▁fav ored ▁this ▁route , ▁as ▁it ▁would ▁keep ▁southern ▁California - bound ▁motor ists ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁longer ▁by ▁forcing ▁them ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁Ar row head ▁Tra il ▁( now ▁Inter state ▁ 1 5 ) ▁south ▁from ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City . ▁The ▁Wend over ▁route ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Vict ory ▁Highway , ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Federal ▁A id ▁Highway ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁provided ▁$ 7 5 ▁million ▁in ▁matching ▁funds ▁to ▁states ▁for ▁highway ▁construction , ▁but ▁it ▁required ▁states ▁to ▁identify ▁a ▁maximum ▁of ▁ 7 % ▁of ▁its ▁highway ▁mile age ▁as ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁funds . ▁The ▁Wend over ▁C ut - off ▁was ▁the ▁sole ▁highway ▁west ▁of ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City ▁selected ▁by ▁Ut ah ▁to ▁receive ▁federal ▁funds , ▁further ▁c ement ing ▁its ▁status ▁( over ▁the ▁Go ody ear ▁C ut - off ) ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁route ▁from ▁Ut ah ▁to ▁Northern ▁California . ▁ ▁The ▁Wend over ▁C ut - off ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁system ▁of ▁United ▁States ▁Number ed ▁High ways ▁assigned ▁it ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁U . S . ▁Route ▁ 4 0 ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Ut ah ▁made ▁this ▁route ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁designated ▁Ut ah ▁State ▁Route ▁ 4 ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 .