82-553: U.S. Route 12 or U.S. Highway 12 ( US 12 ) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway , running from Aberdeen, Washington , to Detroit, Michigan , for almost 2,500 miles (4,000 km). The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94 , but, unlike most U.S. Highways that have been superseded by an Interstate , US 12 remains intact as an important link for local and regional destinations. The highway's western terminus in Aberdeen
164-478: A concurrency northeast for 7.5 miles (12.1 km), where US 93 heads due north on Reserve Street, toward Glacier National Park . US 12 continues northeast through Missoula 's downtown, eventually meeting I-90 . It then overlaps I-90 for 69 miles (111 km) until Garrison , where it heads east toward Helena for 48.8 miles (78.5 km). This two-lane section of the trip passes through Avon and Elliston winding through Helena National Forest , over
246-425: A banner such as alternate or bypass —are also managed by AASHTO. These are sometimes designated with lettered suffixes, like A for alternate or B for business. The official route log, last published by AASHTO in 1989, has been named United States Numbered Highways since its initial publication in 1926. Within the route log, "U.S. Route" is used in the table of contents, while "United States Highway" appears as
328-521: A distinctively-shaped white shield with large black numerals in the center. Often, the shield is displayed against a black square or rectangular background. Each state manufactures their own signage, and as such subtle variations exist all across the United States. Individual states may use cut-out or rectangular designs, some have black outlines, and California prints the letters "US" above the numerals. One- and two-digit shields generally feature
410-623: A main route. Odd numbers generally increase from east to west; U.S. Route 1 (US 1) follows the Atlantic Coast and US 101 follows the Pacific Coast. (US 101 is one of the many exceptions to the standard numbering grid; its first "digit" is "10", and it is a main route on its own and not a spur of US 1.) Even numbers tend to increase from north to south; US 2 closely follows the Canadian border, and US 98 hugs
492-982: A mixture of grass and sagebrush covered lowlands with "island" pockets of lodgepole pine and more mountainous areas where Douglas fir , spruce and larch can be found. The Rocky Mountains in the region do not exceed 10,000 feet (3,000 m). The grizzly bear has a sustained population in the northwestern section of the forest, especially in the Scapegoat Wilderness. Other predators such as wolves , bobcats , wolverines , mountain lions , and Canadian lynx are also present Black bears are numerous as are elk , moose , mule deer , and antelope . There are also small populations of bighorn sheep and mountain goats . Along streams and lakes , sightings of nesting bald eagles and other raptors are becoming more common due to protection of these species and their vitally important waterways. Seven hundred miles (1,100 km)of hiking trails are located in
574-425: A part of popular culture. US 101 continues east and then south to end at Olympia, Washington . The western terminus of US 2 is now at Everett, Washington . Helena National Forest Helena National Forest is located in west-central Montana , in the United States. Covering 984,558 acres (3,984.36 km ), the forest is broken into several separate sections. The eastern regions are dominated by
656-713: A part of the U.S. Numbered System." U.S. Route 3 (US 3) meets this obligation; in New Hampshire , it does not follow tolled portions of the Everett Turnpike . However, US Routes in the system do use parts of five toll roads: U.S. Routes in the contiguous United States follow a grid pattern, in which odd-numbered routes run generally north to south and even-numbered routes run generally east to west, though three-digit spur routes can be either-or. Usually, one- and two-digit routes are major routes, and three-digit routes are numbered as shorter spur routes from
738-602: A rough grid. Major routes from the earlier map were assigned numbers ending in 0, 1 or 5 (5 was soon relegated to less-major status), and short connections received three-digit numbers based on the main highway from which they spurred. The five-man committee met September 25, and submitted the final report to the Joint Board secretary on October 26. The board sent the report to the Secretary of Agriculture on October 30, and he approved it November 18, 1925. The new system
820-482: A rural two-lane highway again. A few miles before reaching Aberdeen , it becomes an at-grade expressway. After the junction with US 281 , it goes back to being two lanes for a few miles through Aberdeen and past Aberdeen Regional Airport , before once again becoming a four-lane expressway, until two miles (3.2 km) before Waubay . East of Waubay, it becomes again an at-grade expressway until it meets with I-29 near Summit . The speed limit from Aberdeen to I-29
902-408: A southeastward direction. US 12 also runs through Millston and Kirby . Afterward, it turns directly south to Tomah , where it becomes North Superior Avenue. It alternates between a four- and two-lane road on its way through downtown. It then turns east for 4.5 miles (7.2 km), then parallels I-90/I-94 through Camp Douglas , New Lisbon , Mauston , and Lyndon Station before crossing under
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#1732797199322984-626: A two-lane undivided highway with signs that read "winding road next 99 miles [159 km]" and goes on to Orofino , continuing up the middle fork of that river to Lowell , the junction of the Lochsa and Selway rivers. It continues up the Lochsa and climbs to Lolo Pass at the Montana border. This portion of the highway is also designated as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail . Most of
1066-476: Is 65 mph (105 km/h) on rural segments, with slower posted speeds within the cities of Marmarth , Rhame , Bowman , Scranton , and Hettinger . US 12 meets with US 85 in Bowman, and the routes are concurrent for a short distance through the city. US 12 enters South Dakota from North Dakota as a rural two-lane highway about 10 miles (16 km) west-northwest of Lemmon before entering
1148-422: Is 70 mph (110 km/h) except through the communities of Groton , Webster , and Waubay. From there, it heads southeast 22 miles (35 km) until Milbank . At Milbank, it continues east for 12 miles (19 km), until it crosses into Minnesota at Big Stone City , just south of Big Stone Lake . The South Dakota section of US 12 is legally defined at South Dakota Codified Laws § 31 April 132. From
1230-653: Is a historically significant route, that winds along the southern coast of Lake Michigan . It runs from an interchange with the Indiana Toll Road , concurrent with US 20 and US 41 in Whiting , to Michiana Shores , at the Michigan state line. A large portion of this segment is known as the Dunes Highway. US 12 is now the only U.S. Highway still serving Downtown Detroit, whose street grid
1312-727: Is a nonvoting seat for the United States Department of Transportation . Generally, most north-to-south highways are odd-numbered, with the lowest numbers in the east and the highest in the west, while east-to-west highways are typically even-numbered, with the lowest numbers in the north, and the highest in the south, though the grid guidelines are not rigidly followed, and many exceptions exist. Major north–south routes generally have numbers ending in "1", while major east–west routes usually have numbers ending in "0". Three-digit numbered highways are generally spur routes of parent highways; for example, U.S. Route 264 (US 264)
1394-637: Is a north–south route, unlike its parent US 22 , which is east–west. As originally assigned, the first digit of the spurs increased from north to south and east to west along the parent; for example, US 60 had spurs, running from east to west, designated as US 160 in Missouri , US 260 in Oklahoma , US 360 in Texas , and US 460 and US 560 in New Mexico . As with
1476-436: Is a spur off US 64 . Some divided routes , such as US 19E and US 19W , exist to provide two alignments for one route. Special routes, which can be labeled as alternate, bypass or business, depending on the intended use, provide a parallel routing to the mainline U.S. Highway. Before the U.S. Routes were designated, auto trails designated by auto trail associations were the main means of marking roads through
1558-569: Is at an intersection with US 101 , while the highway's eastern terminus in Downtown Detroit is at the corner of Michigan and Cass avenues, near Campus Martius Park . The western terminus of US 12 is located in Aberdeen . The highway loosely follows the eastbound leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition , between Wallula and Clarkston , thus being marked as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail . The east end of
1640-772: Is in the process of eliminating all intrastate U.S. Highways less than 300 miles (480 km) in length "as rapidly as the State Highway Department and the Standing Committee on Highways of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials can reach agreement with reference thereto". New additions to the system must serve more than one state and "substantially meet the current AASHTO design standards ". A version of this policy has been in place since 1937. The original major transcontinental routes in 1925, along with
1722-817: The Big Belt Mountains , and are the location of the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness , which remains much as it did when the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the region. The western sections have both the continental divide and the Scapegoat Wilderness area, which is part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex. The southern region includes the Elkhorn Mountains . The forest is composed of
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#17327971993221804-536: The Chicago metropolitan area , joining with US 45 . In Stone Park , US 20 joins US 12/US 45. In Hickory Hills , US 45 continues south, while US 12/US 20 runs due east along 95th Street in the southwest suburbs. From Hickory Hills, US 12/US 20 runs east nearly to the Lake Michigan lakefront and then joins with US 41 , as all three routes travel southeast into
1886-820: The Continental Divide at MacDonald Pass , and then through Montana's capital city, Helena . US 12 passes over I-15 , at which point it joins US 287 south. US 12 overlaps US 287 and heads southeast, toward Townsend for 33.4 miles (53.8 km), where it splits from US 287, which heads south for 30 miles (48 km) toward the intersection of I-90 near the town of Three Forks . US 12 heads east toward White Sulphur Springs for 42.2 miles (67.9 km). The route joins US 89 for 8.4 miles (13.5 km) before entering White Sulphur Springs and for another three miles (4.8 km) east of town. US 89 splits north and US 12 continues east on its own for 233 miles (375 km), until
1968-688: The Gulf Freeway carried US 75 , the Pasadena Freeway carried US 66 , and the Pulaski Skyway carries US 1 and US 9 . The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 appropriated funding for the Interstate Highway System, to construct a vast network of freeways across the country. By 1957, AASHO had decided to assign a new grid to the new routes, to be numbered in the opposite directions as
2050-618: The New England states got together to establish the six-state New England Interstate Routes . Behind the scenes, the federal aid program had begun with the passage of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 , providing 50% monetary support from the federal government for improvement of major roads. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 limited the routes to 7% of each state's roads, while 3 in every 7 roads had to be "interstate in character". Identification of these main roads
2132-537: The Pacific coast . Many local disputes arose related to the committee's choices between designation of two roughly equal parallel routes, which were often competing auto trails. At their January meeting, AASHO approved the first two of many split routes (specifically US 40 between Manhattan, Kansas and Limon, Colorado and US 50 between Baldwin City, Kansas and Garden City, Kansas ). In effect, each of
2214-734: The Standing Rock Indian Reservation . For approximately the next 70 miles (110 km), US 12 runs parallel to the border of North Dakota, sometimes within less than a mile (1.6 km). At Walker , US 12 heads southeast for 37 miles (60 km), where it crosses the Missouri River at Mobridge , exiting the reservation. From there, it continues east for 18 miles (29 km), until it meets with US 83 near Selby . It overlaps US 83 for seven miles (11 km). After leaving US 83, it turns due east and spends about 80 miles (130 km) as
2296-415: The auto trails which they roughly replaced, were as follows: US 10, US 60, and US 90 only ran about two thirds of the way across the country, while US 11 and US 60 ran significantly diagonally. US 60's violation of two of the conventions would prove to be one of the major sticking points; US 60 eventually was designated as US 66 in 1926, and later it became
2378-598: The contiguous United States . As the designation and numbering of these highways were coordinated among the states, they are sometimes called Federal Highways , but the roadways were built and have always been maintained by state or local governments since their initial designation in 1926. The route numbers and locations are coordinated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The only federal involvement in AASHTO
2460-482: The 1926 Rand McNally Road Atlas shows US 12 following what later became the route of US 10 through Michigan, from Detroit, through Flint, Saginaw, Midland, and Clare on its way to Ludington. US 12 was proposed to enter Wyoming on the current route of US 212 from Mammoth Hot Springs to a point northwest of Clark before its route in Montana was rerouted. It was also proposed to enter Oregon on
2542-409: The 1940s and 1950s to adopt the same number as the U.S. Route they connected to – mostly in the western provinces. Examples include British Columbia 's highways 93 , 95 , 97 , and 99 ; Manitoba 's highways 59 , 75 , and 83 ; or Ontario King's Highway 71 . The reverse happened with U.S. Route 57 , originally a Texas state highway numbered to match Mexican Federal Highway 57 . In the 1950s,
U.S. Route 12 - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-523: The 1980s, between Yakima and the Tri-Cities , though the freeways are still cosigned with the US ;12 designation. The old two-lane highway now bears the name Wine Country Road. United States Numbered Highway The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways ) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in
2706-484: The Gulf Coast. The longest routes connecting major cities are generally numbered to end in a 1 or a 0; however, extensions and truncations have made this distinction largely meaningless. These guidelines are very rough, and exceptions to all of the basic numbering rules exist. The numbering system also extended beyond the borders of the United States in an unofficial manner. Many Canadian highways were renumbered in
2788-976: The Minnesota–Wisconsin state line at Hudson . The Minnesota section of US 12 is defined as Routes 149, 26, and 10 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.115(80) and 161.114(2). US 12 crosses the St. Croix River from Lakeland, Minnesota , into Hudson , running concurrently with I-94 before splitting just east of the city. It mainly follows a similar path to I-94 to the north, before crossing under I-94 into downtown Menomonie before continuing in an easterly direction through Eau Claire . In Fall Creek , US 12 turns southeasterly toward Fairchild , it then runs concurrently with US 10 going east for just 2.5 miles (4.0 km) before returning to its course southeast bound. US 12 eventually recrosses I-94 into Black River Falls and then parallels I-94 in
2870-601: The Northeast, New York held out for fewer routes designated as US highways. The Pennsylvania representative, who had not attended the local meetings, convinced AASHO to add a dense network of routes, which had the effect of giving six routes termini along the state line. (Only US 220 still ends near the state line, and now it ends at an intersection with future I-86 .) Because US 20 seemed indirect, passing through Yellowstone National Park , Idaho and Oregon requested that US 30 be swapped with US 20 to
2952-600: The South Dakota–Minnesota state line at Ortonville to Wayzata , US 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city of Willmar . From western Wayzata to I-394 in Minnetonka , US 12 is a six-lane freeway. East of I-494 , US 12 is invisibly concurrent with I-394 and I-94 through Minneapolis and Saint Paul to
3034-425: The U.S. Highway System remains in place to this day and new routes are occasionally added to the system. In general, U.S. Routes do not have a minimum design standard, unlike the later Interstate Highways , and are not usually built to freeway standards. Some stretches of U.S. Routes do meet those standards. Many are designated using the main streets of the cities and towns through which they run. New additions to
3116-752: The U.S. Highway grid. Though the Interstate numbers were to supplement—rather than replace—the U.S. Route numbers, in many cases (especially in the West ) the US highways were rerouted along the new Interstates. Major decommissioning of former routes began with California 's highway renumbering in 1964 . The 1985 removal of US 66 is often seen as the end of an era of US highways. A few major connections not served by Interstate Highways include US 6 from Hartford, Connecticut, to Providence, Rhode Island and US 93 from Phoenix, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada, though
3198-535: The US Highway system, three-digit numbers are assigned to spurs of one or two-digit routes. US 201 , for example, splits from US 1 at Brunswick, Maine , and runs north to Canada. Not all spurs travel in the same direction as their "parents"; some are connected to their parents only by other spurs, or not at all, instead only traveling near their parents, Also, a spur may travel in different cardinal directions than its parent, such as US 522 , which
3280-477: The US highway, which did not end in zero, but was still seen as a satisfyingly round number. Route 66 came to have a prominent place in popular culture, being featured in song and films. With 32 states already marking their routes, the plan was approved by AASHO on November 11, 1926. This plan included a number of directionally split routes, several discontinuous routes (including US 6 , US 19 and US 50 ), and some termini at state lines. By
3362-579: The United States. These were private organizations, and the system of road marking at the time was haphazard and not uniform. In 1925, the Joint Board on Interstate Highways , recommended by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), worked to form a national numbering system to rationalize the roads. After several meetings, a final report was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in November 1925. After getting feedback from
U.S. Route 12 - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-480: The approval of the states along the former US 60. But Missouri and Oklahoma did object—Missouri had already printed maps, and Oklahoma had prepared signs. A compromise was proposed, in which US 60 would split at Springfield, Missouri , into US 60E and US 60N, but both sides objected. The final solution resulted in the assignment of US 66 to the Chicago-Los Angeles portion of
3526-405: The auto trail associations were not able to formally address the meetings. However, as a compromise, they talked with the Joint Board members. The associations finally settled on a general agreement with the numbering plans, as named trails would still be included. The tentative system added up to 81,000 miles (130,000 km), 2.8% of the public road mileage at the time. The second full meeting
3608-533: The city, it crosses I-39 /I-90 toward Cambridge . It turns southeast here and runs through Fort Atkinson and Whitewater . In Elkhorn , US 12 becomes a four-lane freeway with a 70-mile-per-hour (110 km/h) speed limit. It returns to a two-lane road at the Wisconsin–Illinois state line at Genoa City . In Illinois , US 12 is an arterial surface road that runs from Richmond , southeast to Des Plaines . It then turns due south, continuing through
3690-665: The current route of US 730 from east-southeast of Boardman to a point northeast of Cold Springs , but that was canceled. In the 1960s, a portion of US 12 in Western Washington was moved north to the town of Morton , when Mossyrock Dam was built on the Cowlitz River in Lewis County . A large portion of old, two-lane US 12 in the Yakima Valley was replaced by I-82 and I-182 in
3772-471: The first documented person to drive an automobile from San Francisco to New York using only a connection of dirt roads, cow paths, and railroad beds. His journey, covered by the press, became a national sensation and called for a system of long-distance roads. In the early 1910s, auto trail organizations—most prominently the Lincoln Highway —began to spring up, marking and promoting routes for
3854-408: The forest along with numerous trout streams and several lakes . There are over a dozen improved campgrounds . Snowmobile use is common in the winter months as is cross-country skiing . Interstate 15 runs north–south and U.S. Route 12 runs east–west through the area. The largest nearby city is Helena, Montana , which is the headquarters location for the forest. The forest was the site of
3936-517: The heading for each route. All reports of the Special Committee on Route Numbering since 1989 use "U.S. Route", and federal laws relating to highways use "United States Route" or "U.S. Route" more often than the "Highway" variants. The use of U.S. Route or U.S. Highway on a local level depends on the state, with some states such as Delaware using "route" and others such as Colorado using "highway". In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson became
4018-593: The highway in Idaho is within Clearwater National Forest . The eastern section of US 12, through remote mountain forest and up to Lolo Pass, was built in the early 1960s, making it the last U.S. Highway constructed. No services are available between Lowell and Powell, about 70 miles (110 km) further east. US 12 in Montana has been defined as the Lewis and Clark Highway despite not being
4100-595: The highway in the state is at Clarkston, where the highway crosses the Snake River into Idaho at Lewiston, Idaho . The Washington section of US 12, other than a concurrency with I-5 , is defined at Washington Revised Code § 47.17.055. US 12 enters the state at Lewiston , crossing the Snake River from Clarkston, Washington . It ascends the Clearwater River , running concurrently with US 95 for seven miles (11 km). It reduces to
4182-763: The highway's creation in 1926, the eastern terminus has always remained within a few blocks of Cadillac Square in Downtown Detroit, Michigan . The western terminus was gradually extended westward, until it reached the Pacific Ocean . In 1925, US 12 in Michigan was originally proposed to run from Detroit to Ludington , across Lake Michigan , via the Pere Marquette Railway car ferry to Manitowoc, Wisconsin , and then continuing into Wisconsin, on what later became US 10, in those two states. The 1974 "Golden Anniversary Celebration" reprint of
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#17327971993224264-519: The junction with I-94 at Forsyth as a concurrency northeast for 45.8 miles (73.7 km), to Miles City . At the east exit for Miles City, US 12 splits again from I-94 and heads almost directly east to the North Dakota border at a distance of 92.4 miles (148.7 km). US 12 is a two-lane undivided highway that runs 87.47 miles (140.77 km), through Adams , Bowman , and Slope counties in southwest North Dakota. The speed limit
4346-478: The latter is planned to be upgraded to Interstate 11 . Three state capitals in the contiguous U.S. are served only by U.S. Routes: Dover, Delaware ; Jefferson City, Missouri ; and Pierre, South Dakota . In 1995, the National Highway System was defined to include both the Interstate Highway System and other roads designated as important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. AASHTO
4428-483: The more colorful names and historic value of the auto trail systems. The New York Times wrote, "The traveler may shed tears as he drives the Lincoln Highway or dream dreams as he speeds over the Jefferson Highway , but how can he get a 'kick' out of 46, 55 or 33 or 21?" (A popular song later promised, " Get your kicks on Route 66! ") The writer Ernest McGaffey was quoted as saying, "Logarithms will take
4510-516: The new recreation of long-distance automobile travel. The Yellowstone Trail was another of the earliest examples. While many of these organizations worked with towns and states along the route to improve the roadways, others simply chose a route based on towns that were willing to pay dues, put up signs, and did little else. Wisconsin was the first state in the U.S. to number its highways , erecting signs in May 1918. Other states soon followed. In 1922,
4592-458: The numbering grid for the new Interstate Highway System was established as intentionally opposite from the US grid insofar as the direction the route numbers increase. Interstate Highway numbers increase from west-to-east and south-to-north, to keep identically numbered routes geographically apart in order to keep them from being confused with one another, and it omits 50 and 60 which would potentially conflict with US 50 and US 60 . In
4674-638: The old junction of US 12 and US 112 in New Buffalo. It is now assigned between New Buffalo and Detroit (except through Ypsilanti), along what was US 112 until 1962. On May 4, 2004, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) designated 209 miles (336 km) of US 12 from New Buffalo to Detroit as a Michigan Heritage Route . The east–west corridor traverses the counties of Berrien , Cass , St. Joseph , Branch , Hillsdale , Lenawee , Washtenaw , and Wayne . Since
4756-492: The optional routes into another route. In 1934, AASHO tried to eliminate many of the split routes by removing them from the log, and designating one of each pair as a three-digit or alternate route, or in one case US 37 . AASHO described its renumbering concept in the October 1934 issue of American Highways : "Wherever an alternate route is not suitable for its own unique two-digit designation, standard procedure assigns
4838-458: The other states. Many states agreed in general with the scope of the system, but believed the Midwest to have added too many routes to the system. The group adopted the shield, with few modifications from the original sketch, at that meeting, as well as the decision to number rather than name the routes. A preliminary numbering system, with eight major east–west and ten major north–south routes,
4920-466: The pair of Interstates into downtown Wisconsin Dells . US 12 turns south to Baraboo and runs along the western edge of Devil's Lake State Park . In Sauk City , US 12 turns southeast toward Madison and runs along the city's western and southern edges. Here, it becomes a four- to eight-lane freeway with US 14 and US 18 known by the locals as "The Beltline". On the southeast side of
5002-412: The place of legends, and 'hokum' for history." When the U.S. numbered system was started in 1925, a few optional routings were established which were designated with a suffixed letter after the number indicating "north", "south", "east", or "west". While a few roads in the system are still numbered in this manner, AASHO believes that they should be eliminated wherever possible, by the absorption of one of
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#17327971993225084-594: The route and the nominal direction of travel. Second, they are displayed at intersections with other major roads, so that intersecting traffic can follow their chosen course. Third, they can be displayed on large green guide signs that indicate upcoming interchanges on freeways and expressways. Since 1926, some divided routes were designated to serve related areas, and designate roughly-equivalent splits of routes. For instance, US 11 splits into US 11E (east) and US 11W (west) in Bristol, Virginia , and
5166-542: The route followed by Lewis and Clark across the state. US 12's 598 miles (962 km) through Montana's mountains and plains is the greatest distance that US 12 traverses through any state. The highway enters Montana at Lolo Pass , seven miles (11 km) southwest of Lolo Hot Springs in Lolo National Forest . After passing Lolo Peak to the south and traveling east for 33 miles (53 km), it meets with US 93 at Lolo and continues as
5248-591: The routes rejoin in Knoxville, Tennessee . Occasionally only one of the two routes is suffixed; US 6N in Pennsylvania does not rejoin US 6 at its west end. AASHTO has been trying to eliminate these since 1934; its current policy is to deny approval of new split routes and to eliminate existing ones "as rapidly as the State Highway Department and the Standing Committee on Highways can reach agreement with reference thereto". Special routes —those with
5330-500: The same large, bold numerals on a square-dimension shield, while 3-digit routes may either use the same shield with a narrower font, or a wider rectangular-dimension shield. Special routes may be indicated with a banner above the route number, or with a letter suffixed to the route number. Signs are generally displayed in several different locations. First, they are shown along the side of the route at regular intervals or after major intersections (called reassurance markers ), which shows
5412-493: The southwest to Oklahoma City , from where it ran west to Los Angeles . Kentucky strongly objected to this designated route, as it had been left off any of the major east–west routes, instead receiving the US ;62 designation. In January 1926, the committee designated this, along with the part of US 52 east of Ashland, Kentucky , as US 60 . They assigned US 62 to the Chicago-Los Angeles route, contingent on
5494-538: The splits in US 11 , US 19 , US 25 , US 31 , US 45 , US 49 , US 73 , and US 99 . For the most part, the U.S. Routes were the primary means of inter-city vehicle travel; the main exceptions were toll roads such as the Pennsylvania Turnpike and parkway routes such as the Merritt Parkway . Many of the first high-speed roads were U.S. Highways:
5576-541: The state of Indiana. US 12 is referred to as Rand Road in Chicago's northwest suburbs. Rand is an original name for the area around Des Plaines, the location where the road resumes its westerly direction. South of Des Plaines, US 12 follows Mannheim Road , La Grange Road, and then 95th Street , before merging with US 41 on Ewing and Indianapolis avenues toward the Indiana state line. In Indiana, US 12
5658-481: The states, they made several modifications; the U.S. Highway System was approved on November 11, 1926. Expansion of the U.S. Highway System continued until 1956, when the Interstate Highway System was laid out and began construction under the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower . After the national implementation of the Interstate Highway System, many U.S. Routes that had been bypassed or overlaid with Interstate Highways were decommissioned and removed from
5740-458: The system, however, must "substantially meet the current AASHTO design standards ". As of 1989, the United States Numbered Highways system had a total length of 157,724 miles (253,832 km). Except for toll bridges and tunnels , very few U.S. Routes are toll roads . AASHTO policy says that a toll road may only be included as a special route , and that "a toll-free routing between the same termini shall continue to be retained and marked as
5822-437: The system. In some places, the U.S. Routes remain alongside the Interstates and serve as a means for interstate travelers to access local services and as secondary feeder roads or as important major arteries in their own right. In other places, where there are no nearby Interstate Highways, the U.S. Routes often remain as the most well-developed roads for long-distance travel. While the system's growth has slowed in recent decades,
5904-550: The time the first route log was published in April 1927, major numbering changes had been made in Pennsylvania in order to align the routes to the existing auto trails. In addition, U.S. Route 15 had been extended across Virginia . Much of the early criticism of the U.S. Highway System focused on the choice of numbers to designate the highways, rather than names. Some thought a numbered highway system to be cold compared to
5986-548: The two routes received the same number, with a directional suffix indicating its relation to the other. These splits were initially shown in the log as—for instance—US 40 North and US 40 South, but were always posted as simply US 40N and US 40S. The most heated argument, however, was the issue of US 60. The Joint Board had assigned that number to the Chicago-Los Angeles route, which ran more north–south than west–east in Illinois, and then angled sharply to
6068-468: The two-digit routes, three-digit routes have been added, removed, extended and shortened; the "parent-child" relationship is not always present. AASHTO guidelines specifically prohibit Interstate Highways and U.S. Routes from sharing a number within the same state. As with other guidelines, exceptions exist across the U.S. Some two-digit numbers have never been applied to any U.S. Route, including 37, 39, 47, 86, and 88. Route numbers are displayed on
6150-477: The unqualified number to the older or shorter route, while the other route uses the same number marked by a standard strip above its shield carrying the word 'Alternate'." Most states adhere to this approach. However, some maintain legacy routes that violate the rules in various ways. Examples can be found in California , Mississippi , Nebraska , Oregon , and Tennessee . In 1952, AASHO permanently recognized
6232-720: Was also chosen, based on the shield found on the Great Seal of the United States . The auto trail associations rejected the elimination of the highway names. Six regional meetings were held to hammer out the details—May 15 for the West , May 27 for the Mississippi Valley , June 3 for the Great Lakes , June 8 for the South , June 15 for the North Atlantic , and June 15 for New England . Representatives of
6314-510: Was both praised and criticized by local newspapers, often depending on whether that city was connected to a major route. While the Lincoln Highway Association understood and supported the plan, partly because they were assured of getting the US 30 designation as much as possible, most other trail associations lamented their obsolescence. At their January 14–15, 1926 meeting, AASHO was flooded with complaints. In
6396-524: Was completed in 1923. The American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO), formed in 1914 to help establish roadway standards, began to plan a system of marked and numbered "interstate highways" at its 1924 meeting. AASHO recommended that the Secretary of Agriculture work with the states to designate these routes. Secretary Howard M. Gore appointed the Joint Board on Interstate Highways , as recommended by AASHO, on March 2, 1925. The Board
6478-418: Was composed of 21 state highway officials and three federal Bureau of Public Roads officials. At the first meeting, on April 20 and 21, the group chose the name "U.S. Highway" as the designation for the routes. They decided that the system would not be limited to the federal-aid network; if the best route did not receive federal funds, it would still be included. The tentative design for the U.S. Route shield
6560-518: Was deferred to a numbering committee "without instructions". After working with states to get their approval, the committee expanded the highway system to 75,800 miles (122,000 km), or 2.6% of total mileage, over 50% more than the plan approved August 4. The skeleton of the numbering plan was suggested on August 27 by Edwin Warley James of the BPR, who matched parity to direction, and laid out
6642-424: Was held August 3 and 4, 1925. At that meeting, discussion was held over the appropriate density of routes. William F. Williams of Massachusetts and Frederick S. Greene of New York favored a system of only major transcontinental highways, while many states recommended a large number of roads of only regional importance. Greene in particular intended New York's system to have four major through routes as an example to
6724-410: Was laid by Augustus B. Woodward , to have a five-way intersection of the roads that would become US 12, US 10 , US 16 , US 112 and US 25 . US 24 still travels through Detroit from Puritan to 8 Mile Road ( M-102 ) on the far west side. As from the earliest days of its existence, US 12 enters Michigan from Indiana, southwest of New Buffalo , and continues to
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