Utah State Route 20

Infobox road
state=UT
type=SR
route=20
section=107
maint=UDOT
length_mi=20.492
length_round=3
length_ref=cite web |url=http://www.dot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=7214809725921777|title=Route Description 0020|format=pdf|accessdate=2008-01-31|publisher=Utah Department of Transportation]
established=1917 as a state highway; 1927 as SR-20
direction_a=West
terminus_a=jct|state=UT|I|15 near Paragonah
direction_b=East
terminus_b=jct|state=UT|US|89 near Panguitch
previous_type=SR
previous_route=19
next_type=SR
next_route=21

State Route 20 (SR-20) is a state highway in southern Utah, running 20.492 miles in Iron and Garfield Counties, without directly serving or connecting any cities. It serves as a truck connection between I-15 and US-89 and an access to Bryce Canyon National Park. It may also be used to travel between Salt Lake City and Phoenix, Arizona. The highway follows the route of the Old Spanish Trail. [Official Highway Map, Utah Department of Transportation, 1995 edition, coordinates I-3]

Route description

SR-20 begins at I-15, Exit 95, 14 miles north of Paragonah, and heads east and southeast through a pass between the Markagunt Plateau and the Tushar Mountains. It ends at an intersection with US-89 at Bear Valley Junction. Trucks are routed from I-15 and US-89 onto SR-20 in preference to SR-9 and SR-14 to avoid steep grades and switchbacks required to cross the Markagunt Plateau. SR-20 itself is a difficult route, featuring 7% grades on the approaches to the 7910 foot summit, and oversize vehicles are required to have a pilot escort.web cite
url=http://www.utahmc.com/trucking_guide/pdf/secondary_restrictions.pdf
title=State of Utah, Secondary Highways with Additional Restrictions
accessdate=2007-11-17
publisher=Utah Motor Carrier Division / Utah Department of Transportation]

History

The route of SR-20 was first used by non-Native Americans in 1864, by the settlers of Panguitch. [web cite |publisher=University of Utah Press |title=Utah History Encyclopedia |url=http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/p/PANGUITCH.html |accessdate=2008-03-11] It crosses the Tushar Mountains just south of the Old Spanish Trail's crossing.

The road from SR-1 (US-91, now SR-271) in Paragonah to SR-11 (US-89) at Bear Valley Junction was added to the state highway system in 1917.Utah Department of Transportation, [http://www.udot.utah.gov/download.php/tid=1348/StateRouteHistory.pdf State Route History] , accessed July 2007] In 1927, the legislature assigned the State Route 20 designation to it, [cite UTSR law|year=1927|quote=20. From Paragoonah easterly to Orton, Garfield county.] and in 1953 the west end was moved north to the present junction with I-15, removing Little Creek Canyon Road and Upper Bear Valley Road from the state highway system.

Major intersections

Jctint
state=UT
county=Iron
cspan=1
location=Paragonah
lspan=1
type=
mile=0.000-0.162
road=jct|state=UT|I|15|city1=Cedar City|city2=Salt Lake City
notes=Exit 95
Western terminusJctint
state=UT
type=
county=Garfield
cspan=1
location=Bear Valley Junction
lspan=1
mile=20.492
road=jct|state=UT|US|89|city1=Panguitch|city2=Junction
notes=Eastern terminus

References