Utah State Route 248
Encyclopedia
State Route 248 is a highway in northern Utah
that connects Park City
with Kamas
. In Summit County
it is known as Kearns Boulevard.
. Once it leaves Park City, SR-248 has a grade-separated interchange with US-40. It then crosses into Wasatch County and terminates at SR-32
in Kamas.
and the present alignment of SR-248 in Jordanelle State Park. One of these highways headed west to Park City Junction, north to Kimball Junction, and west to Salt Lake City, generally following the present SR-248, SR-224, and I-80. Another went east to Kamas and then north via Wanship
to Echo near the present SR-248, SR-32, and I-80, and the third went south to Heber City through the valley now flooded by the reservoir and along US-40. A cutoff from Kimball Junction east to Wanship, added in 1917, shortened the distance between Salt Lake City and Echo. The State Road Commission assigned route numbers in the 1920s, with SR-4 (later US-530 east of Kimball Junction) running via Salt Lake City, Kimball Junction, Wanship, and Echo, and SR-6 (later US-40) splitting at Kimball Junction and running via Park City Junction, Kamas Junction, and Heber City. The roadway from Kamas Junction to Wanship via Kamas did not receive a number until 1927, when the state legislature labeled the Kamas Junction-Kamas portion as State Route 34 and the remainder as part of SR-35, which continued southeast from Kamas to Tabiona. At that time, the present extent of SR-248 - Park City Junction to Kamas — was part of SR-6 (US-40) and all of SR-34.
With the addition of two other connections between SR-6 and SR-35 - SR-196 (Browns Canyon) in 1931 and SR-151 (now part of SR-32) in 1933 - SR-34 was no longer necessary, and was removed from the state highway system in 1953. To the west, SR-6 was moved to a shorter alignment between SR-4 at Silver Creek Junction and the former route northeast of Park City in 1953, and the old route via Park City Junction became SR-248, initially signed as US-40 Alternate. In 1969, the portion north of Park City Junction was transferred to SR-224, which continued south from the junction into downtown Park City. Now SR-248 was a short connection between SR-224 and SR-6 (US-40).
The Utah Department of Transportation
built a relocation of US-40 in the late 1980s to get it out of the valley that would be filled by the Jordanelle Reservoir
. At the time, US-189 overlapped US-40 from Heber City north to Hailstone
(now covered by the lake), where it turned east and north along the present SR-32 to Wanship
. Because US-189 east of Hailstone would be covered by the lake, UDOT built a new alignment, roughly following the pre-1953 SR-34, going west from Kamas to existing US-40 near the north end of the lake, where it would head northwest along existing US-40 to that route's new alignment, and then turn south for a longer overlap. What would remain of the old US-189 between Hailstone and Francis would become a county road, along with a new connection to US-40 south of the reservoir; the short piece from Francis to Kamas would be part of a new SR-32 that would also replace SR-35. This was all carried out in 1989, but Summit and Wasatch Counties did not wish to maintain the roadway west from Francis, and the Federal Highway Administration
pointed out that the realignment of US-189 would take it out of the way by more than 15 miles (24 km), so in 1990 the change was partially reversed and modified. SR-35 was restored east of Francis, US-189 was moved to overlap US-40 all the way to Silver Creek Junction, and SR-32 replaced former US-189 north of Kamas, as well as the county road to US-40 south of the reservoir. The road that had been built as a realignment of US-189, from US-40 north of the reservoir to Kamas, instead became an extension of SR-248. At the same time, portions of SR-190, SR-220, and SR-224 were given to Wasatch County to maintain, resulting in an approximately equal mileage swap.
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...
that connects Park City
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
with Kamas
Kamas, Utah
Kamas is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,274 at the 2000 census....
. In Summit County
Summit County, Utah
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Clearfield Combined Statistical Area. The county is...
it is known as Kearns Boulevard.
Route description
From its western terminus in Park City, SR-248 heads west towards Wasatch CountyWasatch County, Utah
Wasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was named for a Ute Indian word meaning mountain pass or low place in the high mountains. Its county seat and largest city is Heber City.The county is governed by a county council with an appointed county manager.Wasatch County is...
. Once it leaves Park City, SR-248 has a grade-separated interchange with US-40. It then crosses into Wasatch County and terminates at SR-32
Utah State Route 32
State Route 32 is a state highway in Wasatch and Summit Counties in the U.S. state of Utah. Most of the highway is an old routing of U.S. Route 189 that became disconnected from the rest of US-189 during the construction of the Jordanelle Reservoir. SR-32 runs for 29.053 miles from US-40 and...
in Kamas.
History
The first state roads in the Park City area were designated in 1910, and met at Kamas Junction, a three-way intersection at 40.655°N 111.414°W, now located between the Jordanelle ReservoirJordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir is a reservoir in Wasatch County, Utah, United States, just north of Heber City.Jordanelle Reservoir is fed and drained primarily by the Provo River, and is impounded by the Jordanelle Dam, an Earthen dam. The construction of the dam resulted in the reroutings of U.S. Route 40...
and the present alignment of SR-248 in Jordanelle State Park. One of these highways headed west to Park City Junction, north to Kimball Junction, and west to Salt Lake City, generally following the present SR-248, SR-224, and I-80. Another went east to Kamas and then north via Wanship
Wanship, Utah
Wanship is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 400 at the 2010 census.Wanship is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Utah State Route 32, at the junction of Silver Creek and the Weber River. It is from Salt Lake City, and from Coalville...
to Echo near the present SR-248, SR-32, and I-80, and the third went south to Heber City through the valley now flooded by the reservoir and along US-40. A cutoff from Kimball Junction east to Wanship, added in 1917, shortened the distance between Salt Lake City and Echo. The State Road Commission assigned route numbers in the 1920s, with SR-4 (later US-530 east of Kimball Junction) running via Salt Lake City, Kimball Junction, Wanship, and Echo, and SR-6 (later US-40) splitting at Kimball Junction and running via Park City Junction, Kamas Junction, and Heber City. The roadway from Kamas Junction to Wanship via Kamas did not receive a number until 1927, when the state legislature labeled the Kamas Junction-Kamas portion as State Route 34 and the remainder as part of SR-35, which continued southeast from Kamas to Tabiona. At that time, the present extent of SR-248 - Park City Junction to Kamas — was part of SR-6 (US-40) and all of SR-34.
With the addition of two other connections between SR-6 and SR-35 - SR-196 (Browns Canyon) in 1931 and SR-151 (now part of SR-32) in 1933 - SR-34 was no longer necessary, and was removed from the state highway system in 1953. To the west, SR-6 was moved to a shorter alignment between SR-4 at Silver Creek Junction and the former route northeast of Park City in 1953, and the old route via Park City Junction became SR-248, initially signed as US-40 Alternate. In 1969, the portion north of Park City Junction was transferred to SR-224, which continued south from the junction into downtown Park City. Now SR-248 was a short connection between SR-224 and SR-6 (US-40).
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...
built a relocation of US-40 in the late 1980s to get it out of the valley that would be filled by the Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir is a reservoir in Wasatch County, Utah, United States, just north of Heber City.Jordanelle Reservoir is fed and drained primarily by the Provo River, and is impounded by the Jordanelle Dam, an Earthen dam. The construction of the dam resulted in the reroutings of U.S. Route 40...
. At the time, US-189 overlapped US-40 from Heber City north to Hailstone
Hailstone, Utah
Hailstone, Utah was a town in Wasatch County. It was submerged in 1995 by the waters of Jordanelle Reservoir along with Keetley, Utah.Hailstone was located at the junction of US-40 and US-189, seven miles north of Heber....
(now covered by the lake), where it turned east and north along the present SR-32 to Wanship
Wanship, Utah
Wanship is a census-designated place in Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 400 at the 2010 census.Wanship is located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Utah State Route 32, at the junction of Silver Creek and the Weber River. It is from Salt Lake City, and from Coalville...
. Because US-189 east of Hailstone would be covered by the lake, UDOT built a new alignment, roughly following the pre-1953 SR-34, going west from Kamas to existing US-40 near the north end of the lake, where it would head northwest along existing US-40 to that route's new alignment, and then turn south for a longer overlap. What would remain of the old US-189 between Hailstone and Francis would become a county road, along with a new connection to US-40 south of the reservoir; the short piece from Francis to Kamas would be part of a new SR-32 that would also replace SR-35. This was all carried out in 1989, but Summit and Wasatch Counties did not wish to maintain the roadway west from Francis, and the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
pointed out that the realignment of US-189 would take it out of the way by more than 15 miles (24 km), so in 1990 the change was partially reversed and modified. SR-35 was restored east of Francis, US-189 was moved to overlap US-40 all the way to Silver Creek Junction, and SR-32 replaced former US-189 north of Kamas, as well as the county road to US-40 south of the reservoir. The road that had been built as a realignment of US-189, from US-40 north of the reservoir to Kamas, instead became an extension of SR-248. At the same time, portions of SR-190, SR-220, and SR-224 were given to Wasatch County to maintain, resulting in an approximately equal mileage swap.