Utah State Route 128

For the former highway, see Utah State Route 128 (1931–1933).

State Route 128 marker
State Route 128
Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway
Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway
Map
State Route 128 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by UDOT
Length44.564 mi[1] (71.719 km)
Existed1933[2]–present
RestrictionsOversize vehicles, loads exceeding 55,000 pounds (24,948 kg) GVW prohibited
Major junctions
South end US 191 near Moab
North end I-70 / US 6 / US 50 near Cisco
Location
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
Highway system
  • Utah State Highway System
← SR-127→ SR-129

State Route 128 (SR-128) is a 44.564-mile-long (71.719 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire length of the highway has been designated the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway, as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program. This road also forms part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, a National Scenic Byway. Residents of Moab frequently refer to SR-128 as "the river road",[3] after the Colorado River, which the highway follows.

The highway was originally constructed to connect rural cities in eastern Utah with Grand Junction, Colorado, the largest city in the region. Part of the highway was merged into the Utah state highway system in 1931; the rest was taken over by the state and assigned route number 128 in 1933. Today, the highway is used as a scenic drive for visitors to the area.[4]

The highway crosses the Colorado River at the site of the Dewey Bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This bridge was the longest suspension bridge in Utah until April 2008 when it was destroyed by a fire started by a child playing with matches.[5]

  1. ^ "Highway Reference Online - SR 128". maps.udot.utah.gov. Utah Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference resolutions-128 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Highway 128: The River Road Experience". Canyonlands Natural History Association. Archived from the original on November 1, 2010. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference NG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference freerepublic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).