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Show interstate Highway 70 T hrouah San Rafael Country Will be Opened This Fa!! Seventy miles of Interstate 10 will be opened this fall according to "Center Line," the official publication of the Utah State Department oc Highways. This stretch of road from Green River to Fremont Junction in Sevier County is the longest single stretch cf interstate highway ever constructed con-structed in Utah at one time. This new roadway is being constructed in the wilderness area of central Utah and will bisect the San Rafael Swell, a syncline which rises 2,000 feet above the surrounding .country. Although this highway high-way was not designed as a scenic access road, the gi gantic canyons of red, orange, and yellow rock will make it a candidate for honors as one of America's most scenic stretches of Interstate, the report states. Within 35 m'&es along the road, four view rr rest areas have been constructed con-structed for each direction of traffic. When 1-70 is completed, it will provide a new route between be-tween Denver and Los Angeles. An-geles. The Highway Department Depart-ment expects that much of the traffic now using Route G(5 in Arizona will be changing to Interstate 70 and Interstate Inter-state 15 which will provide the most direct and most dc- sireable road. Preliminary right of way and engineering costs for the section of road totaled $U41,OC0 with an additional $16 million already spent on the project. When the work now underway is completed it will add an additional $11 rniUion. Presently Only 2 Lanes Most of the Interstate between be-tween Green River and Fremont Fre-mont Junction that is scheduled sched-uled to open this fall will be the equivalent of two lanes. During the next few years, the additional two lanes will be built. District Four Engineer, Engin-eer, James L. Deaton stated that plans now call for doing do-ing part of the earthwork necessary for the additional lanes this summer so that trsfic is not inconvienccd when the additionail work is completed. Care has been exercised by the engineers for the State Department of Highways to achieve a .particularly pleasing pleas-ing location for this route fitting it carefully into the country and taking advantage advan-tage of Hue natural flow of the land. In some locations, it was necessary to make spectacular spec-tacular cuts, in other areas, however, the road sweeps across broad valleys. Some hope of achieving a national nation-al award as a scenic highway seems founded as already the bridge across Eagle Can- rdpd "most beautiful bridge" honors for its class by the American Institute In-stitute of Steel Construction. A companion bridge willl be built as the other two lanes are added. Ma'nltenance Problems Plans now call for the establishment es-tablishment of a seven stall maintenance shed at Secret Mesa which will be operated by crews from Green River and Huntington. During severe se-vere winter storms, crews would be housed at the shed to take care of snow removal. remov-al. Snow accumulations on the top of the San Rafael Swell often reach three feet posing a severe problem to road crews. One other problem facing highway officials will be that the 106 mile length between Salina and Green River will have no service available. Plans are now being devel-qped devel-qped for warning signs in-infiorming in-infiorming motorists that the has a 106 mile jaunt and must have sufficient gasoline. The Highway Patrol is now planning plan-ning for additional manpower to patrol the road and are considering installation of an emergency ca'lling system to provide rapid aid in case of an accident. |