Utah Legislature: Southern Parkway in St. George could gain a numeric name

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill is headed to the state House of Representatives that will give a numeric name to the Southern Parkway in the St. George area.

SB25, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Van Tassell, R-Vernal, calls the Southern Parkway state Route 7.

The first phase of the Southern Parkway opened in July along the Utah-Arizona boarder. It splits off from I-15 and goes to the east, to an industrial area.

The second phase is under construction and will extend to the St. George airport. The timeline for subsequent phases of the parkway depends on money, but the Utah Department of Transportation has designed it as a belt route in the St. George area.

Since the bill was crafted and passed by a transportation interim committee, the traditional protocol of how a bill becomes a law doesn't apply. On Friday, the House Transportation Committee voted to send the bill before the entire House, where Rep. Julie Fisher, R-Fruit Heights, is cosponsoring it.

— Laura Hancock