Utah State Route 38
Encyclopedia
State Route 38 is a state highway
in Box Elder County
in the U.S. state
of Utah
. It runs north from Brigham City to Collinston
(northeast of Tremonton). The highway was originally State Route 69, but was renumbered in 1993 due to sign theft
caused by the sexual connotation of the number.
at the east edge of the Bear River Valley, the route travels north for approximately one mile until it reaches the west edge of the Wellsville Mountains
, turning north-northeast to follow along the edge of the mountain range. Upon reaching the city of Honeyville
, it resumes a more northerly direction through Crystal Springs, Madsen, and Deweyville
, before ending in Collinston
.
took over maintenance of State Route 69 from Brigham City via Collinston to Logan on May 12, 1931. The route began at the present SR-13 - then US-30S - in Brigham City, and ran north on the east side of the valley to Collinston. There it turned east over Beaver Dam Summit to the north of the Wellsville Mountains, and crossed the Cache Valley
to US-91 in Logan. This remained the route of SR-69 until the 1977 renumbering
, though in 1966 SR-30 became the "state signed guide number" northeast of the junction with SR-102 in Deweyville, in order to provide a continuous signed route across the northern counties of Utah.
On May 20, 1977, the portion that had been signed as SR-30 since 1966 was officially renumbered as part of SR-30, truncating SR-69 to a Brigham City (SR-13) to Deweyville (SR-30) highway. The Department of Transportation passed a resolution on March 24, 1989, recommending that the State Legislature modify SR-30 to run west from Collinston to the under-construction I-15, partially restoring the portion of SR-69 that had been eliminated in 1977. The Legislature approved the change in 1991, after this part of I-15 - the last Interstate section in Utah - opened on November 20, 1990.
In 1993, the director of UDOT's District One, which included SR-69, requested a renumbering, due to problems with sign theft
:
The Utah Transportation Commission approved the request, changing the number from 69 to 38 (which had been unused since 1975) on October 15, 1993; signs were replaced in April 1994. No changes of any significance have been made since then.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in Box Elder County
Box Elder County, Utah
Box Elder County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It lies on the north end of the Great Salt Lake, covering a large area north to the Idaho border and west to the Nevada border. Included in this area are large tracts of barren desert, contrasted by high, forested mountains. The...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It runs north from Brigham City to Collinston
Collinston, Utah
Collinston is an unincorporated community in Box Elder County, Utah, United States.Mainly an agricultural community, the town is located southeast of Fielding and almost directly west of Riverside, at coordinates . Its elevation is 4,432 feet...
(northeast of Tremonton). The highway was originally State Route 69, but was renumbered in 1993 due to sign theft
Street sign theft
Street sign theft occurs when street signs are stolen, often to be used as decorations, but also sometimes to avoid obeying the law by claiming later the sign was not there. Although the theft often seems arbitrary, signs that are unusual or amusing tend to be stolen more frequently...
caused by the sexual connotation of the number.
Route description
Starting in the north end of Brigham CityBrigham City, Utah
Brigham City is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 17,899 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Box Elder County. It lies on the western slope of the Wellsville Mountains, a branch of the Wasatch Range at the western terminus of Box Elder Canyon...
at the east edge of the Bear River Valley, the route travels north for approximately one mile until it reaches the west edge of the Wellsville Mountains
Wellsville Mountains
The Wellsville Mountains are located in northern Utah and are often considered part of the Wasatch Mountains. The mountains separate the Cache Valley from the Wasatch Front. Nearly all of the water collected by the Wellsville Mountains drains into the Bear River.While only moderately tall, they are...
, turning north-northeast to follow along the edge of the mountain range. Upon reaching the city of Honeyville
Honeyville, Utah
Honeyville is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2010 census.-History:Honeyville was first established in 1861 when a ferry was put across the Bear River at this location. In that same year Anson Call built a sawmill in Honeyville. He later sold the...
, it resumes a more northerly direction through Crystal Springs, Madsen, and Deweyville
Deweyville, Utah
Deweyville is a town in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 332 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Deweyville is located at ....
, before ending in Collinston
Collinston, Utah
Collinston is an unincorporated community in Box Elder County, Utah, United States.Mainly an agricultural community, the town is located southeast of Fielding and almost directly west of Riverside, at coordinates . Its elevation is 4,432 feet...
.
History
The Utah State Road CommissionUtah State Road Commission
The Utah Transportation Commission oversees the Utah Department of Transportation....
took over maintenance of State Route 69 from Brigham City via Collinston to Logan on May 12, 1931. The route began at the present SR-13 - then US-30S - in Brigham City, and ran north on the east side of the valley to Collinston. There it turned east over Beaver Dam Summit to the north of the Wellsville Mountains, and crossed the Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...
to US-91 in Logan. This remained the route of SR-69 until the 1977 renumbering
1977 Utah state route renumbering
In 1977, the Utah State Legislature changed its system of how state route numbers were used and assigned. Prior to 1977 Utah used a system where every U.S. Highway and Interstate Highway traversing the state was also assigned a different Utah state route number. This state route number was not...
, though in 1966 SR-30 became the "state signed guide number" northeast of the junction with SR-102 in Deweyville, in order to provide a continuous signed route across the northern counties of Utah.
On May 20, 1977, the portion that had been signed as SR-30 since 1966 was officially renumbered as part of SR-30, truncating SR-69 to a Brigham City (SR-13) to Deweyville (SR-30) highway. The Department of Transportation passed a resolution on March 24, 1989, recommending that the State Legislature modify SR-30 to run west from Collinston to the under-construction I-15, partially restoring the portion of SR-69 that had been eliminated in 1977. The Legislature approved the change in 1991, after this part of I-15 - the last Interstate section in Utah - opened on November 20, 1990.
Street sign theft
Street sign theft occurs when street signs are stolen, often to be used as decorations, but also sometimes to avoid obeying the law by claiming later the sign was not there. Although the theft often seems arbitrary, signs that are unusual or amusing tend to be stolen more frequently...
:
"The SR-69 route signs have become a collectors' item for a large number of individuals, resulting in a large expense for us in replacing the signs. We suspect it is college students that are taking most of the signs, as there is a very significant loss in SR-69 sign panels during the college school year. We lose approximately 35 sign panels each year from this route. Often, the post is also damaged - requiring replacement. We do not experience losses anywhere close to this magnitude on any other route."
The Utah Transportation Commission approved the request, changing the number from 69 to 38 (which had been unused since 1975) on October 15, 1993; signs were replaced in April 1994. No changes of any significance have been made since then.