Wasatch Front is a metropolitan area in the north-central part of the state of Utah USA. It consists of an adjacent city and city chain stretching along the Wasatch Range from around Nephi in the south to Brigham City in the north. About 80% of the Utah population resides in the region, which contains the major cities of Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Layton, and Ogden.
Video Wasatch Front
Geography
The Wasatch Front is long and narrow. To the east, the Wasatch Mountains rise suddenly several thousand feet above the valley floor, rising to the highest altitude of 11,928 feet (3,636 m) on Mount Nebo (bordering the southern Utah Valley). The western boundary of this area is formed by Utah Lake in Utah County, the Oquirrh Mountains in Salt Lake County, and the Great Salt Lake in northwest Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, and County Elder southeast. The combined population of the five Wasatch Front regions totals 2,125,322, according to the 2008 Census Estimate.
Although most residents in the area live between Ogden and Provo (130 kilometers distance), which includes proper Salt Lake City, the full awakened level of the Wasatch Front is 120 miles (190 km) long and averages 5 miles wide ( 8.0 km). Throughout its length, the Wasatch Front never exceeds the width of about 18 miles (29 km) due to natural obstacles of lakes and mountains.
Maps Wasatch Front
Climate
The Wasatch Front is a high desert area at the east end of Great Basin. The city corridor is primarily located in zone 6 with minimum average winter temperatures ranging from 0 ° F and 20 ° F and daytime temperatures ranging from mid 30 ° F to mid 40 ° F. The snowfall is common during winter but often melt quickly. Inversions usually occur along the Wasatch Front during the middle of winter to create very cold temperatures and grim conditions that last for several weeks in the valleys while higher mountain elevations will experience clearer and warmer conditions. Local snow showers protected from the Great Salt Lake are common in late Fall and early winter. The first freeze usually occurs in early October in remote areas but can occur until late November early in the inner urban areas. The last freeze can occur widely between early April and late May. The summers are generally hot and dry, with the exception of the monsoon season which usually runs from early July to early September when frequent severe lightning storms. Daytime high temperatures range between 90 ° F and 100 ° F, with higher temperatures often created by the urban heat island effect.
Population center
Several downtown and commercial districts include the Wasatch Front. The largest is Salt Lake City in the middle of an urban area. The Utah Valley (south of the Salt Lake area) and the Ogden-Clearfield area (north of Salt Lake) is another major population center.
Almost all cities in the region are connected to sustainable urban development. The cumulative population estimate of Brigham City, Weber County, Davis County, Salt Lake County and Utah County for 2006 indicates that Wasatch Front has an estimated population of 2,051,330 people, or 80% of the estimated 2007 population in Utah 2,645,330
Transportation
Ogden has been the center of major railways throughout its history. The First Transcontinental Railroad was built between 1863 and 1869, the track reached Ogden on March 27, 1869. The train headed east from Ogden to negotiate the eastern part of Utah, traveling through Weber and Echo Canyons and passing the Wasatch Pass at an altitude of 6,792 feet.
Union Pacific has operated the world's strongest locomotive to transport goods over the Wasatch Mountains between Cheyenne and Ogden, including the famous "Big Boys" ALCO, the world's largest steam locomotive; GE Gas Turbines are known as "Big Blows" (because of their distinctive sound), the world's most powerful internal combustion locomotive; and "Big Jacks" GM, the single most powerful single-unit diesel unit locomotive ever built.
Transportation problems within the metropolitan area have been compounded by the narrow north-south orientation of the valley, limited by natural barriers on both sides, and rapid growth in the region.
The main modes of transportation for this area are Interstate 15 (I-15) and US Route 89 (US-89), both running in the center from north to south for a full length of about 120 miles (190 km). Interstate and other highways provide transportation routes to the local area on the front. The transport routes include Interstate 84 in the Ogden area; Legacy Parkway (State Route 67) operating north-south via Western Davis County; Interstate 80 runs east-west through Salt Lake City; Interstate 215 (I-215) surrounds the Inner Salt Lake Valley; Mountain View Corridor (State Route 85), Bangerter Highway (State Route 154), and State Route 201 west of Salt Lake City; US Route 189 via Provo, and US Route 6 in southern Utah County.
The Transit Utah Authority provides a bus and light rail service (TRAX) to most of the urban areas on the front. In addition, the dual-channel commuter line FrontRunner , runs from Ogden to Provo is fully operational.
The California Zephyr of Amtrak is the main rail transport leading in and out of the Front, having stations in Salt Lake City and Provo.
Salt Lake City International Airport serves as the main airport for the region. Ogden-Hinckley Airport and Provo Municipal Airport also provide scheduled commercial air services.
Growth and land use
Due to geographical barriers to the east and west, much of the land along the Wasatch Front has been developed. This region experienced considerable growth since the 1950s, with its population increasing by 308% from 492,374 to 2,051,330. Much of the undeveloped land is being developed rapidly, and local governments have struggled with urban sprawl and other land use issues.
The territory on the other side of the Wasatch Range, including cities like Park City, Morgan, Heber City, and Midway is sometimes referred to as Wasatch Back and recently shared in rapid growth in the region.
See also
References
External links
- "Wasatch Mountains". UT. The Utah Tourism Office
Media related to Wastch Front on Wikimedia Commons
Wasatch Range travel guide from Wikivoyage
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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