US 6

Route History
US 6 was not in the original US Highway plan created back in 1925, but was added in the late 1930s, a period which saw considerable route additions and re-alignments both in Utah and nationwide.

Of all the US routes in Utah, US 6 follows its original 1930s routing the most closely. In fact, except for a straighter alignment west of Delta, and overlays with Interstates 15 and 70, the route is virtually unchanged in over 50 years.

The route was not fully paved across Utah until 1950, but the eastern sections, which provided major access to Denver and points east was paved prior to World War II. US 6 moved to I-70 from Green River eastward as soon as the freeway completed, but it was not overlaid on I-15 between Santaquin and Spanish Fork until 1996. West of Delta, the old route was 10-15 miles north of the current alignment.

Photo courtesy of USGS

In this aerial photo of Thistle Slide, the full impact of the destruction can be visualized. prior to the slide, US 6/89 entered the Thistle area from the north, at the right edge of the photo. The route divergence, and the town of Thistle, were just upstream from the slide. US 89 continued south toward the top of the picture, while US 6 turned east, toward the lower-left corner. The new road was contructed on a new ROW along the bottom of the photo passing on the near side of the mountain which rises at the lower left.

One other deviation of significance: A three mile bypass near Thistle. In April 1983, a landslide blocked the Spanish Fork River just north (downstream) of the town of Thistle, creating a dam which flooded the town, which had been the junction between US 6 and 89, under 150 feet of water. For months, the road, which serves as the primary connection between the cities of the Wasatch Front and Denver, was closed while crews constructed a bypass. The new bypass, climbs high above the Spanish Fork Canyon, and breaches the mountain where the landslide occurred through a cut blasted out in 1983. The current junction with US 89 is a mile east of (and uphill from) the former Thistle townsite. Although US 6 bypasses it, US 89 still passes right through the old town, and many of the old buildings are still there. The parallel Denver & Rio Grande Railroad suffered the same fate as US 6, and a new right of way was tunnelled through the same mountain.

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. From US 6, use U-174, from near MP 99.4 to reach the plant.
• Tintic Mining District - In Eureka, this was the site of a mining boom...
• Thistle - site of destructive flood which destroyed the town in 1983. See story in history above. Some structures still remain.
• Green River - One of two cities in Utah whose corporate limits rest in two counties: Emery and Grand, in this case (See a more detailed account of this problem in the "Route Notes" under the notes for U-19.) Also, the town is located in a warm valley along its namesake, the Green River, so it is a great location for growing melons (quite uncommon in this mountainous, snow-prone state). There is an annual watermelon festival.

• With US 50:
  • 89 miles - from Nevada State Line to Delta
  • 74 miles - from Green River to Colorado State Line
• With I-15: 12 miles - from Santaquin to Spanish Fork
• With US 89: 12 miles - from Moark Junction to Thistle Junction
• With US 191: 91 miles - from north of Helper to Crescent Junction
• With I-70: 74 miles - from Green River to Colorado State Line

The section with I-70 is a hidden overlay, as neither US 6, US 50, nor US 191 are posted. On the overlay with I-15, US 6 shields are posted, but the are mounted on separate poles from and are not as large as the I-15 shields. Posting of US route shields along sections where the route shares the right of way with an interstate is uncommon in Utah, and this special case may exist because the overlay was not added until 1996.

The bastard step-brother? Reflecting Utah's reluctance to post US Highway overlays on interstates, the US 6 trailblazer on the this section of I-15 near Payson is not given the dignity of sharing the same pole with its interstate big brother. In fact, it is mounted on a lesser pole is stands lower than I-15's proud shield. Also, notice that I-15 is afforded a strong metal support pole while US 6 gets a less-durable wooden post. Even so, US 6 cannot complain: at least its overlay here is signed! ...That's better treatment than US 50 and US 89 get when they share pavement with I-15.

Note that, in the legislative route description, the route ends at I-15 near Santaquin, then commences again at Moark Connection (near Spanish Fork), and then ends at I-70 in Green River. According to the Utah Code, US 6 does not exist on those shared sections.

The US 191 overlay is a rather recent occurence. Historically, the portion of US 191 south of Crescent Junction, was US 160, and later US 163. Both of those routes ended at Crescent Junction. North of Helper, it was U-33 and U-44 north of Vernal. It wasn't until the route was cobbled together in 1980 that the Crescent Junction to Helper section was needed as an overlay to form a complete route.

On all of the overlay sections with other US highways, US 6's milepost numbers are used.

Freeway sections

• 12 miles, overlay with I-15, Santaquin to Spanish Fork
• 2 miles, byapssing the city of Price around the west side town (Super-two)
• 73 miles, overlay with I-70, Green River to Colorado State Line

This view of the US 6 business loop in Price is from its south end, just off the US 6/191 super-two. Notice how the route is dual-signed as Business Route US 6 and its legislative route number, U-55. Even though US 191 is overlaid on US 6 through Price, for some reason the loop is not marked as Business Route 191.

Another view of the Price business loop, this one at 100 North and Carbon. This corner is the northern end of U-10.

	The sign assembly depicted at left shows the signage along the Helper business route. Notice how the route is labelled only with Business Route 6/191 shields. Unlike the route in Price, only 12 miles south, there are no trailblazers for the state route number on this route, which is U-244.
	Below is a view of U-244, Main Street in Helper, the principle routing of Business 6/191 in that town.

More Photos

US 89 EAST? From Spanish Fork, the bad guide signage headquarters of Utah, comes this gem! First, US 89 does not touch I-15 at exit 261 -- it's four miles east. But, that could be overlooked: because this sign faces southbound traffic on I-15, and Spanish Fork is the last good opporunity for southbound traffic to get over to US 89, so exit 261 is a logical place to direct traffic over to US 89. However, a better way to represent this would be: EAST {6} TO {89}. The second problem here is US 89 EAST? US 89 runs north and south. UDOT usually doesn't make mistakes like this. Also, I don't know why they had to put the "EAST" directional indicator over the line which separates the EXIT number from the rest of the guide information. It makes it appear that adding the direction was an afterthought.

Ethyl, I think we're lost!

Trying to follow US 6 westward across Utah? I hope you have a map because sooner or later you're going to find yourself here. "...Let's see, I know that US 6 goes to Spanish Fork, and then Santaquin, Delta, and Ely, but I don't see any of those cities on this sign; I know I don't want to go to Salt Lake or Vegas. Hmmmm. Maybe those trailblazers that I see up ahead will help....Doh! What happened to US 6?!"

For the record, US 6 continues southbound on I-15 , but don't look for any help from UDOT when you get to this fork in the road!.

In fairness, this signage was probably put up before US 6 was moved to this alignment. But, even still, it has been three years since that change was made. Even more puzzling, is that they have placed US 6 trailblazers along I-15, something UDOT doesn't usually do when a US highway overlays with an interstate. Why couldn't they have added even one sign to direct US 6 traffic here?

Links
Nevada US 6 by Andrew Field
Colorado US 6 by Matt Salek
Connecticut US 6 by Neil Kelly

This page last updated by Daniel Stober