Parleys Canyon is a canyon located in the U.S. state of Utah . The canyon provides the route of Interstate 80 (I-80) (and previously the Lincoln Highway , U.S. Route 40 , and a railroad) up the western slope of the Wasatch Mountains and is a relatively wide, straight canyon other than near its mouth. The mountain pass at the top of the canyon is known as Parleys Summit . With an elevation of 7,120 feet (2,170 m), the pass is the highest point along I-80 in the state of Utah. Both features are named for Parley P. Pratt , an early settler of the Salt Lake Valley and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who surveyed the area to find a better transportation route through the Wasatch Mountains than the previous route which traversed Emigration Canyon .
64-748: Parleys Canyon begins where I-215 merges into I-80 in Salt Lake City and ends at Parleys Summit. The lower part of the canyon is relatively twisty and narrow and had to be dynamited to make way for I-80. Despite this, the interstate remains six or more lanes wide throughout the canyon; it is built over Parleys Creek in many places. Work is also underway to extend the Parleys Trail multi-use path through this segment to improve non-motorized access. The canyon widens dramatically near Mountain Dell Dam and Utah State Route 65 (SR-65) splits from
128-522: A cloverleaf interchange at SR-201 , the route turns north again. Beyond a single-point urban interchange at California Avenue, the freeway continues north. A partial stack interchange involving I-80, Redwood Road, and the access road to Salt Lake City International Airport is next. The freeway loses one lane in each direction as the Interstate passes the airport to the east. Two diamond interchanges at 700 North and 2100 North occur as
192-424: 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
256-481: A controlled-access highway with no at-grade intersections . This section was dedicated on August 22, 1986, and was the last to be completed to Interstate Highway specifications along the almost 2,900-mile-long (4,700 km) route of I-80 between San Francisco, California , and Teaneck, New Jersey . The section was completed close to the 30th anniversary of the Interstate Highway System, which
320-416: A grade-separated ramp from northbound 2000 East to eastbound I-215. Past this junction, another interchange at Union Park Avenue appears. Another grade-separated ramp from Union Park Avenue is present. The freeway enters Murray as an interchange serving westbound motorists connects to 280 East and State Street ( U.S. Route 89 , or US-89). Eastbound travelers connect to State Street further west at
384-570: A separate exit. The road turns northwest for a short time to approach a junction at I-15 (often called the South Interchange). Approaching the interchange, the route gains two lanes and reverts to a ground-level freeway. The freeway crosses I-15 and loses one lane as it enters Taylorsville and curves to the northwest, crossing the Jordan River in the process. Right before a partial cloverleaf interchange at Redwood Road ( SR-68 )
448-677: A small gap between them and the Lakeside Mountains . Further east, the highway passes the Stansbury Mountains , which are located in the Wasatch–Cache National Forest . After the mountain ranges, the freeway arrives at the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake and closely follows the shore toward the western suburbs of Salt Lake City. However, the historical routes from which the route of I-80
512-436: Is a partial interchange lacking an offramp from northbound I-215 onto 3900 South. Entering Holladay , I-215 is heading south but soon turns southwest. An offramp here allows northbound motorists to connect to Wasatch Boulevard. However, this exit is signed as 3900 South and 3300 South because of the incomplete interchanges on both roads. Past an interchange at 4500 South ( SR-266 ) that serves southbound I-215,
576-567: Is just south of Danger Cave . The highway closely follows the historical routes of the Wendover Cut-off , Victory Highway , and formerly Western Pacific Railroad 's Feather River Route (now part of the Union Pacific Railroad Central Corridor ) across the salt flats and the larger Great Salt Lake Desert . Bonneville Speedway , home to many land speed records , is accessible from I-80. In
640-547: The Belt Route , is the only auxiliary Interstate in the U.S. state of Utah , forming a three-quarters loop around Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs. The route begins at the mouth of Parley's Canyon at a junction with I-80 east of the city center, and heads south through the edge of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area 's eastern suburbs of Millcreek , Holladay , and Cottonwood Heights . It continues west through Murray before turning north again, passing through
704-783: The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway from Salt Lake to Park City (the Salt Lake and Park City Railway ). However, with its steep grades the line struggled to compete with the Union Pacific 's line (via Coalville , connecting to the UP main at Echo ). The line was eventually rebuilt to standard gauge by the Rio Grande Western who along with their successor the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, operated trains up into
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#1732775437549768-607: The Oquirrh Mountains , I-80 enters the Salt Lake Valley and Salt Lake County . A short portion of the freeway is concurrent with I-15 through Downtown Salt Lake City . At the Spaghetti Bowl , I-80 turns east again into the mouth of Parleys Canyon and Summit County , travels through the mountain range, and intersects the eastern end of I-84 near Echo Reservoir before turning northeast toward
832-608: The Rockport Reservoir at Wanship following the tributaries of the Weber River toward Echo Reservoir and Dam. Upon reaching Echo Canyon and the junction with the eastern terminus of the western section of I-84 , the freeway follows the canyon east until it reaches the Wyoming state line near Evanston . I-80 forms the northeastern border between Rich and Summit counties. The portion through Echo Canyon follows
896-757: 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
960-530: The number 80 is now known as SR-92 , which was originally numbered SR-80 until the 1977 Utah state route renumbering . Previously, the freeway's legislative designation was SR-2. Passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 formed the Interstate Highway System, and the I-80 number was first designated to a then-unconstructed controlled-access highway across the state by 1957. I-80
1024-623: The Golden Pass toll road through the canyon that today bears his name. Pratt had unsuccessfully solicited for $ 800 (equivalent to $ 22,801 in 2023 ) to build the road and sold it for $ 1,500 (equivalent to $ 43,668 in 2023 ). On- and offramps for the Wyoming port-of-entry are located just within Utah. In January 2014, UDOT introduced variable speed limits to I-80 in Parleys Canyon, allowing a speed limit between 35 mph (56 km/h) up to
1088-614: The Great Salt Lake to the north and the Kennecott Utah Copper smelter and tailings pond to the south. The Kennecott Utah Copper's Bingham Canyon Mine , which was once considered to be the largest open-pit copper mine, can be seen in the distance. The 1,215-foot-tall (370 m) Kennecott Garfield Smelter Stack is one of the tallest freestanding structures in the United States. Along this portion,
1152-403: The Great Salt Lake. While traversing the neck, views can be had from I-80 of the lake and Antelope Island . After passing the neck, the road forks, with I-80 proceeding toward the north end of Salt Lake City and SR-201 proceeding toward the south end. Historically, this intersection was the separation of US-40 and US-50 . After the intersection, the freeway corridor is again bottlenecked with
1216-747: The Wyoming border near Evanston . I-80 was built along the corridor of the Lincoln Highway and the Mormon Trail through the Wasatch Range . The easternmost section also follows the historical routes of the first transcontinental railroad and US-30S . Construction of the controlled-access highway began in the 1950s, and, by the late 1970s, most of the freeway across the state of Utah had been completed. The 4.5-mile-long (7.2 km) section of I-80 between State Route 68 (SR-68, Redwood Road) and Salt Lake City International Airport
1280-639: 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
1344-526: The belt route was designated Interstate 415 . However, the I-415 designation was scrapped to provide a single route number for the entire route in 1969, with the I-215 designation covering the complete belt route. The freeway was constructed in segments, the first of which opened in 1963 between Redwood Road in North Salt Lake and 2100 North near the airport . I-215 was originally planned to be complete in
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#17327754375491408-474: The belt route, consisting of the rebuilding of the southern I-15 interchange in 2001, widening the freeway 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. In November 2017, a complete rebuild of
1472-600: The belt route, the 415 number was replaced in favor of the I-215 designation covering the entire route in 1969. Interstate 80 in Utah Interstate ;80 ( I-80 ) is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from San Francisco, California , to Teaneck, New Jersey . The portion of the highway in the US state of Utah is 197.51 miles (317.86 km) long through
1536-563: The canyon until 1956. Some remnants of the Rio Grande line through Parleys Canyon, namely the cuts for the horseshoe curves , are in use by local roads and visible off the shoulder of the freeway. A lower portion of the same railroad line outside of Parley's Canyon, remains in use in the present day as the right of way for the UTA S-Line streetcar. Interstate 215 (Utah) Interstate 215 ( I-215 ), also known locally as
1600-473: The center of North Temple Street. I-80 becomes concurrent with I-15 after interchanges with SR-68 and 600 South and continues south for about three miles (4.8 km), passing along the western and southern edges of Downtown Salt Lake City. The southern interchange with I-15, which also includes SR-201 (21st South Freeway) and marks the end of the concurrency, is known as the Spaghetti Bowl. In
1664-404: The city's first-ring western suburbs of Taylorsville and West Valley City . It then enters North Salt Lake and Davis County for a short distance before reaching I-15 northwest of the city center. The Interstate was proposed in the mid-1950s, along with I-15 and I-80 through Salt Lake City. At the time, only the western portion of the belt route was assigned as I-215. The eastern portion of
1728-725: The clockwise terminus of the I-215 270-degree beltway around Salt Lake City. It continues through Parleys Canyon , where the freeway joins the historical route of the Lincoln Highway. Between the mouth of the canyon and the Summit County line, the route reenters the Wasatch National Forest . Parleys Canyon carries I-80 up the eastern slope of the Wasatch Front as a six-lane freeway, cresting
1792-549: The first portions of I-80 began in October 1990 with a 1.4-mile-long (2.3 km) stretch near Redwood Road in Salt Lake City. By 1991, UDOT estimated that the reconstruction of all federally funded highways in the state would cost up to $ 4.3 billion (equivalent to $ 8.58 billion in 2023 ). The Spaghetti Bowl interchange was first proposed in 1996 to accommodate traffic for the 2002 Winter Olympics being held in
1856-470: The freeway (which turns southeast temporarily) to provide access to Morgan County to the northeast. SR-65 also provides a connection to a local road leading over the ridge to Emigration Canyon in the same area where the Mormon trail crossed into that canyon. Little Dell Dam can be seen higher up on the side of Parleys Canyon in this area. As the freeway turns back toward the east, there is also an exit for
1920-549: The freeway approaches Davis County . Past 2100 North, the freeway enters rural Davis County , and the road curves to the northwest. An interchange at Legacy Parkway gives northbound I-215 motorists and southbound Legacy Parkway motorists their respective connections. The road turns east and loses one lane in each direction. There is a diamond interchange at SR-68 before the highway merges into northbound I-15 in North Salt Lake . A belt route around Salt Lake City
1984-635: The freeway at the Spaghetti Bowl in Downtown Salt Lake City. Throughout the state, the highway is also known as the Purple Heart Trail. Out of the 11 states which I-80 passes through, the 197.51-mile-long (317.86 km) segment in Utah is the fourth shortest. As part of the Interstate Highway System , the entire route is listed on the National Highway System , a system of roads that are important to
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2048-599: The freeway passes the historical site of Saltair . The freeway enters the Salt Lake Valley on the former alignment of North Temple Street until it passes Salt Lake City International Airport, where the freeway veers slightly south and leaves the North Temple Street corridor which leads to Temple Square in Downtown Salt Lake City. The Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) TRAX system briefly parallels I-80 before traveling down
2112-424: The freeway travels southeast along the Salt Lake Valley 's east bench with three lanes in each direction. The route enters a residential area of East Millcreek and turns south. Then, the first exit appears, an incomplete diamond interchange with 3300 South ( SR-171 ) that lacks an offramp from northbound I-215. Past this interchange, an onramp connects 3800 South to northbound I-215. A block further south
2176-554: 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, major modifications have occurred on
2240-580: The highway at the Spaghetti Bowl in Downtown Salt Lake City . Between 7 and 58 percent of the traffic recorded consisted of trucks. These counts are for the portion of the freeway in Utah. The freeway enters Utah from Nevada in the city of Wendover on the edge of the Bonneville Salt Flats . The cities of West Wendover, Nevada , and Wendover are accessible by I-80's only business loop in Utah, whose interchange
2304-453: The historical routes of the Mormon Trail , US-30S , and the first transcontinental railroad . A rest area in the canyon just east of the junction with I-84 features signs pointing out features that were obstacles for both the Mormon pioneers and the railroad construction workers, including Pulpit Rock, which was partially demolished when the I-80 was built through the canyon. I-80 follows
2368-641: The mid-1970s, but the last section, between 6200 South and 4500 South in Holladay, was not completed until 1989 because of challenges from citizens' groups over environmental impact statements. I-215 begins at an interchange at the mouth of Parley's Canyon in Millcreek near the southeast corner of Salt Lake City that connects I-80 , Foothill Drive ( State Route 186 , or SR-186) and Parleys Way. At this point, I-215 splits into three legs, connecting I-80 toward Salt Lake City, Foothill Drive, and Parleys Way, and I-80 through Parley's Canyon. From here,
2432-472: The middle of the salt flats is a concrete sculpture, Metaphor: The Tree of Utah , which stands just off the westbound carriageway of I-80, 30 miles (48 km) east of Wendover. Bounded on each sides by military training grounds, the I-80 corridor is overflown by commercial airliners traveling west from Salt Lake City International Airport . The freeway veers north around the Cedar Mountains in
2496-500: The mountains at an elevation of 7,016 feet (2,138 m) at Parleys Summit , the highest point on I-80 within the state of Utah. Both the canyon and summit were named for Parley P. Pratt , an early settler to the Salt Lake Valley and an early Mormon leader who was asked to survey a new route across the mountains to replace the route through Emigration Canyon . Between 1848 and 1851, Pratt surveyed, completed, and operated
2560-519: 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
2624-598: The nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Every year, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways to measure traffic volumes. This measure is expressed in terms of annual average daily traffic (AADT), a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2012, UDOT calculated that as few as 6,765 vehicles traveled I-80 at the interchange with SR-58 in Wendover, and as many as 121,205 vehicles used
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2688-402: The normal 65 mph (105 km/h) depending on weather or traffic conditions. Beyond Parleys Summit lies Park City , a mining town today better known for its many ski resorts. The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park travels in the median between carriageways of I-80 before paralleling the highway until the southern end of Echo Reservoir . The freeway turns north upon reaching
2752-565: The northern part of the state. From west to east, I-80 crosses the state line from Nevada in Tooele County and traverses the Bonneville Salt Flats —which are a part of the larger Great Salt Lake Desert . It continues alongside the Wendover Cut-off —the corridor of the former Victory Highway — US Route 40 (US-40) and the Western Pacific Railroad Feather River Route . After passing
2816-571: The overpass with 3.5 miles of fencing. Here the canyon is wide enough to form large communities along the sides of the freeway along the gentle mountain slopes. On the other side of the summit the freeway continues into the Snyderville Basin , which is where the popular resort town of Park City is located. Also within the basin is the ski jump built for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and the large shopping district at Kimball Junction . The canyon receives its name from Parley P. Pratt who
2880-409: 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 U.S. Route 40 Alternate (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,
2944-474: The public when these bases were established. I-80 and US-93 are the modern signing of the Lincoln Highway between those two cities. East of Salt Lake City, I-80 closely parallels the original route of the Lincoln Highway. In 1926, much of the route covered by I-80, including Pratt's former toll road from the Nevada state line into Salt Lake City, was signed as US-40 then as US-30 to the Wyoming state line. It
3008-561: The road leading up Lambs Canyon (a side canyon of Parleys Canyon). The area around Parleys Summit is part of the Summit Park census-designated place (CDP). However, this area is more commonly referred to as Jeremy Ranch or Parleys Summit. A $ 5m wildlife overpass was completed in December 2018 to allow wildlife to cross I-80 safely. The overpass is 50 feet wide and 320 feet long; animals near that location by exit 140 are funneled onto
3072-482: The road turns south again and begins descending toward Knudsen's Corner and Cottonwood Heights . At this point, the southbound lanes are lower than the parallel northbound lanes. The belt route flattens out upon reaching an interchange at 6200 South at Knudsen's Corner. As the freeway enters Cottonwood Heights, it turns west and becomes a sunken freeway. Then it reaches an interchange at Highland Drive, signed as 2000 East ( SR-152 ). This interchange features
3136-432: The route turns west one final time before turning north after the interchange. The freeway continues north and has another partial cloverleaf interchange at 4700 South (SR-266). The route enters West Valley City and encounters 3500 South (SR-171), where its eastbound lanes have a grade-separated ramp to northbound I-215. The road turns northeast and enters an industrial area of western Salt Lake City. After reaching
3200-558: The routes of two major auto trails through the state. In western Utah, I-80 follows the historical route of the Victory Highway from Wendover at the Nevada state line to the junction of US-40 near Park City. Throughout Utah, I-80 is signed as the modern route of the Lincoln Highway—except through Salt Lake City, where the Lincoln Highway is routed along SR-201 and Parley's Way. The route of the Lincoln Highway across Utah
3264-516: 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
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#17327754375493328-464: 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
3392-439: The southwest quadrant from SR-201 to 4700 South in Taylorsville was completed. The $ 105 million project replaced the concrete road surface, added auxiliary lanes between exits, resurfaced and widened several bridge decks, and replaced two major bridges over SR-201. 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
3456-677: The southwestern corner of the Spaghetti Bowl is another portion of the UTA TRAX Green Line as it travels towards West Valley City . After separating from I-15, the freeway continues easterly through South Salt Lake , loosely following an alignment just south of 2100 South and the UTA S Line streetcar through the Sugar House neighborhood and past Sugar House Park —once the home of the Sugar House Prison —toward
3520-459: Was also part of the Victory Highway west of Salt Lake and the Lincoln Highway east of Salt Lake at this time. Most of the route had been improved but some stretches of graded road remained. In 1937, parts of the route near Wanship were numbered US-530 . In 1950, the highway near Echo was designated US-30S and US-189 . By 1959, US-50 Alternate (US-50 Alt) was also routed along the western portion of I-80. The first Utah state route to have
3584-472: Was assigned to explore the canyon, called Big Canyon at the time, and to build a toll road, called the Golden Pass Toll Road. Construction on the road started in 1848 and was completed in 1850. The road through Parleys Canyon became the primary route into the Salt Lake Valley , surpassing the original route through Emigration Canyon . The canyon was used by a narrow gauge branchline owned by
3648-730: Was changed to I-84 in 1977 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) despite objections from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and with the support of UDOT and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The legislative designation for this highway was SR-3 until the 1977 renumbering. Rebuilding of
3712-425: 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
3776-403: Was constructed in segments, starting in the late 1950s. By the late 1970s, the Utah portion of I-80—except for a gap on the western edge of Salt Lake City—was largely complete. A 4.5-mile-long (7.2 km) section between Redwood Road and Salt Lake City International Airport is the final link of the transcontinental freeway to be completed. As an Interstate Highway, design specifications require
3840-408: Was derived were routed further from the lake, passing through the towns of Grantsville and Tooele ; these communities are now served by SR-138 and SR-36 , respectively. It is in this section that I-80 reaches its lowest elevation in Utah, 4,203 feet (1,281 m) above sea level. After an interchange with SR-36 at Lake Point , the highway crosses a bottleneck between the Oquirrh Mountains and
3904-518: 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
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#17327754375493968-541: Was generally derived from the route of the Pony Express and Central Overland Route . However, much of the original route of the Lincoln Highway west of Salt Lake City is inaccessible. The original route of the Lincoln Highway proceeded southwest from Tooele toward Ely, Nevada . This area is now used for military bases, such as the Dugway Proving Ground and Tooele Army Depot . The area was closed to
4032-423: Was noted at the dedication and considered to be a milestone in the history of highway construction in the United States. It was also noted at the dedication that this was only 50 miles (80 km) south of Promontory Summit , where the golden spike of the US's first transcontinental railroad was laid. The original designation of I-84, which begins at an interchange with I-80 in Echo, was I-80N. This designation
4096-448: Was the last piece of the nearly 2,900-mile-long (4,700 km) freeway to be completed. It was opened on August 22, 1986, and was about 50 miles (80 km) from the site of another cross-country milestone in Utah, the driving of the golden spike of the first transcontinental railroad at Promontory Summit . Average daily traffic volumes in 2012 ranged between 6,765 vehicles using the freeway at SR-58 and 121,205 vehicles using
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