Show Utah Colorado Decision n on 6 50 Submitted In a meeting af at Salt Lake City Utah State Road Commission Commission Com Corn mission officials met with Mark U. U Watrous chief engineer and Charles E. E Shumate administrative tive engineer Colorado State Deed De Do ed letters to Charles E. E Wilson Secretary of ot defense Sinclair Weeks secretary of commerce and C C. C D Curtis commissioner of public roads voicing their approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap and re recommending U. U S. S Highway 6 50 as the Sat Lake Denver City-Denver link In the contemplated contemplated contemplated plated transcontinental Federal highway Colorado officials had previous Iy ly approved and submitted their letters meeting the September deadline for lor the two states to agree on and submit their recOmmendations recommendations recommendations to the federal government government govern govern- ment for approval In their letter the tha commission pointed out that there was a huge area lying south of U. U S. S Highway Highway High High- way 30 and north of ot Highway 66 60 that was not served by an interstate interstate inter inter- state highway the largest area of that type In the U. U S. S They went wenton on to say aay ay The forgotten area resulting resulting re re- re- re suiting from this gap Is not only the largest In fri the United States not now served by an Interstate highway but It also contains the greatest known mineral minerai reserves that exist anywhere The letters continue that the vast deposits of oil coal uranium natural gas molybdenum vanadium silver J I lead gold zinc copper gilsonite phosphate and thorium make snake the area of extreme Importance Importance Im Im- to the nations defense The submIttal of 01 these letters d developed from a decision of severa several several sev sev- era eral weeks ago by the commission to o recommend the route through Carbon Emery and Grand cOunties coun- coun ties lles as the preferred route rather than U. U S S. S Highway 40 through the Basin Colorado had previously announced thel their approval approval ap ap- approval of ot the route which would go o through Glen Glenwood wood Springs Rifle and Grand Junction The decision by the State group brought Drought bitter protest from Irom Salt Lake City and th this Uintah area but ut the commission stated that engineering engineering en factors Actors favoring the southern route made any other out of the question |