U.S. 30 West - Allen & Whitley Counties

U.S. 30 leaves Van Wert County, Ohio and enters the state of Indiana at Allen County (population 355,329). Allen County, the home of Fort Wayne, is the largest county in area in Indiana and the state's third most populous county.

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A view of the first U.S. 30 shield, posted between Lottie Road and Flatrock Creek. U.S. 30's first 14 miles in Indiana are uneventful, crossing the flat agricultural fields of eastern Allen County. There are no communities until the highway reaches New Haven at Interstate 469/U.S. 24 east.

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The first state highway that U.S. 30 comes across within Indiana is SR 101. SR 101 exists in four different segments across eastern Indiana. U.S. 30 meets the longest of those stretches, a segment of SR 101 that goes for 45 miles from SR 124 in Adams County north to SR 1/SR 8 in eastern DeKalb County.

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The town of Monroeville lies three miles to the south along SR 101. Townley is just north of U.S. 30 while Woodburn is about eight miles beyond there near the new interchange with U.S. 24.

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A flasher light marks the intersection with U.S. 30 and SR 101.

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A view of U.S. 30 to the west of SR 101 near Martin Road. After the intersection with SR 101, the next important junction is with Interstate 469/U.S. 24 east some ten miles to the west.

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U.S. 30 approaches the intersection with Ternet Road. Ternet Road leads to the towns of Tillman to the south and Zulu to the north.

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U.S. 30 nearing the intersection with Webster Road, which leads north to the town of Besancon via Lincoln Highway. Webster Road continues north to a future interchange with the U.S. 24 freeway being built from Interstate 469 to the Ohio state line.

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Passing the intersection with Ryan Road, the interchange with U.S. 30 and Interstate 469/U.S. 24 is now one mile away. Interstate 469 goes for 30.83 miles from the southwestern part of Allen County at Interstate 69 around the south and east sides of Fort Wayne and New Haven before meeting back with Interstate 69 on the north side of Fort Wayne.

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Now a half mile from the interchange with Interstate 469/U.S. 24. U.S. 24 goes for 164 miles across the highway from west of Kentland through Monticello, Logansport, Peru, Wabash, Huntington, and Fort Wayne. The stretch from Logansport to Fort Wayne is a four lane expressway and the segment from Fort Wayne northeast toward Ohio is being upgraded to a freeway. Around Fort Wayne, U.S. 24 follows Interstate 69 south to Interstate 469, and then follows the beltway around the south and east sides of the city. Nationally, the highway goes for 1,540 miles from Interstate 70 in central Colorado to Pontiac, Michigan. The intersection forthcoming with Doyle Road serves the first gas station for westbound U.S. 30 traffic in Indiana.

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Now at the interchange with U.S. 30 and Interstate 469 north/U.S. 24 east. U.S. 30 exits onto the northbound lanes of the beltway as the highway will follow the rest of Interstate 469 to Interstate 69 on the north side of Fort Wayne. From there, the highway will head south on Interstate 69 to Exit 109 where U.S. 30 continues its trek toward the west. SR 930, a 13 mile "business route," is a four lane expressway that follows the path of the old U.S. 30 around the east and north sides of Fort Wayne via Coliseum Boulevard. Ahead is the city of New Haven (population 14,794) a twin city to the larger Fort Wayne. U.S. 30 followed the path of SR 930 until the Interstate 469 beltway was completed in 1995.

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SR 930 west (Goshen Road) at the cloverleaf interchange with I-69, U.S. 30/33 on the northwest side of Fort Wayne. Interstate 69 travels for 358 miles from I-465 in Indianapolis north through Fort Wayne and past Angola, Lansing and Flint to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan at the Canadian border. U.S. 33 comes in from the south while U.S. 30 enters from the north; both highways will head west from I-69.

11/19/11

A short distance west of Interstate 69, U.S. 30/U.S. 33 north become a six lane highway as we near the trumpet interchange with U.S. 33 north. U.S. 33 travels for 94.75 miles across Indiana from Elkhart to the northwest through Fort Wayne and Decatur. The highway forms the main highway between the Fort Wayne and Michiana (South Bend, Mishawaka, and Elkhart) areas. Nationally, the highway goes for 709 miles from Elkhart to Richmond, Virginia. Both Elkhart and Churubusco (located in northeast Whitey County) can be reached via U.S. 33 north.

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U.S. 33 now breaks off toward the northwest on its finally 70 miles to the St. Joseph Valley Parkway (U.S. 20) in Elkhart. The Whitley County seat of Columbia City becomes the control city for U.S. 30 west as we leave the Fort Wayne area.

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The first distance sign along U.S. 30 west in Indiana displays the distances to Columbia City (15 miles) and Pierceton (28 miles). Unlike Ohio, U.S. 30 does not use Chicago as a control city at all, opting for the various communities located along the highway in the direction of Warsaw, Plymouth, Valparaiso, Merrillville and finally Joliet, Illinois.

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West of Fort Wayne, U.S. 30 is a well-traveled commuter route between the Allen County seat and Whitley County. Traffic counts range above 20,000 vehicles per day from Interstate 69 to Columbia City. The highway won't be as busy again until Valparaiso.

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In the Arcola area, U.S. 30 passes by a pair of abandoned rest areas. Notably, these were the last two rest areas to exist on non-interstate highways in Indiana and were in use until the late-2000s.

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Up ahead is the intersection with County Line Road, where U.S. 30 will cross into Whitley County.

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West of County Line Road, U.S. 30 enters Whitley County (population 33,392). A tan water tower welcomes westbound travelers by an industrial area alongside County Road 600 East.

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Now at the intersection with County Road 500 East, which heads south to the town of Coesse.

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To the west of County Road 400 East, U.S. 30 continues onward to the Columbia City area.

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U.S. 30 nears the intersection with Lincoln Way Road, which follows the older routing of U.S. 30 and the Lincoln Highway west into the community of Columbia City. U.S. 30 will bypass the city to the north.

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A view of U.S. 30 as it starts its bypass of the north side of Columbia City. The next three miles of U.S. 30 around the county seat can get a bit congested at peak times with multiple stoplights along the busy highway.

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Approaching the first stoplight along U.S. 30 with SR 205, the four lane expressway enters the Whitley County seat of Columbia City (population 8,750).

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U.S. 30 nears the intersection with SR 205, a 32 mile highway that goes from South Whitley through Columbia City and north to its terminus in Garrett at SR 327.

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SR 205 follows Van Buren Street west into Columbia City while Churubusco resides at the cross roads between SR 205 and U.S. 33.

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Now at the stoplight intersection with U.S. 30 and SR 205. The Parkview Whitley Hospital campus is located just south along SR 205 from U.S. 30 and serves as the primary health care center for Columbia City and Whitley County.

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U.S. 30 curves northwesterly and passes through the outskirts of Columbia City. Like some of the other communities along U.S. 30 however, much of the shopping centers and industries that serve Columbia City are now along the US route. Semi-trucks are directed to use only the right lane through the Columbia City area as well.

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The next stoplight along U.S. 30 is with SR 9 (Main Street). SR 9 goes for 196 miles from SR 46 near Columbus northward through Shelbyville, Greenfield, Pendleton, Anderson, Marion, Huntington, Columbia City, Albion and LaGrange before crossing into Michigan near Sturgis, Michigan.

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The Noble County seat of Albion is 18 miles to the north along SR 9. Huntington is 20 miles to the south from U.S. 30 along SR 9.

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U.S. 30 becomes more commercialized with a northbound side frontage road stemming west from SR 9. SR 9 provides the most direct route to downtown via Main Street south.

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The next stoplight along U.S. 30 is with SR 109 north (Line Street). SR 109 exists as two highways in the state, the first down in Henry, Hancock and Madison Counties and the second an 11.68 mile stretch from U.S. 30 north to U.S. 33 in Noble County.

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The town of Wolf Lake is the only community along SR 109 to the north and its located at the highway's northern terminus with U.S. 33.

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SR 109 follows Line Street south into Downtown Columbia City from U.S. 30 at a commercialized intersection. Unlike its other sibling, SR 109 does not connect with its parent route, SR 9, but it comes within a short distance of the highway, and at one time did connect in Downtown Columbia City.

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A frontage road (with the three names of Connexion Way, Plaza Drive, and Frontage Road) serve the shopping centers, restaurants, and other businesses to the north of U.S. 30 with access at the various roads that intersect with U.S. 30. U.S. 30 continues west 12 miles to Pierecton and 22 miles to the Kosciusko County seat of Warsaw beyond the forthcoming intersection with Lincolnway.

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Views of U.S. 30 through western Whitley County toward the towns of Larwill and Pierceton. West of Columbia City, U.S. 30's traffic counts decrease somewhat, but the traffic remains steady west toward Warsaw.

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U.S. 30 next meets the junction with SR 5. SR 5 travels for 96 miles from SR 22 in Upland within Grant County north through the communities of Warren, Huntington, South Whitley, Ligonier, and Shipshewana, ending north of there at SR 120.

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SR 5 heads south as Cedar Street through the town of Larwill (just south of U.S. 30) and goes for another 6.7 miles to South Whitley. Ligonier, located in northwestern Noble County, is about 20 miles to the north.

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Now at the junction with U.S. 30 and SR 5 (Center Street) on the north side of Larwill.

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West of the junction with SR 5, U.S. 30 is four miles from Pierceton and 14 miles from Warsaw.

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A view of U.S. 30 to the west of SR 5 as the four lane highway approaches the county line with Kosciusko County.

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U.S. 30 enters Kosciusko County (population 77,358).

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