Utah State Route 92 Explained

State:UT
Type:SR
Route:92
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:SR-92 highlighted in red, with the commuter lane highlighted in blue
Alternate Name:Timpanogos Highway
Section:115
Length Mi:27.296
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1935 as SR-80; renumbered in 1977
Restrictions:Closed in winter from mile 14 to 22.5[2]
Direction A:West
Terminus A: in Lehi
Junction: in Highland
in Highland
in the Uinta National Forest
Direction B:East
Terminus B: in Provo Canyon
Previous Type:US
Previous Route:91
Next Type:SR
Next Route:93

State Route 92 (SR-92), also known in various portions as the Timpanogos Highway,[3] and Alpine Loop Scenic Highway is a scenic state highway in Utah County, Utah that runs from I-15/US-89 in Lehi to US-189 in Provo Canyon. The route is 27.296miles long and is the only road with access to Sundance Ski Resort and the Aspen Grove Family Camp and Conference Center.

Route description

The route begins at Ashton Boulevard in northwest Lehi. From its western terminus it heads east through Highland, and up American Fork Canyon, where it enters the Uinta National Forest. Shortly after entering the canyon, it passes the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, a famous group of caves buried in the side of the canyon. The route continues up the canyon, but, just before leaving the canyon, it has it junction with the southern end of Utah State Route 144, which heads further north up American Fork Canyon to Tibble Fork Reservoir. SR-92 then bends to the south (with a short bend that extends briefly into Wasatch County) to connect with the west end of the Cascade Scenic Byway (Forest Road 114). After passing the east side of Mount Timpanogos and then the Sundance Resort, the road links up with US-189 in Provo Canyon at Wildwood, just west of the Utah-Wasatch county line and east of the Provo Canyon Tunnels.[4]

The portion of SR-92 west of the intersection with Canyon Road (former SR-146) is included in the National Highway System.[5]

History

The state legislature created State Route 80 in 1935, connecting SR-1 (US-91, now I-15/US-89) near Point of the Mountain with SR-74 south of Alpine.[6] An extension in 1941 took SR-80 east to the Uinta National Forest boundary in American Fork Canyon, replacing a short piece of SR-146 (created in 1933[7]) from SR-74 to the mouth of the canyon.[8] At the other end of the highway, State Route 168 was built in 1933 as a forest road[9] and numbered in 1935, connecting SR-7 (US-189) with Aspen Grove.[10] SR-80 was extended through the forest to SR-7, absorbing SR-168, in 1953. Because the number 80 was needed for I-80, SR-80 was renumbered SR-92 in the 1977 renumbering.[11]

Commuter lanes

The Timpanogos Highway Commuter Lanes, built from May 2009 to October 2011, are a 3.6miles grade-separated parallel road of Timpanogos Highway in Lehi with one lane in each direction to bypass signal-controlled intersections.[12] [13] The west ramp of the commuter lane is next to the Interstate 15 intersection near North Frontage Road, the east ramp is between Highland Boulevard and North Tamarack Drive.[14] The estimated costs were $170 million.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Highway Descriptions - State Route 92. PDF. 2019-08-02. Utah Department of Transportation.
  2. Web site: Seasonal Road Closures . Utah Department of Transportation . Utah Department of Transportation . 25 February 2019.
  3. News: S.R. 92 will be renamed Timpanogos Highway. . Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. 4 Dec 2010. 2 Jan 2018.
  4. http://www.utah.com/byways/alpine_loop.htm Alpine Loop Scenic Byway
  5. Web site: Utah National Highway System. UDOT Data Portal. 2019-01-22.
  6. 1935. Route 80. From a point on route 1 near Point of the Mountain east to junction with route 74 near Alpine..
  7. 1933. 30. (146) From route 1 at Pleasant Grove via mouth of American Fork canyon connect No. 71 below Alpine..
  8. 1941. 34. Route 80. From a point on route 1 near Point of the Mountain east to the forest boundary in American Fork Canyon..
  9. [Utah Department of Transportation]
  10. 1935. Route 168. From a point on route 7 in Provo Canyon northerly via Alpine scenic highway to Aspen..
  11. [Utah Department of Transportation]
  12. UDoT: S.R. 92/Timpanogos Highway, published 7 November 2012
  13. UDoT: Commuter Lanes Utah County, accessed 22 December 2013
  14. Daniel Avila: SR-92, Lehi to Highland, Roadway Widen, UDoT,
  15. News: UDOT reports 'unprecedented' quality problems with Timpanogos Highway project. Morgan. Emiley. Deseret News. Deseret Digital Media. Salt Lake City. 8 Mar 2012. 2 Jan 2018.