U.S. Route 491: Difference between revisions

[[File:USA Route666 UT.jpg|thumb|left|Old and new route number at the intersection with US 191 in Monticello|alt=Sign assembly with 4 signs:Top left – Old US 666, Top right – New US 491, Bottom Left – North US 191 straight ahead, Bottom Right – US 491 Right turn]]

Over time the route became known as the "Devil's Highway", a reference to the [[Number of the beast|Number of the Beast]].<ref name=saltlaketribune/> This nickname and association made some visitors uncomfortable,<ref name="nationalgeographic">{{cite journal |last= MGZ |date=December 2003 |title= Its Number Was Up |journal= [[National Geographic Magazine]]}}</ref> as well as making the signs targets for [[Street sign theft|theft]].<ref name="nytimes2"/> Because of the highway's number, accidents and other phenomena, this became repeated as legend. These legends convinced some people the highway was cursed.<ref name=abqjournal>{{cite news |url= http://www.abqjournal.com/quirky/67534news07-31-03.htm |title= It's Now US&nbsp;491, Not US&nbsp;666 |last= Linthicum |first= Leslie |work= Albuquerque Journal |date= July 31, 2003}}</ref> One unnamed highway patrol officer was quoted in ''[[USA Today]]'' as stating a drunk-driving suspect told him, "Triple&nbsp;6 is evil. Everyone dies on that highway."<ref name="beastofahighway" /> Skeptics point out that the highway has a lower than average fatality rate in Utah and Colorado;<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news |url= https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9506E3D71E39F930A25755C0A9659C8B63 |title= Journeys; The End of the Road For 'Devil's Highway' |access-date= April 12, 2007 |last= Wilgoren |first = Jodi |date= June 13, 2003 |work= The New York Times}}</ref> only the New Mexico portion is statistically a dangerous highway.<ref name=abqjournal/> Skeptics further state the high fatality rate in New Mexico can be explained by an inadequate design for the traffic loads at the time.<ref>{{cite web |publisher = [[Indian Country Today]] |url=https://ictnews.org/archive/devils-highway-navajos-grapple-with-one-of-most-dangerous-roads-in-us |title='Devil's Highway': Navajos Grapple With One of Most Dangerous Roads in US |first=Alysa |last=Landry

 

The curse of US&nbsp;666 is briefly discussed in Jonathan D. Rosenblum's book, ''Copper Crucible'', which investigates the [[Arizona Copper Mine Strike of 1983]]. This strike occurred along the highway near [[Morenci, Arizona|Morenci]], Arizona.<ref name=coppercrucible>{{cite book |last= Rosenblum |first= Jonathan D. |title= Copper Crucible |year= 1998 |edition= 2nd |url= http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/cup_detail.taf?ti_id=3447 |publisher= [[Cornell University]] Press |isbn = 978-0-8014-8554-1}}</ref> The highway was used as a plot element in films and television, including ''[[Route 666 (film)|Route&nbsp;666]]'', ''[[Natural Born Killers]]'',<ref name=beastofahighway/> and ''[[Repo Man (film)|Repo Man]]'', as well as a two-part episode of the series ''[[Married... with Children]]'', titled "Route&nbsp;666".<ref name=sonypictures>{{cite web |url= http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=20500102 |title= Married... with Children: Complete Season 5 DVD |publisher= Sony Electronics Inc. |access-date= June 14, 2008 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110616021239/http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=20500102 |archive-date= June 16, 2011 }}</ref> These pieces are not accurate in portraying the route; for example, one depicts the route in [[Nevada]].<ref name=sonypictures/>