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Show LOCATION' Section undetermined,19.2u6tata Township 41 S_____ langa 9 W, 10 W Utah________ County Washing ton f Kane USKi . Ct/JdUUVT INTEHHJ* V&b tMVS *o cUJAffJ wA Original Uaa Scenic Highway_______ Intermediate Ifaea Scenic Highway PERIOD OP CONSTRUCTION (UPS 28 CODE) OWNERSHIP: Praaant Owneri NFS _______ NEGATIVE No. HI HAER No. OT-39-5________; Original Owner: UPS_______________ Intermediate Ownar(a)i NFS___________ ***PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION*** (DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND HISTORY INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION DATE(S), PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS, MATERIALS, MAJOR ALTERATIONS, EXTANT EQUIPMENT, AND IMPORTANT BUILDERS, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, ETC.) After 4 years of planning, Zion - Mt. Carmel Highway construction began in 1927 for the purpose of linking up Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. Running east from the Virgin River Bridge, the road forms a connecting link between U.S. Highways 9. and 89, and completed the tourist loop envisioned by the Utah Parks Company in the early 1920's. The old road network from Zion measured 159 miles to Bryce, 139 miles to Cedar Breaks and 142 miles to the Grand Canyon, Upon completion in 1930, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway cut the distance,to 88, 70 and 116 miles respectively. Ironically, this highway promoted by the UPC facilitated Increased automobile traffic which eventually took the place of railroad transportati' n to the parks. •» • At the time of the dedication ceremony on July 4, 1930, 8 1/2 miles of highway,constructed at a cost of $1,440,000 (Including the tunnels) to the Federal Government, were located within the boundaries of Zion National Park. The remaining 16 1/2 miles was a Federal Aid project and had been constructed at the joint expense of the United States and the State of Utah. Presently, the Highway extends for approximately 10 miles from the Zion Lodge turnoff to the Park's eastern border, located 1/2 mile beyond the East Entrance Visitor Contact Station. In addition to the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel and the Pine Creek Bridge ( inventoried in aoperate "LCS.xReports") other man-made structures located on the Park portion of the Highway includet a 1/10 mile long, rock-faced tunnel located approx. 1.2 miles to the east of the greater tunnel's east entrance i two 20 yard bridges with decorative concrete pylonsi numerous galvanized pipe and sandstone culvertsi and hundreds of cubic yards of random ashlar masonry retaining walls. Six switchbacks cut into the soft sandstone of Pine Creek Canyon allow the roadway to drop 800* in its 3 1/2 mile course from the west end of the Zion-Mt, Carmel Tunnel to the floor of Zion Canyon. Hie maximum grade is 6 percent. Due to frequent rock falls onto the highway', CCC personnel picked loose rocks from the slopes above the Highway in SIGNIFICANT ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES (INCLUDING INTERIOR AND SETTING) FOR PARK PLANNING PURPOSES! the early 1930's. Rock falls are still aroad hazard today. were constructed along the Highway in 1968. Several pulloffs where scenic views may be enjoyed |
