Utah State Route 161

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
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-122
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
Counties	Millard
Highway system
State highways in Utah Interstate U.S. State Minor Scenic ← SR-160 → SR-162

Route description

Located 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

The 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 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

The 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

1. "Route 161" (PDF). Highway Reference. Utah Department of Transportation. May 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008. External link in |work= (help)
2. General Highway Map — Millard County (Map). Utah Department of Transportation. 2005. p. 6. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
3. Google (September 30, 2008). "SR-161 Overview" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
4. "Traffic on Utah Highways - 2007" (PDF). Utah Department of Transportation. July 2, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
5. "Truck Traffic on Utah Highways - 2007" (PDF). Utah Department of Transportation. July 2, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
6. "Route 161" (PDF). Highway Resolutions. Utah Department of Transportation. November 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2008. External link in |work= (help)
7. "++++++++0D+745". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
8. "++++++++2F+193". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
9. "++++++++4F+193". National Bridge Inventory. United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
10. "Statewide Transportation Improvement Program". Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 15, 2009.
11. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act". Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 15, 2009.