Why is AASHTO now allowing for numbering violations?

[Quillz]

I thought one of the key rules of the interstate system was no state could have both an interstate and a US highway with the same number.

Obviously, that's not the case anymore. I-41 and US-41 are now concurrent. I-69 and US-69 are now concurrent. I-74 and US-74 within the same state.

Has AASHTO policy been officially changed to now allow for such duplication? Or are all of these "unofficial" violations?

Because if the former, seems there is no reason there couldn't eventually be, say, Interstates 50 and 60.

[Kacie Jane]

That's always been a guideline, not a rule. I-24 and US 24 have coexisted in Illinois from the beginning.

That said, I think the same-number concurrencies are a bit ridiculous. (I think you have 69 and 74 backwards though. I think I-69 and US 69 merely coexist (but aren't concurrent) in Texas, while I know I-74 and US 74 are concurrent in North Carolina.)

[NE2]

Not counting 40 and 80 in California, 24 is the only one that wasn't legislated to some extent.

[SteveG1988]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

[NE2]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

Except for 41, you're full of shit.

[Rover_0]

I thought one of the key rules of the interstate system was no state could have both an interstate and a US highway with the same number.

Obviously, that's not the case anymore. I-41 and US-41 are now concurrent. I-69 and US-69 are now concurrent. I-74 and US-74 within the same state.

Has AASHTO policy been officially changed to now allow for such duplication? Or are all of these "unofficial" violations?

Because if the former, seems there is no reason there couldn't eventually be, say, Interstates 50 and 60.

IIRC I-74 and I-69 (at least the parts being built) are part of Congressionally-designated (and -numbered) Interstates, while I-41 is about the only 2-digit number that fits the grid in Wisconsin. I-41 could've been I-643 and just be nearly as long as its parent.

I don't like the concept of Interstates and US Routes holding the same number in the same state unless they are (A) The exact route ala I/US-41 or (B) on opposite ends of the state ala I-49 and US-49 in Arkansas.

For example, I'd actually like to see US-48 extended along the western I-66,* with up-to-standard portions (along existing Kentucky parkways) being I-48 when up-to-standard and US-48 anywhere else (thanks Molandfreak!).

Of course, in retrospect I feel that the Interstate system should've been an extension of the US system to begin with (no new numbering system aside from 3dIs). That way more emphasis is placed on the numbers and roadway standards (for Interstates, anyways) with no real concern for confusing routes with the same number.

That said, it's been more of a guideline than a set-in-stone rule.

*Should I-66 from Kentucky to Kansas ever happen. If not US-48 can be a "consolation route" ala US-400 and replace 400.

[SteveG1988]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

Except for 41, you're full of shit.

What number would you have given it?

[NE2]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

Except for 41, you're full of shit.

What number would you have given it?

74 could have been anything between 20 and 40. 69 in Texas could have been 47.

[Pete from Boston]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

Except for 41, you're full of shit.

Doesn't "probably" imply speculation?  Usually "full of shit" is reserved for someone passing their false assertion as fact; unless "full of shit" is a general assessment of Steve, it's a little harsh for someone openly couching their point in uncertainty.

[SteveG1988]

It probably came about due to wanting to add more numbers to the system, and using any number would have violated it.

Except for 41, you're full of shit.

Doesn't "probably" imply speculation?  Usually "full of shit" is reserved for someone passing their false assertion as fact; unless "full of shit" is a general assessment of Steve, it's a little harsh for someone openly couching their point in uncertainty.

I concur. Also you said "Except for 41" which means that for the most part my theory holds true. At times it is legislative measures that makes a number. For example US66 was picked via legislature because it was a catchy number. 99 was picked because PA did not want another 3di due to it not having the same...status in the minds of people as a 2di, etc. Every case is different, but if we were to hold to an exacting version of the numbering rules, we would probably have no more 2di routes left to sign. When they removed the ability to make new suffixed interstates they removed a lot of eligible numbers from the system. As such the numbering system went from decent to partially broken over time. I80S became I76 in two states due to this change in the rules. I-41 could have been 43W.

[NE2]

For example US66 was picked via legislature because it was a catchy number.

What.

[SteveG1988]

For example US66 was picked via legislature because it was a catchy number.

What.

"The original inspiration for a roadway between Chicago and Los Angeles was planned by entrepreneurs Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma and John Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri. The pair lobbied the American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO) for the creation of a route following the 1925 plans."

"Championed by Avery when the first talks about a national highway system began, US 66 was first signed into law in 1927 as one of the original U.S. Highways, although it was not completely paved until 1938. Avery was adamant that the highway have a round number and had proposed number 60 to identify it. A controversy erupted over the number 60, largely from delegates from Kentucky who wanted a Virginia Beach—Los Angeles highway to be US 60 and US 62 between Chicago and Springfield, Missouri. Championed by Avery when the first talks about a national highway system began, US 66 was first signed into law in 1927 as one of the original U.S. Highways, although it was not completely paved until 1938. Avery was adamant that the highway have a round number and had proposed number 60 to identify it. A controversy erupted over the number 60, largely from delegates from Kentucky who wanted a Virginia Beach—Los Angeles highway to be US 60 and US 62 between Chicago and Springfield, Missouri The final conclusion was to have US 60 run between Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Springfield, Missouri, and the Chicago—L.A. route be US 62.  Avery and highway engineer John Page settled on "66," which was unassigned, because he thought the double-digit number would be easy to remember as well as pleasant to say and hear. Both Avery and Page also appreciated the number 66's use in numerology as a master number bringing material pleasure and success." From the US66 wikipedia entry, you can get the sources from there.

Cyrus Stevens Avery (1871—1963) was known as the "Father of Route 66". He created the route while a member of the federal board appointed to create the Federal Highway System, then pushed for the establishment of the U.S. Highway 66 Association to pave and promote the highway.

[Kacie Jane]

Well, given that the number 66 was assigned in 1926 at the same time the rest of the original numbers were finalized, the bit about it being signed into law in 1927 is probably bullshit. (At the very least, the number wasn't picked via legislature.)  Good job missing that bit, even though it was in the paragraph immediately before the one you copy and pasted from Wikipedia.

[Big John]

Well, given that the number 66 was assigned in 1926 at the same time the rest of the original numbers were finalized, the bit about it being signed into law in 1927 is probably bullshit. (At the very least, the number wasn't picked via legislature.)  Good job missing that bit, even though it was in the paragraph immediately before the one you copy and pasted from Wikipedia.

And it was AASHO until it was changed to AASHTO in 1973.