Highway US 6
1-10 Pictures
US Highway 6
US6 (The Grand Army of the Republic Highway) was one of the original major highways running East/West through the United States. The highway starts at the tip of Cape Cod and extended westward. The 1926 designated highway ran from Provincetown (at the tip of Cape Cod) to Brewster, New York. The 1927 designated extended to Erie, Pa. The 1931 designation extended to Greeley (present day U38). In 1937, the highway dipped south through Denver, crossed the Continentental Divide snaked through Central Utah and Nevada. In Bishop, California, US6 joined present day U395 southward and became an official transcontinental highway by terminating at Long Beach, California...crossing 3157 miles.
US6 is unique in that it took a diagonal path across the country. NOTE, in 1964, California renumbered much of the route of US6. Today's maps show US6 terminating at Bishop, California.
Like most of the original highway system, US6 took a circuitous route through the country. It would divert north or south to visit pioneer towns or take long detours to avoid geological features like the San Raphael Swell or Sierra Nevada. Likewise, the road would often share designation with other highways. Much of the route followed by US is now served by I70 and I80.
Interstate 70 opted for the direct route. To make the route as straight as possible, engineers blasted tunnels through the Rockies and blasted a straight path through the San Raphael Swell.
US6 and I70 often cross paths. However, the old highway takes several diversions through towns missed by the Interstate. Many portions of the highway were replaced by Interstate 70. Highway 6 took a much more circuitous
Context: On the Road
- Highway 95 (22 pictures) US6 shares a designation with US95 between Coaldale and Tonopah, Nv.
- Highway 93 (207 pictures) U6 intersects with U93 in Ely. The road shares desination with U93 and U50 to they dip south of the Schell Creek Range. U6 then heads north of Wheeler Peak.
- Utah State (59 pictures) U6/50 passes Sevier Lake in West Central Utah. In Delta, U50 continues east to I70. U6 heads North East.
- Interstate 15 (88 pictures) U6 joins I15 near Spanish Fork then heads East through Spanish Fork Canyon. This road through Spanish Fork Canyon is one of the most dangerous in the nation.
- Highway 89 (20 pictures) U6 joins U89 through the lower section of Spanish Fork Canyon.
- The Wasatch Mountains (131 pictures) Going East, U6 enters the Wasatch through Spanish Fork Canyon, crosses Soldiers Summit and drops through the Price Canyon.
- Helper, Utah (33 pictures) Helper is a small town at the mouth of Price Canyon. They have an excellent museum. Helper is hoping to establish an identity as an art town.
- Price, Utah (13 pictures) U6 transforms into an elevated divided highway through Price
- San Rafael Swell (18 pictures) U6 runs north of the San Rafael Swell then dips south to avoid the Book Cliffs.
- Green River, Utah (15 pictures) U6 joins I70/U50 west of Green River, Utah.
- Interstate 70 (51 pictures) U6 shares designation with I70 through most of Eastern Utah and Colorado (with a few interesting diversions.)
- Cisco, Utah (22 pictures) U60/50 originally passed through Cisco, Utah. The new highway was officially diverted north of Cisco. Cisco is now a place for ghosts and buzzards.
- Colorado River (96 pictures) U6 / I70 follows the Colorado River in Western Colorado. You can start seeing the cliffs of Westwater Canyon in eastern Utah.
- Fruita, Colorado (29 pictures) The Colorado Welcome Center is in Fruita. This exit also houses a Dinosaur Museum and the entrance to the Colorado National Monument.
- Grand Junction, Colorado (95 pictures) U6/50 splits from I70 and dips south through downtown Grand Junction. U50 continues south to Delta and Montrose. U6 rejoins I70 near Palisade.
- Palisade, Colorado (4 pictures) Travelers on I70 often stop for fresh fruits and wine tasting in Palisade, Colorado.