End of US highway 189

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info on this page is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Casey Cooper; Tom Grier; Michael Stewart; me

Before today's US 189 was commissioned, there was a different US 189 in Utah. You can read about its historic endpoints on this page.

The south end of today's US 189 has always been in Provo UT... but before I-15 was built, its terminus was at US 89. Below we're looking east on 300 South, which is also southbound US 89:

me, Oct. 2005

University Avenue is the crossroad; originally US 189 began to the left. But if you turn right and go about a mile-and-a-half, you come to the modern south end of US 189, which is at its interchange with I-15:

Stewart, Aug. 2003

In the distance is Loafer Mountain. You don't have to take one of those I-15 exits; you can continue straight ahead. That takes you to the intersection with 1860 South, where you have to go right or left:

me, Oct. 2005

Straight ahead is the offramp from northbound I-15. Signage for traffic heading that direction looks like this:

me, Oct. 2005

Note that's now exit 263. UDoT renumbered their interchanges shortly before that photo was taken. The old number is shown in the photo below, which was taken from southbound I-15:

Stewart, Aug. 2003

I believe that's Spanish Fork Peak in the background. The red suv exiting to the right will loop around and go over the second bridge. He'll then be on 1860 South, and he'll have to make a left turn to get on University. Not far past that intersection, the first northbound reassurance marker is posted:

me, Oct. 2005

Heading that direction affords spectacular views of Mount Timpanogos. Continuing that way we soon come to the historic south beginning of US 189 at 300 South:

me, Oct. 2005

When US 189 was first commissioned in 1939, its north terminus was at US 187 at Daniel Jct. WY (now US 191). The photo below was taken looking west on northbound US 191:

me, June 2006

That was once US 187, and the north beginning of US 189 was to the left. As you can see, the route has now been extended northward to its current terminus in Jackson - that happened in 1951. 12 miles south of Jackson, at Hoback Junction, US 26/US 89 joins with US 189/US 191, and the four routes are co-signed along the single highway heading north into Jackson (Wyoming appears to be fond of multiplexing routes). It's ultimately a north/south road that leads to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. US 189 has an unusual terminus, in that it doesn't end at a junction with another highway. It just ends. Apparently the thought is: once 189 has routed drivers into downtown Jackson, it has served its purpose. For that reason, I think the sign shown below is kind of funny:

Grier, Aug. 2006

(Why is the US 191 shield out of numerical order? My guess is because that space used to be occupied by a US 187 shield - US 191 replaced it in 1982.) Anyway, it seems to me that junction would be a more reasonable place to end the US 189 designation. As it is, US 189 continues ahead for only a short distance, so there's not much point in mentioning it on that sign. Here's what happens in about a mile:

Cooper, July 2005

For a short distance through Jackson, the highway is routed onto Broadway - an east/west street. That's where this photo was taken; the sign was posted in the block between Millward and Glenwood streets. The intersection after that is Cache Street, onto which highways US 26, 89, and 191 continue (note the assembly in the distance). But, as you can see, US 189 doesn't make it out of downtown Jackson. The photo below is looking south on Cache:

Grier, Aug. 2006

Snow King Mountain dominates the view in that direction, and you can see one of the ski runs in that photo. US 26-89-191 continues to the right, and US 189 begins that way. If you take that turn, you'll soon see the confirming assembly shown below:

Grier, Aug. 2006

Note again the US 191 out of numerical order.

It should be noted that US 189 has a gap in signage in Utah. In fact, there's an "End US 189" sign at its junction with US 40 in Heber City - you can view photos and get more info on this page.