Route numbers that actually mean something

[bing101]

US-50 from Ocean City, Maryland to West Sacramento, CA 50 states.
Although the US-50 designation goes back to the 1920's to 1930's prior to the United States having 50 states though.

[ozarkman417]

U.S. Bike Route 66 takes its number from the Historic Route 66, for which is largely parallels.

U.S. Bike Route 76 was the route used in the Bikecentennial event of 1976, which commemorated the Bicentennial of the DoI signed in 1776. The route was commissioned a few years later.

[Max Rockatansky]

US-50 from Ocean City, Maryland to West Sacramento, CA 50 states.
Although the US-50 designation goes back to the 1920's to 1930's prior to the United States having 50 states though.

How is US 50 supposed to represent the 50 states?

[sparker]

According to my cousin, who retired from Caltrans a while back but was working in old Division of Highways days, the original alignment -- and numbering -- of SSR 33, which until 1964 branched off US 99 (multiplexed with SSR 166 from US 99 west to Maricopa) was an alliterative alternate to 99, intended to serve as a "detour" route when tule fog or flooding affected 99.  The DOH also felt that since 66 was itself iconic, that a number that was half of that and a third of the main CA N-S corridor would be easy for folks needing that option to remember.  SSR 33 (and present CA 33 north of Maricopa) sits slightly above the Valley on the east Coast Range alluvial until it gets north of Coalinga; it's back on agricultural bottom land by Mendota and stays there most of the way to its historical northern terminus near Tracy (that portion definitely does get tule fog in winter!).  So even being out of the way, it was, at least for 3/4 of its length, a viable alternative to weather-related issues that plagued US 99, particularly when it was still a 2-lane rural highway.  And since a lot of migrants to the Valley used US 66 to get out to CA and US 99 for the final leg to their aspirational agricultural employment area and new home, the number 33 as a useful alternate route was certainly viable. 

[US71]

K-96: I believe I read once that 96 was an early phone number along the road for a garage (?), so the road they were on was numbered 96.

[cwf1701]

M-239 in Michigan stand for to state highway 39 (in Indiana). This highway was first signed when I-94 ended at exit 1 (M-239).

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

OH 3 was a shortening of the auto trail, Cincinnati-Columbus-Cleveland Highway, thus the 3-C Highway.
http://www.lincolnhighwayoh.com/articles/8-articles/20-in-search-of-the-three-c-highway
http://3chighway.org/index.php/2-uncategorised

[Roadsguy]

US 1/9 is numbered that because it's a concurrency of US 1 and US 9.

[formulanone]

US 1/9 is numbered that because it's a concurrency of US 1 and US 9.

Nonsense, it was named in advance of the upcoming Fiat X1/9.

[Roadrunner75]

US 1/9 is numbered that because it's a concurrency of US 1 and US 9.

Nonsense, it was named in advance of the upcoming Fiat X1/9.

Actually, it's just the fraction format of the designated number, US Route 0.11111

[Jim]

US 1/9 is numbered that because it's a concurrency of US 1 and US 9.

Nonsense, it was named in advance of the upcoming Fiat X1/9.

Actually, it's just the fraction format of the designated number, US Route 0.11111

No, it's really a couple different routes.  This one near Union City marks US -8:



And this one in Jersey City was put up by a C programmer who likes bitwise and, as an alternate way of saying US 1, since 0001 & 1001 = 0001.



Both taken April 12, 2008.

[Henry]

Two L.A. examples I can think of:

I-710 in was a former route for CA 7, and I-110 was the old route for CA 11.

In Tacoma, I-705 was once numbered as WA 7.

[Max Rockatansky]

Two L.A. examples I can think of:

I-710 in was a former route for CA 7, and I-110 was the old route for CA 11.

In Tacoma, I-705 was once numbered as WA 7.

Or even CA 110/I-110 being the former route of CA 11.  Poor CA 7 has been tossed around so many times after having one really big significant corridor.  CA 107 was partially part of the original CA 7 and largely thought to be a reference to it.  Similarly CA 330 and CA 371 are references to earlier two digit designations.  I'm half convinced CA 46 is simply a shortening of former US 466.  CA 58 took it's number from it's old Legislative Route designation of 58. 

[SP Cook]

WV 44 is signed as the "Jerry West Highway", 44 being West's number in the NBA.  However, it is completely in Logan County, to which West has no connections.

[Max Rockatansky]

All the original Arizona State Routes were meant to be sequential to the original run of US Routes in the state.  AZ 88 was originally meant to be AZ 66 but US 60 being changed to US 66 forced that to change.  What is now AZ 89A was meant to be AZ 89 and probably would have been mainline US 89 once it was completed.  US 89 was moved to what was planned as US 280 and AZ 89 became the first AZ 79. 

[hbelkins]

WV 44 is signed as the "Jerry West Highway", 44 being West's number in the NBA.  However, it is completely in Logan County, to which West has no connections.

It's also the old routing of US 119, pre-Corridor G. I'm drawing a blank on what route was signed WV 44 before the four-lane US 119 was built.

Old US 119 did come awfully close to Cabin Creek, though. It followed what is now WV 17 out of Logan to the Madison/Danville area, then WV 3 and what is now WV 94 to Chesapeake, and then WV 61 down the Kanawha to Charleston.

[Mapmikey]

WV 44 is signed as the "Jerry West Highway", 44 being West's number in the NBA.  However, it is completely in Logan County, to which West has no connections.

It's also the old routing of US 119, pre-Corridor G. I'm drawing a blank on what route was signed WV 44 before the four-lane US 119 was built.

Old US 119 did come awfully close to Cabin Creek, though. It followed what is now WV 17 out of Logan to the Madison/Danville area, then WV 3 and what is now WV 94 to Chesapeake, and then WV 61 down the Kanawha to Charleston.

There have been 4 different WV 44s:

1922-1930ish:  Petersburg to Mt. Storm (now mostly WV 42)
1930ish-1941:  Princeton to Nettie (now mostly WV 20)
late 50s to late 70s: short route between Cottageville and Ripley Landing (became US 33 but is now part of WV 62)
since late 70s or 1980: current version of WV 44

Lots of mapscans at http://www.vahighways.com/wvannex/route-log/wv044.htm

[hbelkins]

WV 44 is signed as the "Jerry West Highway", 44 being West's number in the NBA.  However, it is completely in Logan County, to which West has no connections.

It's also the old routing of US 119, pre-Corridor G. I'm drawing a blank on what route was signed WV 44 before the four-lane US 119 was built.

Old US 119 did come awfully close to Cabin Creek, though. It followed what is now WV 17 out of Logan to the Madison/Danville area, then WV 3 and what is now WV 94 to Chesapeake, and then WV 61 down the Kanawha to Charleston.

There have been 4 different WV 44s:

1922-1930ish:  Petersburg to Mt. Storm (now mostly WV 42)
1930ish-1941:  Princeton to Nettie (now mostly WV 20)
late 50s to late 70s: short route between Cottageville and Ripley Landing (became US 33 but is now part of WV 62)
since late 70s or 1980: current version of WV 44

Lots of mapscans at http://www.vahighways.com/wvannex/route-log/wv044.htm

I can confirm that at one time, WV 44 was signed along former WV 65 (and at one time, a routing of US 119) westward from its current terminus to Holden.

Before the Logan bypass was built, US 119 ended in that area and was routed through Logan, rejoining the four-lane just south of Chapmanville. When that newest segment was built (and WV 73, as well), WV 44 was signed there. I have pictures somewhere. In later years, the designation was removed.

[J3ebrules]

Surprised nobody brought up Bud Shuster's I-99, named for the #99 Streetcar from Shuster's hometown of Glassport to McKeesport.
And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

[sprjus4]

And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

A 200+ mile route warrants a 2di designation, not a 3di.

[vdeane]

And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

A 200+ mile route warrants a 2di designation, not a 3di.

One problem with that: I-99 isn't a coherent corridor... it's a clumsy amalgamation of three different corridors (US 220 between Bedford and State College, the western half of the route connecting Williamsport to I-80 in both directions, and US 15 from Williamsport to Painted Post, the latter of which makes more sense as an interstate to Harrisburg than Altoona).

[oscar]

Surprised nobody brought up Bud Shuster's I-99, named for the #99 Streetcar from Shuster's hometown of Glassport to McKeesport.
And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

I've never heard of the streetcar number reason for the Interstate number. As a long-time denizen of this forum, I think I've heard just about every reason to hate the route number, but that one is new to me.

[Hwy 61 Revisited]

And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

A 200+ mile route warrants a 2di designation, not a 3di.

One problem with that: I-99 isn't a coherent corridor... it's a clumsy amalgamation of three different corridors (US 220 between Bedford and State College, the western half of the route connecting Williamsport to I-80 in both directions, and US 15 from Williamsport to Painted Post, the latter of which makes more sense as an interstate to Harrisburg than Altoona).

Yes. If anything, it should be something along the lines of I-580 or something. It's about as long as I-376, so...

[dlsterner]

And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

A 200+ mile route warrants a 2di designation, not a 3di.

One problem with that: I-99 isn't a coherent corridor... it's a clumsy amalgamation of three different corridors (US 220 between Bedford and State College, the western half of the route connecting Williamsport to I-80 in both directions, and US 15 from Williamsport to Painted Post, the latter of which makes more sense as an interstate to Harrisburg than Altoona).

Yes. If anything, it should be something along the lines of I-580 or something. It's about as long as I-376, so...

One could argue that there was a perfectly good number already available:  US 220
Not every limited access highway needs an Interstate designation.

[Roadsguy]

And because 99 was "catchier"  than a spur number.

A 200+ mile route warrants a 2di designation, not a 3di.

One problem with that: I-99 isn't a coherent corridor... it's a clumsy amalgamation of three different corridors (US 220 between Bedford and State College, the western half of the route connecting Williamsport to I-80 in both directions, and US 15 from Williamsport to Painted Post, the latter of which makes more sense as an interstate to Harrisburg than Altoona).

I'd arguably count the entire section south of Williamsport as a single corridor, but north of Williamsport is truly a separate corridor that would indeed make more sense as an I-83 extension. Too bad PennDOT only widened US 11/15 to four lanes south of Selinsgrove and didn't upgrade it to Interstate standards. It wouldn't be prohibitively difficult to upgrade today, but it's just expensive enough that it won't happen any time soon.