Indirect U.S. Routes

[NE2]

General notes:
*A corridor is a U.S. Route, plus any parallel freeways. Occasionally more than one route connects the same two cities with no substantial difference in between (e.g. Gary-Michigan City or Peekskill-Brewster); they are both in the same corridor.
*Minimal indirectness of only a few miles, where the more direct route is also a U.S. Route corridor, is not counted. The route must be substantially indirect. The bar is lower when the shorter route is a state route.
*Towns bolded are those required as waypoints to make the route direct.
*Minor cutoffs that seem to go through tougher terrain aren't listed.
*The purpose of this is not to list all potential cutoffs. It's to list all indirect sections.

1
*Jacksonville-Augusta-Southern Pines: 17-15
*New Haven-Providence-Boston: 5-CT 15-MA 15-20
*Westerly-Wakefield-Providence: RI 3
*Brunswick-Perry-Calais-Fort Kent: 201-202-2-ME 11
*Warren-Rockland-Rockport: ME 90
*Caribou-Van Buren-Fort Kent: ME 161
These have all existed since the beginning. US 1 was deliberately aligned along the fall line through the Carolinas to serve larger cities, and along the shore in New England.

301
*Callahan-Statesboro-Santee: FL 200-17-15
This resulted from 301's ca. 1947 extension from Summerton (the other end of the 15 overlap from Santee). It seems that the Bamberg-Folkston corridor was desired for a U.S. Route, necessitating the jog west to Orangeburg to make it an extension of 301.
*Bowie-Annapolis-Wilmington: MD 3-40
301 used to end in Baltimore, but was realigned onto the Chesapeake Bay Bridge ca. 1960 as part of a bypass.

2
*Spokane-Glacier-Havre: 10-MT 200-87
US 2 originally ended at Bonners Ferry on 95, but was extended west ca. 1948 to replace US 10 Alternate.
*Wakefield-Iron Mountain-St. Ignace-Sault Ste. Marie: MI 28 (also shorter if going to St. Ignace, cutting back to 2 east of the Seney Stretch)
US 2 has always gone this way (as did the Roosevelt International Highway), and it was probably a better road in the early days.

202 is actually not much longer than the alternates. Danbury adds only about 30 miles and Concord about 40; it's really hard to uncouple it beyond that.

4
*Albany-Rutland-Concord: NE 9
This resulted from 4 replacing 9 (or 9E?) between Glens Falls and Albany ca. 1930. Until then, the two routes were roughly equal between Glens Falls and Concord.

6
*Los Angeles-Bishop-Spanish Fork-Green River: 91-50 (before I-70 across the San Rafael Swell, via Spanish Fork was the most direct route)
This was the result of 6's ca. 1937 extension over the Midland Trail through Nevada. Back in the auto trail days, they may have been comparable, but surely by 1937 cutoffs had made US 91 much more direct.
*Brush-Sterling-McCook: 34
I don't know why, but this dogleg has been present since 1926, as part of US 38, and even earlier on the Detroit-Lincoln-Denver Highway. Both roads were in roughly the same condition in the 1920s, but the cutoff was only a state highway until ca. 1939 when US 34 was extended.
East of Cleveland, 6 is about 25 miles longer than 20 to Boston, with the following cutoff:
*Andover-north of Pymatuning Reservoir-Conneaut Lake: OH 85-PA 285
This was part of US 6's ca. 1932 extension from Erie to Colorado. The cutoff was present at that time, though not all paved, and later one had to go through Hartstown to stay on pavement (this was still more direct than going around to the north). Perhaps there was some uncertainty in the early 1930s when the lake was being created as to whether there would be a bridge, but there's no apparent reason it hasn't been realigned since then.

10
*Garrison-Butte-Forsyth: 12
US 10 was the original route through here; 12 was only extended west to Missoula ca. 1959, replacing US 10N (which turned south at Townsend) and MT 6.
*Miles City-Fargo-Minneapolis: 12
10 and 12 have both roughly followed their alignments here since 1926.

311
*Randleman-Winston-Salem-Danville (entire route): 220-29
311 has always bumped west to serve Winston-Salem; this was the only part kept ca. 1934 when the rest became an extension of 220.
*Winston-Salem-Eden-Danville: 158-29
The 2012 extension from Eden to Danville caused this.

411
*Rome-Cartersville-Chatsworth: GA 53-GA 225
411 has followed the route through Cartersville since it was created ca. 1934. Calhoun-Chatsworth was not then a state highway, but going via Dalton would still have been shorter.

12
*Elma-Lewiston-Missoula: 410-99-10
This was created ca. 1967 when 12 was extended west from Lewiston to replace 410 (except using a better crossing of the Cascades).
*Pasco-Walla Walla-Waitsburg: WA 124
410 had used this alignment since 1926. The cutoff only became a state highway in full in 1951.

212
*Yellowstone-Billings-Belle Fourche: 14-85
This only became more direct when I-90 was built, cutting off major curves in 14.
*Billings-Belle Fourche-Minneapolis: 10-12
The ca. 1939 extension west from Belle Fourche created this.

When 212's west end was Miles City, 12 was more direct than the entire length.

13
*Fayetteville-Greenville-Ahoskie: 301-NC 42
13 was extended to Goldsboro ca. 1956 and Fayetteville ca. 1963. The purpose was presumably to add the Greenville-Fayetteville diagonal to the U.S. Highway system
*Bethel-Windsor-Ahoskie: NC 11
13 was initially extended to Windsor ca. 1952. There was no road southwest from Ahoskie across the Roanoke River until ca. 1967.

213
*Berlin-Easton-Elkton (almost entire route): 113-DE 72-40
Since 1926, 213 has always been the longer route through the Delmarva Peninsula.

16
*Greybull-Buffalo-Clearmont: 14
16 was the original crossing of the mountains from 87 west to Yellowstone (though the route ended at 20 in Worland until ca. 1965). 14 came across on a more direct route ca. 1934.

17 obviously pivots at Norfolk; I won't try to determine the shortest bypass. The same seems to be true of Wilmington to a much lesser extent. 17 was always intended as the route closest to the shore; the extension northwest from Fredericksburg came ca. 1965.

18
*Lusk-Hot Springs-Dodgeville: 20-151
This happened ca. 1970 when 18 was extended rather uselessly from Mule Creek Junction to Orin.
*Pickstown-Canton-Sheldon: SD 46-IA 10-IA 60
18 has always gone here more or less as it does now. There was no Big Sioux crossing at Hawarden on the cutoff until ca. 1935, and for many years after that it was unpaved.
*New Hampton-West Union-Postville: IA 24-52
18 has always jogged south here, and the cutoff became a state highway ca. 1929, but was not fully paved until the 1950s.

19
*Bradenton-Atlanta-Bluefield: 301-FL 200-17-21
19's extension ca. 1930 from Tallahassee to St. Pete made it indirect, adding on a section along Florida's west coast that might have made more sense as part of a different route such as 231.
*Atlanta-Murphy-Asheville: 23
19 was the original connection between Atlanta and Asheville. 23 came through ca. 1930 on a better route.
*Mars Hill-Cane River-Spruce Pine-Bluff City: 23-11E
23 overlapped 19W in this area until ca. 1952, when it was moved to the more direct route, leaving behind a bloody useless 19W.

119
*Weston-Buckhannon-Grafton: 19-50
This was part of 119's ca. 1934 extension from Morgantown. Since 19 already existed, 119 needed another route to Weston.

219
*Elkins-Johnstown-DuBois: 250-119
The ca. 1937 extension into West Virginia created this.

20
*Idaho Falls-Yellowstone-Shoshoni: 26
20 was extended west from Yellowstone into Oregon ca. 1940; 26 came west to Idaho Falls ca. 1951, mostly replacing a (possibly never-signed) US 20 Alternate.
*Cody-Greybull-Thermopolis: WY 120
US 20 has always followed this route through Greybull, which was a better road in the 1920s.

120
*Ridgway-Williamsport-Reading (entire route): 219-PA 153-322-422
This cutoff was not more direct until current PA 153 was paved northwest of Penfield in the 1960s, by which time US 120 only went to Lock Haven.

220
*Roanoke-Cumberland-Hughesville: 11-15
This was created ca. 1934 when 220 was extended through Virginia.

221
*Wrens-Boone-Lynchburg: 1-SC 121-21-29
221 was extended south from Greenwood ca. 1954, though it was already not necessarily the most direct route.
*Shady Grove-Quitman-Valdosta: CR 14-FL 145-GA 31
Presumably they wanted to keep it off of secondary roads (CR 14 was SR S-14).
*Linville-Blowing Rock-Boone: NC 105
NC 105 did not exist until ca. 1956.

321 obviously pivots around Boone. It was extended from Boone to Johnson City ca. 1961, but didn't really become problematic until the ca. 1981 extension to Eaton Crossroads.
*Eaton Crossroads-Maryville-Greeneville: 70-11E
Presumably they wanted it to bypass Knoxville to the south.
*Maryville-Gatlinburg-Newport: 411
And serve Gatlinburg, I guess.

421
*Winston-Salem-Lexington-Michigan City: 52-21-35
This was created ca. 1951 when 421 was extended through Kentucky and Indiana.

521
*Georgetown-Sumter-Charlotte (entire route): SC 51-SC 151-601-74
521 has followed this route since it was created ca. 1933.

222
*Penn Hill-Quarryville-Willow Street: PA 272
This has been part of 222 since the beginning. PA 272 (then 72) has existed since the 1930s.

522
*Culpeper-Winchester-Selinsgrove: 15
This was created ca. 1944 when 522 was extended from Hancock.

23
*Alma-Atlanta-Asheville: 1-221-25
23's ca. 1950 extension from Atlanta to Jacksonville caused this.
*Standish-Alpena-Mackinaw City: MI 76-27
23 has always followed the shore here.

24
*Minturn-Kansas City-Detroit (entire route): 6-12
24 was extended west from Kansas City ca. 1936, replacing 40N to Limon and 40S to Grand Junction via Minturn.
*Minturn-Colorado Springs-Limon: 6-40
The improvement of US 6 east of Minturn made 24 (ex-40S) indirect.
*Minturn-Buena Vista-Hartsel: 6-CO 9
This was not a viable cutoff until 9 was paved.

26
*Bliss-Idaho Falls-Ogallala: 30
This was created by 26's extension west from Idaho Falls ca. 1952.
*Mountain Home-Shoshone-Carey: 20
20 was temporarily put on 26's current alignment when it was extended through Idaho ca. 1940. 26 was added ca. 1952, but was not moved onto the shorter route with 20 when it was improved.
*Arco-Blackfoot-Mountain Home: 20
26 also got second dibs here.

27
*Williston-Tallahassee-Chattanooga: 41
27 was extended southeast from Tallahassee ca. 1949.
*Cincinnati-Fort Wayne-Lansing: 127
27 has always followed its route here; 127 was realigned onto the cutoff ca. 1930.

227
*Richmond-Paris-Georgetown: 25
I suppose they wanted a bypass around Lexington when they extended 227 west from Paris ca. 1930.

29
*Brewton-Troy-Tuskegee: 31-80
29's ca. 1934 extension from Tuskegee to Brewton took it along this less direct alternate to 31.

31
*South Bend-Traverse City-Petoskey: 112-131
31 has always followed the shore here.

231
*Panama City-Dothan-Troy: FL 77-CR 279-FL 79-AL 167
This was created ca. 1935 when 231 was extended south. The cutoff was not all available, and neither was a shorter one on FL 77-AL 109.
*Lafayette-Rensselaer-Crown Point: 52-41 (though you could argue that this is the I-65 corridor)
US 152 was designated along this route ca. 1934 as a longer alternate to 52-41.

431
*Dothan-Columbus-Huntsville: 231
431 was assigned to its current route ca. 1954, replacing 241, which took a similar route since ca. 1930. When 241 was designated, 231 only went north to Montgomery, and the roads north to Huntsville were not all paved.

34
*Hastings-Grand Island-Lincoln: 6
34 was extended west to Grand Island ca. 1935, creating a direct route west from Lincoln via 34-30. Four years later it continued south from Grand Island.

136
*Le Roy-Rantoul-Danville: 150
136 was created ca. 1951, at which time 150 already had the direct route.

41
*Miami-Naples-Williston: 27
41 replaced 94 from Miami to Naples ca. 1950.
*Terre Haute-Veedersburg-Attica: IN 63
41 was always on its current alignment here. SR 63 came along later.
*Abrams-Marquette-Covington: 141
41 always went via Marquette. 141 was extended north from Green Bay ca. 1929.
*Marinette-Spalding-Escanaba: MI 35
This one has existed since the beginning, but the original plan was to continue directly north from Spalding to Marquette. Current US 41 to Escanaba was all paved in 1926, but M-35 was not.

441
*West Palm Beach-Belle Glade-Okeechobee: FL 710
441 has always been here since its extension ca. 1951. But also see US 98.

43
*Berry-Hamilton-Russellville: AL 13
US 43 was created ca. 1934. SR 13 followed US 43 through this area until a new alignment was built in the late 1950s.

49
*Helena-Brinkley-Jonesboro: AR 1
US 49 ended in Jonesboro until ca. 1980.

50
*San Francisco-Stockton-Sacramento: 40
This became part of US 50 ca. 1931. It had been the Lincoln Highway due to the avoidance of water crossings.
Note that, for a while, 50 went Ely-Wendover-Salt Lake City-Green River (since there was no direct paved road), making 40 obviously more direct west of Wendover.
*Kansas City-Jefferson City-St. Louis: 40
50 has always gone here, obviously to serve Jefferson City.

150
*Terre Haute-Vincennes-Paoli: IN 46-IN 37
US 150 always extended west from Paoli to Shoals. Presumably they wanted it to serve Vincennes when it was extended ca. 1934.

52
*St. Paul-Dubuque-Kentland: 12-41
52 was extended from Kentland to Dubuque ca. 1934, and then replaced 55 to St. Paul.
*Cincinnati-Winston-Salem-Charleston: 25-176
52 was also extended southeast from Bluefield ca. 1934, replacing 121 (Wytheville-Lexington), 601 (Salisbury-Florence), and 17 (Florence-Charleston). This created a continuous route, but not the most direct one.

53
*Holmen-Osseo-Eau Claire: WI 35-WI 93
US 53 went via Osseo since the beginning; it appears that 93 was not as good of a road in the early days.

54
*Springfield-Kankakee-Chicago: 66 (surprisingly, 54 was only about 15 miles longer, and most of that disadvantage was lost with I-55 curving around to bypass every town)
This was created by 54's extension from Springfield ca. 1942.

55
*Davenport-Clinton-Dubuque: 61
55 was extended from Dubuque to Davenport ca. 1932, following the bend of the Mississippi rather than 61's straight line.

56
*Marion-Herington-Gardner: KS 150-50
56 directly replaced the stairstepping 50N here, which had existed since 1926. 50S became 50 and was gradually improved with diagonals.

158
*Mocksville-Elizabeth City-Whalebone Junction (entire route): 64
This was created ca. 1942 when 148 was extended from Murfreesboro.

258
*Jacksonville-Tarboro-Smithfield: 17-13-VA 32 (interestingly, staying on 17 from Windsor is the same length as 258 all the way)
258 was extended from Murfreesboro to Franklin ca. 1940 and to Fort Monroe ca. 1945. This brought the arcing corridor through Tarboro back east to the straighter route through Williamston.

59
*Laredo-Tenaha-Winnipeg (entire route): 81
This was created when 59 and 96 swapped ca. 1939.
*Nacogdoches-Texarkana-Heavener: 259 (all of 259)
59 was created ca. 1934 with this alignment. The future 259 did not exist until ca. 1960, and became 259 ca. 1963. Interestingly, there were plans to realign 59 onto a cutoff like this: http://www.txdot.gov/tpp/hwy/us/us0059.htm
*Miami-Lawrence-St. Joseph: 69-71
Until ca. 1934, this part of 59 was 73W, but past Lawrence it continued north on current 159 to Horton.
*Nortonville-St. Joseph-Craig: 159 (note that 159 originally went north to Craig rather than east to near Mound City, making this formerly all of 159)
When this was created ca. 1934, there was a ferry at Rulo. The bridge was built in 1939 and 159 was extended over it ca. 1945.

SEE PAGE 2 FOR 60-101

[bugo]

63
169
371

[agentsteel53]

60 and 66 intersected three times historically.  Afton to Vinita, OK (multiplex); Amarillo (brief multiplex); Los Angeles (60 ends at 66).  any of those indirect routes for one another?

[Molandfreak]

10
*Miles City-Fargo-Minneapolis: 12

*Fargo-Motley-Detroit Lakes-St. Cloud: 52 (pre I-94 even)



61
*Dubuque-La Crosse-St. Paul: 52
*La Crosse-St. Paul-Duluth: 53
*Red Wing-Miesville-Hastings: MN 316



169
*Shakopee-Minneapolis-Elk River: MN-CR 101 (even by today's suburban routing)

[NE2]

60 and 66 intersected three times historically.  Afton to Vinita, OK (multiplex); Amarillo (brief multiplex); Los Angeles (60 ends at 66).  any of those indirect routes for one another?

LA-Amarillo is about the same if you use the Vaughn-Amarillo shortcut instead of 60 all the way. Amarillo-Vinita is much closer than I expected (the Goog says 437 on 66 (avoiding tolls, so using I-40 but not I-44) and 443 on 60).

*Fargo-Motley-Detroit Lakes-St. Cloud: 52 (pre I-94 even)

Nine miles longer. Not enough to list, since the shortcut is a U.S. Route. And it's a former 10N-10S split.

[agentsteel53]

LA-Amarillo is about the same if you use the Vaughn-Amarillo shortcut instead of 60 all the way. Amarillo-Vinita is much closer than I expected (the Goog says 437 on 66 (avoiding tolls, so using I-40 but not I-44) and 443 on 60).

so 60 is slightly longer than 66 between LA and Amarillo.  I wonder how the very first US60 (1931 extension to LA) compares to its contemporary 66, which went in a sideways S in New Mexico, hitting Las Vegas, Santa Fe, and Los Lunas.

[bugo]

60 and 66 intersected three times historically.  Afton to Vinita, OK (multiplex); Amarillo (brief multiplex); Los Angeles (60 ends at 66).  any of those indirect routes for one another?

I count 4: LA, Amarillo, Afton, and Springfield.

[agentsteel53]

Springfield.

did they actually intersect?

I thought 66 followed what is now Business Loop 44, and 60 followed 413 and Secondary D.  they get close (about 1-2 miles) but together?

[DandyDan]

For US 34:
Hastings-Grand Island-Lincoln: US 6 plus (West) O Street.

[NE2]

For US 34:
Hastings-Grand Island-Lincoln: US 6 plus (West) O Street.

Hmmm, yeah. I decided not to count that, but on a second look it's definitely indirect enough. Thanks.

[roadman65]

How about for US 1 Folkston- *Augusta-Columbia*- Petersburg  US 301?
Is it because the two corridors are long and not straight? 

I used the * because my dumbass computer is for some unknown reason refusing to let me go bold on this.  I even tried  using word document and bolding it, then copying and pasting, and  then it would paste to here in normal lettering.   Obviously, its time to get this thing cleaned!

[NE2]

How about for US 1 Folkston- Augusta- Columbia- Petersburg  US 301?
Is it because the two corridors are long and not straight? 

Are you sure 301 is actually shorter there? (And, more importantly, shorter than 17-15 between Jax and Southern Pines?)

[roadman65]

How about for US 1 Folkston- Augusta- Columbia- Petersburg  US 301?
Is it because the two corridors are long and not straight? 

Are you sure 301 is actually shorter there? (And, more importantly, shorter than 17-15 between Jax and Southern Pines?)

I did not think it was.  That is why I am asking, because it is deceiving on the map.  I did not know if you forgot or if the distance is not all that different.  US 301 does, like you said, go far west as Statesboro, GA which makes its overall routing even longer than I-95.  I was unsure if US 301 north of Santee made up for it. 

Good point.  I will have to check on it.

[roadman65]

Just checked on Wikipedia and actually US 1 between those two points is only 3 miles longer than its child.  Hard to believe, but also not surprised either.

[hbelkins]

27
*Williston-Tallahassee-Chattanooga: 41
*Cincinnati-Fort Wayne-Lansing: 127

227
*Richmond-Paris-Georgetown: 25

I was going to point out that 27 now ends at Ft. Wayne, but since you listed 227, you're obviously considering historic routes.

How about Chattanooga to Cincinnati for 27 and 127? 27 is the more direct route.

[Eth]

How about this one for US 29?

LaGrange-Newnan-Atlanta-Athens: GA 109-US 27A-GA 362-GA 85-GA 138-US 78

A difference of only seven miles, but mostly following just state routes.

[Molandfreak]

61
*Wayland-Davenport-La Crosse-St. Paul: MO-IA 27-218-63-52

FTFY

[national highway 1]

US 80 used to loop through Phoenix multiplexed with US 60/70/89. AZ 84 was a more direct route between Gila Bend and Tucson, which is why it was supplanted by I-8.

[roadman65]

On US 23 you could add US 441.  Atlanta is a pivoting point for US 23 in Atlanta.  Remember US 23 is Georgia's longest US highway.  It junctions with US 441in McRae in South Central GA and then meets it again in North GA near Cornelia where both routes concur into NC.

[Eth]

Keeping with the Georgia theme:

US 129, Macon-Athens-Gainesville, has a couple options.

US 23-Halls Bridge Rd-GA 36-GA 138-US 78-GA 11-GA 53-GA 13 (14 miles; 12 miles if you stay on US 23 to GA 36)
US 23-GA 83-GA 11-GA 53-New Cut Rd-GA 60 (14 miles; 12 miles if you use GA 124 instead of New Cut Rd)

US 280, Cusseta-Richland-Americus-McRae: GA 26-US 341 (10 miles)

US 1, Folkston-Waycross-Wrens-Augusta: US 301-GA 129-GA 121-US 25-GA 56 (12 miles)

US 411, Rome-Cartersville-Chatsworth: GA 53-GA 53 Spur-US 41-GA 225-GA 52 (15 miles, almost a quarter of the distance)

[NE2]

How about Chattanooga to Cincinnati for 27 and 127? 27 is the more direct route.

The Goog (with avoid highways checked) shows 342 for 27 and 347 for 127. Taking 25 north of Lexington gives 337. 10 miles out of 340 on other U.S. Routes is not enough to list.

How about this one for US 29?

LaGrange-Newnan-Atlanta-Athens: GA 109-US 27A-GA 362-GA 85-GA 138-US 78

A difference of only seven miles, but mostly following just state routes.

I don't know. There are just too many like this where it's marginally more direct to use a chain of parallel routes, and here you're just going through Atlanta's suburbs. (Did you mean to include 54 between 85 and 138? And I get even more savings taking 54 from Hogansville.)

61
*Wayland-Davenport-La Crosse-St. Paul: MO-IA 27-218-63-52

FTFY

Wayland should be Keokuk. Or something.

US 411, Rome-Cartersville-Chatsworth: GA 53-GA 53 Spur-US 41-GA 225-GA 52 (15 miles, almost a quarter of the distance)

Got this one already. The others... again, you get some savings, but often I have even more direct routes listed (like US 280, Columbus-Blitchton).

[NE2]

All done.

[NWI_Irish96]

Before the US 20 bypass opened in South Bend/Elkhart, US 33 ran all the way into South Bend.  US 33 was the most direct route between South Bend and Fort Wayne (76 miles), but anybody making that trip would have used the slightly less direct US 31/US 30 (85 miles) since that route is 4 lanes the entire trip with far fewer stoplights.

[roadman65]

Locally you can say that from Bowers Hill, VA to Norfolk, VA that US 13 and US 460 go wayward from the route that US 58 takes.  I know its not that much of a significant difference and it is on a small scale, but US 58 is the shortest route there.

US 13 follows Military Highway that loops through Chesapeake and US 46o goes south to Chesapeake with US 13, but then goes due north into Norfolk to cross US 58 in Downtown.


Across the state you have US 11 that does not take the straightest path through Roanoke either. VA 117 is the shortest way from Salem to Hollins.

[NE2]

I've started adding some historical context to each entry.