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Regional Boards => Central States => Topic started by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:00 AM

Title: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:00 AM
https://www.komu.com/news/spelling-it-out-the-story-behind-missouri-s-lettered-highway-system
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: DaBigE on November 14, 2019, 03:34:30 PM
QuoteOnly one other state, Wisconsin, uses letters to mark its state highways.

:banghead:  Ironic how an article referencing confusion adds to the confusion.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Scott5114 on November 14, 2019, 05:12:21 PM
The question I have never seen answered is why X is not used. G, I, L, Q are not used, and it's stated that it's to prevent confusion with other letters and numbers. But none of these slow-news-day articles ever explain why they won't use X.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: X99 on November 14, 2019, 11:04:22 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
The sign is on a wooden post. I wonder why no one considered putting an ax head above the sign.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: ozarkman417 on November 14, 2019, 11:08:49 PM
I am surprised it took this long to have a thread about this.
As someone who lives in MO, I prefer a system like this over quadruple-digit routes (LA), or routes with the same number divided in to completely different sections (AR). Once one realizes it's on a county-by-county basis, it makes a whole lot more sense.
As a kid I would say "We could take route (insert letter here)" back home.", despite being on the opposite side of the state.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 11:09:36 PM
Quote from: X99 on November 14, 2019, 11:04:22 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
The sign is on a wooden post. I wonder why no one considered putting an ax head above the sign.

Metal post. Look closely and you can see where it attaches to the base.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 11:10:32 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 14, 2019, 05:12:21 PM
The question I have never seen answered is why X is not used. G, I, L, Q are not used, and it's stated that it's to prevent confusion with other letters and numbers. But none of these slow-news-day articles ever explain why they won't use X.

One might ask MoDOT?
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: ozarkman417 on November 14, 2019, 11:16:10 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
The AX probably refers to the name of the road "Axtell Road", named after the basically non-existent establishment of the same name.  For some reason Google doesn't even show the route being "AX" but rather county road 630.
Like with X, MODOT appears to only use the letter 'R' when paired with an A. (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6316313,-93.6496769,3a,20.6y,275.01h,88.23t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbAuSDQCIuQ_8v1ds5jNjmw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 11:21:30 PM
Quote from: ozarkman417 on November 14, 2019, 11:16:10 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
The AX probably refers to the name of the road "Axtell Road", named after the basically non-existent establishment of the same name.  For some reason Google doesn't even show the route being "AX" but rather county road 630.

Someone needs to correct them
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 14, 2019, 11:23:13 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 14, 2019, 05:12:21 PM
The question I have never seen answered is why X is not used. G, I, L, Q are not used, and it's stated that it's to prevent confusion with other letters and numbers. But none of these slow-news-day articles ever explain why they won't use X.

Is R used besides RA or AR ?
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: ozarkman417 on November 15, 2019, 09:00:45 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.
So that explains why the three RA routes I've been on dead-end at or near a lake access point.

SM-G965U

Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 15, 2019, 01:49:17 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

There's one AR and I think only one AE
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: X99 on November 16, 2019, 12:18:29 AM
Quote from: US71 on November 14, 2019, 11:09:36 PM
Quote from: X99 on November 14, 2019, 11:04:22 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 14, 2019, 10:30:25 PM
Technically Missouri does use X once (https://goo.gl/maps/9k7BeryvtBvW3Kb1A) (but not alone).
The sign is on a wooden post. I wonder why no one considered putting an ax head above the sign.

Metal post. Look closely and you can see where it attaches to the base.
I wasn't actually referring to the sign in the link, I was referring to the first reassurance sign after turning onto the road. I should have clarified that.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Scott5114 on November 16, 2019, 01:35:19 AM
Quote from: US71 on November 15, 2019, 01:49:17 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

There's one AR and I think only one AE


Isn't there an AR that connects a primary highway to the Arkansas line? Probably the only non-recreational use of R if so.

I have heard that St Louis County's Route BA is the only two-different-letter combo that does not start with A or R.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on November 16, 2019, 10:58:01 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 16, 2019, 01:35:19 AM
Quote from: US71 on November 15, 2019, 01:49:17 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

There's one AR and I think only one AE


Isn't there an AR that connects a primary highway to the Arkansas line? Probably the only non-recreational use of R if so.

I have heard that St Louis County's Route BA is the only two-different-letter combo that does not start with A or R.

Yes. AR connects MO 101 to Arkansas 87.   15-20 years ago, it was just a county road.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Revive 755 on November 16, 2019, 12:18:39 PM
Rather than start a new thread, and since this may be relevant if anyone wants to hunt for odd letter combinations - I thought there was a Route RB somewhere in Missouri -  MoDOT appears to have added State System Maps (https://www.modot.org/state-system-maps) to their website.

The 'NOS' label (I am assuming this means Not On System) seems misleading, and would appear to cover other roads with an agreement for local maintenance.  MoDOT is the lead on a few projects in St. Louis City for roads shown with this label.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: skluth on December 29, 2019, 01:54:23 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

Wisconsin didn't use L and R for years because drivers might confuse it for left and right direction indicators. The CTH R between Green Bay and Manitowoc used to be US 141 and is a relatively recent change to the system. It was mentioned above that MO didn't L either because it could be confused with a number, but I wouldn't be surprised if L and R weren't used because one idiot somewhere might get confused.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: jbrocato on January 11, 2020, 09:33:12 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

There is a Highway RB in Montgomery County.  It runs into the I-70 South Outer Road west of the MO 19 exit.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: ozarkman417 on January 12, 2020, 01:26:11 PM
In the counties of Cedar and Hickory there are RB routes because there are also RA routes in that county. These counties host Stockton (Cedar) and Pomme de Terre (Hickory) Lakes.
There is an RB route in Stone County but I could not find an RA route. MoDOT may have done this because just across the border in Barry County is an RA route that's also on Table Rock Lake.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: bjrush on January 13, 2020, 09:43:26 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on November 16, 2019, 12:18:39 PM
MoDOT appears to have added State System Maps (https://www.modot.org/state-system-maps) to their website.

Those maps are absolutely awful
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: motorola870 on January 28, 2020, 04:59:21 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on November 14, 2019, 03:34:30 PM
QuoteOnly one other state, Wisconsin, uses letters to mark its state highways.

:banghead:  Ironic how an article referencing confusion adds to the confusion.

Hold up Texas has two lettered state highways. OSR and NASA ROAD 1. Old San Antonio Road and NASA obviously for Johnson Space Center. Everything is bigger in Texas we even have former and current farm to market road business loops lol. BR FM1187 was retired in 2016.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on January 28, 2020, 05:00:51 PM
Quote from: motorola870 on January 28, 2020, 04:59:21 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on November 14, 2019, 03:34:30 PM
QuoteOnly one other state, Wisconsin, uses letters to mark its state highways.

:banghead:  Ironic how an article referencing confusion adds to the confusion.

Hold up Texas has two lettered highways. OSR and NASA ROAD 1. Old San Antonio Road and NASA obviously for Johnson Space Center

I thought they had 3 or 4?
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: motorola870 on January 28, 2020, 05:04:34 PM
Quote from: US71 on January 28, 2020, 05:00:51 PM
Quote from: motorola870 on January 28, 2020, 04:59:21 PM
Quote from: DaBigE on November 14, 2019, 03:34:30 PM
QuoteOnly one other state, Wisconsin, uses letters to mark its state highways.

:banghead:  Ironic how an article referencing confusion adds to the confusion.

Hold up Texas has two lettered highways. OSR and NASA ROAD 1. Old San Antonio Road and NASA obviously for Johnson Space Center

I thought they had 3 or 4?

no it is just 2. To be fair these two are just renaming of farm roads.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: dvferyance on March 03, 2020, 04:32:45 PM
Quote from: skluth on December 29, 2019, 01:54:23 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 15, 2019, 03:44:06 AM
Another article I've read states that R is reserved for recreational routes. So theoretically RB, RC, etc. could exist, but most counties don't have a need for more than one R road, so RA is the one you see the most.

Routes with two different letters are rarer than you might think.

Wisconsin didn't use L and R for years because drivers might confuse it for left and right direction indicators. The CTH R between Green Bay and Manitowoc used to be US 141 and is a relatively recent change to the system. It was mentioned above that MO didn't L either because it could be confused with a number, but I wouldn't be surprised if L and R weren't used because one idiot somewhere might get confused.
Even L isn't used much in Wisconsin at least not by it's self. There are a few routes where it's paired with another letter like LO in Waukesha County in honor of Lloyd Owens and DL which stand for Devil's Lake.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Gnutella on March 12, 2020, 03:46:07 AM
Are there any controlled-access highways with letters? That'd be neat. :spin:
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Scott5114 on March 12, 2020, 05:39:21 AM
Quote from: Gnutella on March 12, 2020, 03:46:07 AM
Are there any controlled-access highways with letters? That'd be neat. :spin:

It's not a full freeway, but Route M in Jefferson County is divided and has some interchanges.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: US71 on March 12, 2020, 09:03:02 AM
Quote from: Scott5114 on March 12, 2020, 05:39:21 AM
Quote from: Gnutella on March 12, 2020, 03:46:07 AM
Are there any controlled-access highways with letters? That'd be neat. :spin:

It's not a full freeway, but Route M in Jefferson County is divided and has some interchanges.

Route O in Pulaski County, Missouri is divided, but only one full interchange I think.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: Revive 755 on March 12, 2020, 10:38:34 PM
Quote from: US71 on March 12, 2020, 09:03:02 AM
Route O in Pulaski County, Missouri is divided, but only one full interchange I think.

Pulaski County?  Only interchanges I can think of in that county are on I-44.



Route D/Page Avenue in St. Louis County has a short one interchange freeway section from I-270 to Schuetz Road.  IIRC MoDOT has hinted at an unfunded desire to upgrade it to a freeway to US 67.
Title: Re: MoDOT's Lettered Highways
Post by: bugo on August 18, 2021, 01:14:48 AM
Quote from: Gnutella on March 12, 2020, 03:46:07 AM
Are there any controlled-access highways with letters? That'd be neat. :spin:

Route W (Bannister Road) in Jackson County is a really ghetto freeway for a short distance.