U.S. 12 is a 2,500 U.S. highway that runs from the Pacific Ocean in Washington to Detroit, Michigan. Within Indiana, it runs for 45 miles from Hammond to Michigan City. Historically, the route was part of a larger highway that connected Chicago with Detroit. The highway goes through a variety of environments through its short stay in the Hoosier State. The highway starts as part of a multiplex with U.S. 20 and U.S. 41 in urbanized Chicago, following Indianapolis Boulevard through northern Hammond and Whiting. From there it goes past several oil refineries and industrial centers. In East Chicago, U.S. 12 and U.S. 20 break, with U.S. 12 going into central East Chicago. From there, it follows Indiana 912 (Cline Avenue) south to U.S. 20 (Chicago Drive) and the two highways merge again for a multiplex as a pair of one-way streets across Gary.
East of Gary, the highways split off again for good with U.S. 20 heading east toward South Bend. U.S. 12 follows the Lake Michigan shoreline (roughly a mile or two off the coast itself) for the duration of its route in the state. The highway passes by the Port of Indiana and industrial complexes around Burns Harbor before becoming the Dunes Highway, a scenic two-lane road through forested lands that parallel the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Upon entering LaPorte County, the highway runs across the northern part of Michigan City as it goes to the northeast toward the Michigan border. Throughout the state the highway is part of the Lake Michigan Circle Trail.
U.S. 12 Indiana Guides
Connect with:
Interstate 65
Interstate 90
U.S. 20
Page Updated 01-19-2012.