NBI ASCII Files (Utah, 2007, structure 4C 755)
accessdate=2008-02-16
publisher=Federal Highway Administration Note: [http://nationalbridges.com/nbi_record.php?StateCode=49&struct=4C+755 alternate site] for National Bridge Inventory data]

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. The summit is named for unusual rock formations nearby. The Ghost Rocks themselves are at convert|7405|ft|m|0, although the freeway is slightly lower. 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. About half way down is a view area of the canyon getting increasingly more narrow 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

West of Green River, US-6 and 191 join I-70. Also at Green River, the freeway reaches the southern edge of the Book Cliffs, a mountain range which I-70 will follow 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. cite web
url=http://www.dinosaurdiamond.org/
title=Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
accessdate=2007-10-13
publisher=Dinosaur Diamond Partnership] cite web
url=http://www.utah.com/byways/dinosaur_diamond.htm
title=Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
accessdate=2007-10-13
publisher=Utah Office of Tourism] Listed attractions along the byway in the Green River area include Crystal Geyser, Capital Reef National Park and Green River State Park.

From this point east the freeway is routed across a flat area between the Book Cliffs and the Colorado River, called Sagers Flat. 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.cite web
url=http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2474/
title=Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration
accessdate=2008-02-28] 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-6/50.

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.cite web
url=http://www.oldspanishtrail.org/trail_history.php
title=Old Spanish Trail History
accessdate=2008-03-19
last=von Till Warren
first=Elizabeth
publisher=Old Spanish Trail Association] 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.cite web
url=http://www.oldspanishtrail.org/maps.php
title=Old Spanish Trail Association - Maps
accessdate=2008-02-28
publisher=Old Spanish Trail Association]

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 Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad.cite book
last=Griffin
first=James R.
coauthors=
editor=
others=
title=Rio Grande Railroad
origdate=2003
publisher= [http://www.voyageurpress.com MBI Publishing Company/ Voyageur Press]
location=Osceola, Wisconsin
language=English
isbn=076031442X
pages=Pages 28–29
chapter=Invading the Rockies ] 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 where it would connect with the established transcontinental railroad. This proposal was eventually completed and would become the main line of the railroad. This line is today one of the main lines operated by Union Pacific Railroad. It loosely follows the route of modern U.S. Route 6 across eastern Utah.cite web
url=http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/sysmap.shtml
title=UPRR System Map
accessdate=2008-02-12
publisher=Union Pacific Railroad]

The second proposal was a "southern route" that would continue due west from Green River and head towards Los Angeles, similar to the route of modern I-70. This was a more ambitious proposal as it would require extending the railroad farther west. The railroad would have to extend at least as far as what would become the Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad.cite book
last=Carr
first=Stephen L.
coauthors=Edwards, Robert W.
editor=
others=
title=Utah Ghost Rails
origdate=1989
publisher=Western Epics
location=Salt Lake City, Utah
language=English
isbn=0-914740-34-2
pages=Pages 169–170, 188–194
chapter=Castle Valley Railway, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway ] 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. The D&RG spent $217,470 (1883, $4.6 million in 2007) 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. 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 U.S.

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 spurred from an existing line at Salina and traveled east up Salina Canyon. After the mines closed, the railroad bed was used to improve State Route 10 between Salina and Fremont Junction. I-70 would later use the railroad bed for a path across the Wasatch Plateau.

Plans for Interstate 70

By the time the Interstate Highway System was in the planning stages, no paved road had yet entered the San Rafael Swell.cite web
url=http://www.suwa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WATE_sanrafael
title=The San Rafael Wilderness
accessdate=2008-01-16
publisher=Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance] 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.As first proposed, the western terminus of I-70 was Denver, Colorado. 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-6/50 (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 U.S. Army by providing a better connection to southern California. The route to Cove Fort was approved. 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.

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". 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." 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. Even today there is no direct interstate link between Salt Lake and Denver. Motorists must choose between the two lane routes (US-6 or US-40) or detour on I-80 through Wyoming.

Construction

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.cite news
last=Brown
first=Matthew
title=I-70 Project reaches end of road at last
work=Deseret News
publication-place=Salt Lake City, Utah
date=1990-09-28
url=http://www.desnews.com/ ]

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.

Some portions of I-70 over the Pavant Range and Wasatch Plateau were opened to traffic before the portion over the San Rafael Swell. These portions were temporarily signed as State Route 4. The portion over the San Rafael Swell opened to traffic in 1970, finally making the Utah portion of I-70 a drivable route.

Interstate 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. At the ceremony the mayors of cities recently made neighbors, including Grand Junction, Colorado, introduced themselves. Then Governor Calvin L. Rampton noted that I-70 was the longest road the U.S. 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.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". The first portions of I-70 to be constructed to Interstate Highway standards were along the non-disputed portion of the route east of Green River.

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 Utah Department of Transportation (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 convert|8|mi|km through the canyon required excavating convert|3500000|cuyd|lk=on|sigfig=2 of rock. It was estimated construction cost for the San Rafael Swell portion was $183.5 million, $105.5 million (1970, $590 million in 2007) to build the first two lanes, and $78 million (1990, $128 million in 2007) to construct the rest. 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.

Effect on rural Utah

The new freeway transformed the economy and culture of the Sevier Valley.cite news
last=Burr
first=Thomas
title=Residents Would Be Shocked to Know What Passes on I-70
work=The Salt Lake Tribune
publication-place=Salt Lake City, Utah
date=2002-03-18
url=http://www.sltrib.com/ ] Previously these were isolated farming communities, unaccustomed to the crime and other effects that a transcontinental highway can bring. Residents of Richfield soon started to call I-70 "Cocaine Lane". In 2002, the Salt Lake Tribune interviewed the mayor of Richfield, Kay Kimball, about the change I-70 brought to the city. 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 I-70's completion 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.

The freeway did not have as big of an impact on Green River, the largest and only incorporated community along its path in eastern Utah. Green River was founded as a stopover for travelers and was accustomed to the effects of a transcontinental artery. The area was first used as a stopover for travelers navigating the Green River, then later via railroad and finally via highway.cite web
url=http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/g/GREENRIVER.html
title=Green River, Utah History Encyclopedia
publisher=University of Utah
first=Edward A.
last=Geary
accessdate=2008-03-16] cite web
url=http://www.utah.com/schmerker/2001/green_river.htm
title=If That's Ray's, Then This Must Be Green River- The Quirkiness of Green River
publisher=Utah Travel Council/ Utah Travel Industry
first=Jeff
last=Schmerker
accessdate=2008-03-16
year=2001]

Effect on the San Rafael Swell

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. 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. 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 to create a San Rafael Swell National Monument.cite web
url=http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/apr/sanrafael/
title=Proposed National Monument Riles Utah Locals
first=Howard
last=Berkes
date=2006-04-22
accessdate=2008-01-16
publisher=National Public Radio (transcript of the show Morning Edition)] This effort lost momentum after the governor promised to honor the wishes of Emery County residents via a non-binding referendum, which did not pass.cite news
last=Draper
first=Electa
title=Utah Monument 53 percent vote against protecting historic land
date=2002-11-07
publisher=The Denver Post] 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.cite web
url=http://www.headwatersnews.org/p.021302.html
title=San Rafael Swell monument proposal could prove that Bush realizes the importance of a fair and public process
first=Mathew Barrett
last=Gross
date=2002-02-13
accessdate=2008-01-16
publisher=Headwaters News, University of Montana]

Currently most of the swell is administered by the BLM and is not given special consideration. A small portion on the western edge is protected as Goblin Valley State Park, administered by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation. Today the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance continues to lobby for protection.

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,cite web
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609121823461
title=Route 13
accessdate=2008-05-20
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation] and assigned the label by the early 1920s as part of Utah's initial highway numbering. [cite web
publisher = Utah State Road Commission
url = http://www.nps.gov/archive/pisp/adhi/fig23a.jpg
title = Utah State Trunk Lines
year = 1923
accessdate =2008-05-15] In the Wasatch Plateau, the base for I-70 was derived from a portion of SR-10. Both of these were transferred to State Route 4, which was the state legislative designation for all of I-70 in Utah, in 1962.cite web
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609121732583
title=Route 4
accessdate=2007-11-17
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation] U.S. Route 50 was changed to overlap with Interstate 70 through most of Utah in 1976, with U.S. Route 6 remaining on its former route.cite web
url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609140952271
title=Route 50
accessdate=2007-11-17
publisher=Utah Department of Transportation] In 1977, Utah renumbered its state routes so that the legislative and signed numbers would match. With this change, the state designation for Interstate 70 is now State Route 70.

Exit list

ee also

*Muddy Creek

References

External links

* [http://www.rockymountainroads.com/i-070_ut.html Utah@Rocky Mountain Roads – Interstate 70] Photo guide for I-70 in Utah by Rocky Mountain Roads.com