U.S. Route 50 in Utah

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U.S. Route 50
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-110, maintained by UDOT
Length: 336.76 mi[1] (541.96 km)
West end: US 6 / US 50 at the Nevada state line (east of Baker, NV)
Major
junctions:		 US-6 in Delta
I-15 in Holden
I-15 in Scipio
I-70 / US-89 in Salina
US-6 / US-191 near Green River
US-191 at Crescent Junction
East end: I-70 / US 6 / US 50 at the Colorado state line (west of Fruita, CO)
State Routes in Utah
< SR-48 SR-51 >

The Utah portion of U.S. Route 50 crosses the center of the state. The highway serves no major population centers in Utah, with the largest city along its path being Delta. U.S. 50 both enters and exits Utah co-routed with U.S. Route 6, however the two routes are different through the center of the state.

Contents

[edit] Route description

The highway enters Utah from Nevada in a desolate portion of the Great Basin desert. While passing through the Great Basin the highway crosses 2 mountain ranges, Confusion Mountain Range via kings canyon and House Range via Skull Rock Pass[2], before arriving at the shore of Sevier Lake. Sevier lake is an intermittent lake which is is fed by snow melt from many mountain ranges in the eastern half of the Great Basin. From US-50, water is only usually visible in the spring months. The highway follows Sevier Lake to Delta.

The scenery dramatically changes as US-50 approaches Delta where a straight passage across desert yields to zig-zags through farming areas. At Delta US-6 and 50 separate. US-50 continues to zig-zag through farms and eventually arrives at more mountainous terrain at Holden where the highway merges with I-15. The highway runs briefly concurrent with I-15 to cross the Pavant Range at Scipio Summit. US-50 then separates from I-15 to meet I-70 in Salina. The two highways run concurrent from this point east to Colorado.

While co-routed with I-70, US-50 crosses the Wasatch Plateau and passes through the San Rafael Swell. U.S. Route 6 (which is a former routing of U.S. 50) rejoins U.S. 50 (and I-70) near Green River, Utah. The three routes run concurrent and follow the southern edge of the Book Cliffs to Grand Junction, Colorado. The 3 highways also run briefly concurrent with U.S. Route 191.

Similar to the Nevada portion, the Utah portion features long distances with no services available including:

[edit] History

US-50 descending from Skull Rock Pass in western Utah
US-50 descending from Skull Rock Pass in western Utah

The modern route of U.S. Route 50 between Ely, Nevada and Green River is the third iteration.

The original route of U.S. 50 between these cities formed an arch shape that reached as far north as Salt Lake City, Utah, following the routes now numbered U.S. Route 93, Interstate 80, State Route 201, U.S. Route 89 and U.S. Route 6.

The 2nd iteration was formed in the 1950s and was a smaller arch that is now numbered U.S. Route 6. This iteration itself was changed. At first the this version of U.S. 50 passed through the numerous mountain ranges of the great basin with the most difficult being Marjum Canyon. The route was relocated to follow the north shore of Sevier Lake, which reduced the number of mountain ranges crossed.[2]

The modern route was created in the 1976[3] and is mostly concurrent with Interstate 70. The portion of modern US-50 between Delta and Salina had been previously numbered State Route 26.[3]

East of Green River I-70 closely follows the original route of US-50, with some minor straightening by Crescent Junction Cisco, and Westwater[2].

[edit] Major intersections

County Location[2] Mile[4] Junction Notes
Millard 0.00 US 6 / US 50 – Ely Utah/Nevada state line
0.665 SR-159 south – Garrison, Milford
Hinckley 83.897 SR-257 south – Deseret, Milford
Delta 89.402 US-6 east – Lynndyl, Salt Lake City East end of overlap with US-6
92.976 SR-125 east / SR-136 north – Oak City, Lynndyl
107.597 SR-100 south – Fillmore
Holden 116.497 SR-64 south - To I-15 south Former US-91
119.723 I-15 – Fillmore, Salt Lake City South end of overlap with I-15
Scipio 129.816 I-15 – Fillmore, Salt Lake City North end of overlap with I-15. In Scipio US-50 is routed along former US-91
Sevier 154.805 SR-260 south – Aurora, To I-70 west
Salina 157.803 SR-24 east – Aurora
158.527 US-89 – Gunnison North end of overlap with US-89
160.282 I-70 – Green River, Richfield South end of overlap with US-89. West end of overlap with I-70
190.350 Ivie Creek rest area (SR-76) Eastbound exit is also signed as "To SR-72"
194.588 SR-10 north / SR-72 south – Price, Loa
Emery 252.775 SR-24 west – Hanksville
271.501 US-6 west / US-191 north – Price, Salt Lake City West end of US-6/191 overlap
Green River 273.980 I-70 Bus. east / SR-19 – Green River
Grand 278.124 I-70 Bus. east / SR-19 – Green River
285.730 US-191 south – Moab, Crescent Junction East end of US-191 overlap
290.990 Thompson Springs (SR-94)
318.315 SR-128 – Cisco
336.760 I-70 / US 6 / US 50 – Grand Junction Utah/Colorado State Line

[edit] References

  1. ^ Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Planning Network GIS data version 2005.08
  2. ^ a b c d Benchmark Maps. Utah Road and Recreation Atlas [map], 2002 edition, 1:250000. (2002) ISBN 0-929591-74-7.
  3. ^ a b Route 26. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  4. ^ Route Descriptions (US-6,US-50,I-70 used). Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2008-03-18.


U.S. Route 50
Previous state:
Nevada		 Utah Next state:
Colorado