States that Disallow Route Number Duplication

[Ian]

I asked MassDOT about the whole US/MA 3 situation. I suggested it had to do with MA 3 in Boston being below design standards. Here is the response:

"When MA 3 and US 3 were originally designated in the 1920s, there was no strict prohibition on having US and state routes with the same number within a given state, as there is now.  As you point out, much of MA 3 through Downtown Boston did not meet the design standards, even in the 1920s, for US Routes, which is likely why it was not given the US designation at that time.

Once the 'no identical route numbers within a state' rules were established, available records suggest that the MA 3 designation between the Mass. Ave Bridge in Cambridge and Cape Cod was retained on the basis it was to be a 'temporary' extension of US 3 until the US 3 and I-695 freeways were completed.  Since that other freeway work was cancelled in the 1970s, there has been discussion about converting the present MA 3 designation to an extension of the US route.  However, this would not be possible unless both US 3 between Burlington and Cambridge and MA 3 south of Hingham are updated to current AASHTO design standards for those classification of roads."

[agentsteel53]

the design standards, even in the 1920s, for US Routes

some AASHO official must not have heard of US-550.

[TheStranger]

the design standards, even in the 1920s, for US Routes

some AASHO official must not have heard of US-550.

Or the segment of US 183 which was a dirt road until the 1960s, certainly lower standard than any segment of MA 3 in Boston.

[Quillz]

I wasn't aware there were even design standards back in the 1920s. I thought the only requirement was a U.S. Route had to at least lead somewhere.

[agentsteel53]

I've never seen a photo of US-183, but if Nebraska's US-30 from the early 40s is any indication, then 183 was a well-graded, level two-lane-wide dirt road: more than up to standard. 

just because a road is dirt doesn't mean it's bad quality. 

[NE2]

I believe US 6 in western Utah, on the other hand, was bad dirt for a while.

[agentsteel53]

US-66 down La Bajada in New Mexico was quite awful.  I've seen 1915 photos of the 20% downhill incline, and I don't think it was much upgraded until the 30s.

US-2 across Montana was initially a railroad connection because the road had not been built yet!  I do not know exactly how long, but I think it may have been as much as Ray, ND to Shelby, MT.  I cannot for the life of me find the reference to this information - I think it may be found on Robert Droz's US route page.

[NE2]

US-2 across Montana was initially a railroad connection because the road had not been built yet!  I do not know exactly how long, but I think it may have been as much as Ray, ND to Shelby, MT.  I cannot for the life of me find the reference to this information - I think it may be found on Robert Droz's US route page.

1926 Rand McNally: http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/NorthernRockies/Montana/unitedstates1926ra_068.html

[yakra]

I've never seen a photo of US-183, but if Nebraska's US-30 from the early 40s is any indication, then 183 was a well-graded, level two-lane-wide dirt road: more than up to standard. 

just because a road is dirt doesn't mean it's bad quality. 

There are still to this day some dirt roads on Nebraska's state system.

[agentsteel53]

1926 Rand McNally: http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/NorthernRockies/Montana/unitedstates1926ra_068.html

thanks!  looks like it was the section across Glacier National Park that had not been built.  well, I suppose if a ferry over water is a valid part of a US route (US-10 from the beginning, US-9 since 1978) then one over land can count too.

[xonhulu]

I asked MassDOT about the whole US/MA 3 situation. I suggested it had to do with MA 3 in Boston being below design standards. Here is the response:

"When MA 3 and US 3 were originally designated in the 1920s, there was no strict prohibition on having US and state routes with the same number within a given state, as there is now.  As you point out, much of MA 3 through Downtown Boston did not meet the design standards, even in the 1920s, for US Routes, which is likely why it was not given the US designation at that time.

Once the 'no identical route numbers within a state' rules were established, available records suggest that the MA 3 designation between the Mass. Ave Bridge in Cambridge and Cape Cod was retained on the basis it was to be a 'temporary' extension of US 3 until the US 3 and I-695 freeways were completed.  Since that other freeway work was cancelled in the 1970s, there has been discussion about converting the present MA 3 designation to an extension of the US route.  However, this would not be possible unless both US 3 between Burlington and Cambridge and MA 3 south of Hingham are updated to current AASHTO design standards for those classification of roads."

Are there any viable re-routing options possible to avoid the supposedly deficient sections?

[agentsteel53]

Are there any viable re-routing options possible to avoid the supposedly deficient sections?

I would take the current MA-3 routing to the Big Dig and the Southeastern Expressway.  I think the SE Expwy is almost interstate standard - US route standard for sure!  If you insist on doing with 3 what was done with 1 and moving it to the freeway as quickly as possible, maybe have it cross the Harvard Bridge instead of the Longfellow, and route it onto I-90 for a few blocks to get to I-93. 

though then that runs into the problem of having a US route as a toll road without a clearly designated free alternative.  Have the Longfellow be signed as Alternate US 3, but of course Mass does not do alternate US routes (with the exception of a very short-lived US-5A in the 30s) so it would be dropped to MA-3A in status.

this being Massachusetts, they'd fudge this up totally... there are enough US-3 shields south of Boston that for all intents and purposes, the route is US 3 

[Ian]

You could also reroute US 3 onto MA 128/I-95 until you reach I-93, where it could follow that to MA 3 then have US 3 take up the rest of MA 3. With this, you could just extend MA 3A along the current US/MA 3 in Boston.

[agentsteel53]

You could also reroute US 3 onto MA 128/I-95 until you reach I-93, where it could follow that to MA 3 then have US 3 take up the rest of MA 3. With this, you could just extend MA 3A along the current US/MA 3 in Boston.

too Indianapolis-like.  I dislike putting all the US routes onto the ring road.

by the way, are there any other examples of a US route number that continues as a state route after its terminus?  like US-3 turning into MA-3. 

The only related example I can think of is US-1A comes out of Rhode Island and becomes MA-1A, and the exact same thing happens southbound at the NH/MA line - but that isn't quite exactly the same thing, as it's not the terminus of US-1. 

[Ian]

US 222 continues as MD 222.

[agentsteel53]

US 222 continues as MD 222.

I had forgotten that one!

this is pretty common with interstate routes.  15, 210, 905 come to mind in southern California - but with US routes it is much rarer, since that one blurb regarding US-3 is the first time I'd ever heard of a US route not being up to spec.

[Quillz]

US 222 continues as MD 222.

I had forgotten that one!

this is pretty common with interstate routes.  15, 210, 905 come to mind in southern California - but with US routes it is much rarer, since that one blurb regarding US-3 is the first time I'd ever heard of a US route not being up to spec.

Even though it doesn't follow what you posted, didn't California number CA-46 as such because it used to be a segment of 466? And US-299, of course, became CA-299.

[hbelkins]

by the way, are there any other examples of a US route number that continues as a state route after its terminus?  like US-3 turning into MA-3. 

US 79 and KY 79 had a "close but no cigar" relationship there for awhile. There actually used to be a sign assembly with both the US and state markers in Russellville. The relocation of US 431 and the truncation of US 79's terminus resulted in the elimination of that sign.

But the routes did not intersect. US 79 ended at US 68 east of downtown Russellville. KY 79 ended at US 431 north of downtown.

[huskeroadgeek]

I've never seen a photo of US-183, but if Nebraska's US-30 from the early 40s is any indication, then 183 was a well-graded, level two-lane-wide dirt road: more than up to standard. 

just because a road is dirt doesn't mean it's bad quality. 

There are still to this day some dirt roads on Nebraska's state system.

There are not. Gravel, yes(only a few of those left). But dirt-no.

[Eth]

by the way, are there any other examples of a US route number that continues as a state route after its terminus?  like US-3 turning into MA-3.  

US 211 continues as VA 211.

[Alps]

US 222 continues as MD 222.

and PA 222.
Miraculously, US 202 continues as MA 202, but resumes being a US route on either side. Same with US 20 becoming MA 20 for most of that state. *sarcasm*

[NE2]

In Delaware, SR 202 ends at the I-95/US 202 interchange.

[deathtopumpkins]

In Virginia, while VA 360 is not exactly a continuation of US 360, it is, I believe, an old alignment of it, and signs showing both routes do exist (supplanted by "US" and "STATE" banners), so this almost qualifies.

[Mapmikey]

Virginia has had a number of these:

US 121 (now US 52) and current VA 121
US 17 and VA 17 (promoted to US 17)
US 13 and VA 13 (promoted to US 13)
US 501 and VA 501 (renumbered to VA 39)
US 33 and VA 33 (briefly disconnected in early 80s)
US 158 and VA 158 (renumbered to US 258 and VA 258)
US 258 and VA 258 (promoted to US 258)
US 301 and VA 301 (promoted to US 301)
US 340 and VA 340 (renumbered as VA 12 then eventually US 340)

The US 360 setup of today is also not unique...Va once had US 29/VA 29 both running from Culpeper to Warrenton.  VA 29 is now VA 229 and SR 802.

In proximity (never did meet) - US 311 (now US 220) and VA 311

Mapmikey

[agentsteel53]

for states that do allow route number duplication, Florida may be the most egregious example, with US-17, FL-17, and county route 17 all within two miles of each other.

Georgia is pretty bad too.  US-27 intersects at right angles with SR-27.  That's not as overtly bad as the Florida example, but bear in mind that about one in every 30 US or state route sign in Georgia is of the wrong polarity.  I can only imagine the day they put up a gantry with US-27 intersecting US-27.