| Show colored pages South CeiiM i r i Ufflli i t Supplement To Gunnison Valley News The Salina Sun Garfield County News The Richfield Reaper VOLUME THURSDAY NUMBER DECEMBER 4 1980 U § Highway 89: By Hal Edwards Spotlight Editor Today’s modern higheven the way s rural variety common in southern Utah — are a far cry from the dirt and gravel roads of just a few years ago and the mam artery which connects southern Utah com m unities -High way 89 — is no exception While 89 Highway which is the major route between Phoenix and Salt Lake City remains a road in this area its US beginnings are very humble as records compiled from the Utah of Tran District Three Department sportation office show John Bohman a UDOT employee in the Richfield office provided Utah Spotlight with a comprehensive rundown of how it used to be after searching records on file He also obtained interesting information from a 1915 “Guide only a gravel road not much better than many of farm roads in today's remote areas of the counties When paving was put down it was mostly concrete such as that which remained along the to the major proximity population areas As hard surfacing was completed the cities new sur in facing sections were added in all directions Records show that the first oiled road in the was US district High way 89 from Gunnison Richfield airport road until it was recently north resurfaced But seemed rapidly automobiles to advance than roads more - at in the Sanpete Sevier Piute and Gar field county areas ac cording to early records And not only were roads just gravel base but they weren't even graded m many areas until the mid to late least 1920’s Not until was the Panguitch to Spry section of U S 89 oil surfaced records show A major 1937 graveling surface project two miles from about north of Marysvale south was com to Junction pleted in 1927 And in 1932 from the section into Sanpete not until 1935 However was Utah Highway 28 from Gunnison to Levan hard surfaced In 1927 a section of U S 89 from Salina to Aurora was surfaced with an 18 w ide foot concrete But that same project an 18 foot wide gravel surface road was the in completed area on the Panguitch same highway The section of U S 89 from Sigurd to Richfield was graded and graveled in 1926 However in 1923 the road from Richfield to the airport was built with a concrete surface The first asphalt material used in the area to hard surface Highway 89 was hauled in by train in sugar beet cars from Sunnyside in Carbon County It was referred to as hard rock asphalt or year oil One rock cat on 89 mst north of Hoeer s ( afe in an von was Marysvale There has been flooding over the vears from the and caused river damages on the road — actually cutting off areas from each other for a time but the worst was recoi ded from May 23 to first nanul Convict Cut” because of the labor of convicts iMd in the project R ocN show that pris watched vm 30 guards the felons keeping both eye and a on them shotgun trail n the Hatch A break Dam below Panguitch caused the ’vier River And as romantic as it may seem to read about and study the early history of travel in on the Utah southern “mam highway — US to flood amt ’tie bridge 89" - it wasn’t all that S 89 over whict es it was faster great the mer just to tmvel m automobiles crosses north of Marvsvale to than with horse and Ma wash out on 23 1914 buggy but the dusty gravel in the summer and the mud and snow in the other were winter problems to contend with In the “Utah Guide You as a motorist are urged by the Utah Safety Council to plan ahead for weather winter by practicing careful on the road judgement and by allowing for extra car lengths between you and the cars behind or m front of you Slippery streets un- to corrected and slowly ease the gas forward Instead lift your foot off the gas and turn your wheels to aim the front of the car where you want it to go Once the skid is Gentle nuking might oid the help but — possibility damage to smission b your owne' straighten your wheels and proceed ahead with caution Getting stuck in snow is for another winter hazard serious of the tran- checking s manual recommended can try anyone's temper The Utah Safety Council suggests the following tips to get you ” braking Sand coarse rock salt or a coupic pieces of carpeting can come in handy to tuck under the drive wheels — Turn your wheels a — Tire chums are the few times from side to best for pulling power in out of to side push snow severe snow and ice the way of your wheels The polishing eftect of — Keep a light touch on — sudden Remember' movements procedures that and stopping in on snow and ice multiplies the hazards at intersections and on roads heavily travelled If you nit an icy spot ease up on gas hold the wheel steady and roll through starting traffic of any kind steering — ac- put celerating may your car in a skid Utah The Safety Council reminds drivers to plar ahead and always buckle safety seat belts no matter how long or short a trip your going to drive of every community in county was listed the with it and of services availability for the traveler 1915 every For example just following the main road was quite a chore as the listing suggest that you follow the power poles (usually alongside the and tells of land road) marks in each town to watch for Each Safely Council Advises Winter I hiving Planning intersections through derpasses Marysvale Utah” in which mileages highway Marysvale Canyon to and railroad between cities and Sevier had a majcf" grade crossings are inevitable at this time of services for travelers are gravel surfacing project listed However areas farther year And as we zip along this north received hard Bob Ingersoll than manager says if you are highway little thought is surfaces earlier the south involved in a skid do not in given that only some 50 those years ago most of it was probably because of their hit the brakes heavily publication The Tie That Binds Region town’s gas hotels and stations eating establishments were also listed For example the book explains the way to get from Salina to Aurora as follows “Salina — garage and hotel With hotel on right and store on left go straight ahead to railroad cross tracks cross canal and follow south with pole line on left Keep main road to Aurora ” Descriptions of areas of travel along U S 89 and the which “perils” seemed to always be there were pointed out this description of the Marysvale to Kanab journey a distance of 125 miles “ The road as far as Mt Carmel during the months summer is in good shape for auto but between Mt travel Carmel and Kanab sand travel weather Fairview impossible Weather had a much bearing on travel during the early years of building U S 89 Another description is that listing the situation between and Thistle a Manti greater Wise To (et s J p 1 T v J i ' Even though times have (hanged the general loialion of I S Highway 84 I tali through cull ill and soiithei n tali liasn t his map im hided in the of the shows loute (uide highway nearly all of who h was dnt and giavel at Af ’ V nK'4 A " $ U (f Ja your application Try to keep your total monthly housing costs equal to one week's gross iay Don’t forget to figure foes utilities in parking and any other insurance special f(es along with the rent Before you make a final rental decision (insider vour oilier non N ' U V— —t that time he daik line is the load thmiigh Sanpete Seviei 'into and Kane mmties Note appioa( to Kmati (i (im (lie east msi ead sent route further west (ailu Id ol Us pi e in con- good barring stormy The road to Thistle from is not generally in good shape and is not recommended to the auto traveler The road via Moroni and Nephi is the best road in of Sanpete out and ” Valley By the late 1930’s most ofU S 89 was finally hard and then came surfaced various in changes routes Several small communities were byroutes to as better passed were designed eliminate twists and avoid and turns slowdowns by going through small towns This happened in County 1952 in Sevier when th road bypassed Aurora and Sigurd and later in 1956 wher Central it bypassed on change major in Highway 89 occurred the extreme southern portion of the state when the Glen Canyon Dam was built in the period beginning in 1957 Now U S 89 goes east form Kanab to connect with Anz and then Page south across the Glen The old Canyon Bridge U S 89 now designated as I S still goes south from Kanab Ariz through Fredoma and across the Painted Desert So w hile today’s A traveler drives non- chalantly down the highway thinking little about how easy he really has it the truth is that it just hasn been that long since that modern black ribbon was nothing more than a dirty washboard trail Rest Most Honest Deal Iyooking for the right to rent is like place for the right searching job First you have to figure out what type you want and more im what type you portantly can afford Then when rfext one you find the you just hope they’ll have a vacancy and accept vv ' “The these are towns Rental Practices a Mast The Division of Con sumer Affairs would like to alert consumers on what they should watch for in wise rental prac tices ' of 51 miles between roads dition to the going should Canyon leave their cars at either Glendale or Ordervtlle and have plans made for teams to complete the It is journey to Kanab hoped state aid will build a first class road over this short strip of land as an abundance of natural road material is close at hand This road would be a great asset to the state as a whole and a boon to auto travel to the Grand Utah ” Canyon through “'X distance valley generally for about is encountered 15 miles that makes auto Parties Grand f I S Highway 84 is not onl the lifeline main highway north and south thiough (eutial and southern I tah hut fiom Salina to Se ler June turn Interstate 70 Highway tarit becomes temporary ries nearly double the ti attic it did 10 vears ago and statistics show a gradual me lease again how much and housing penses is left other for ex Finding a place you like that you can afford is a time consuming task It often helps to check first with friends to see if they know available places ui rent Or look in the newspapers uassined to get an idea of various rents If you know of charged an apartment building you’d like to live in go directly to the apartment manager If it’s an area you like try walking or riding around the neigh horhond one of the residents might know about a Vou vacancy could also check with an section the apartment tKisiness finding In some cases fin that these “apartment dors" have listings do not appear Uie in housing exienses If you But lx aware newspaper Live high medic al osts that vou read can the childcare cat payments or clothes food in daily papers and get of the listings for stallmi ol loan oxienses many subtrail these fiom your yourself monthly income to see r n a a m e Most p managers will ask you to fill out an application a nd some will charge an fee Before application vou pav be sure to ask if you can get your money back if you don't take the apartment Make a thorough tour of inspection before you sign the lease If you see such as any problems leaky faucets appliances that don t work falling or broken floor plaster tiles make a list and attach a copy to the lease Keep your copy to avoid paving for these damage later Read the lease com pletely noting the terms under which you can get vour security deposit Uk k when you leave And don forget to get the name and number of the owner or apartment caretaker in case of an emergency or main tenance problem For additional in formation write Division of Consumer Affairs 330 East 400 South Salt Lake City Utah 84111 |
