Adams Avenue Parkway
Encyclopedia
The Adams Avenue Parkway is a 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) private toll road
in the U.S. state
of Utah
connecting U.S. Route 89
(US-89) to Interstate 84
(I-84) near Washington Terrace, Utah
. The roadway opened in 2001 at a cost of $8.9 million and was created after decades of requests by locals to connect the existing Adams Avenue to I-84. This allowed commuters to bypass the rest of US-89 through Washington Terrace to I-84.
with a local road in South Weber named 475 East. The four-lane 35 mi/h toll road, which has no shoulder
s or sidewalk
s, begins at Cottonwood Drive, I-84's northside frontage road
. It immediately crosses a bridge over the Weber River
(the Davis-Weber County line and north limit of South Weber) and the Union Pacific Railroad
's Evanston Subdivision (the south limit of Washington Terrace). The parkway then curves northwest and climbs out of the Weber River's floodplain
with a maximum grade of nine percent, reaching the toll plaza most of the way up the hill. After one intersection with 5900 South, which presently serves only the toll road company's headquarters and a single commercial building, private maintenance gives way to a four-lane city street with sidewalks just shy of 5800 South. The roadway continues northeasterly to the top of the hill near 5600 South, where pre-existing Adams Avenue (500 East) heads north, passing the Ogden Regional Medical Center
to an intersection with Washington Boulevard (US-89) on the Washington Terrace-South Ogden border. Adams Avenue continues through South Ogden and into Ogden as a minor street one block east of US-89, with a gap near 4600 South and more north of downtown Ogden. As of 2006, approximately 1,400 cars travel the parkway on a weekday.
s) were not charged a toll, but as of July 3, 2003, they must pay the standard $1 toll. To allow quick passage through the toll barrier, these vehicles pay through a charge account.
The Utah Department of Transportation
worked out an agreement during local road construction for four days in 2003 to allow commuters to use the parkway free of charge.
The parkway was opened in 2001 after just under a year of construction and almost two decades of community requests. Local residents led by Doug and Bruce Stephens urged the state to connect I-84 directly to Adams Avenue, bypassing the congested US-89. Then-governor Mike Leavitt suggested that a private company rather than the state would need to build the road.
The roadway cost $8.9 million to build, of which the state provided $2 million. Additional funds came from taxes levied on property owners along the parkway. The entire stretch of road between Washington Boulevard and I-84 was built by the Adams Avenue Turnpike LLC; however, they returned most of the road to local authorities. The only portion not kept was a 0.5 mi (0.80467 km) long segment between about 5800 South and I-84.
The roadway is defined under Weber County Ordinance, Title 31, which grants a franchise to Adams Avenue Turnpike LLC for an initial term of 50 years (expiring in 2051).
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
connecting U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, U.S. Route 89 is a long north–south state highway spanning more than through the central part of the state. Between Provo and Brigham City, US-89 serves as a local road, paralleling Interstate 15, but the portions from Arizona north to Provo and Brigham City...
(US-89) to Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 84 heads southeast from the Idaho state line, overlapping Interstate 15 between Tremonton and Ogden and ending at Interstate 80 at Echo.-Western segment:...
(I-84) near Washington Terrace, Utah
Washington Terrace, Utah
Washington Terrace is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. The population was 8,551 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Ogden–Clearfield, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The roadway opened in 2001 at a cost of $8.9 million and was created after decades of requests by locals to connect the existing Adams Avenue to I-84. This allowed commuters to bypass the rest of US-89 through Washington Terrace to I-84.
Route description
The main access to the south end of the parkway is from I-84 at exit 85, a pre-existing diamond interchangeDiamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
with a local road in South Weber named 475 East. The four-lane 35 mi/h toll road, which has no shoulder
Shoulder (road)
A hard shoulder, or simply shoulder, is a reserved area by the verge of a road or motorway. Generally it is kept clear of motor vehicle traffic...
s or sidewalk
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
s, begins at Cottonwood Drive, I-84's northside frontage road
Frontage road
A frontage road is a non-limited access road running parallel to a higher-speed road, usually a freeway, and feeding it at appropriate points of access...
. It immediately crosses a bridge over the Weber River
Weber River
The Weber River is a c. long river of northern Utah, USA. It begins in the northwest of the Uinta Mountains and empties into the Great Salt Lake. The Weber River was named for American fur trapper John Henry Weber.-Weber River:...
(the Davis-Weber County line and north limit of South Weber) and the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
's Evanston Subdivision (the south limit of Washington Terrace). The parkway then curves northwest and climbs out of the Weber River's floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
with a maximum grade of nine percent, reaching the toll plaza most of the way up the hill. After one intersection with 5900 South, which presently serves only the toll road company's headquarters and a single commercial building, private maintenance gives way to a four-lane city street with sidewalks just shy of 5800 South. The roadway continues northeasterly to the top of the hill near 5600 South, where pre-existing Adams Avenue (500 East) heads north, passing the Ogden Regional Medical Center
Ogden Regional Medical Center
The Ogden Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Ogden, Utah.-Overview:Ogden Regional has 238 licensed beds, 300 physician medical staff, 1,000 employees & volunteers, 77,000 outpatient visits per year, 7,300 inpatient admissions annually, 6,000 surgeries performed annually, 22,000 units of blood...
to an intersection with Washington Boulevard (US-89) on the Washington Terrace-South Ogden border. Adams Avenue continues through South Ogden and into Ogden as a minor street one block east of US-89, with a gap near 4600 South and more north of downtown Ogden. As of 2006, approximately 1,400 cars travel the parkway on a weekday.
Tolls
Tolls are collected in cash or via an ExpressCard account, a prepaid system that offers a discount for a $10 deposit to the account. The current toll is $1 in each direction for two-axle vehicles and $0.50 for each additional axle. Previously emergency vehicles (ambulanceAmbulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s) were not charged a toll, but as of July 3, 2003, they must pay the standard $1 toll. To allow quick passage through the toll barrier, these vehicles pay through a charge account.
The Utah Department of Transportation
Utah Department of Transportation
The Utah Department of Transportation is an agency of the state government for the U.S. state of Utah. The agency is usually referred to by its initials UDOT . UDOT is charged with maintaining the network of state highways in Utah. The agency is headquartered in the Calvin L. Rampton state office...
worked out an agreement during local road construction for four days in 2003 to allow commuters to use the parkway free of charge.
History
The roadway cost $8.9 million to build, of which the state provided $2 million. Additional funds came from taxes levied on property owners along the parkway. The entire stretch of road between Washington Boulevard and I-84 was built by the Adams Avenue Turnpike LLC; however, they returned most of the road to local authorities. The only portion not kept was a 0.5 mi (0.80467 km) long segment between about 5800 South and I-84.
The roadway is defined under Weber County Ordinance, Title 31, which grants a franchise to Adams Avenue Turnpike LLC for an initial term of 50 years (expiring in 2051).