State Route 161
SR-161 in red
Route information
Maintained by UDOT
Length	3.084 mi [1] (4.963 km)
Existed	1965–present
Major junctions
South end	I-70 near Cove Fort
North end	I-15 near Cove Fort
Location
Country	United States
State	Utah
Counties	Millard
Highway system
Utah State Highway System Interstate US State Minor Scenic
← SR-160 → SR-162

State Route 161 (SR-161) is a 3.084-mile (4.963 km) long state highway, designated as a rural major connector, completely within Millard County in central Utah. The highway connects Interstate 70 (I-70) to I-15 while providing service to historic Cove Fort. The route was once part of U.S. Route 91 (US-91), but was renumbered to SR-161 in the 1970s, in parallel with the construction of I-70.

Route description

Located entirely in southeastern Millard County, ^[2] SR-161 starts at a diamond interchange with the westernmost exit on I-70 before it terminates at I-15. The road continues northward until it reaches the historic Cove Fort and the associated visitors center. On the eastern side of the highway is a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) maintenance center. SR-161 starts to make a gentle turn to the northeast, passing a filling station, which also serves as a rest area as part of a public–private partnership between UDOT and the owners of the station. ^[1] The highway intersects I-15 and comes to an end at a cattle guard on Black Rock Road northwest of the interchange with I-15. ^[3]

In 2007, a daily average of 455 cars traveled along SR-161, representing only a slight growth from previous years; in 2006, the average was 450 and in 2005, 415). ^[4] Thirty five percent of this traffic was composed of trucks. ^[5] The average traffic measurement is collected at a point on SR-161 between Cove Fort and the interchange with I-15.

History

The SR-161 designation has been used two other times for other state routes. The first route, which was formed in 1933, connected US-50/US-89/US-91 (now US-89) to SR-68 in Bluffdale until the route was decommissioned in 1953. From May 8, 1961, to February 14, 1964, the route number was used for a road from US-91 to I-15 in the city of Beaver. ^[6]

The parallel T-beam bridges that carry I-15 over SR-161 at its northern terminus were constructed in 1966 along with the construction of I-15 though the area. ^[7] The bridges carrying I-70 over SR-161 were constructed in 1973. ^{[8] [9]}

The current route, codified into Utah law in 1965 and designated on signage following the decommissioning of US-91 in the 1970s, was partially a former alignment of US-91. Once I-70 was completed the 1.07 mi (1.72 km) long segment of US-91 as well as the roadway to the north was designated SR-161 by the Utah State Department of Highways. No significant changes have been made to the roadway except for its legal definition. ^[6] SR-161 serves the important function of providing access to the contracted rest area as well as the historic Cove Fort. As of 2009 ^[update] no new projects are scheduled for SR-161, either through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act or the UDOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. ^{[10] [11]}

Major intersections

The entire route is in Millard County.

Location	mi [1]	km	Destinations	Notes
​	0.000– 0.080	0.000– 0.129	I-70 to I-15 – Richfield	Exit 1 on I-70; southern terminus.
​	2.812– 3.071	4.525– 4.942	I-15 – Cedar City, Salt Lake City	Exit 135 on I-15
​	3.084	4.963	Black Rock Road Cattle guard	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References