History
A belt route around Salt Lake City was first proposed in 1955, with the Utah Highway Department (the predecessor to the present-day Utah Department of Transportation) holding hearings concerning construction beginning in early 1958. The southeast quadrant of the route was originally placed from a junction at proposed I-15 in Murray northeasterly through Murray and Holladay, eventually reaching the east bench at 3900 South. From there, it would have run north toward the mouth of Parley's Canyon at proposed I-80 (at the time US-40). Almost immediately, this plan was met with opposition among local residents in the area. The proposed route would have bisected the primarily residential Holladay suburb, as well as the southern portion of Murray. After more than two years of hearings and widespread opposition from residents, the Highway Department released their proposed routing in June 1960, which placed the southeast quadrant where it runs today. While quelling criticism from some, others remained in opposition, saying the route was still too intrusive along residential areas. The western quadrant was also admonished for being placed to close to other major arterials. In November 1963, a small, two-lane portion of the northwest quadrant of the belt route opened from Redwood Road (SR-68) in Davis County west and south to 2100 North, north of the Salt Lake City International Airport. This portion of road was extended east to I-15 in North Salt Lake and upgraded to freeway standards by 1969.
Construction of the southeast quadrant from I-80 (at the time replacing US-40) at Parley's Canyon to 4600 South in Holladay began in mid-1965. This involved realigning Wasatch Boulevard to parallel the route and truncating that road at 3300 South. Prior to this, Wasatch Boulevard connected to US-40. The section from I-80 to 3300 South opened by January 1967, with the portion of roadway from 3300 South to 4500 South opening in November 1969.
By 1973, construction was progressing on the western quadrant between I-15 in Murray and SR-201 (at the time US-40A/US-50A). Land acquisition was also taking place for the rest of the southeastern quadrant between 300 East in Murray and 4600 South in Holladay. However, a citizens' group named Cottonwood Inc. halted right-of-way acquirements due to the lack of an environmental impact statement (EIS). Also controversial was a proposed cloverleaf interchange at 2000 East. By mid-1975, an EIS was released with four main alternatives: a no-build alternative which would leave a gap in the southeast quadrant, building the road along the modern-day path (at about 6400 South), moving the southern portion southwest through Fort Union and Midvale to 7200 South, or extending the eastern portion further south to Sandy and then west along 9000 South. Cottonwood Inc. filed a lawsuit challenging the EIS. Meanwhile, I-215 from SR-201 in the western quadrant to 280 East in Murray opened in November 1976.
After 1976, gaps in the belt route were present from 2100 North near the airport to SR-201 and from State Street in Murray to 4600 South in Holladay. The first step in completing the gap was taken in June 1979, when construction of the interstate from State Street to 700 East began. This was followed by the Cottonwood Inc. lawsuit being awarded in favor of UDOT in November 1979. In July 1985, the route from 280 East to Union Park Avenue was completed. At the time, this portion of road was the most expensive in the state in terms of cost per mile, due to the road being depressed below surrounding neighborhoods. The next section to open was from 2100 North south to I-80 in 1987. This was followed by a section between Union Park Avenue and 2000 East, opened in November 1987, which was also built as a sunken freeway. The western quadrant of the freeway was completed in October 1988, closing the gap between SR-201 and I-80 (however, the California Avenue interchange wasn't opened until mid-1989). In August 1989, the road from 2000 East to 6200 South was finished, and the belt route was completed with the opening of freeway between 4500 South and 6200 South in October 1989.
Since 1989, the only major modifications that have occurred on the belt route have consisted of the rebuilding of the southern I-15 interchange in 2001, widening from six to eight lanes from 4700 South in Taylorsville to I-15 in Murray in 2004, and the addition of an interchange at Legacy Parkway in 2008. The 3300 South and 4500 South overpasses were rebuilt as well, in 2008 and 2007 respectively.
As part of the original proposal of a belt route through Salt Lake City, the southeastern quadrant received the designation of I-415. To maintain continuity in the belt route, the 415 number was replaced in favor of the I-215 designation covering the entire route in 1969.
Read more about this topic: Interstate 215 (Utah)
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