Multi-state routes and why they exist

[StogieGuy7]

Several come to mind:

NH/VT 9
CT/MA 8
MA/NH 28
CT/MA/NH 10
IL/WI 83
CO/KS 96
CO/NM 17
VA/NC 46
VA/NC 186

It does seem as if the sharing of state highway numbers between states is more prevalent in the smaller northeastern states and less so as you move west.  But there are certainly exceptions to this which, I'd imagine, is associated with historical cooperation between state pairs.   

Sharing numbers on a somewhat well-traveled route as it crosses the state line is smart in that it makes things easier for the traveler.   

[Mapmikey]

NC changed NC 195 to NC 186 because Virginia did the same to accomodate I-195's designation in Richmond.

For VA 46, this was changed from VA 34 as part of the mass state-line renumberings of Oct 1940.  All of these can be viewed at http://www.virginiadot.org/meetings/minutes_pdf/CTB-10-1940-01.pdf from pages 8-17 in the pdf.

Mapmikey

[jp the roadgeek]

Several come to mind:

NH/VT 9
CT/MA 8
MA/NH 28
CT/MA/NH 10
IL/WI 83
CO/KS 96
CO/NM 17
VA/NC 46
VA/NC 186

It does seem as if the sharing of state highway numbers between states is more prevalent in the smaller northeastern states and less so as you move west.  But there are certainly exceptions to this which, I'd imagine, is associated with historical cooperation between state pairs.   

Sharing numbers on a somewhat well-traveled route as it crosses the state line is smart in that it makes things easier for the traveler.

The New England Interstates make for the continuous routes across borders.  You can add ME to the Route 9 and VT to route 8.  There's also CT/MA/NH 32, and the king of them all: CT/MA/NH/VT 12.  There's also VT/NH/ME 11.  Added to those, here's a more complete list of state routes that leave CT and maintan their # across the border:

CT/MA: 41, 183, 189, 168, 187, 75, 159, 220, 186, 83, 19, 169, 197, 198, 131, 193
CT/RI: 78, 216, 14, 165, 138 (as part of CT/RI/MA 138), 101
CT/NY: 343, 55, 35, 116, 123, 124, 137 (not including 120A, which is in relation to NY 120, as CT 120 is about 60 miles away)

[agentsteel53]

CO-KS-MO (former) 96: history of CO-KS unclear (both existed in 1926); MO 16 changed to match realignment over KS 26

former auto trail: Denver-Joplin highway.  somewhere I have a 1921-22-ish map scan which shows it.

[Quillz]

Are there any examples of parallel routes separated by state lines that share the same or similar number, but do not actually meet? For example, State A might have Route 1 along the west side of the border, while directly across the border lies Route 1 in State B.

It's not a multi-state route per se, but I wonder if something like that has been done?

[D-Dey65]

Are there any examples of parallel routes separated by state lines that share the same or similar number, but do not actually meet? For example, State A might have Route 1 along the west side of the border, while directly across the border lies Route 1 in State B.

It's not a multi-state route per se, but I wonder if something like that has been done?

NY 7 running east and west, and US 7 running north and south through Vermont.

[bugo]

Are there any examples of parallel routes separated by state lines that share the same or similar number, but do not actually meet? For example, State A might have Route 1 along the west side of the border, while directly across the border lies Route 1 in State B.

It's not a multi-state route per se, but I wonder if something like that has been done?

US 59 and AR/MO 59 parallel the Arkansas/Oklahoma state line from much of the way between Fort Smith, AR and Diamond, MO.

[Alps]

Are there any examples of parallel routes separated by state lines that share the same or similar number, but do not actually meet? For example, State A might have Route 1 along the west side of the border, while directly across the border lies Route 1 in State B.

It's not a multi-state route per se, but I wonder if something like that has been done?

MD 23 turns into PA 24, but MD 24 is really close by. https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.735442,-76.497459&spn=0.13148,0.291824&t=m&z=12
Also, Ontario 11 and MN 11.

[Quillz]

Neat, I didn't realize there were so many examples of those "twinned" routes. I think it's an interesting idea, although it might cause some confusion for those not familiar with the areas.

[bugo]

It must be confusing for outsiders visiting Siloam Springs, AR/West Siloam Springs, OK, to be told to take "Highway 59 south."  I've been told that locals call US 59 "Oklahoma 59" and AR 59 "Arkansas 59."  Here's a video of US 412 between the two 59s to give an idea of how close they are together:

[jp the roadgeek]

To add to the list of a couple of routes with the same number in different states that aren't continuous:

CT and RI 2: CT 2 ends at US 1 about 100 yds. from the RI border, RI 2 begins at US 1 a few miles away in Charlestown (a couple of maps I saw erroneously twinned US 1 and RI 2 through Westerly to connect to CT 2, which would create a continous, though circuitious new route from Hartford to Providence).

CT 20 and US 20: CT 20 runs a few miles south of the MA border, and US 20 about 10-15 miles north of the border.

NH 113 and ME 113:  NH 113 disappears at the ME border along US 302.  Meanwhile, ME 113 intersects US 302 a few miles into ME in Fryeburg.

DE 1 and US 1: DE 1 ends a few miles south of the PA border.  US 1 skips Delaware and goes from Cecil County, MD into Chester County, PA.

[roadman]

Add NY 2-MA 2 to the list.  I took this route from Albany back to Boston in late September (the unintended result of an experiment with using the "HOME" button with my then-new GPS).  It was just before the start of leaf peeping season, so the traffic wasn't bad at all (only had to pass slower traffic on the two-lane sections three times).

As for why multi-state state routes exist, you can thank AASHTO for that one.  It has been a long standing policy (dating back to the AASHO days) to a) discourage the creation of new US routes and b) encourage adjoining states to use common state numbers for routes that cross borders.

My nomination for a US to state route "conversion" (decomission the US route and replace it with a state one) would be US 3 - which would be changed to MA 3 and NH 3. This would also solve the long-standing issue of having both a US Route 3 and a State Route 3 in Massachusetts.

[NE2]

the long-standing issue of having both a US Route 3 and a State Route 3 in Massachusetts.

A non-issue.

[Alps]

To add to the list of a couple of routes with the same number in different states that aren't continuous:

CT and RI 2: CT 2 ends at US 1 about 100 yds. from the RI border, RI 2 begins at US 1 a few miles away in Charlestown (a couple of maps I saw erroneously twinned US 1 and RI 2 through Westerly to connect to CT 2, which would create a continous, though circuitious new route from Hartford to Providence).

You had some good examples there. Re: above, I'm not actually sure that RI 2 didn't connect to CT 2 historically, although it certainly doesn't any more. I think before US 1 was on its current alignment (i.e. when it followed what's now 1A), 2 was on it as well. Then again, all we go on for historical information is old maps, and those can be just as wrong as new maps.

[roadman65]

I believe that CT 12/ MA 12/ NH 12/ VT 12 holds the record for most states that one non US route enters or is part of.
I cannot think of any other routes that go across more than 3 state lines.

It is most interesting as US 3 is only in two states, and yet you have a Route 12 that surpasses it twice.  Plus you have the US 46, US 92, US 130, US 175, and US `192 that are only in one state that are even shorter than some single state route designations.

We have many instances where a state route designation would be prime canidate for US route and US routes that should be state routes.   In the Northeast, I really do not see people (other than us) caring if a route is state or US and in MA 3 and US 3, many consider it to be the same Route 3 just like near Syracuse, NY I-481 and NY 481 is looked at as one continuous Route 481.

[Alps]

I believe that CT 12/ MA 12/ NH 12/ VT 12 holds the record for most states that one non US route enters or is part of.
I cannot think of any other routes that go across more than 3 state lines.

yawn

[MSR 200]

[NE2]

I believe that CT 12/ MA 12/ NH 12/ VT 12 holds the record for most states that one non US route enters or is part of.
I cannot think of any other routes that go across more than 3 state lines.

yawn

[MSR 200]

Also 92 (both listed in my original post).

[KEK Inc.]

Interesting list.  In AARoads tradition, people don't fully read the OP. 

Oregon and Washington don't really do a good job lining anything up.  I'm surprised there isn't anything on the old US-830 (currently WA-4/WA-14).   I don't recall where 830 crossed over, or if it's one of the intrastate US highways that got trunked in the 60s.

[Billy F 1988]

*AZ-NM-CO-WY-MT 789 (former): Canada-Mexico Highway

*ID-MT-ND-MN 200: joint creation? from US 10 Alternate (which itself replaced an earlier ID-MT 3; not clear which was first), MT 20, ND 23, ND 7, MN 31, MN 34

789 starting from Montana down to Arizona was supposed to be US 789 when the idea was turned down by AASHTO. Wyoming had some US 789 signs, but then were removed.

Route 200 from my understanding is apparently a joint effort to connect small towns and medium-to-large populated cities within these five states. Minnessota may have come first with MN 200, then ND, MT, and finally ID. Same with US 10. I'm assuming Route 200 coexisted with US 10 Alternate starting northwest of Spokane, WA, running though Sandpoint, ID, St. Regis, Superior, Missoula, Butte, and Annaconda, MT. After US 10 was decomissioned in Montana in 1986, Route 200 took over US 10 Alternate. I-90 and 94 took over the entire US 10 corridor, same with I-15 taking over Old US 91. Secondary Route 474 and 263 are risidual remnances of Old US 10 near where I live.

[Kacie Jane]

Interesting list.  In AARoads tradition, people don't fully read the OP. 

Oregon and Washington don't really do a good job lining anything up.  I'm surprised there isn't anything on the old US-830 (currently WA-4/WA-14).   I don't recall where 830 crossed over, or if it's one of the intrastate US highways that got trunked in the 60s.

IIRC, it's the latter.  That is, it was only ever in Washington, and never actually connected to US 30.  (I believe it did connect to US 730 however.)

[NE2]

I believe it did connect to US 730 however.

Nope - the east end was at US 97. Violation from the beginning.

[apeman33]

*CO-KS-MO 96: history of CO-KS unclear (both existed in 1926); MO 16 changed to match realignment over KS 26

No longer continuous. MO 96 now ends at MO 171 near Carl Junction.

Besides which, KS-96 now ends at US-54/400 in Wichita.

The changes pretty much happened like so:
K-96 decommissioned east of Wichita because U.S. 400 took over a large part of the route.
U.S. 160 moved from Cherryvale-Parsons alignment to Altamont-Oswego-Columbus alignment to replace that part of K-96.
U.S. 400 routed from Fredonia via Neodesha to Parsons (When first commissioned, it had been co-signed with K-47 from Fredonia through Altoona).
K-37 decommissioned because it became redundant (It connected Neodesha to U.S. 169 via U.S. 75; U.S. 400 does that now). You can follow most of old K-37 but because of the changes needed at the U.S. 169-400 interchange, you can no longer get to where K-37's east end was by following the old route (it dead ends).
K-96 from Crestline to MO state line decommissioned entirely (It's now known as "Old K-96" for the Cherokee County 911 system).
MO-96 from KS State line changed to Route YY.

I don't know if the Kansas and Missouri decommissionings of those parts of MSR-96 happened at the same time of it MO-96 temporarily ended at the Kansas state line for a short time.

[KEK Inc.]

I believe it did connect to US 730 however.

Nope - the east end was at US 97. Violation from the beginning.

Did 30 ever cross Astoria at one point?

[Kacie Jane]

I believe it did connect to US 730 however.

Nope - the east end was at US 97. Violation from the beginning.

Did 30 ever cross Astoria at one point?

That I know for certain is a no.

[Road Hog]

I noticed that a lot of New England roads do not change numbers as they cross state lines. Was there a concerted effort in the beginning to organize a New England road network?