Route

Interstate 15 leaves Nevada at Mesquite and cuts a 30 miles swath across the northwestern corner of Arizona before entering Utah just south of St George. For 403 miles, the route climbs and descends, bends through mountain passes, stretches across desolate flatlands, and bores through urban neighborhoods as it drives toward the Idaho border.

Route Definition in Utah Code

Route Description

Heading northeast out of Las Vegas, I-15 enters Arizona just east of the border boomtown of Mesquite, Nevada. This is a lonely, isolated corner of the Grand Canyon State, completely cut off from the rest of the state by the Colorado River. The only settlement along I-15 in Arizona is the town of Littlefield, and there are only four exits along the entire 29 miles in the state.

This is not to say that I-15 in Arizona doesn't merit a look.

The main attraction of the drive through Arizona on I-15 is the Virgin River Gorge, a dozen or so miles where the freeway is squeezed into a deep canyon along with the river. The road crosses the river several times, as it snakes through the narrow, deep-walled gorge. The scenery is compelling so, if at all possible, you'll want to drive it during daylight hours.

The gorge was virtually impenetrable before I-15 was built; the old road, US 91, avoided it by heading north out of Littlefield, and then arcing southeastward into St George, Utah. At the time it was constructed, the Virgin River section of I-15 was the most expensive stretch of interstate highway in the country. The Federal Highway Adminstration of the 1960s insisted that the road be pushed through the gorge because of its scenic beauty. It's impossible to imagine this road being in the EIS-crazy atmosphere of today!

As I-15 enters Utah, the roadway drops into the St. George area. St. George is a burgeoning area struggling to cope with the growth that has come to this corner of the state in the 15 years or so. With its warm, dry summers and infrequent winter snowfalls, ample recreation opportunities, nearby national parks, proximity to Mesquite, and Utah quality of life, St. George has become a retirement haven, as well as a magnet attracting families seeking to escape the overgrown metropolitan lifestyles of southern California and Salt Lake City.

St. George, at only 2600 feet, is the lowest city in Utah. Although the lowest point in Utah is about 15 miles away, over the ridge to the west, near old highway 91 at the Arizona state line, this is the lowest point on I-15 in the state. In fact, it's the lowest point on I-15 all the way to the Canadian border.

If, by looking at the name, you think St. George has a Catholic heritage, you are mistaken. Nor is the city named after the Anglican St. George. Like virtually every other city in the state, St. George was named by Mormons. In this case, it bears the name of Latter Day Saint George A. Smith, who was instrumental in the effort for the pioneers to settle southern Utah. The pioneers, in the effort to be self-sufficient, came south to establish a cotton growing region in the Utah territory.

Today, St. George is a pleasant and green, yet bustling, oasis in the desert southwest, surrounded by red rock bluffs. As you drive through town, you may wonder about the glistening white structure west of the freeway; it is the LDS Temple, which was completed in 1877.

Just north of St. George is Washington, although, in reality, the two towns have grown together. Washington was the site of the Mormon's cotton mill, built in 1867. The Mormon settlers worked hard to establish a cotton industry in this corner of the state, as they didn't want to rely on the vagaries of their strained relations with the rest of the United States for any essentials. In an attempt to evoke the image of cotton plantations in the South, they called the area, "Dixie", a name which sticks even today. Unfortunately, they built the Washington mill just as the South began to rebuild after the Civil War, and the Washington mill was never profitable.

Leaving Washington, the highway begins a steady climb from the lowlands of southern Utah to the higher elevations more common in the rest of the state. Over the next 25 miles, the freeway ascends over 2000 feet. From the summit near Kolob Canyons northward, the highway never again drops belows the 4000 foot elevation level.

At exit 40, I-15 bumps against the western edge of Zion National Park. From this exit is a little known corner of the park, easily accessible from the freeway, Kolob Canyons. A five-mile paved road leads to a spectacular vista of the formations of this awesome park. From the freeway, it might appear that there's not much east of the freeway, but this road quickly climbs a hill and rounds a bend to reveal the hidden gem. The road itself is dotted by view areas, pullouts, and trailheads. If you are travelling I-15, and you didn't have time to visit Zion Canyon, be sure to take a half hour and drive the Kolob Canyon road.

The summit near the Kolob exit marks a very important geographic point: as you cross northbound, you leave the Colorado drainage and enter in to the Great Basin. From here to Malad Summit, some 370 miles to the north in Idaho, all rainfall and snowmelt never makes its way to any ocean. South of this location is part of the Virgin River drainage, whose waters ultimately make it to the Gulf of California via the Colorado River (at least those waters which aren't siphoned to quench water-starved cities of Arizona, southern Nevada, and southern California). North of Malad Summit, is the Snake River drainage, which finds its way via the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, Oregon. But, in between is the Great Basin, where all waters either dissipate into a sink, or flow to America's Inland Sea, the Great Salt Lake.

Next up, another 18 miles north, is Cedar City. Cedar City is the site of Southern Utah State University, and the campus provides the primary economic impetus to the city. Early in its history, Cedar City had been the location of iron mines, and today, Iron Mission State Park stands as a reminder of that past. Cedar City is also the gateway to Cedar Breaks National Monument.

North of Cedar City, the highway follows the Parowan Valley for some thirty-five miles. Surprisingly, the small town of Parowan, not Cedar City, is the seat of Iron County. Exit 95 is for Utah Route 20, the easiest road between I-15 and US 89 in southern Utah. Use U-20 to get to Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

Continuing north, you get into more mountainous territory. The western end of I-70 is at exit 132 near Cove Fort. If you're northbound, use I-70 to get to Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks, and to Denver and points east. Near this junction is the Historic Cove Fort, built by the Mormons to aid the saints travelling between Salt Lake and the outposts in Dixie. The fort is located approximately midway between Beaver and Fillmore, about a day's ride (on horseback) from each. The fort is owned by the LDS Church, which offers free tours and pioneer demonstrations. The docents, who are senior citizen missionaries, mix Book of Mormon references into their presentations.

Next, in the middle of a seemingly endless valley, is the city of Fillmore, which along with the county of which it is the seat, Millard, was named for President Millard Fillmore, who the pioneers believed treated and dealt with the Mormon saints fairly. Fillmore was the territorial capitol of Utah for a brief period before statehood, and the Territorial Statehouse in the center of town is maintained as a state park.

Twenty miles north of Fillmore, US 50, the Loneliest Road in America, joins I-15 from the west, and the two climb over Scipio Summit together. US 50 wasn't moved to this routing until 1975; prior to that, at least since the end of World War II, US 50 followed the same path as US 6, bending northward to arc through Spanish Fork. US 50 quickly peels away from I-15 to continue its lonely trek east, while I-15 pushes northward for its last 50 miles through desolate territory before reaching the populous Wasatch Front.

The fifteen miles from the Levan exit to Nephi was the penultimate section of I-15 to be built in Utah. This writer clearly recalls driving to Salt Lake from Calfornia in 1985, and having to drive the two-lane old route of US 91 through the gap of uncompleted freeway.

Beyond Nephi, Mount Timpanogos comes into view, still 75 miles away. A little further, approaching Santaquin, motorists are treated to a spectacular view of Utah Lake.

At Santaquin, US 6 joins I-15 and is concurrent northward to Spanish Fork. This is a fairly recent change in routing of that road. Up until 1996, US 6 crossed I-15 at the Santaquin interchange and followed the old US 91 route through Payson to Spanish Fork.

In Spanish Fork, I-15 enters what is generally considered the southern end of Wasach Front, and the speed limit is reduced to 65 mph. As US 6 breaks off to the east I-15 picks up a third lane in each direction.

Now the cities come and pass quickly: First Springville, then Provo, the home of Brigham Young University. Next come Orem, Pleasant Grove, and American Fork. All of these cities are located in Utah County, one of the most conservative counties in the state, which is quite conservative in its own right. While about 2/3 of Utah residents statewide are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) , Utah County demographics are probably closer to 90%.

North of Lehi, US 89 joins I-15 for the first of three overlay sections, although US 89 is unmarked on its shared section, the two routes bend to the west to round the "Point of the Mountain", pushing through a gap in the transverse range which otherwise separates Utah and Salt Lake Counties. The Salt Lake Valley and its tapestry of abutting cities spread out before the traveller descending the point.

The first facility one passes upon entering the Salt Lake Valley is the state prison. At night the institution is brightly lighted, but even in the daylight the prison, which just west of the freeway, is clearly obvious. Some in Utah County would say that that is an appropriate welcome to Salt Lake!

The first major interchange is a SPUI for Bangerter Highway. Bangerter Highway is not a freeway, but it is a limited access highway, which makes a convenient choice to get to points on the westside of the valley, including this writer's hometown, West Jordan. Check out the 2002 Olympic artwork on the bridge as you pass under Bangerter Highway.

A few miles north, near Draper, US 89 breaks off again, following straight- arrow State Street all the way up to downtown Salt Lake. This is the old routing of US 91, and, during the past four years of reconstruction along the I-15 corridor, the freeway frequently was closed overnight and on weekends, leaving State Street as the alternate so everyone could experience what it was like to drive through town before the freeway was built!

Beginning at 106th South, enjoy the ride, as you embark along the 17 mile rebuilt freeway. In preparation for the Winter Olympics which the area hosted in February 2002, the old, narrow, overburdened, six-lane freeway was completely re-built and transformed into the modern superhighway which begins here. Ten to twelve lanes wide with modern interchanges, variable message signage, carpool lanes, and SPUIs, the facility cost about $1.35 billion but the entire job -- start to finish -- was done in only four years!

I-15 skirts the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City. The state capitol is visible on the hill overlooking the city. Salt Lake is also the home of headquarters of the LDS Church, site of a beautiful LDS temple, location of the University of Utah, home of the Utah Jazz, and the cultural and economic center of the state -- if not the entire intermountain region. There are complete guidebooks dedicated to Salt Lake City, so I'll not further crowd this page with the details.

Upon passing downtown Salt Lake City, I-15 squeezes around the northern point and through refinery row. For southbounders, this must be one of the most ugly entrances into a city anywhere. There are two or three refineries next to the freeway, and a major quarry on the mountain alongside the freeway.

Fifteen miles north is Lagoon, the largest amusement park between Kansas City and the midwest. Lagoon is also notable in that it is the longest continuously operated park in the United States. The park is open daily only during the summer, from Memorial Day until Labor Day, with a few weekend-only days at either end.

After Lagoon, the freeway bends to the west to accomodate Hill Air Force Base, the largest employer in the region. There is an air museum located at the Roy exit, Exit 341, which is free.

Just beyond, I-84 joins in from the east, and the two interstates continue together for the next 40 miles. There are no direct connections from northbound I-15 to eastbound I-84 nor for the reverse movement, I-84 westbound I-84 to I-15 southbound, but you can use U-26, Riverdale Road, exit 342 from I-15 and exit 81 from I-84, which requires less than one-half mile of surface street driving to complete the transition.

At exit 364, US 91 springs to life. Today, only about 150 miles remain of this highway which once stretched from Southern California to Canada. Most of US 91's routing was duplicated by I-15, and the once-great highway was decommissioned, section by section, until only this piece, from Brigham City to near Shelley, Idaho, remained. It is at this point that I-15 makes its only real deviation from US 91's original routing in Utah: In the pre-interstate era, US 91 turned east toward the Cache Valley to serve Logan, while US 191 continued north through Tremonton and Malad. That routing of US 191 met the same fate that eliminated most of US 91 in Utah -- decomissioning.

At exit 382, I-15 exits itself. To continue northbound on I-15, you must exit right, as what appear to be the continuing lanes are actually I-84 heading toward Twin Falls. This section of I-15 from here to just south of the Idaho state line was the last piece of I-15 to be completed anywhere north of San Diego, so I-84 predates it by nearly two decades. For southbound traffic, this is not an issue.

Dating back to the time before the I-15 freeway was completed north of Tremonton, UDOT installed these dual I-84 reassurance markers on both sides of the roadway just beyond where I-15 traffic was supposed to leave the freeway at exit 379. They were intended was reinforce the fact that the driver was no longer on I-15 -- sort of shouting, "This is I-84 , not I-15". In the distance, past the overpass, is a mileage sign listing only Snowville and Boise, again cities that lie on the path of I-84 and not I-15, serving as a further communication of the message. The problem is that, for more than a decade, I-15 traffic uses this stretch of roadway because the new freeway breaks away at exit 382. But UDOT has not removed these vestiges of the older arrangement. So the same message is being sent, and it could conceivably cause undue confusion. UDOT needs to remove these markers, or add I-15 shields alongside them.

The section of I-15 north of Tremonton reminds this writer of the alignment used by I-5 in Calfornia's San Joaquin Valley: the freeway hugs the the barren hills at the edge of the valley, leaving the fertile farmlands on the flat valley floor unbothered by the freeway. In both cases, an easier, straighter, flatter route was avaliable, but planners determined that there would be less impact by choosing the hillside route. From Tremonton all the way to Malad, notice how the freeway hugs the hillsides, and curves with them, rather than following the straight platted gridlines on the valley floor.

From Tremonton, the Idaho State Line is only 20 miles away. Hope you enjoyed your journey through Utah! Next stop is Malad, the so-called home of the "Utah lottery" because so many Utahns cross the border to buy Idaho lottery tickets at the two outlets there. Utah is one of only two US states with no legalized gambling of any type.

Control Points

Control points are the distant cities listed on guide signage intended to help direct motorists. In general, the MUTCD requires that the locations chosen as control points be easily recognizable and familiar. For I-15 in Utah, the control points are as follows:

For northbound traffic:

• from the Arizona line upward - Salt Lake.
• North of Salt Lake City - Ogden
• North of Ogden - Pocatello

For southbound traffic:

• from the Idaho line downward - Salt Lake.
• South of Salt Lake City -
  • Provo
  • or Las Vegas

Speed Limits

The maximum posted speed limit on any Utah highway is 75 mph. I-15 is posted at this speed for about 80% of its journey through the state.

The 75 mph limit applies on the highway from the Arizona state line to the Idaho line everywhere except the following sections, where it is 65 mph:

1. from Bloomington, south of exit 4 to Washington, north of exit 11, covering the St. George area (UDOT lowered the speed limit through St. George in January 2000; prior to that it was 75 mph.)
2. from milepost 139 to milepost 142 in the twisty canyon section north of Cove Fort, and
3. from milepost 260, just south of the Central Spanish Fork interchange, to just beyond the 12th Street exit on the north side of Ogden, near MP347, which encompasses the metropolitan Salt Lake / Provo / Ogden area.

CONSTRUCTION NOTE: The speed limit has been reduced to 55 mph over two major urban segments due to construction:

• from milepost 265, south of Provo's University Avenue interchange, to milepost 272, Orem's University Parkway (1200 South) exit, for widening and interchange reconstruction, and
• between milepost 296, south of 10600 South in Sandy, and exit 313, Ninth West in Salt Lake City, due to the I-15 reconstruction project; although the project is substantially complete on the south end, the speed limit remains at 55 mph, and the Utah Highway Patrol is aggressively enforcing it, including the doubled fines provision.

These signs near 5300 South in Murray bear evidence of the changes in the speed limit over the past couple of years. The speed limit was 55 mph as imposed when the federal government controlled speed limits. Then, with the end of NMSL in December 1995, UDOT pasted "65" over the old limit. Finally, as construction got going in Summer 1997, the "65"s were removed, leaving the scars at the right side of the "55."

Business Loops

There are business loops from I-15 in St. George, Cedar City, Parowan, Beaver, Fillmore, Nephi, and Tremonton. The Tremonton loop is interesting: just as Interstates 15 and 84 seperate in Tremonton, so, too, do their business routes; If you exit onto Business Loop 15/84 at exit 379, they will diverge at the western end of town to rejoin their respective, seperate parent routes.

There are a couple more half-hearted attempts at business loops worth noting:

There is business loop signage through town in Brigham City, but there is no business loop signage along the freeway to help one locate the proper exit to find the business loop. On the other hand, there is a business loop shield indicated on the guide sign for northbound traffic exit 332 in Layton, but once one leaves the freeway, there is no further signage to help locate the business loop advertised. Neither the Brigham City nor Layton business loops can be seriously considered. The purpose of a business loop is to direct traffic from an interstate into or through a city which has been bypassed by that highway. If the loop is not adequately signed, both along the freeway near the proper exit, and along the route itself, it cannot properly serve its purpose.

See?! There really is a business loop shown on the guide sign at exit 332. But, try to find the business loop in Layton. That's another story...

Utah assigns a state route number to each business loop. St. George's BL-15 is on U-18 and U-30, Cedar City's is U-130, Beaver's is U-160, Fillmore's is U-100, Nephi's is U-28, and Tremonton's follows U-13 to U-104. If it were properly signed, Layton's would be along U-126; Brigham City's business loop is co-signed along with U-13.

Business Loop Exits

• NORTHBOUND
  • St. George - exit 6
  • Cedar City - exit 57
  • Parowan - exit 75
  • Beaver - exit 109
  • Fillmore - exit 163
  • Nephi - exit 222
  • Layton- exit 332 (no BL signs in town)
  • Brigham - exit 364 (no BL signs on freeway)
  • Tremonton - exit 379
• SOUTHBOUND
  • Tremonton - exit 382
  • Brigham City - exit 368 (no BL signs on freeway)
  • Nephi - exit 228
  • Fillmore - exit 167
  • Beaver - exit 112
  • Parowan - exit 78
  • Cedar City - exit 62
  • St. George - exit 8

Lanes

I-15 has three through lanes in each direction from exit 261 at Jct US 6 in Spanish Fork to exit 266 at US 189 University Avenue on the south end of Provo, and from exit 269 Provo Center Street to exit 342 at Riverdale Road on the south end of Ogden. The sections north and south of that section have two lanes in each direction. Interestingly, the northern extent of the Wasatch Front three-lane section ends in Ogden just north where I-84 joins I-15, so nearly the entire concurrent section has only two lanes in each direction even though traffic from two different freeways uses a single routing.

In Salt Lake County, the freeway is five or six lanes wide (including the HOV lanes) on each side from 10600 South (exit 297) to 600 North (exit 312). In Davis COunty, the freeway is eight lanes (four lanes per side) from the northern junction of I-215 (exit 316) to the US 89 split at Lagoon, exit 326.

HOV lanes

There are High Occupany Vehicle Lanes along I-15 in Salt Lake County from 10600 South (exit 297) to 600 North (exit 312). There is also an HOV-only exit from northbound I-15 at 400 South to faciliate HOV access into downtown SLC without being to cross all of the lanes of traffic to reach an exit on the right-hand side. That exit is complimented by an HOV only entrance heading southbound. The HOV lanes are open to vehicles carrying at least two people, and to vehicles powered by alternative fuels.

Ramp Meters

There are ramp meters at the following entrances:

• NORTHBOUND:
  • Beck Street (315)
  • 2600 South Bountiful (318)
  • 500 South Bountiful (320)
• SOUTHBOUND:
  • Centerville / Parrish Lane (322)
  • 400 North Bountiful (321)
  • 500 South Bountiful (320)
  • 2600 South Bountiful (318)

Exit Numbering

Like most states, Utah's exits are numbered using to the milepost system. Exits are numbered according to the next milepost, and the mileposts are scaled in miles (as opposed to kilometers like along I-19 in Arizona) beginning from the southern state line. Only a handful of states and turnpikes still number exits sequentially.

Counties

I-15 passes through the following county seats:

• St George - Washington County
• Parowan - Iron County (not Cedar City as might be expected)
• Fillmore - Millard County (Get it? Millard Fillmore!)
• Nephi - Juab County
• Provo - Utah County
• Salt Lake City - Salt Lake County
• Farmington - Davis County
• Ogden - Weber County
• Brigham City - Box Elder County

I-15 connects to Idaho's Oneida County and Arizona's Mohave County. After the Colorado Strip, the highway enters Nevada in Clark County (although it is very close to the Lincoln County Line).

Area Code

Route History

Interstate 15 first appeared on the offical Utah map on the 1960 edition, when the 15 mile section in northern Washington county between Anderson Junction (exit 27) and the New Harmony interchange (exit 42) was shown as completed.

By 1965, the maps show that the freeway was completed from Washington (exit 10) to south of Cedar City (near MP 57), from the Beaver interchange (exit 112) to exit 129 (south of the future I-70), from Central Provo (exit 268) to north of Lehi (exit 285) in Utah county, and from Brigham City (exit 368) to Tremonton (exit 379).

In the late 1960s, work focused on the Wasatch Front urban area, including the section currently being rebuilt in Salt Lake County. By 1970, the freeway was open from the Juab/Utah county line (near MP 243) to the Weber/Box Elder county line (at exit 354), with the small exception of the Point of the Mountain straddling the Utah/Salt Lake county line from north of Lehi to Draper, and from the US 89 split in Farmington (exit 326) to Layton (exit 332). Addtionally, the freeway was shown as uinder construction from the Arizona state line to the already completed section at Washington (exit 10).

In the mid 1970s, work continued on filling in the gaps. The most significant opening occurred in Arizona, where construction crews opened the new Virgin River canyon in 1975 or 1976. That roadway was a new routing, as the old US 91 routing had turned northward at Littlefield, Arizona, bypassing the difficult section.

By the early 1980s, only two sections of I-15 remained incomplete: one in Juab County from near Yuba Lake (exit 202) to south Nephi (exit 222) and the from Tremonton (exit 379) to south of Portage (exit 402) near the Idaho state line. On the northern section, the freeway continued north from exit 379 as I-84, and northbound I-15 had to exit the freeway to remain on I-15. This section of I-15, was the last piece of I-15 to open anywhere between I-8 in San Diego and the Canadian border. To this day, I-15 exits itself in Tremonton, and I-84 remains on the main carriageway.

As I-15 was built, it replaced the former US routes. US 91 was truncated to its current southern terminus near Brigham City, so that only the portion not duplicated by I-15 still remains, and US 191 was removed from the state maps in 1973. (US 191 was to be reincarnated in another location in the state six years later.)

Photo courtesy of Richard C Moeur On a trip to Las Vegas in August 1999, I noticed that this sign, which is located in Arizona ten miles south of the Utah border, had the wrong distance to Cedar City. I sent a note to Richard Moeur, an engineer with Arizona DOT, and within a month, he sent me this photo of the sign with the corrected mileage. Great work Richard and ADOT!

The Arizona Section

Some people wonder about the logistics of maintaining and patrolling such a remote road -- especially since it cannot be reached by automobile from the rest of Arizona without travelling through other states. Some have opined that it makes more since for UDOT to maintain the freeway and for the UHP to patrol it.

But, make no mistake, the road is in Arizona. It is patrolled by Arizona DPS officers, its signage is produced and placed by ADOT, and it observes Arizona time zone rules (in the summer, it is one hour earlier in the Colorado Strip than it is in Utah). Richard Moeur, an engineer with Arizona DOT addressed the unique situation in a USENET posting on misc.transport.road from May 1996:

Interstate 15 in Arizona is expertly maintained by the good folks at the ADOT Beaver Dam Maintenance Yard, in Littlefield, Arizona. Yes, Arizona DOT does maintain this stretch of highway. Most who work in this area (including many Mesquite, Nevada, casino workers) live in St. George, Utah, the largest city in the region. I believe there has been some discussion regarding Utah assisting with I-15 maintenance, but no agreements have been made.

Side Note: Utah's transportation director, Tom Warne, is very familiarwith the issue - he was ADOT's assistant director immediately prior to taking the Utah job.

ADOT staff are expressly permitted to travel up to 100 miles into adjoining states on official business without additional approval, largely due to the need to travel to I-15.

Law enforcement on I-15 is handled by Arizona DPS. During major incidents, DPS is assisted by Utah Highway Patrol and Nevada Highway Patrol (and Mohave County Sheriff's Office). DPS & UHP apparently enjoy a very good working relationship in this area.

At the time of its construction the Virgin River Gorge section of I-15 was the most expensive stretch of freeway ever built in the United States. A Salt Lake Tribune article from October 20, 1969, reported that I-15 in Arizona will cost $32 million for the entire 31 mile stretch through Arizona. (Yes, I know that it's only about 29 1/2 miles, but the article says "31".) For the 3.8 mile section through the heart of the Gorge, the cost will be $13.8 million. At $1000 per foot (in 1969 dollars), the article calls it the most expensive stretch of Interstate Highway ever built in the US."

The article further notes that the Arizona Highway Department wanted to build the road three miles to the north to save $5 million in construction costs, the Bureau of Public Roads picked the Gorge route "because of its beauty and ... lower grades for trucks." I wonder how that would fly in the Sierra Club-dominated politics of the late 90s!

While the area was generally dry, the soil in the Gorge area was prone to get soggy and develop into quicksand during rainy weather. The article noted that quicksand had already swallowed up a crashed helicopter and a mobile drilling rig! Before the road was built, AHD had to construct a tunnel to carry water, so they could be "assured of a dry stable base."

Obviously the road benefits Utah much more than Arizona. The Utah Highway Department wanted the road built so badly that it entered into an agreement to allow the use of some unused Federal highway dollars earlier than Arizona otherwise would have gotten them. Then, Utah had to build a two lane road southward from St. George so workers could reach the construction zone in Arizona.

Veterans' Memorial Highway

I-15 Exit List!