Utah State Route 269

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State Route 269

Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard^[1]
Defined by Utah Code §72-4-132, maintained by UDOT

Length:

1.807 mi^[1] (2.908 km)

Formed:

1960^[2]

South end:

I-15 / I-80 in Salt Lake City

Major
junctions:

SR-270 in Salt Lake City

US-89 in Salt Lake City

SR-270 in Salt Lake City

North end:

I-15 / I-80 in Salt Lake City

State Routes in Utah
< SR-268		SR-270 >

State Route 269 (SR-269) is a short pair of one-way thoroughfares that sit completely within Salt Lake City in Salt Lake County. The western and eastern terminus are both at I-15 and I-80, though at different junctions. SR-269 was built in the 1960s, coinciding with the construction of I-15 in the area, as a direct connection to the center of Salt Lake City.

The eastbound segment is known as Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard while the westbound segment is named Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard,^[1] although both are more commonly known as 600 South and 500 South, respectively.

Prior to 2000, SR-269 began and ended with viaducts that were longer than they are now. From the western terminus, the viaduct extended from I-15/I-80 to 200 West, two blocks east of where the viaduct ends presently. The other segment's viaduct began at 300 West (also two blocks east of where it begins now) and extended to I-15/I-80. As a part of I-15's reconstruction and then-Salt Lake City Mayor Deedee Corradini's Gateway project, the viaducts were drastically shortened.^[3]

1 Route description
2 History
3 Major intersections
4 References

[edit] Route description

After its western terminus, SR-269 heads east on a one-way viaduct from an interchange with I-15/I-80. This interchange is inaccessible to southbound I-15. The viaduct comes to grade after passing 500 West and remains as such until temporarily ending at the junction of US-89. The route begins with the same one-way setup after Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard heads west from the junction of US-89. From there, the route goes on another short viaduct after the intersection of 600 West and gives the option of exiting on I-15 north/I-80 east (which are overlaid) or I-80 west.

The route connects the city center with the freeway. As the settlers of Utah laid their towns with amply wide streets, one-way streets are rare in the city, SR-269 being one of two in existence. As part of I-15's construction in the 1960s, planners felt that one-way streets with many lanes would be better utilized.^[3] The Salt Lake City and County Building is located at the route's junction with US-89.

[edit] History

When I-15 was being constructed in the 1960s through the Wasatch Front, three routes—SR-268, SR-269, and SR-270—were formed as direct connections into Salt Lake City's Downtown. All three had viaducts connecting the freeway to a road closer to the city center. SR-269 had two one-way couplets going from I-15 to SR-176 (300 West) and vice-versa. In 1969, the route was extended to SR-271, now US-89. With the extension, an exit ramp was constructed at 300 West on the eastbound segment of the route.

As Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995, I-15 was reconstructed. As part of the reconstruction, SR-268, SR-269 and SR-270's viaducts into the city were set to be reconstructed. The former two would be given shorter viaducts while the latter would gain a new viaduct of the same length.

Mayor Deedee Corradini wanted to revitalize an industrial portion of Salt Lake City with her Gateway project. A part of her project included demolishing the almost mile-long viaducts of SR-269, as she felt a freeway bridge passing over the area she was trying to revitalize would be a hindrance to the project. The pair of viaducts were demolished in late-1998–early-1999.^[2]^[3]

[edit] Major intersections

County	Location^[4]	Mile^[1]	Junction^[1]	Notes
Salt Lake	Salt Lake City	0.000	I-15 / I-80	Southern terminus No entrance on freeway
		0.612	SR-270 (West Temple)
		0.904	US-89 (State Street)	Eastbound eastern terminus Route temporarily terminates
		0.905	US-89 (State Street)	Westbound western terminus Route resumes
		1.192	SR-270 (West Temple)
		1.807	I-15 south / I-80 – Las Vegas, Cheyenne, Reno, Salt Lake City International Airport	Northern terminus No exit from freeway