AASHTO Numbering Decisions 1967-87

[bugo]

Well, US 69 Alt isn't THAT bad, is it?   

Alt 69 should be extended down OK 69A to OK 10 then down the Will Rogers Turnpike access road to provide a connection between I-44 and US 69 in Kansas without going through Vinita, Afton, and Miami.

[Revive 755]

November 1973:  I290 in Ohio is renumbered as I-490, the eastern terminus is shifted south to I-480 at Maple Heights.
June 1974:  US 66 is axed east of Joplin, Missouri.
June 1974:  Changing I-57 to I-43 in Wisconsin is approved.
June 1974:  Making I-244 and I-255 in Missouri part of I-270 is approved.
October 1979:  I-296 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is eliminated
October 1979:  Missouri tries again for "I-44 Spur" over "former US 66 Spur" at Fort Leonard Wood and is denied again.
October 1979: Kansas wipes out US 383, Us 154, and US 156.  Kansas also tries to get many alternate routes which are approved as business routes.
June 1980: US 412 is established, US 67 in Arkansas to US 70 in Tennessee.

[andy3175]

June, 1970
- Includes a list of then-existing US routes entirely within one state, ranging from US 92 FL to US 377 TX.

The table shows 212 Maryland, when they meant 213 Maryland.

These additional documents are a great find, and they leave me clamoring for copies of the applications, maps, and rationale for the various proposals shown in the minutes. I'd love to see a map of this US 163E/W split they had. And here I thought I knew most of the Wyoming US route proposals. I am still trying to find something that demonstrates that Wyoming officially requested US 187 be extended east along I-80 and then south along today's Wyo 789 into Colorado, but I've not been able to find anything other than an oil company map.

The same is true for another oil company map I found that showed US 23 heading south out of Jacksonville, Florida, cosigned with US 17. I have found no other evidence that such a southerly extension was ever requested officially by Florida.

[NE2]

These additional documents are a great find, and they leave me clamoring for copies of the applications, maps, and rationale for the various proposals shown in the minutes. I'd love to see a map of this US 163E/W split they had.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=crescent+junction+utah&daddr=41.1345469,-109.5968597+to:44.1343229,-110.6658962+to:41.7770615,-110.54023+to:E+Flaming+Gorge+Way&hl=en&ll=41.566142,-110.632324&spn=5.868432,12.689209&sll=41.523841,-109.451916&sspn=0.01147,0.024784&geocode=FVA5UgIdpVR0-SmnOXRZsIlIhzHqNxqnVYxaEg%3BFdKpcwIdRa93-SkTsythXwpQhzEY5ioCYQ1KrA%3BFbJvoQIdWF9n-SmtQSVXIj1SUzGAcxnp2KRpKA%3BFaV3fQIdOkpp-SkJrw0XFDBRhzFwHTPKg_zx0w%3BFbiaeQIdlsx5-Q&gl=us&mra=dme&mrsp=4&sz=16&via=1,2,3&t=m&z=7

The same is true for another oil company map I found that showed US 23 heading south out of Jacksonville, Florida, cosigned with US 17. I have found no other evidence that such a southerly extension was ever requested officially by Florida.

Droz claims it was deferred in 1945 (he may have seen the original documents, or FDOT's copies): http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_23

And here I thought I knew most of the Wyoming US route proposals. I am still trying to find something that demonstrates that Wyoming officially requested US 187 be extended east along I-80 and then south along today's Wyo 789 into Colorado, but I've not been able to find anything other than an oil company map.

Same here: http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_187


Something I noticed: the entries for the creation of US 57 and US 163 note that the number was 'suggested', probably by AASHTO.

[froggie]

Left off with 1972 earlier, moving on:

June, 1973
- US 82 rerouted onto its current alignment from Crossett, AR to south of Hamburg.  Its old alignment was along AR 133 and AR 52.
- US 30 rerouted onto then-I-80N (today's I-84) between New Plymouth, ID and Meridian, ID (at ID 69).
- US 6 rerouted onto I-80 between US 71 and Adair, IA (at CR N54).
- US 45 rerouted onto its current alignment from MI 26 to Ontonagon, MI.  It previously followed MI 26 to near Greenland then followed MI 38.
- The Dakotas were denied an extension of US 385 north to the Canadian border, as noted earlier by Mapmikey.
- Ohio received approval to eliminate ALT US 20 west of Maumee.  Apparently, Ohio changed their mind and kept the route instead.
- US 285 extended from US 85 Englewood, CO east then north to US 40/287 Aurora (via Hampden Ave and Havana St).

November, 1973
- I-80N IA redesignated as I-680.
- I-69 extended from I-75 to I-475 in Flint, MI.
- I-590 NY added.
- I-490 OH redesignated as I-290, with the planned eastern terminus changed from I-271 Shaker Heights to I-480 Maple Heights.
- (to answer an earlier question of Brandon's):  I-70A and I-70N redesignated in Columbus, OH.  Here's how they existed:  I-70N was today's I-670 between I-70 and OH 315.  I-70A formed the west and north legs of the loop around downtown Columbus:  OH 315 between I-70/71 and I-670, and I-670 between OH 315 and I-71.  The request and approval specifically mention elimination of a portion of I-70A, which is the section that's now OH 315.  It should be noted that, while the loop around downtown was completed, both old I-70N and mainline I-70 west of I-71/OH 315 were not completed yet at the time.
- I-255 TN redesignated as I-240.
- US 1 relocated between Old Lyme, CT and New London, following what had been CT 51 west of Exit 75 and ALT US 1 east of there into New London.  US 1's previous routing was along I-95.
- Elimination of a SPUR US 36 into Macon, MO.
- Oklahoma was denied eliminating BUSINESS US 271 in Hugo.
- Vermont received approval to sign the Bennington Bypass as US 7 and designate existing US 7 through Bennington as a BUSINESS route.  Of course, VTrans has yet to finish the rest of the Bennington Bypass.

June, 1974
- AASHTO approved eliminating US 15 north of Painted Post, NY (had been denied 3 years prior in 1971).
- US 97 rerouted north of Ellensburg, WA along what had previously been WA 131, replacing what had been a longer concurrency with I-90 to Cle Elum then backtracking along today's WA 970.
- US 91 eliminated from Baker, CA to Brigham City, UT....suggesting that there was more than one round of US 91 removal in California.
- US 67 rerouted onto Lindbergh Blvd around St. Louis, MO.  Former routing includes MO 21, MO 30, Kingshighway, and MO 367.
- US 159 rerouted onto its present alignment between MO 111 and US 59.  Former routing followed MO 111 north of US 159 to US 59 at Craig.  An earlier attempt to reroute US 159 to I-29/Exit 79 had failed, presumably because I-29 had not been built yet.
- North/South Dakota were again denied in their request to replace US 85 north of Leads, SD with a US 385 extension.
- (of note for Alex) US 113 and ALT US 113 in Dover, DE truncated from Dupont Hwy/State St to Dupont Hwy/Bay Rd.  The mainline 113 truncation may have happened sooner...DelDOT maps took it off the Dover inset sometime between 1961 and 1966, although maps in the 1966-1973 timeframe still had ALT US 113 continuing up State St to US 13/Dupont Hwy.
- US 50 rerouted out of St. Louis, using IL 3, the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, and Lindbergh Blvd to I-44.  BYPASS US 50, which used a similar alignment but also bypassed East St. Louis via IL 157, was eliminated.
- US 66 eliminated east of Joplin, MO.
- IN/MI requested but were denied eliminating US 27 north of Fort Wayne, IN (something they'd later be successful on).
- I-57 WI redesignated as I-43.
- I-80S CO/NE redesignated as I-76.
- I-244 MO redesignated as I-270.  Redesignation of I-255 around St. Louis as I-270 was approved, but apparently never happened.
- Conditional approval for "I-53" as a "Future Interstate Route" from I-55 Lincoln, IL to I-80 near Princeton, IL, as mentioned earlier by Mapmikey.
- US 9 extended across the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, then southwest to US 13.

November, 1974
- US 27 reroute in Fort Wayne, IN, along its current routing to I-69.  Previous routing was along Coldwater Rd.  Indiana had previously requested but was denied this.
- ALT US 1's in Wake Forest and Franklinton, NC approved.
- US 36 eliminated between Uhrichsville, OH and Cadiz, leaving just US 250.
- I-635 TX extension west of I-35E to TX 121 conditionally approved.

[bugo]

- IN/MI requested but were denied eliminating US 27 north of Fort Wayne, IN (something they'd later be successful on).

What was going to be the number of the US 27 expressway/freeway in Michigan?  The notes don't mention a number.

[agentsteel53]

I-70A

anyone got a photo of a 70A shield?

[agentsteel53]

- US 57 Texas created.

I wonder if there were any TEXAS US 57 cutouts.  I have heard Texas stopped using cutouts in 1969, but I've seen one stamped 1972 that must've been a straggler.  old stock that was put into service.  I wonder if they ever found an old stock shield with no number and slapped a 57 on it.

[agentsteel53]

US 106

I have never seen a US-106 shield.

I had for some reason had it in my mind that it was one of those very early routes that was gone by the 30s. 

[agentsteel53]

- I-81E PA redesignated as I-380.  I-84 also extended along the route to I-81 (I-84 had previously ended at I-81E).

when was this signed in the field?  for some reason I remember in the late 1980s noticing that the way to get from New England to DC (without using a long swath of I-95) was to take 84, to 380, to 81, to 83.  this as opposed to 84 directly to 81. 

[Brandon]

- IN/MI requested but were denied eliminating US 27 north of Fort Wayne, IN (something they'd later be successful on).

What was going to be the number of the US 27 expressway/freeway in Michigan?  The notes don't mention a number.

My best guess is that US-127 would've been extended as it is now.  The US-127 freeway in Lansing existed at this time and ended at US-27 (Exit 87 on current I-69).  A state route (M-xx) just does not make sense, IMHO.

[Brandon]

June, 1974
- I-57 WI redesignated as I-43.

- Conditional approval for "I-53" as a "Future Interstate Route" from I-55 Lincoln, IL to I-80 near Princeton, IL, as mentioned earlier by Mapmikey.

1. I-57 does make a better number for the corridor.  Did Wisconsin run into problems with Illinois again?  They did with I-43 possibly being extended south over what is now I-39, and later on with I-55 being extended north to Green Bay.

2. Had I-53 come to pass, I sincerely doubt I-39 would've been built between Bloomington and I-80.  The big question is, how would this have gone north from the current end of I-180 toward Rockford?  My best guess, is that it would've gone toward Dixon and then along the Rock River to Rockford.  This placement might have made a divided highway or freeway facility feasible along the IL-23 corridor (Pontiac - Streator - Ottawa - DeKalb - Belvidere).  And it appears IDOT had dreams of doing so.  There is a stretch of divided highway along IL-23 for about 4-5 miles north of Streator.

[roadman]

From November 1975:

I-93 Extension Approved: Beginning at the present terminus of I-93 South in Quincy, thence southwesterly overlapping State Road 128 to the intersection of I-95.

The extension of I-93 to the Braintree Split & the re-routing of I-95 onto 128 are logged in the fore-mentioned June 1975 report.

That November 1975 entry was to correct an error AASHTO made in the June 1975 approvals.  MassDPW's 1975 changes, and FHWA's subsequent concurrences, always indicated that I-93 would be extended to I-95 in Canton, and not just to the Braintree split (I have copies of the original documents that verify this).

[Big John]

June, 1974
- I-57 WI redesignated as I-43.

- Conditional approval for "I-53" as a "Future Interstate Route" from I-55 Lincoln, IL to I-80 near Princeton, IL, as mentioned earlier by Mapmikey.

1. I-57 does make a better number for the corridor.  Did Wisconsin run into problems with Illinois again?  They did with I-43 possibly being extended south over what is now I-39, and later on with I-55 being extended north to Green Bay.

Yes.  IDOT did not want to sign I-57 north of its northern terminus.

[froggie]

2. Had I-53 come to pass, I sincerely doubt I-39 would've been built between Bloomington and I-80.  The big question is, how would this have gone north from the current end of I-180 toward Rockford?  My best guess, is that it would've gone toward Dixon and then along the Rock River to Rockford.  This placement might have made a divided highway or freeway facility feasible along the IL-23 corridor (Pontiac - Streator - Ottawa - DeKalb - Belvidere).  And it appears IDOT had dreams of doing so.  There is a stretch of divided highway along IL-23 for about 4-5 miles north of Streator.

Info in the Illinois Freeway Research thread seems to suggest that both freeway corridors were still proposed between I-74 and I-80.

Rick Powell also commented in that thread that the IL 23 corridor was considered at one time for what became I-39.

[roadman65]

I-86 in CT being returned to I-84 sometime in the 80's.  Then of course I-84 becoming I-384 east of the former I-86 junction that never tied in until later anyway.

[agentsteel53]

I-86 in CT being returned to I-84 sometime in the 80's.  Then of course I-84 becoming I-384 east of the former I-86 junction that never tied in until later anyway.

was there ever a RHODE ISLAND I-84 shield posted?  even as part of some FUTURE corridor?  I know there were NEW YORK I-78 shields for a while in Queens.

[Rover_0]

These additional documents are a great find, and they leave me clamoring for copies of the applications, maps, and rationale for the various proposals shown in the minutes. I'd love to see a map of this US 163E/W split they had.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=crescent+junction+utah&daddr=41.1345469,-109.5968597+to:44.1343229,-110.6658962+to:41.7770615,-110.54023+to:E+Flaming+Gorge+Way&hl=en&ll=41.566142,-110.632324&spn=5.868432,12.689209&sll=41.523841,-109.451916&sspn=0.01147,0.024784&geocode=FVA5UgIdpVR0-SmnOXRZsIlIhzHqNxqnVYxaEg%3BFdKpcwIdRa93-SkTsythXwpQhzEY5ioCYQ1KrA%3BFbJvoQIdWF9n-SmtQSVXIj1SUzGAcxnp2KRpKA%3BFaV3fQIdOkpp-SkJrw0XFDBRhzFwHTPKg_zx0w%3BFbiaeQIdlsx5-Q&gl=us&mra=dme&mrsp=4&sz=16&via=1,2,3&t=m&z=7

The same is true for another oil company map I found that showed US 23 heading south out of Jacksonville, Florida, cosigned with US 17. I have found no other evidence that such a southerly extension was ever requested officially by Florida.

Droz claims it was deferred in 1945 (he may have seen the original documents, or FDOT's copies): http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_23

And here I thought I knew most of the Wyoming US route proposals. I am still trying to find something that demonstrates that Wyoming officially requested US 187 be extended east along I-80 and then south along today's Wyo 789 into Colorado, but I've not been able to find anything other than an oil company map.

Same here: http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_187


Something I noticed: the entries for the creation of US 57 and US 163 note that the number was 'suggested', probably by AASHTO.

In that vein, while I'm not sure such a plan hapened during the 1967-1987 range, but us-highways.com also mentioned that US-160 was planned to go to California. A California US-160 extension is mentioned twice, leading me to wonder if it may have been planned to go to Long Beach via Bishop (eventually picked up by US-6) in 1937, then maybe considered again in 1970 (???) with its reroute to Tuba City AZ.

[agentsteel53]

is there any explanation of the numbering rationale?

is the 400 series actually "octant-based", or is that just a roadgeek retcon?  i.e. after 400, 412, 425, is the pattern defined by law to be 437, 462, 475, 487?

... 500?

also, why the rationale of 163 over 164?  familiarity?  I'm glad the extension was shot down and replaced with the far more sensibly-numbered 191.

[route56]

October 1979: Kansas wipes out US 383, Us 154, and US 156.  Kansas also tries to get many alternate routes which are approved as business routes.

Much of these approved changes were not implemented until 1981.

Also, the State Highway Commission had implemented many of these bannered US routes withouth seeking AASHTO approval (US 169B, for instance, goes back to 1936).

My guess is when the SHC became KDOT, there was a review of all of the US routes and found that there were several routes not in compliance with then-current AASHTO regulations. As 154, 156, and 383 were for all intents and purposes intrastate highways (strictly speaking, US 383 did enter Nebraska), KDOT elected to re-designated them as K-numbered routes.

[Beeper1]

was there ever a RHODE ISLAND I-84 shield posted?  even as part of some FUTURE corridor?  I know there were NEW YORK I-78 shields for a while in Queens.

Not that I am aware of.  The one part that was built, today's US-6 freeway, was originally signed as RI-195 until the early 1990s when 6 was moved from the surface road onto the highway.

[andy3175]

These additional documents are a great find, and they leave me clamoring for copies of the applications, maps, and rationale for the various proposals shown in the minutes. I'd love to see a map of this US 163E/W split they had.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=crescent+junction+utah&daddr=41.1345469,-109.5968597+to:44.1343229,-110.6658962+to:41.7770615,-110.54023+to:E+Flaming+Gorge+Way&hl=en&ll=41.566142,-110.632324&spn=5.868432,12.689209&sll=41.523841,-109.451916&sspn=0.01147,0.024784&geocode=FVA5UgIdpVR0-SmnOXRZsIlIhzHqNxqnVYxaEg%3BFdKpcwIdRa93-SkTsythXwpQhzEY5ioCYQ1KrA%3BFbJvoQIdWF9n-SmtQSVXIj1SUzGAcxnp2KRpKA%3BFaV3fQIdOkpp-SkJrw0XFDBRhzFwHTPKg_zx0w%3BFbiaeQIdlsx5-Q&gl=us&mra=dme&mrsp=4&sz=16&via=1,2,3&t=m&z=7

US 163W would have been a circuitous route going all the way west to Kemmerer. They could have used Wyo 240 to cut some of the distance, but it would still not be a direct route. I wonder why they preferred to have US 163 use the Wyo 530 side of Flaming Gorge. Maybe the dam was not traverse-able as it is today? I believe there was a disconnection between former Wyo 373 and former Utah 260 (both now current US 191) and old Utah 43 south of the dam. I think the current US 191 alignment staying east of Flaming Gorge makes sense given the existing road network, but it's possible the planners at the time were considering still non-existent, more direct route to Jackson that could have been achieved if a highway were built alongside the west side of the Green River from the dam north to Big Piney and Bondurant. That alignment would not be possible today, especially with Seedskadee Natl Wildlife Refuge along the route, but it would be interesting to know the planners' thought process.

[roadman]

June 1969 - I-491 in Hartford and I-84 Manchester to Sturbridge redesignated as I-86.  I-84 designated Hartford to Providence.

May 1983 - CT and MA Routes 52 New London to Auburn (note: incorrectly identified in the minutes as US 52) re-designated as I-395.

October 1983 - I-84 designation eliminated in Rhode Island.

May 1984 - I-86 East Hartford to Sturbridge re-designated as I-84, I-84 East Hartford to Holden Notch re-designated as I-384.

[vtk]

I'm still a bit puzzled by I-70A in Columbus. To me it would have made more sense as I-71A, as it connected to I-71 at the southwest and northeast corners of the Innerbelt.  Might this be a clerical error of some sort?

[NE2]

I think the current US 191 alignment staying east of Flaming Gorge makes sense given the existing road network, but it's possible the planners at the time were considering still non-existent, more direct route to Jackson that could have been achieved if a highway were built alongside the west side of the Green River from the dam north to Big Piney and Bondurant. That alignment would not be possible today, especially with Seedskadee Natl Wildlife Refuge along the route, but it would be interesting to know the planners' thought process.

Isn't this WYO 372?

I'm still a bit puzzled by I-70A in Columbus. To me it would have made more sense as I-71A, as it connected to I-71 at the southwest and northeast corners of the Innerbelt.  Might this be a clerical error of some sort?

I think this is what was done: http://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zJ6tKQcwi70c.kAu5RW1YhumM
70A was the entire Innerbelt except the south side. But originally I-70 was on the west and south sides, and I-70A was on the north and east (see original plans, but note that in 1957 all four sides were 70 and 71). Some time in the 1960s, I-70 between Valleyview and the southwest corner was added to the Interstate system, and the bypassed section west of the Innerbelt became I-70N. I-71 was apparently not defined on any of the Innerbelt until 1973.