U.S. Route 189 - History

History

There was a US-189 in the initial 1926 plan for U.S. Highways. This iteration of US-189 ran from Nephi to Pigeon Hollow Junction, along what is now State Route 132.

In 1938, a second iteration of US 189 was created using several state routes. The portion from Provo to Heber City in Utah was numbered State Route 7. Although signed US-189 starting in 1938 this road retained the SR-7 designation until 1977.

US-189 replaced US-530, designated in 1926, between the modern junctions of I-80 with US-40 at Silver Creek Junction and I-84 at Echo. Between Echo and Evanston, Wyoming US-189 was originally concurrent with US-30S. As portions of I-80 were complete, US-189 was moved to the freeway alignment.

US-189 designation alternated between two routes between Hailstone and Wanship. Prior to the construction of the Jordenelle Reservoir, US-189 was usually routed along what is now State Route 32 via Kamas. At times the route through Kamas was designated US-189 Alternate with the main route of US-189 concurrent with the routes of US-40 and what is now I-80 between Heber and Wanship.

In 1985 the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) began plans to relocate US-40 and US-189 to prepare for the construction of the Jordanelle Reservoir. As late as 1989, UDOT still intended move US-189 to an alignment on the northern shore of the proposed reservoir. On January 18, 1990 the Federal Highway Administration sent a letter to UDOT recommending that US-189 not be moved to this new alignment. The stated reason was this new routing would result in traveling 15 miles (24 km) "out-of-direction". AASHTO agreed, and authorized a change of plan for the route of US-189 to run concurrent with US-40. UDOT agreed, and this new road was instead signed as extension of State Route 248. The portion of the former route of US-189 not submerged by the new lake was designated State Route 32 after months of negotiations with county officials.