Route

• South End: I-70, exit 1
• North End: I-15, exit 135

• I-70, at exit 1
• I-15, at exit 135

Interesting things along the Route:

• Historic Cove Fort - In pioneer times, Cove Fort served as a waystation for travelers going between Salt Lake and St. George, as it is located midway between Fillmore, which was the territorial capital, and Beaver, and it is about a one day's horse ride from each. Early in the settlement of Utah, Brigham Young sent some of his followers south to build an outpost at St. George, to take advantage of its mild climate climate for farming.

  Today, Cove Fort is run by the LDS Church as a historical museum. Admission is free, and it's a good place to stop out in the middle of nowhere. The guides, who are senior citizens serving unpaid missions in the service of the church, are knowledgeable and eager to show the place to you. Occasionally, they will toss references about the Book of Mormon into their presentation, but this really is a low-pressure family friendly stop which takes about an hour.

  Cove Fort is easily accessible from either I-15 or I-70.

Route

• South End: Arizona State Line, in Monument Valley
• East End: Junction U-262 in Montezuma Creek

• US 163 portion: 41 miles
• U-163 portion: 12 miles
• Total: 53 miles

• U-261, north of Mexican Hat
• US 191 (south), 3 miles west of Bluff
• US 191 (north), in Bluff
• U-262, in Montezuma Creek

Also, Route 163 is the only route in Utah with more than one route type: the southwestern section, from Arizona to the first US 191 junction is US 163; east of Bluff, it's state route 163.

In the legislative description, the US 163 and U-163 sections are not consecutive, as the route is broken by a four-mile overlap with US 191 through Bluff. However, the overlapped section is signed as US 163.

Route History
This route wasn't paved until 1950, when it was assigned the number U-44, and U-44 continued north from Bluff along present-day US 191 to meet US 160 in Monticello. In 1970, the whole system was changed around: the portion of US 160 east of Monticello became US 666 and US 160 continued south to Bluff and Arizona, erasing U-44. Two years later, the whole route was renumbered US 163, and finally, in 1980, most of then-US 163 was renumbered to US 191 as a part of a long-standing plan to have a continuously numbered route from southern Utah to Yellowstone via Flaming Gorge. This renumbering left the stub west of Bluff remaining as US 163. The eastern section, as state route 163, was added after.

Interesting things along the Route:

• Monument Valley Tribal Park - xxxxxxxx

• The Mexican Hat - xxxxxxxxx

US 163 Links
US 163 Arizona by Alan Hamilton

Route

• West End: I-15 at exit 254
• East End: Junction U-198

Route

• South End: the town of Paradise, Cache County
• North End: Junction US 91

Route History
U-165 was originally assigned to a road in Daggett County which went southward from the Wyoming state line near McKinnon, and then eastward passing near Sheep Creek Lake and the Ute Lookout Tower, connecting to U-44 south of Manila. Today, most of that route is still unpaved and is known as Forest Road 221. The paved section near U-44 is Forest Road 218.

Route History
U-166 was originally assigned to a road in Daggett County which ran from Antelope Junction, on U-43 west of Manila, to (as it was called then) U-165 near Long Bark Lake. Today, that road is called Forest Road 014.

Route

• South End: I-84 at exit 92
• North End: Junction U-39

The webmaster doesn't have precise information, but estimates that this route was built sometime after 1980. Prior to its construction, motorists wishing to visit Pineview or Snowbasin had to use the narrow, twisting, over-trafficked route of U-39 through Ogden Canyon.

On the southernmost 1 1/2 miles of the route, that portion between I-84 and the turn-off onto the four-lane Trappers Loop Road, this route follows the historic route of US 30S, a decommissioned branch of US 30, which still runs from coast to coast, Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Astoria, Oregon, but which no longer passes through Utah.

The southern end has been indicated as MILE 0.4, because the distance from the I-84 eastbound exit ramp to milepost 1.0 is only six tenths of one mile. Presumably, at one time the southern end of U-167 was an additional 0.4 miles further away, but presently, it is at I-84.

Old US 30S is designated as secondary route 1978.

Note that while the northern end of the route is listed at milepost 11.3, the route is only 10.9 miles, due to the fact the first 0.4 miles of the route have been dropped, leaving milepost 1.0 at only 0.6 road miles from the beginning of the route.

Route

• South End: Hill Air Base, northern boundary
• North End: Junction U-60, at South Weber Drive and 1050 West in Riverdale

The southern end of U-168, up on the bluffs overlooking the Weber River. The Hill AFB perimeter fence and the locked gate across the road are visible in the distance.

The most surprising aspect of this route to anyone who reads the legislative description and then drives the route is that there is no longer any "north entrance" to Hill Air Force base! As one drives south from Riverdale, the road simply ends at a fence at the top of the bluffs. It's obvious that, at one time, there was indeed an access gate at this location, but from all appearances, this gate has been sealed for several years.

At the other end of the route, the northern end, U-60 eastbound makes a left turn from 1050 West to South Weber Drive, and U-168 continues straight ahead (south) through the T-intersection on the same road, 1050 West. Westbound U-60, moving west on South Weber Drive, comes to a stop sign at 1050 West, and then turns right, to head north.

Given that this route goes nowhere, the webmaster believes that this route should be relinquished from the state highway system. When the north gate to the air force base was in use, this route made sense, but, today, it is completely unneeded as a state route.

Finally, I've listed this route as being in Weber County only. From my best judgement, using the maps I have available, it appears that the county line coincides with the north gate of the airbase at this point, so I don't believe that U-168 stretches far enough southward to enter Davis County.

At the northern end of U-168, U-60, which is heading south at this point, makes makes a turn to the left and heads east, while U-168 begins on the road which continues straight ahead.

Route History
U-169 was originally assigned to the road in Wasatch County which goes eastward from Heber City along Lake Creek. By 1967, it had been removed from the state highway system.

Route

• West End: Junction U-111, at 8400 West on 3500 South in Magna
• East End: I-215 at exit 3

Route Notes
This route is 35th/33rd South across the Salt Lake Valley. It is the only numbered surface street route which goes all the way across the valley from the base of the Oquirrhs to the foot of the Wasatch Mountains.

West of Redwood Road (1700 West) U-171 follows the alignment of 3500 South, and east of 500 West, the route runs on 3300 South.

U-171 intersects with I-215 twice: once near 2500 West on 3500 South, next to Valley Fair Mall, and again at about 3300 East on 3300 South. At the eastern junction, there is no U-171 shield on the exit signage for traffic northbound on the freeway, as the ramp is located about eight blocks south and serves both 3300 and 3900 South.

Route

• South End: Corner of 6200 South and 5600 West in Kearns (it does not end at a numbered route)
• North End: I-80, at exit 113

Route Notes
U-172 runs north and south from West Jordan to Salt Lake City's International Center along the 5600 West alignment. The route itself is really noteworthy except that it makes the last connection between I-80 and U-201 before the Kennecott property which precludes any connections for nearly nine miles west.

Because of this, the route is heavily travelled on its northern end. However, UDOT signage doesn't make it easy for non-locals to find the route from the freeways: there are no U-172 route shields on the guide signage for the exits to 56th West from I-80 nor from U-201.

This route corridor is currently under study for a possible freeway, as a link in Governor Leavitt's proposed Legacy Highway. City leaders in West Valley seem to want to have the two-lane road widened, but generally oppose the Legacy Project which would divide their community with a new freeway -- hey, you can't have it both ways; either you want a better road or you don't! In the meantime, as of spring 2001, UDOT seems to getting ready to widen 5600 West -- at least south of 21st South, as there has been plenty of shoulder work activity recently.

The south end of the route is one of the most unique in the system because it does not end at another numbered route, it just ends unceremonoiusly at a suburban corner, 6200 South and 5600 West. Now, there are other routes in the system which have one end which doesn't connect to another route, but those routes are generally in far flung places, or up in a canyon. This ending, amidst a sea of tract homes just seems so incomplete, as if they had plans to extend it further south. After all, 5600 West continues on south of 6200 West, but not as a state highway. And the corner where it ends is anything but a destination in itself: there are no stores, gas stations, convenience marts, or other signs of commercial activity at the corner -- in fact, until the middle of 2000, it was a four-way stop. The intersection where U-172 is just a regular, undistinguished corner, not unlike many others in West Jordan.

One more note, U-172 has intersections with both U-171 and U-173 -- the only route I know of which intersects with the next highest and lowest consecutively numbered routes.

Route

• West End: Junction U-111 in West Valley City
• East End: Junction US 89, at the corner of State Street and 53rd South

Route Notes
U-173 does not have an intersection with I-215; 5400 South passes under the freeway in Taylorsville.

Route

• West End: The IPA plant north of Delta
• East End: Junction US 6, midway between Delta and Lynndyl

The citizens of Millard County thank them, as IPA is the largest employer in the area, and it brought life to a dying part of the state.

Interesting things along the Route:

• IPA Plant - The Intermountain Power Agency, a quasi-government consortium owned by several Utah municipalities operates its only plant southeast of Delta. The power generated in this coal-fired plant is sold to utilities in Southern California and profits from the enterprise subsidize the cost of power for ratepayers in the municipalities which own the plant. Ironically, the plant was conceived and built during the time when electric rates were high, and the Southern California utilities are contractually obligated to purchase electricity from the consortium at prices far above the market, even as California deregulates its electricity market. The cost structures of the plant could force bankruptcy for the IPA, and possibly its owner Utah cities, if the Californians ever stop paying to keep it afloat. The plant is easily visible from US 6, and it is striking at night.

Route History
U-177 was once assigned to 90th South in Salt Lake County. The exit guide signage for 90th South from I-15 has U-209 shields pasted over the U-177 shields (U-209 is the route currently assigned there).

Route History
U-178 was originally assigned to a road in Tooele County which ran eastward from Tooele through Middle Canyon in the Oquirrhs. It is unclear whether the routing of U-178 included the Butterfield Canyon Road on the Salt Lake County side of the pass.

Route History
In the 1950s, U-179 was assigned to a short road in Tooele County which connected U-36 to Bauer. The road vanished from the state highway map by 1967. Bauer is a small settlement west of U-36, north of Stockton, and is not currently on the state highway system.

Route

• South End: I-15, at exit 279
• North End: US 89

Route Notes
U-180 is not signed from I-15. The guide signage northbound says "500 East"; southbound it is "Pleasant Grove" (?!).

Route History
U-180 was originally assigned to the road through Ophir Canyon in Tooele County, connecting U-73 to the old mining town of Ophir. Today, Ophir is a ghost town. This assignment of U-180 also vanished, disappearing form the state highway map by 1967.