Interstate 15

Passing through the heart of the Beehive State, Interstate 15 is a major transportation corridor in Utah and the Intermountain West. Emerging from the north end of the Virgin River Gorge, I-15 immediately enters St. George, then proceeds north to Cedar City, Beaver and Cove Fort, where I-70 east begins. North from there, the rural freeway continues to Nephi, Santaquin and Spanish Fork.

I-15 continues north into the Wasatch Front metropolitan region, connecting Salt Lake City with Provo to the south and Ogden to the north. This includes eight lane stretches and Express toll lanes through Orem, Sandy, Farmington and other suburbs. The freeway stays along the western reaches of the Wasatch Mountain Range from southwest Utah to Great Salt Lake. Beyond Ogden, I-84 combines with I-15 to Brigham City and Tremonton.

Interstate 15 Utah Guides

Interstate 15 Business Routes

Between St. George and Spanish Fork, Interstate 15 largely replaced U.S. 91. Segments of the historic highway are still in use as business and state routes. Between Spanish Fork and Brigham City, I-15 parallels U.S. 89 and old U.S. 91, with several independent segments of U.S. 89 still routed separately. North of Brigham City, I-15 replaced historic U.S. 191. Once Interstate 15 replaced U.S. 191, that designation was available to be relocated elsewhere (and in 1981, it was reassigned into western Wyoming and eastern Utah).

Just three sections of Interstate 15 were open to traffic by 1969. They included 8.8 miles from North Cedar City to Summit, 6.2 miles from south Beaver to north Beaver, and 9.8 miles from 31st Street in Ogden to Hot Springs. Another 31.1 miles of the freeway were under construction in 1969. This included portions north of Cedar City and between Ogden and Brigham City.¹

268.88 miles of I-15 in the Beehive State were open to traffic by 1974. Construction schedules then extended to 1983, with the 6.9 mile segment between the Sevier River and Mills Junction the last projected.²

Concerns from local leaders and citizens however led to a number of hearings on the final proposals for Interstate 15, delaying completion of the route until November 20, 1990. Hearings focused on potential impacts to prime agricultural land, related effects on local tax bases and the exact route I-15 would follow. Costing $37 million, the final 26 mile section of the Utah Interstate system to be built, opened after a formal ceremony in Riverside.³

scenes

Dixie Drive west at the SPUI (Exit 5) with Interstate 15 in St. George. 07/15/17

The Lunt Park South Rest Area along Interstate 15 southbound. 08/20/11

Interstate 15 shields posted at the ranch exit west of old U.S. 91 and Sulphurdale. This assembly was removed by 2014. 10/18/04

Sign replacement for Interstate 15 at Exit 129, west of the Tushar Mountains. Utah, like the state of Wyoming, places wooden shields and signs along their roadways. 10/18/04

A new guide sign installed for the northbound on-ramp to I-15 from Pine Creek Highway near Sulphurdale. Old U.S. 91 parallels the freeway just to the east from here. 10/18/04

Westbound SR 209 (9000 South) approaches the SPUI with Interstate 15 in the city of Sandy. I-15 constitutes a busy commuter freeway north to Salt Lake City and south to Orem and Provo. 05/16/12

Layton Parkway east at the single point urban interchange with Interstate 15. 01/21/11

Photo Credits:

• 10/18/04 by AARoads.
• 01/21/11 by Garrett Smith.
• 08/20/11 by AARoads.
• 05/16/12 by Steve Hanudel and Erik Slotboom.
• 07/15/17 by AARoads.

Connect with:
Interstate 70
Interstate 80
Interstate 84
Interstate 215
U.S. 50
U.S. 89
U.S. 189
State Route 201

Page Updated 02-19-2022.