State Street (Salt Lake County)

State Street is a wide 17.3-mile-long (27.8 km) street in Salt Lake County, Utah leading almost straight south from the steps of the Utah State Capitol Building, through Salt Lake City (including Downtown Salt Lake City), South Salt Lake, western Millcreek Township, Murray (including the Murray Downtown Historic District), eastern Midvale, Sandy (including the Sandy Historic District and Downtown Sandy), and northwestern Draper. Because it follows the most direct route from downtown Salt Lake City to the Point of the Mountain pass to Utah County, it was the undisputed main road south from Salt Lake City until Interstate 15 was built to the west (but closely paralleling it). It retains the US Highway 89 designation for all but the northernmost seven blocks (which are part of State Route 186 instead) despite I-15's proximity. Due to its history as a route for long-distance travel, travel within the Wasatch Front region, and travel between the cities along the east side of the Jordan River, it has attracted a wide variety of retail and service businesses along its entire length, creating a nearly continuous commercial axis for the Salt Lake Valley.