Interesting things about specific US route terminuses

[roadman65]

I noticed that US Highway 271 runs from Smith County, TX to Fort Smith, AR.  Two endpoints that have Smith in their name.  I have seen many common things about one end of a highway over another, but this is probably one rare find like this to have one route end at a common name. 

I am sure many other stories are out there as well.  The universe is full of them.

[Max Rockatansky]

US 319 still ends at Apalachicola Bay in the middle of US 98 despite not really having a real reason to do so at that location for decades.  Before the bridge was there US 319 would end and a ferry would take traffic to US 98. 

[usends]

US 319 still ends at Apalachicola Bay in the middle of US 98 despite not really having a real reason to do so at that location for decades.  Before the bridge was there US 319 would end and a ferry would take traffic to US 98.

True, although US 319 used a ferry only briefly, because the original Gorrie Bridge was built in 1935, just two years after US 319 (and US 98) were commissioned.  The current bridge was built in 1988, and interestingly, US 319's "End" sign is posted right where the new bridge's alignment diverges from the original alignment.  (That's my best theory for how the terminus of 319 came to be located at that seemingly-nonsensical point.)  This photo was taken during the brief timeframe during which both alignments were visible.  I suspect that 319's original endpoint was in Apalachicola itself, probably at the courthouse, but so far haven't found anything to prove that... which is frustrating, since 1988 wasn't all that long ago.

[Bruce]

US 2 and I-90 both end at short state routes just beyond I-5, and these state routes are both spurs of I-5 that end in -9 (SR 529 and SR 519, respectively). Always thought that was a neat coincidence.

[DJ Particle]

US 2 and I-90 both end at short state routes just beyond I-5, and these state routes are both spurs of I-5 that end in -9 (SR 529 and SR 519, respectively). Always thought that was a neat coincidence.

The other end of I-90 also ends at a state-level highway (MA-1A)

Also...according to Google street view, I-90 seems to start at "Mile 2"??

[DJ Particle]

There's the eastern terminus of US-6 in Provincetown, MA.

It and its own "alternate" highway (MA-6A) end at each other.

What's even funnier is that before the Provincetown bypass was built, the old US-6 terminus was not adjacent to any currently numbered state highway.  It was at the west end of Commercial Street.  US-6 was never signed along Provincelands Rd to Herring Cove.  It wasn't given a numbered designation until the bypass was built.

[hbelkins]

How many begin and end at the same route? US 460's western end is at US 60 (and US 421) in Frankfort, Ky., and the eastern end is at US 60 in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

[NWI_Irish96]

This may be a bit of a stretch to consider it "interesting" but for Indiana the best I can come up with is that three US Highways: 33, 35, and 421, all had their northern termini truncated to US 20.

[Mapmikey]

How many begin and end at the same route? US 460's western end is at US 60 (and US 421) in Frankfort, Ky., and the eastern end is at US 60 in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

158 and 264 do this - both start and end at US 64

101 does this with I-5

311 did for decades but no longer does

[pianocello]

This may be a bit of a stretch to consider it "interesting" but for Indiana the best I can come up with is that three US Highways: 33, 35, and 421, all had their northern termini truncated to US 20.

To piggyback on that, all three of these routes' most recent former endpoint was at US 12 (although in US 33's case, it was in Michigan).

[ozarkman417]

US 425 ends at US 65, and US 65 ends at US 425, so they are essentially endpoints for each other, and what's with 425's seemingly pointless (and poorly signed) concurrency leading up to I-530?

[Some one]

Us 24 has its western terminus at I-70 (US 6) and it's eastern (northern) terminus at I-75. I just find it to be interesting because both interstates start with a 7 and US 24 runs in a north-south path at those points (and is signed as such in Michigan).

US 10 has it's western and eastern terminus at an interstate (I-94, I-75), a US highway (US 52, US 23), and an interstate business highway (I-94 Bus, BL I-94). The eastern terminus also M-25.

In general, it's just really interesting to see the amount of US Highways that end at I-75 in Michigan. You got US 2, US 10, US 23, US 24. US 31, and US 127.

How many begin and end at the same route? US 460's western end is at US 60 (and US 421) in Frankfort, Ky., and the eastern end is at US 60 in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

US 16 has its western terminus at Yellowstone Park alongside US 14 (and the western segment of US 20) and its eastern terminus at US 14 (and I-90/I-190/US 16 Truck) in Rapid City.

[US 89]

It always amazed me that there are four US route termini in a single county in North Carolina.

[Max Rockatansky]

US 180 has a western terminus that is co-signed with AZ 64 at the South Rim entrance of Grand Canyon National Park:

180USb by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

US 89 ends at US 180/Historic US 66/I-40 BL in on Milton Road.  While that might not seem so odd a western jog on Milton Road through downtown Flagstaff will take a traveler to AZ 89A which was part of US 89A until fairly recently.  For a route that is supposed to be truncated ADOT sure did a crappy job at picking new numbers:

180USa by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

US 50's western terminus near I-80 near Sacramento is also legislatively recognized as part of the signed route of I-80BL.  Interestingly US 50 west of CA 99 is considered FHWA I-305 but the California legislature doesn't recognize it.

[Evan_Th]

Also...according to Google street view, I-90 seems to start at "Mile 2"??

Yes; the original plan was to have it start at SR 99, but that part got cancelled in the Seattle freeway revolts.  I wish it'd been kept; it would've made it a lot easier to get to and from the west part of the city.

[DJ Particle]

Also...according to Google street view, I-90 seems to start at "Mile 2"??

Yes; the original plan was to have it start at SR 99, but that part got cancelled in the Seattle freeway revolts.  I wish it'd been kept; it would've made it a lot easier to get to and from the west part of the city.

That was what I originally thought too...but WA-99 is only another block away.   

[TheStranger]

US 50's western terminus near I-80 near Sacramento is also legislatively recognized as part of the signed route of I-80BL. 

As of 2016-2017 that's no longer the case and the east-west stretch through West Sacramento is pretty much signed entirely as US 50 except for some straggler ramp signs, IIRC.

[US 89]

US 89 ends at US 180/Historic US 66/I-40 BL in on Milton Road.  While that might not seem so odd a western jog on Milton Road through downtown Flagstaff will take a traveler to AZ 89A which was part of US 89A until fairly recently.  For a route that is supposed to be truncated ADOT sure did a crappy job at picking new numbers:

US 89 might have one of the most poorly defined endpoints I know of. There are shields and street blades to support an endpoint at Historic 66 which you posted above, but the END 89 sign is back up at the intersection with Country Club Drive. Then the signage from I-40 seems to suggest Country Club Drive is US 89.

The 2013 Arizona route log (most recent I can find) states that US 89 begins "Near Trailsend Drive inside Flagstaff", which is well north of any of these other intersections. That point is given milepost 1.87; tracing the mileage back would suggest a MP 0 at either Historic 66 or the north side ramps at the I-40 interchange.

[Max Rockatansky]

US 50's western terminus near I-80 near Sacramento is also legislatively recognized as part of the signed route of I-80BL. 

As of 2016-2017 that's no longer the case and the east-west stretch through West Sacramento is pretty much signed entirely as US 50 except for some straggler ramp signs, IIRC.

Yes, the signage got took taken down but the Legislative requirement to co-sign it as I-80B still remains.  I can confirm at least one I-80B shield on former CA 160 as it crosses under US 50. 

[Max Rockatansky]

US 89 ends at US 180/Historic US 66/I-40 BL in on Milton Road.  While that might not seem so odd a western jog on Milton Road through downtown Flagstaff will take a traveler to AZ 89A which was part of US 89A until fairly recently.  For a route that is supposed to be truncated ADOT sure did a crappy job at picking new numbers:

US 89 might have one of the most poorly defined endpoints I know of. There are shields and street blades to support an endpoint at Historic 66 which you posted above, but the END 89 sign is back up at the intersection with Country Club Drive. Then the signage from I-40 seems to suggest Country Club Drive is US 89.

The 2013 Arizona route log (most recent I can find) states that US 89 begins "Near Trailsend Drive inside Flagstaff", which is well north of any of these other intersections. That point is given milepost 1.87; tracing the mileage back would suggest a MP 0 at either Historic 66 or the north side ramps at the I-40 interchange.

Isn't Trails End near or at the end of the City Limit of Flagstaff?  That might explain the discrepancy in the ADOT logs if Flagstaff maintained part of US 89.  I could have swore I had a picture of that US 89 End shield assembly but I can't find it in any of photo logs. 

[-- US 175 --]

The backwoods semi-cul-de-sac at US 41's north terminus in MI is an unusual and sudden one to those unfamiliar.

The blockage of the US 75 north terminus in Noyes, MN made the once 'king of trails' a rather quiet, anticlimactic one.  I guess as long as nothing is ever done about that (mainly connecting US 75 to Pembina as a reroute), it will remain so.

[Evan_Th]

Also...according to Google street view, I-90 seems to start at "Mile 2"??

Yes; the original plan was to have it start at SR 99, but that part got cancelled in the Seattle freeway revolts.  I wish it'd been kept; it would've made it a lot easier to get to and from the west part of the city.

That was what I originally thought too...but WA-99 is only another block away.   

My guess is they rounded up; the SR 99 exit would've been Exit 1, and the I-5 interchange half a mile later is Exit 2.

Or, intriguingly, if you continue down SR 99 to the interchange with the West Seattle Bridge (which was planned as an x05), you've come almost exactly two miles from the I-90/I-5 interchange...

[bing101]

US-101 in both  the north end and south end meet with I-5.

[Bruce]

Also...according to Google street view, I-90 seems to start at "Mile 2"??

Yes; the original plan was to have it start at SR 99, but that part got cancelled in the Seattle freeway revolts.  I wish it'd been kept; it would've made it a lot easier to get to and from the west part of the city.

That was what I originally thought too...but WA-99 is only another block away.   

My guess is they rounded up; the SR 99 exit would've been Exit 1, and the I-5 interchange half a mile later is Exit 2.

Or, intriguingly, if you continue down SR 99 to the interchange with the West Seattle Bridge (which was planned as an x05), you've come almost exactly two miles from the I-90/I-5 interchange...

The West Seattle Bridge was not planned to be a freeway, let alone an Interstate. There was a vague proposal from the state for a cross-sound freeway bridge that would have landed at Fauntleroy and worked its way up to the Cloverdale Interchange (SR 99 / SR 509) before proceeding to I-5 near Georgetown.

As for the I-90 / SR 99 connection: the Connecticut Street Viaduct was not done in by the city's freeway revolts but rather the amount of time it took to sort out the construction of the third floating bridge and the lids on Mercer Island. The I-5 / I-90 interchange famously had many pre-built ramps that sat empty for decades, but when it came time to build the western connection there was little demand and not enough funding to go around. Having that connection today wouldn't work with the design of the SR 99 tunnel, as the stoplights in SODO act as a very large ramp meter to help control traffic flow.

[RobbieL2415]

US 6 ends in Provincetown, MA on Federal land.  Are there any other US routes that end that way?