State Route 161 (SR-161) is a 3.084-mile (4.963 km) long state highway, designated as a rural major connector, completely within Millard County in central Utah. The highway connects Interstate 70 (I-70) to I-15 while providing service to historic Cove Fort. The route was once part of U.S. Route 91 (US-91), but was renumbered to SR-161 in the 1970s, in parallel with the construction of I-70.
 State Route 161 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 SR-161 in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by UDOT | ||||
| Length | 3.084 mi[1] (4.963 km) | |||
| Existed | 1965–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  I-70 near Cove Fort | |||
| North end |  I-15 near Cove Fort | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Utah | |||
| Counties | Millard | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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| ||||
Route description
editLocated entirely in southeastern Millard County,[2] SR-161 starts at a diamond interchange with the westernmost exit on I-70 before it terminates at I-15. The road continues northward until it reaches the historic Cove Fort and the associated visitors center. On the eastern side of the highway is a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) maintenance center. SR-161 starts to make a gentle turn to the northeast, passing a filling station, which also serves as a rest area as part of a public–private partnership between UDOT and the owners of the station.[1] The highway intersects I-15 and comes to an end at a cattle guard on Black Rock Road northwest of the interchange with I-15.[3]
In 2007, a daily average of 455 cars traveled along SR-161, representing only a slight growth from previous years; in 2006, the average was 450 and in 2005, 415).[4] Thirty five percent of this traffic was composed of trucks.[5] The average traffic measurement is collected at a point on SR-161 between Cove Fort and the interchange with I-15.
History
editThe SR-161 designation has been used two other times for other state routes. The first route, which was formed in 1933, connected US-50/US-89/US-91 (now US-89) to SR-68 in Bluffdale until the route was decommissioned in 1953. From May 8, 1961, to February 14, 1964, the route number was used for a road from US-91 to I-15 in the city of Beaver.[6]
The parallel T-beam bridges that carry I-15 over SR-161 at its northern terminus were constructed in 1966 along with the construction of I-15 though the area.[7] The bridges carrying I-70 over SR-161 were constructed in 1973.[8][9]
The current route, codified into Utah law in 1965 and designated on signage following the decommissioning of US-91 in the 1970s, was partially a former alignment of US-91. Once I-70 was completed the 1.07 mi (1.72 km) long segment of US-91 as well as the roadway to the north was designated SR-161 by the Utah State Department of Highways. No significant changes have been made to the roadway except for its legal definition.[6] SR-161 serves the important function of providing access to the contracted rest area as well as the historic Cove Fort. As of 2009[update] no new projects are scheduled for SR-161, either through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or the UDOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.[10][11]
Major intersections
editThe entire route is in Millard County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 0.000– 0.080 | 0.000– 0.129 |  I-70 to I-15 – Richfield | Exit 1 on I-70; southern terminus. | |
| | 2.812– 3.071 | 4.525– 4.942 | I-15 – Cedar City, Salt Lake City | Exit 135 on I-15 | |
| | 3.084 | 4.963 | Black Rock Road Cattle guard | Northern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
edit
- ^ a b c "Route 161" (PDF). Highway Reference. Utah Department of Transportation. May 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ General Highway Map — Millard County (Map). Utah Department of Transportation. 2005. p. 6. Retrieved September 30, 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "SR-161 Overview" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ "Traffic on Utah Highways - 2007". Utah Department of Transportation. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ "Truck Traffic on Utah Highways - 2007". Utah Department of Transportation. July 2, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ a b "Route 161" (PDF). Highway Resolutions. Utah Department of Transportation. November 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "++++++++0D+745". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
- ^ "++++++++2F+193". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
- ^ "++++++++4F+193". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
- ^ "Statewide Transportation Improvement Program". Utah Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
- ^ "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act". Utah Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on August 13, 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.