Interstate 80 in Utah

Interstate 80
Purple Heart Trail
Route information
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-113
Maintained by UDOT
Length:	196.35 mi[1] (315.99 km)
Existed:	1956 – present
Major junctions
West end:	I‑80 at the Nevada state line
	SR-201 near Magna SR-154 in Salt Lake City I-215 in Salt Lake City I-15 in Salt Lake City SR-201 in Salt Lake City I-15 in South Salt Lake US-89 in South Salt Lake I-215 in Millcreek US-40 / US-189 near Park City I-84 in Echo
East end:	I-80 / US 189 at the Wyoming state line
Location
Counties:	Tooele, Salt Lake, Summit
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business State highways in Utah Interstate • US State Minor Parks Scenic ← SR-79 SR-81 →

Interstate 80 (I-80) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. The portion of the highway in the U.S. state of Utah is 196.35-mile-long (315.99 km), through the northern part of the state. From west to east, I-80 crosses the state line from Nevada in Tooele County and traverses the Bonneville Salt Flats—which are a part of the larger Great Salt Lake Desert. It continues alongside the Wendover Cut-off—the corridor of the former Victory Highway—U.S. Route 40 (US-40) and the Western Pacific Railroad Feather River Route. After passing the Oquirrh Mountains, I-80 enters the Salt Lake Valley and Salt Lake County. A short portion of the freeway is concurrent with I-15 through Downtown Salt Lake City. At the Spaghetti Bowl, I-80 turns east again into the mouth of Parley's Canyon and Summit County, travels through the mountain range and intersects the eastern end of I-84 near Echo Reservoir before turning northwest towards the Wyoming border near Evanston. I-80 was built along the corridor of the Lincoln Highway and the Mormon Trail through the Wasatch Range. The easternmost section also follows the historical routes of the First Transcontinental Railroad and US-30S.

Construction of the controlled-access highway began in the 1950s, and by the late 1970s most of the freeway across the state of Utah had been completed. The four-and-a-half-mile-long (7.2 km) section of I-80 between Utah State Route 68 (SR-68, Redwood Road) and the Salt Lake City International Airport was the last piece of the nearly 2,900-mile-long (4,700 km) freeway to be completed. It was opened on August 22, 1986, and was about 50 miles (80 km) from the site of another cross-country milestone in Utah, the driving of the Golden Spike of the First Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit. Average daily traffic volumes in 2012 ranged between 6,765 vehicles using the freeway at SR-58 and 121,205 vehicles using the freeway at the Spaghetti Bowl in Downtown Salt Lake City. Throughout the state, the highway is also known as the Purple Heart Trail.

Route description

Out of the eleven states which I-80 passes through, the 196.34-mile-long (315.98 km) segment in Utah is the fourth shortest. The longest stretch of I-80 in a single state is the 455.32-mile-long (732.77 km) segment in Nebraska.^[1] As part of the Interstate Highway System,^[2] the entire route is listed on the National Highway System, a system of roads that are important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.^[3]

Every year, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways to measure traffic volumes. This measure is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic (AADT), a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2012, UDOT calculated that as few as 6,765 vehicles traveled I-80 at the interchange with SR-58 in Wendover, and as many as 121,205 vehicles used the highway at the Spaghetti Bowl in downtown Salt Lake City.^[4] Between seven and 58 percent of the traffic recorded consisted of trucks.^[5] These counts are for the portion of the freeway in Utah.

Tooele County

The freeway enters Utah from Nevada in the city of Wendover on the edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats. The cities of West Wendover, Nevada and Wendover are accessible by I-80's only business loop in Utah,^[6] whose interchange is just south of Danger Cave.^[7][8] The highway closely follows the historical routes of the Wendover Cutoff, the Victory Highway,^[9] and of the ex-Western Pacific Railroad's Feather River Route (now part of the Union Pacific Railroad Central Corridor) across the salt flats and the larger Great Salt Lake Desert.^[10] Bonneville Speedway, home to many land speed records, is accessible from I-80.^[11] In the middle of the salt flats is a concrete sculpture, Metaphor: The Tree of Utah, which stands just off the westbound carriageway of I-80, 30 mi (48 km) east of Wendover.^[12]

Bounded on each sides by military training grounds,^[13] the I-80 corridor is overflown by commercial airliners traveling west from Salt Lake City International Airport.^[14] The freeway veers north around the Cedar Mountains in a small gap between them and the Lakeside Mountains. Further east, the highway passes the Stansbury Mountains, which are located in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.^[15] After the mountain ranges, the freeway arrives at the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake and closely follows the shore towards the western suburbs of Salt Lake City.^[16] However, the historical routes from which the route of I-80 was derived were routed further from the lake, passing through the towns of Grantsville and Tooele before crossing a bottleneck between the Oquirrh Mountains and Stansbury Island in the Great Salt Lake. These communities are now served by SR-138 and SR-36 respectively.^[7]

Salt Lake County

View west along I-80 at the eastern junction with I-15 and SR-201 in Salt Lake County

While traversing the neck, views can be had from I-80 of the Lake and Antelope Island. After passing the neck, the road forks, with I-80 proceeding towards the north end of Salt Lake City and SR-201 proceeding towards the south end.^[17] Historically, this intersection was the separation of US-40 and US-50. After the intersection, the freeway corridor is again bottlenecked with the Great Salt Lake to the north and the Kennecott Copper smelter and tailings pond to the south. The Kennecott's Bingham Canyon Mine, which was once considered to be the largest open-pit copper mine, can be seen in the distance.^[18] The 1,215-foot-tall (370 m) Kennecott Smokestack is one of the tallest freestanding structures in the United States.^[19] Along this portion, the freeway passes the historical site of the Saltair Resort.^[7]

The Spaghetti Bowl in South Salt Lake

The freeway enters the Salt Lake Valley on the former alignment of North Temple Street until it passes the Salt Lake City International Airport, where the freeway veers slightly south and leaves the North Temple Street corridor which leads to Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. The Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) TRAX system briefly parallels I-80 before traveling down the center of North Temple Street. I-80 becomes concurrent with I-15 after interchanges with SR-58 and 600 South and continues south for about three miles (4.8 km), passing along the western and southern edges of downtown Salt Lake City. The southern interchange with I-15, which also includes SR-201 (21st South Freeway) and marks the end of the concurrency, is known as the Spaghetti Bowl,.^[20] In the southwestern corner of the Spaghetti Bowl is another portion of the UTA TRAX Green Line as it travels towards West Valley City. After separating from I-15, the freeway continues easterly through South Salt Lake, loosely following an alignment just south of 2100 South and the UTA S Line streetcar through the Sugar House neighborhood and past Sugar House Park—once the home of the Sugar House Prison^[21] towards the clockwise terminus of the I-215 270° belt route around Salt Lake. It continues through Parley's Canyon,^[7] where the freeway joins the historical route of the Lincoln Highway.^[22] Between the mouth of the canyon and the Summit county line, the route re-enters the Wasatch National Forest.^[17]

Summit County

Parley's Canyon carries I-80 up the western slope of the Wasatch Front as a six-lane freeway,^[7] cresting the mountains at an elevation of 7,028 feet (2,142 m) at Parley's Summit.^[23] Both the canyon and summit were named for Parley P. Pratt, an early settler to the Salt Lake Valley and an early Mormon leader who was asked to survey a new route across the mountains to replace the route through Emigration Canyon. Between 1848 and 1851, Pratt surveyed, completed, and operated the Golden Pass toll road through the canyon that today bears his name. Pratt had unsuccessfully solicited for $800 (equivalent to $399 thousand in 2015)^[24] to build the road, and sold it for $1,500 (equivalent to $740 thousand in 2015).^[24][25] On and off ramps for the Wyoming port-of-entry are located just within Utah.^[7] In January 2014, UDOT introduced variable speed limits to I-80 in Parley's Canyon, allowing a speed limit between 35 mph (56 km/h) up to the normal 65 mph (105 km/h) depending on weather or traffic conditions.^[26]

View along I-80 eastbound in Parley's Canyon

Beyond Parley's summit lies Park City, a mining town today better known for its many ski resorts.^[27][28] The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park travels in the median between carriageways of I-80 before paralleling the highway until the southern end of Echo Reservoir.^[29] The freeway turns north upon reaching the Rockport Reservoir at Wanship^[30] following the tributaries of the Weber River toward Echo Reservoir and dam. Upon reaching Echo Canyon and the junction with the eastern terminus of the western section of I-84, the freeway follows the canyon east until it reaches the Wyoming state line near Evanston. I-80 forms the northeastern border between Rich and Summit Counties.^[31]

The portion through Echo Canyon follows the historical routes of the Mormon Trail, US-30S, and the First Transcontinental Railroad.^[32] A rest area in the canyon just east of the junction with I-84 features signs pointing out features that were obstacles for both the Mormon pioneers and the railroad construction workers, including Pulpit Rock,^[33] which was partially demolished when the I-80 was built through the canyon.^[34]

History

I-80 eastbound across the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Earlier roads

I-80 follows the routes of two major auto trails through the state. In western Utah, I-80 follows the historical route of the Victory Highway from Wendover at the Nevada state line to the junction of US-40 near Park City. Throughout Utah, I-80 is signed as the modern route of the Lincoln Highway—except through Salt Lake City, where the Lincoln Highway is routed along State Route 201 and Parley's Way. The route of the Lincoln Highway across Utah was generally derived from the route of the Pony Express and the Central Overland Route. However, much of the original route of the Lincoln Highway west of Salt Lake City is inaccessible. The original route of the Lincoln Highway proceeded southwest from Tooele towards Ely, Nevada. This area is now used for military bases, such as the Dugway Proving Ground and Tooele Army Depot. The area was closed to the public when these bases were established. I-80 and US-93 are the modern signing of the Lincoln Highway between those two cities. East of Salt Lake City, I-80 closely parallels the original route of the Lincoln Highway.^[35][36]

In 1926, much of the route covered by I-80, including Pratt's former toll road from the Nevada state line into Salt Lake City, was signed as US-40 then as US-30 to the Wyoming state line.^[37][38] It was also part of the Victory Highway west of Salt Lake and the Lincoln Highway east of Salt Lake at this time. Most of the route had been improved but some stretches of graded road remained.^[39] In 1937, parts of the route near Wanship were numbered US-530.^[40] In 1950, the highway near Echo was designated US-30S and US-189.^[41] By 1959, US-50 Alternate was also routed along the western portion of I-80.^[42]

Current road

The first Utah State Route to have the number 80 is now known as SR-92, which was originally numbered SR-80 until the 1977 renumbering of Utah State highways. Previously, the freeway's legislative designation was SR-2.^[43]

I-80 passing the Oquirrh Mountains westbound along the shores of the Great Salt Lake

Passage of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 formed the Interstate Highway System,^[44] and the I-80 number was first designated to a then-unconstructed controlled-access highway across the state by 1957.^[45] I-80 was constructed in segments, starting in the late 1950s. By the late 1970s, the Utah portion of I-80—except for a gap on the western edge of Salt Lake City—was largely complete. A four-and-a-half-mile-long (7.2 km) section between Redwood Road and Salt Lake City International Airport holds the distinction of being the final link of the transcontinental freeway to be completed.^[46] As an Interstate Highway, design specifications require a controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections. This section was dedicated on August 22, 1986, and was the last to be completed to Interstate Highway specifications along the almost 2,900-mile-long (4,700 km) route of I-80 between San Francisco, California and Teaneck, New Jersey.^[47] The section was completed close to the thirtieth anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, which was noted at the dedication and considered to be a milestone in the history of highway construction in the United States.^[46] It was also noted at the dedication that this was only 50 miles (80 km) south of Promontory Summit, where the golden spike of the United States First Transcontinental Railroad was laid.^[48]

View east along I-80 towards the eastern I-215 interchange (foreground) and downtown Salt Lake City (background)

The original designation of I-84, which begins at an interchange with I-80 in Echo, was I-80N. This designation was changed to I-84 in 1977 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials despite objections from the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Idaho Transportation Department, and with the support of UDOT and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The legislative designation for this highway was SR-3 until the 1977 renumbering.^[43]

Rebuilding of the first portions of I-80 began in October 1990 with a one-point-four-mile-long (2.3 km) stretch near Redwood Road in Salt Lake City.^[49] By 1991, UDOT estimated that the reconstruction of all federally funded highways in the state would cost up to $4.3 billion (equivalent to $9.85 billion in 2015)^[24].^[50] The Spaghetti Bowl interchange was first proposed in 1996 to accommodate traffic for the 2002 Winter Olympics being held in the city.^[51] Most of the Spaghetti Bowl was open by November 2000; the remainder opened in early 2001.^[52] In 2002, the Utah State Legislature named the highway the Purple Heart trail,^[53] in honor of wounded war veterans.^[54] Additional reconstruction work—which involved replacing most of the bridges along the route, resurfacing and installation of sound barriers—was done on I-80 between the Spaghetti Bowl and Parley's Canyon in 2007 and 2008.^[55]

Exit list

County	Location	mi[note 1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Tooele	Wendover	0.000	0.000	Nevada–Utah state line I‑80 west continues into Nevada
		0.043	0.069	1	To SR-58 / Aria Boulevard – Wendover	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		1.484	2.388	2	I-80 Bus. / SR-58 west – Wendover	Westbound entrance is via a U-turn at exit 4
	​	3.993	6.426	4	Bonneville Speedway	Rest and View Area off exit
	​	9.816	15.797	Rest Area
	​	41.278	66.431	41	Knolls (Wendover Cut-off)	Eastern terminus of the Wendover Cut-off
	​	48.940	78.761	49	Clive
	​	53.996	86.898	Grassy Mountain Rest Area
	​	56.195	90.437	56	Aragonite
	​	61.837	99.517	62	Military Area, Lakeside
	​	69.521	111.883	70	Delle
	Rowley Junction	76.402	122.957	77	SR-196 – Rowley, Dugway
	​	83.358	134.152	84	SR-138 – Grantsville, Tooele
	​	88.395	142.258	88	Grantsville
	​	98.619	158.712	99	SR-36 – Stansbury, Tooele
Salt Lake	​	101.544	163.419	102	SR-201 east (2100 South) – Magna, West Valley City	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
	​	104.273	167.811	104	SR-202 / Saltair Drive
	Salt Lake City	111.287	179.099	111	7200 West
		113.276	182.300	113	5600 West (SR-172)
		114.336	184.006	114	Wright Brothers Drive	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		115.374	185.676	115	SR-154 (Bangerter Highway) – Salt Lake City International Airport	Signed as exits 115A (Airport) and 115B (Bangerter Highway) westbound; no westbound exit or eastbound entrance at North Temple
		116.488	187.469	115	North Temple – Downtown Salt Lake City, Temple Square	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former SR-186
		117.262	188.715	117	I-215 – Ogden, Provo	I-215 north exit 22, south exits 22A-B
		117.862	189.681	118	SR-68 (Redwood Road)
		119.591	192.463	120	I-15 north – Ogden, Pocatello	West end of I-15 overlap; no exit number westbound
		307.309	494.566	306	600 South (SR-269 east) – Temple Square	Signed as exit 306 westbound
		304.646	490.280	305D	900 South (SR-270 east)	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
		304.646	490.280	305C	1300 South
	South Salt Lake	304.646	490.280	306A	SR-201 west – West Valley	Signed as exit 305A eastbound Part of the Spaghetti Bowl interchange
		122.028	196.385	306B	I-15 south – Las Vegas, Provo, Saint George	East end of I-15 overlap; no exit number eastbound Part of the "Spaghetti Bowl" interchange
		123.231	198.321	124	US-89 (State Street)
	Salt Lake City	124.125	199.760	125	SR-71 (700 East)
		125.072	201.284	126	1300 East – Sugar House	Former SR-181
		126.785	204.041	127	2300 East – Holladay, Millcreek	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; former SR-195
		127.039	204.449	128	I-215 south (Belt Route)	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		127.685	205.489	129	SR-186 west (Foothill Drive) / Parleys Way	Former US-40 Alternate; I-215 exit 1
		128.619	206.992	130	I-215	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; I-215 north exit 2
	​	130.399	209.857	131	Rock Quarry Road	No westbound exit — Exit signed only as "Exit 131"
	​	131.869	212.223	132	Mt. Aire Canyon Road
	​	133.665	215.113	134	SR-65 north – East Canyon
	​	136.113	219.053	137	Lambs Canyon
Summit	​	139.413	224.363	140	Parley's Summit
	​	141.815	228.229	141	Jeremy Ranch
	​	142.847	229.890	Exit 144: View Area (eastbound)
	Kimball Junction	144.198	232.064	145	SR-224 south – Park City
	Silver Creek Junction	146.876	236.374	146	US-40 east (US-189 south) – Heber, Vernal, Provo	West end of US-189 overlap
	​	150.724	242.567	150	Tollgate Promontory
	Wanship	154.972	249.403	155	SR-32 south – Wanship, Kamas
	Coalville	162.592	261.666	162	Coalville (SR-280)
	​	165.005	265.550	View Area
	​	167.324	269.282	168	I-84 west – Ogden	I-84 exits 120A-B.
	​	167.781	270.017	169	Echo
	​	169.505	272.792	Rest Area
	​	178.703	287.595	178	Emory	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
	​	184.126	296.322	185	Castle Rock
	​	187.767	302.182	187	Ranch Exit
	​	191.690	308.495	191	Wahsatch
	​	196.680	316.526	Utah–Wyoming state line I-80 east / US 189 north continues into Wyoming
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

See also

• Interstate 80 Business (West Wendover, Nevada–Wendover, Utah)

Notes

References

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Media related to Interstate 80 in Utah at Wikimedia Commons
• Interstate 80 in Utah on AARoads

Interstate 80
Previous state: Nevada	Utah	Next state: Wyoming

Lincoln Highway
Previous state: Nevada	Utah	Next state: Wyoming