Utah State Route 128

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State Route 128
Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-118, maintained by UDOT
Length: 44.564 mi[1] (71.72 km)
Formed: 1931[2]
West end: US-191 near Moab
East end: I-70 near Cisco
State Routes in Utah
< SR-127 SR-130 >
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Blind corners without shoulders are common along State Route 128
Blind corners without shoulders are common along State Route 128

State Route 128 is a State Highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway by the State of Utah. The highway also forms part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, a National Scenic Byway. The highway is commonly called the river road by residents of Moab,[3] referring to the Colorado River which the highway follows. The highway was originally constructed to connect rural cities in eastern Utah with Grand Junction, Colorado, the largest city in the region. The highway now is primarily used as a scenic byway for tourism and recreation. The Dewey Bridge, a landmark along the route, is the longest suspension bridge in Utah and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In April 2008 the Dewey Bridge was destroyed by a fire started by a child playing with matches.

Contents

[edit] Route description

As parts of the road are very narrow, with no shoulders and blind corners, the Utah Department of Transportation has prohibited trucks and vehicles over 55,000 pounds (24,948 kg) along the entire highway. In addition a restriction at the western end of the road requires vehicles over 15 feet (4.6 m) wide to have 2 police escorts.[4]

[edit] Colorado River

State Route 128 begins just north of Moab where it is commonly known as the river road.[5] The highway follows the southern bank of the Colorado River until the Dewey Bridge, near the Colorado state line.[6] The highway traverses many landmarks of the Moab area while following the southern bank of the river. Between Moab and Castle Valley the Colorado River, and indirectly route 128, forms the southern boundary of Arches National Park. While the highway does offer views of several features in the park, there is no park access along the highway.

The highway passes by Castle Valley and Professor Valley, which have been the filming location for many western movies and commercials.[7][8] Onion Creek and Fisher Towers are attractions at the east end of the valley. Onion Creek receives its name from naturally occurring minerals that produce a strong oder in the stream.[9] The Fisher Towers are dark red spires that tower over the valley. After leaving the valley, the road winds farther up the river gorge until arriving at the Dewey Bridge. At the Dewey Bridge it crosses the river and follows the northern bank of the river for a few miles then turns north to terminate at Interstate 70 near Cisco, Utah.

[edit] Dewey Bridge

The Dewey Bridge carried SR-128 across the Colorado River until its retirement in 1986
The Dewey Bridge carried SR-128 across the Colorado River until its retirement in 1986

The Dewey Bridge originally carried SR-128 across the Colorado River. The bridge was 502 feet (153 m) long and 10.2 feet (3.1 m) wide.[10] The bridge was completed in 1916 by the Midland Bridge Company.[11] The bridge consisted of 2 metal towers, an all wood deck, 2 runs of 7 cables on either side of the bridge deck, and concrete cable anchors. The bridge was designed to support the weight of 6 horses, 3 wagons, and 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of freight.[12]

On the day of its completion it was the 2nd longest cable suspension bridge in the United States west of the Mississippi River. The largest was also built by the Midland Bridge Company, who used the same base plans for both bridges. The longer twin to the Dewey Bridge crossed the Little Colorado River along U.S. Route 89 in Cameron, Arizona. The Dewey Bridge remained the longest suspension bridge in Utah until it was destroyed by fire.[13]

The Dewey Bridge was destroyed in April 2008 by a brush fire
The Dewey Bridge was destroyed in April 2008 by a brush fire

As the bridge deck was only 8 feet (2.4 m) feet wide[13], many wider vehicles had to have their mirrors fold in in order to safely cross the bridge. Signs directed eastbound traffic to yield to westbound traffic and for only one automobile to be on the bridge at a time. After being replaced for automobile use, the Dewey Bridge was used by the kokopelli trail and a pedestrian trail. The east approach to the bridge features an abandoned gas station and the ghost town of Dewey. The west approach has been converted to a rest area and park.[6]

On April 6, 2008, a seven-year old boy accidentally started a fire in a nearby campground while playing with matches. The fire moved up the riverbank and destroyed the bridge's wooden deck and rails.[14][15]

[edit] History

The Fisher Towers, landmark along route 128
The Fisher Towers, landmark along route 128

The route was originally a trail called the Heavenly Stairway and was used to connect Moab with Castle Valley and larger towns in Colorado. It was gradually upgraded to a dirt toll road and called King's Toll Road after Samuel King, an early area settler who also operated the ferry used until the Dewey bridge was complete.[10] Even today, rock cairns inscribed with "Kings Toll Road" can still be found along the road way.

In 1912 Grand County unsuccessfully petitioned the state to finance the construction of a bridge. In 1913, the ferry was out of service for a time because ice in the river struck the ferry, sinking it. This raised the level of urgency for a more reliable river crossing. Grand County held a municipal bond election, and was able to itself raise $25,000 (1913, $506000 in 2007) to finance the construction of a bridge. The county employed the Midland Bridge Company of Kansas City, Missouri, to build it. Plans originally called for the bridge deck to be 12 feet (3.7 m) wide, but with the bonds not producing the desired yields, plans were scaled to an 8 feet (2.4 m) deck to save money. The bridge was dedicated with a strength test by having approximately 70 attendees attempt to be on the bridge at once. The total was seven wagons, two people on horseback and several on foot.[13]

Following the Colorado River
Following the Colorado River

The bridge was finished by 1916, the rest of the road was finished and fully passable by 1920.[10] The road was included in the state highway network in 1931.[2] The highway was gradually paved and upgraded to a two lane public highway.

In 1971, when Interstate 70 was completed in the area, SR-128 was extended by 3 miles (4.83 km).[2] This extension between I-70 and the Cisco turnoff absorbed the old route of US-6/50. The Cisco turnoff is also the former route of US-6/50.[6]

An agreement was reached in 1984 between the Grand County Commission and the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to balance the conflicting public demands to retire and preserve the aging bridge. As part of this agreement UDOT would commission a new bridge and once finished, transfer ownership of the original bridge back to Grand County. Grand County agreed to petition to have the bridge be included in the National Register of Historic Places, assume maintenance and guarantee the bridge would be preserved.[2] The nomination was approved and the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 1984-07-12.[16] The replacement bridge was completed in 1986.[17] The title deed to the original bridge was handed over to the county in 1989.[2] Grand County completed its restoration in 2000.

Castle Valley and Castle Rock. Filming location for many western movies and commercials
Castle Valley and Castle Rock. Filming location for many western movies and commercials

The last section of route 128 to be paved was in 1986 when the Dewey Bridge was replaced. The last single lane bridge, crossing Sagers Wash, was replaced with a 2 lane span in 1988.[18]

The highway was recognized by the Utah Scenic Byways program for its scenic value and given the name Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway.[19][20] The highway became recognized as a National Scenic Byway and named as part of the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway in 1998.[21] A petition is currently before the Federal Highway Administration to recognize route 128 as an All-American Road. To meet this criteria the highway must be deemed by the administration to have enough scenic value to be a "destination unto itself". The FHWA has not yet responded to the application.[21]

[edit] Major intersections

County Location[6] Mile[1] Junction Notes
Grand County 0.00 US-191 – Moab - Jct. I-70
1.088 View area - Camping information and Riverway Regulations
3.388 Campgrounds
6.348 View area - Drinks Canyon
8.112 View area - Big Bend
Castle Valley 15.529 Manti-La Sal National Forest - Castle Valley
Professor Valley 20.157 Onion Creek Road
20.994 View area - Fisher Towers
26.634 Rest area - Dewey Bridge
Dewey 29.797 Dewey Bridge
29.989 Kokopelli Trail
34.586 Kokopelli Trail
41.530 Cisco road Former US-6 / US-50
44.432 I-70 – Thompson Springs, Grand Junction, Colorado
44.564 End State Maintenance

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Route 0128P. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
  2. ^ a b c d e Route 128. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
  3. ^ Mountain Project, Inc. (2008). Mountain Project: Climbing Moab Area > Utah. Retrieved on 2008-03-30.
  4. ^ State of Utah, Secondary Highways with Additional Restrictions. Utah Motor Carrier Division / Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  5. ^ Jeff Schmerker. Moab, Thou Art My Washpot -London, Tokyo, Paris, Moab.... Utah Travel Industry/ Utah Travel Council.
  6. ^ a b c d Benchmark Maps. Utah Road and Recreation Atlas [map], 1:170000. (2002) ISBN 0-929591-74-7. Page 71.
  7. ^ Utah Wilderness Inventory - Mary Jane Canyon. Bureau of Land Management/Government Printing Office. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  8. ^ Professor Valley Field Camp Rental. Canyonlands Field Institute. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  9. ^ Onion Creek TMDL Grand County, Utah. Utah Department of Environmental Quality/Division of Water Quality. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  10. ^ a b c Daughters of Utah Pioneers (1972). Grand Memories, p127, 144. ISBN none found on book. 
  11. ^ Nicolas Janberg (compiled data from U.S. Library of Congress). Structurae - Dewey Bridge. Retrieved on 2007-12-02.
  12. ^ Utah History to Go. State of Utah.
  13. ^ a b c Historic American Engineering Record - UT0411. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  14. ^ The Daily Sentinel staff. "Fire destroys Dewey Bridge", The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, CO), 2008-04-07. Retrieved on 2008-04-07. 
  15. ^ Pictures of the bridge burning at smugmug.
  16. ^ National Register Information system. National Park Service. Retrieved on 2004-12-02.
  17. ^ Alexander R Svirsky. National Bridge Inventory. Alexander R Svirsky using compiled data from Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved on 2008-02-16.
  18. ^ Alexander R Svirsky. National Bridge Inventory. Alexander R Svirsky using compiled data from Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved on 2008-02-16.
  19. ^ Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway 128. Utah Office of Tourism. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  20. ^ Utah Administrative Code. State of Utah. Retrieved on 2007-12-03.
  21. ^ a b Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. Dinosaur Diamond Partnership. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.

[edit] External links

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