U.S. Route 89(US 89) is a north–southUnited States Numbered Highwaywith two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for 848 miles (1,365 km) fromFlagstaff, Arizona,to the southern entrance ofYellowstone National Park.The northern section runs for 404 miles (650 km) from the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park inMontana,ending at theCanadian border.Unnumbered roads through Yellowstone connect the two sections. Before 1992, US 89 was a Canada–Mexico, border-to-border highway that ended atNogales, Arizona,on its southern end.[1]
 U.S. Route 89 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 89 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 1,252 mi[citation needed](2,015 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |   BL 40/US 180inFlagstaff, AZ | |||
| North end |  Highway 2at theCanada–US bordernearBabb, MT | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| States | Arizona,Utah,Idaho,Wyoming,Montana | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Sometimes called theNational Park Highway,US 89 links sevennational parksacross the Mountain West. In addition, 14 other national park areas, mostlynational monuments,are also reachable from this backbone through the Colorado Plateau, Wasatch Mountains and northern Rockies.
National Geographicnamed US Route 89 the No. 1 Driver's Drive in the world.[2]
Route description
editArizona
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US 89 begins at Flagstaff, Arizona. The highway proceeds north passing nearGrand Canyon National Parkand through theNavajo Nation.Near the Utah state line, the highway splits into US 89 andUS 89A.The alternate is the original highway; what is now the main highway was constructed in the 1960s to serve theGlen Canyon DamandPage.The main branch passes over theColorado Riverjust south of the dam andLake Powelland then enters Utah. The US 89A branch turns westward and crosses the Colorado River via theNavajo BridgeatMarble CanyonnearLees Ferry.It then climbs on to theKaibab Plateau,connecting withArizona State Route 67atJacob Lakewhich provides access to theNorth Rim of the Grand Canyon.Just before entering Utah, a junction withArizona State Route 389inFredoniaserves thePipe Spring National Monument.The two highways rejoin inKanab, Utah.
Historically, the route extended south toNogalesand served numerous sites of theNational Park Systemin Arizona. Just north of the Mexican border is theTumacacori National Monument(now Tumacacori National Historical Park), while further northSaguaro National Monument(now Saguaro National Park) in Tucson was reached. Short links took motorists to theCasa Grande National Monumentand theHohokam Pima National Monumentsouth of Phoenix. In the vicinity of Flagstaff there is a quartet of parks:Tuzigoot National Monument,Walnut Canyon National Monument,Sunset Crater National Monument,andWupatki National Monument.North of Flagstaff, US 89 offers access to both the South Rim and North Rim ofGrand Canyon National Park.[3]
Utah
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The first city in Utah along either US 89 or US 89A is Kanab where the two routes re-unite. From Kanab US 89 proceeds north passing byZion National Park,Cedar Breaks National Monument,andBryce Canyon National Park.It eventually entersSevier Countyand theSanpete Valleys.The highway then passes byThistle,a ghost town that was destroyed by a lake resulting from alandslidein 1983. The highway then enters theWasatch Frontwhere US 89 becomes State Street, the main street for many cities in Utah and Salt Lake Counties. The highway is also often in the shadows ofInterstate 15(I-15) during its route along the Wasatch Front. US 89 runs concurrently with I-15 from Bountiful to Farmington, where it departs and runs at the base of the Wasatch Mountains until it reaches Ogden. In Ogden, the highway is Washington Boulevard. From Ogden the highway runs north until it meets US 91 atBrigham City,where it turns east to serveCache ValleyandLogan,concurrent with US 91. In Logan, US 89 forms the southern portion of Main Street before splitting off to the east, passing by the campus of theUtah State University.The highway next proceeds upLogan CanyontoBear Lakewhere the highway exits Utah.
Two sections of US 89 in Utah have been designated Scenic Byways. TheKanab to Mt. Carmel and Long Valley Scenic Bywayis a designatedUtah Scenic Byway.The segment from Logan to Bear Lake is designated as theLogan Canyon Scenic Bywayby theNational Scenic Bywaysproject.
The section of US 89 in Utah, other than concurrencies withI-70,I-15,US 6,andUS 91,is defined in the Utah Code Annotated § 72-4-114(8).[4]
Utah is dominated by the Colorado Plateau. Along US 89 areZion National Park,Bryce Canyon National Park,andCedar Breaks National Monument.Although not readily adjacent to US 89,Capitol Reef National Parkis accessible from US 89. US 89 leaves northern Utah well north ofSalt Lake CityandTimpanogos Cave National Monumentand theGolden Spike National Historic Site.[5]
Idaho
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In Idaho, the highway partially circumnavigatesBear Lake,which straddles the Utah–Idaho state line.
Wyoming
editIn Wyoming, US 89 passes through many scenic sites includingGrand Teton National Park,theJackson Holevalley, theSnake River Canyon,andStar Valley.
Passing northward along the western border of Wyoming with Idaho, US 89 enters theGrand Teton National Park.Here, US 89 is the backbone visitor highway for twoU.S. National Parks.Leaving the Tetons, the road enters a lesser known park,John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway,before ending at the South Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. While US 89 and other U.S. Routes are officially discontinuous through the park, some commercially produced maps show these highways running inside Yellowstone National Park itself along its unnumbered roads and across the Wyoming–Montana state line.
Montana
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US 89 enters Montana at the North Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It traverses the width of the state before approachingGlacier National Park.AtSt. Mary, Montana,US 89 is the access highway to Glacier Route One, also known as theGoing-to-the-Sun Road.[5]
The Kings Hill Scenic Byway passes through theLittle Belt Mountainsin theLewis and Clark National ForestinMontana.[6]The route is home to a wide variety of wildlife and provides many recreational opportunities for travelers on the route. The byway is a 71-mile (114 km) route that begins onUS 89at its junction with US 12. From the junction of the byway it travels north through theLewis and Clark National Forestthrough the communities ofNeihartandMonarchand on to its junction with US 87. The route offers access to theShowdown Ski AreaandSluice Boxes State Park.The route travels over theKings Hill Passwhich snow removal crews work to keep open throughout the winter season.[7]
The northern terminus of US 89 is at theCanadian border.There, the highway continues into Canada asAlberta Highway 2.
History
editWhen US 89 was first created, it ran as far north asSpanish Fork, Utah.This was the case until 1934, when it was extended to more or less of its current alignment up to thePiegan Port of Entrynorth ofBabb, Montana.[8]
North ofGreat Falls, Montana,US 89's current route was originally numbered asUS 87until 1934. After US 89 took over that route, US 87 ended in Great Falls until 1945, when it was extended to its current northern terminus nearHavre, Montana.[9]
Prior to 1992, the southern terminus of US 89 was atNogales, Arizona,and the highway proceeded toFlagstaff, Arizona,along what is nowI-19,State Route 79,US 60,US 93,andState Route 89between Prescott and Flagstaff via Williams. In addition, there was anotherUS 89Ain Arizona betweenPrescottand Flagstaff via Sedona on which is nowState Route 89A.
In central Arizona, the need for a north–south U.S. Highway was largely superseded by the completion ofI-17,which now carries the bulk of the traffic and all of the heavy trucks along this north–south corridor. I-17 connectsI-40in Flagstaff withI-10inPhoenix, Arizona,along a very hilly route that also passes through theVerde Valley.
US 89 in central Utah was discontinuous for most of 1983 due to a landslide that destroyed the town ofThistleand closed the highway for about eight months.[citation needed]
From early 2013 to mid 2015, US 89 was closed approximately 25 miles (40 km) south ofPage,due to a geological event that caused the roadway to buckle and subside. Traffic was being re-routed via 45 miles (72 km) of secondary and tertiary roads on theNavajo Nation.[10]US 89Topened on August 29, 2013, a 28-mile (45 km) paved portion of a Navajo route to serve as a long-term bypass of the closed section.
Major intersections
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- Utah
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I-70north-northeast ofSevier.The highways travel concurrently toSalina.
I-70/US 50in Salina. US 50/US 89 travels concurrently through Salina.
US 6east-northeast ofThistle.The highways travel concurrently toSpanish Fork.
US 189inProvo
I-15inLehi.The highways travel concurrently toDraper.
I-215inMurray
I-80inSouth Salt Lake- I-15inSalt Lake City
- I-15inNorth Salt Lake
- I-15on theWest Bountiful–Bountifulcity line. The highways travel concurrently toFarmington.
I-84south-southeast ofUintah
US 91inBrigham City.The highways travel concurrently toLogan.
- Idaho
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US 30inMontpelier.The highways travel concurrently through Montpelier.
- Wyoming
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US 26on theAlpine Northwest–Alpine Northeastline. The highways travel concurrently toMoran.
US 189/US 191inHoback Junction.US 89/US 189 travels concurrently toJackson.US 89/US 191 travels concurrently to the southern entrance toYellowstone National Parknorth-northwest ofColter Bay Village.
US 26/US 287in Moran. US 89/US 287 travels concurrently to the southern entrance to Yellowstone National Park north-northwest of Colter Bay Village.
- Yellowstone National Park segment (unofficial designation)
- Northern segment
- Montana
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- The northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park south ofGardiner
I-90/US 191inLivingston.The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Livingston.
US 12south ofWhite Sulphur Springs.The highways travel concurrently to northeast of White Sulphur Springs.
US 87south-southeast ofArmington.The highways travel concurrently toGreat Falls.
I-315in Great Falls. The highways travel concurrently through Great Falls.- I-15/I-315in Great Falls. I-15/US 89 travels concurrently to northeast ofVaughn.
- US 287inChoteau
US 2southeast ofSouth Browning.The highways travel concurrently to South Browning.- Highway 2at theCanada–United States bordernorth-northeast ofBabb
See also
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References
edit- ^"End of US highway 89".USEnds.com.RetrievedJuly 7,2007.
- ^"Top 10 Drivers' Drives".Travel.National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon August 13, 2020.RetrievedMay 21,2019.
- ^"US 89 Society".RetrievedOctober 9,2014.
- ^[1]ArchivedFebruary 9, 2007, at theWayback Machine
- ^abNational Park System, US Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C.
- ^"Kings Hill Scenic Byway".RetrievedNovember 22,2010.
- ^"Kings Hill Scenic Byway".Archived fromthe originalon August 23, 2006.RetrievedNovember 21,2010.
- ^"End of US highway 87".US Ends.RetrievedJuly 18,2018.
- ^"End of US highway 87".US Ends.
- ^Stocks, Deborah (February 20, 2013)."US 89 south of Page buckles, collapses".Phoenix, AZ:KNXV-TV.RetrievedFebruary 25,2013.
- ^Rand McNally (2014).The Road Atlas(Walmart ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 8, 31, 60, 102, 116.ISBN978-0-528-00771-2.
External links
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- US Route 89: America's Most Scenic Road Trip
- U.S. Highway 89: The Scenic Route to Seven National Parks; Ann Torrence
- Highway 89 Digital Collection:Utah State University - Includes documents and photos.
- Endpoints of U.S. Highway 89
- Route 89 in '89: From Mexico to Canada Through America's West By James T. Yenckel, Washington Post, October 8, 1989
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
← SH-87 | ID | →US 91 | ||
| ←US 87 | WY | → WYO 89 | ||