State Route 72 (SR-72) is a 35.393-mile-long (56.960 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The current alignment is an extension of SR-10. The highway provides access to Loa from Interstate 70 (I-70).
 State Route 72 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SR-72 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by UDOT | ||||
| Length | 35.393 mi[1] (56.960 km) | |||
| Existed | 1933–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  SR-24 in Loa | |||
 SR-76 near Ivie Creek Rest Area | ||||
| North end |    I-70 / US 50 / SR-10 at Fremont Junction | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Utah | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
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The highway begins in Loa and proceeds north towards Fremont and across Fishlake National Forest. The portion across Fishlake National Forest is frequently closed during winter weather. While in the national forest the highway passes by landmarks such as Foy Bench and The Frying Pan.[2] The highway ends where SR-10 begins. This is near the Ivie Creek Rest Area along I-70. This junction is called Fremont Junction by most maps and the Utah legislature.[3] Aside from the rest area, no permanent structures exist at this location.
History
editState Route 121 was created in 1931, connecting SR-24 at Loa with Fremont.[4] Two years later, the route was renumbered 72 and extended to Fremont Junction on SR-10.[5] State Route 250 was created in 1953 as a connection from SR-24 between Loa and Lyman north to the 90° turn in SR-72,[6] but was given back to the county in 1969.[7]
With the completion of I-70 along SR-10's alignment, most of the old road was relinquished to Sevier County in 1976. Since there was no interchange at Fremont Junction, SR-72 was extended east about two miles (3 km) to the point where I-70 left the SR-10 alignment to cross the San Rafael Swell.[8] (A short piece of old SR-10 west of SR-72 was restored to the state highway system in 1978 as SR-76.[9])
Major intersections
edit| County | Location[2] | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | Loa | 0.000 | 0.000 | SR-24 – Richfield, Torrey | Southern terminus |
| Fishlake National Forest | 9.629 | 15.496 | Fish Lake | ||
| Sevier | 17.400 | 28.003 | View area – Hogan's Pass / Willow Basin | ||
| 18.513 | 29.794 | View Area – Hogan's Pass Trailhead | |||
| | 33.541 | 53.979 |  SR-76 west – Salina | Eastern terminus of SR-76 | |
| | 35.393 | 56.960 |  I-70 / US 50 / SR-10 north – Green River, Castle Dale, Price | Northern terminus; southern terminus of SR-10; diamond interchange | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b "Highway Reference Information - Route 0072" (PDF). Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
- ^ a b Utah Road and Recreation Atlas (Map). 1:250000. Benchmark Maps. 2002. p. 68. ISBN 0-929591-74-7.
- ^ See Utah Administrative Code linked in Information box
- ^ Utah State Legislature (1931). "Chapter 55: Designation of State Roads". Session Laws of Utah.
(121) From Loa northerly to Fremont.
- ^ Utah State Legislature (1933). "Chapter 29". Session Laws of Utah.
(72) From Loa via Fremont northeasterly to connect with road number 10 at Ivy Creek.
- ^ Utah State Legislature (1953). "Chapter 45: Designation of State Roads". Session Laws of Utah.
Route 250. From route 72 approximately one mile east of Loa south to route 24.
- ^ Utah Department of Transportation, State Route History Archived February 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, accessed July 2007
- ^ Utah Department of Transportation, Highway Resolutions: "Route 72". (2.52 MB), updated November 2007, accessed May 2008
- ^ Utah Department of Transportation, Highway Resolutions: "Route 76". (3.89 MB), updated November 2007, accessed May 2008