Interstate 15 in Arizona

Interstate 15 in Arizona

Interstate 15 is an Interstate Highway, running from San Diego, California, to the Canada–US border, through Mohave County in northwest Arizona. Despite being isolated from the rest of Arizona, in the remote Arizona Strip, it remains notable for its scenic passage through the Virgin River Gorge. It is also a part of the CANAMEX Corridor, a trade corridor in North America linking Edmonton, Alberta in Canada and Mexico City.

About Interstate 15 in Arizona in brief

Summary Interstate 15 in ArizonaInterstate 15 is an Interstate Highway, running from San Diego, California, to the Canada–US border, through Mohave County in northwest Arizona. Despite being isolated from the rest of Arizona, in the remote Arizona Strip, and short in length at 29. 43 miles, it remains notable for its scenic passage through the Virgin River Gorge. The highway is signed and designated the Veterans Memorial Highway, a designation which continues into Utah. It is also a part of the CANAMEX Corridor, a trade corridor in North America linking Edmonton, Alberta in Canada and Mexico City. The south portion of I-15’s route was built close to the alignment of the old U.S. Route 91, but the northern section was built along roadless terrain.

The southern section of the highway was complete and open in the early 1960s, but the gorge section was inaccessible until 1973. Construction was slower and more difficult and the segment could not fully open until December 14, 1973. To help quicken construction of the gorge, federal authorities loaned the state of Utah a portion of their portion of the road. By 1965, the overpass over Black Rock Road was completed near Littlefield, and by 1965 the bridge over theVirgin River Gorge was completed over the Big Bend Wash. The rest area at Cedar Pocket was turned over to the federal Bureau of Land Management in 2002.