Business Loop I-15 / State Route 34 - St. George
Utah State Route 34 (St. George Boulevard) overlaps the east-west leg of Business Loop I-15 through the city of St. George. The state route measures 2.15 miles from SR 18 (Bluff Street) west of Downtown to River Road / Red Cliffs Drive just east of the diverging diamond interchange (Exit 8) with Interstate 15. The north-south leg of Business Loop I-15 overlaps with SR 18 for 1.985 miles between St. George Boulevard and Interstate 15 at Exit 6. Prior to 1974, U.S. 91 followed St. George Boulevard from Bluff Street to Red Cliffs Drive.
Both ends of Business Loop I-15 originally comprised trumpet interchanges. Each exchange was rebuilt as conventional diamond interchanges by 1993. Subsequent changes at the south end reconfigured the interchange into a narrower footprint with longer ramps. Work completed in April 2009 included building a new, wider span for Bluff Street over I-15.1
The north end was reconfigured into a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) during a $16 million design-build project. Work started on June 29, 2013.2 The new ramp configuration opened to motorists on November 19 and final construction wrapped up by December 19, 2013.3
North
Business Loop I-15/SR 18 (Bluff Street) provide a direct route to Downtown St. George from I-15 north. The state route continues north to SR 8 (Sunset Boulevard) west for the adjacent city of Santa Clara.
08/13/16
08/25/14
Black Ridge Drive winds north from Dixie Drive to meet Business Loop I-15/SR 18 (Bluff Street) across from Main Street south.
08/13/16
Continuing north from Main Street, motorists pass by the first shields for both Business Loop I-15/SR 18 on Bluff Street.
08/09/14
A traffic signal operates along Bluff Street at 900 South and the entrance to an east side shopping center.
08/13/16
A shield assembly for Business Loop I-15/SR 18 stands at the corner of Bluff Street and 300 South.
08/13/16
Business Loop I-15 separates from SR 18 at forthcoming St. George Boulevard (SR 34). SR 18 continues north along Bluff Street toward Santa Clara and northern reaches of St. George. The state route ends in 39 miles at Enterprise.
08/13/16
Business Loop I-15 combines with SR 34 along St. George Boulevard back to Interstate 15.
08/13/16
North 
East
Milepost zero for State Route 34 stands at the southeast corner of Bluff Street and St. George Boulevard
08/25/14
An array of retail lines St. George Boulevard east from SR 18 (Bluff Street). The first confirming marker for SR 34 precedes 400 West.
08/13/16
08/25/14
St. George constitutes a tree lined boulevard with a landscaped median. The former route of U.S. 91 intersects 300 West at the first of six traffic lights between Bluff Street (SR 18) and Interstate 15.
08/25/14
The succeeding traffic signal along Business Loop I-15 north/SR 34 east is at Main Street.
08/25/14
200 East intersects St. George Boulevard five blocks north of the St. George Mormon Temple.
08/25/14
Business Loop I-15 (St. George Boulevard) lowers to meet 400 East.
08/25/14
Eastbound shield for SR 34 posted between 400 and 500 East.
08/25/14
University Avenue / 700 East stems south from Business Loop I-15 (St. George Boulevard) to the campus and stadium for Dixie State University.
08/25/14
Passing by a vintage sign for Larsen's Frostop between 800 and 900 East on St. George Boulevard eastbound.
08/25/14
1000 East runs along the east side of Dixie State University to 400 South. The three-lane boulevard north connects with Red Hills Parkway.
08/25/14
Eastbound St. George Boulevard expands to three lanes as Business Loop I-15/SR 34 reach the DDI with Interstate 15.
08/25/14
A single lane ramp departs for Interstate 15 leading southwest through St. George to Virgin River Gorge in Arizona and Mesquite, Nevada.
08/25/14
Navigating through the DDI, traffic shifts to the left for the northbound I-15 ramp to Washington and Hurricane.
08/25/14
East
Motorists shift back to the right as SR 34 extends another 0.15 miles along St. George Boulevard.
08/25/14
Middleton Black Ridge overlooks the retail strip at the eastern terminus of State Route 34.
08/25/14
West
Red Cliffs Drive south at the commercialized east end of SR 34 (St. George Boulevard). River Road extends the five lane boulevard southward.
08/25/14
The first confirming marker for SR 34 stands just west of Red Cliffs Drive and River Road.
08/25/14
St. Georges Boulevard enters the diverging diamond interchange (DDI) with Interstate 15.
08/25/14
The westbound lanes shift to the left for a free flow entrance ramp to Interstate 15 south for Mesquite and Las Vegas, Nevada.
08/25/14
South West
Business Loop I-15 commences south from I-15 at Exit 8.
08/12/16
Business Loop I-15 accompanies SR 34 (St. George Boulevard) west toward Downtown St. George.
08/25/14
1000 East provides one of two links from St. George Boulevard to parallel Red Hills Parkway, an arterial belt route encircling central St. George west to SR 18 at Snow Canyon Parkway.
08/25/14
SR 34 ends as Business Loop I-15 turns south alongside SR 18 on Bluff Street. SR 18 joins St. George with Santa Clara via SR 8 (Sunset Boulevard) west and the far northern suburbs near Snow Canyon State Park.
Airport Road ties in from the former St. George Airport, which closed in 2011 and was redeveloped into a technology development complex
08/25/14
South
Business Loop I-15/SR 18 (Bluff Street) expand to five southbound lanes leading into the diamond interchange with Interstate 15.
08/26/14
References:
- I-15 Bluff Street « Wadsworth Brothers.
- "Residents given preview of Exit 8 Interchange construction." St. George News (UT), June 28, 2013.
- "St. George Boulevard-I-15-Exit 8 diverging diamond interchange now open." St. George News (UT), November 19, 2013.
Photo Credits:
- Andy Field: 08/09/14, 08/25/14, 08/26/14, 08/12/16, 08/13/16
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Page Updated Friday June 29, 2018.