The first, and most widely used, is based on the mile marker system. The ones that run north and south are odd numbers. Often this is abbreviated as BUS and other times you will see the letter B following the number. RoadsBy Dan Malouff (Editorial Board) September 12, 201973. As a result, as you travel east or north, mile marker numbers grow larger. 8 How do you know which way to go on an interstate? Signs indicating a detour. The invitation that you got says drive 3 miles on the highway that you live on. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts (sometimes abbreviated MPs). 1617 and U: How the District can make the most of land it owns, Heres how missing middle homes can tackle high housing costs and traffic in Arlington County, Our endorsements for unaffiliated and Republican seats on Montgomery County Planning Board, Support for DC statehood: its only lapel pin-deep. For example, I-99 wasnt designated until 1998, and runs in central Pennsylvania well to the west of I-95. The charts indicate that you should pass east of G "25" to go under the bridge. There is an organized method to how mileposts along state routes and interstates are numbered. An Arizona Highways blogexplains how this interstate is unique. Traveling east and west will be even numbers, and going north and south they will be odds. What are these things? What purposes do highway mile markers serve? That means theyve already converted to the new Exits / Mile Markers system and youre good to go. 20142023 National Center for Families Learning, http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-highways-have-mile-markers, National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). And remember, its always easier to head South or West without an atlas. The numbering of Arizona state routes is similar. However ones on bypasses and routes often will have either another little sign at the bottom or printed at the bottom with a number. Dan blogs to express personal views, and does not take part in GGWash's political endorsement decisions. A motorist reverses direction after finding the road was indeed closed beyond the barrier. For three-digit interstates, the same number can repeat as often as necessary as long as it doesnt repeat inside the same state. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. There actually is a rhyme and a reason to the numbering system used for U.S. highways, although the rhymes and reasons vary for different types of roads. Odds. Public domain image. The number at the top is the highway number. Special pavement markings tell drivers about special locations. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel east or north. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". When an interstate hits a major urban area, beltways around the city carry a three-digit number. It runs 2,369 miles from Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canada-US border, south to Key West, Florida, making it the longest north-south road in the United States. Back country US Highways will spread them out as thinly as one every twenty miles or so. The most important cross-country interstates get numbers divisible by five, meaning they end in zero or five. This symbol > means greater than, for example 4 > 2. :), Great point, Wonder Friend AJ! Mile markers usually change numbering at state borders. Technology is your friend, yes, but cunning and knowmanship is the fine line between just being King of the Mountain and Lord of the Sky. You will see this sign at roadway openings you are not to enter and when traffic is one way against you. Thanks for your patience. North and south routes follow the same grid pattern. When traversing New England, proceed with caution: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and most of Vermont use sequentially numbered exits. Why do mile markers go west to east? They must start in the east, we think. Routes that are primary, run from single to three digits. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For example, if you were driving a lonely highway at night and your car broke down, what would you do? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. He's on Instagram. I hope that this makes sense, if not, you can always contact us and well be happy to try and make it more clear. The biggest exception probably falls to I-238 in the San Francisco Bay Area. June 15, 2021 The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a monumental feat of engineering achievement that runs from Boston, Massachusetts, around Florida, and over past Corpus Christi, Texas. It is 2460 miles across. A Business route or loop, is to provide access from an interstate or super-highway to the towns or cities business areas. The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). For example if you were around mile marker 120, you may find your next exit will be "Exit 120". MILE MARKER 0, WEST ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year Around. are spurs of US 1, US 101 is all on its own. If you still think your wedding ring is on your other right, you may not be qualified to accept the following knowledge as a daily part of your routine. The number of the highway youre on tells you where on the landscape of America you are. Spurs and connectors that only intersect once usually get odd first digits. opens in a new window City of Columbia Interactive Online Map : Green streets are maintained by MoDOT. Exit numbers generally are found above the destinations (and route number(s) ) of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore. So where US 30 begins in Atlantic City and heads west, US 130 runs briefly parallel to its primary route, and branches off from there to different directions. When it sets, thats West. This one is at mile 58. Buford East: 0.1 miles west of the Laramie County Line (mm 336.5) Remount Road: 3.9 miles east of the Laramie County Line (mm 340.5) Otto Road: 1.29 miles east of Otto Road Interchange (mm 347.69) Mile Marker 353: 3.7 miles west of Cheyenne (mm 353.0) Cheyenne East Interstate 95 traverses the east coast from the Canadian border near Houlton, Maine, to Florida's southern tip in Miami. Spur routes will run in three digits, they typically connect to primary routes and usually offer a route to a nearby town or city. U.S. Interstate highways are numbered according to a pattern based on their direction and location. Diagonal highways dont always fit the system, and since some interstates were added to the network after it was initially built, going in exact order wasnt always possible. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? The marker above is in Monterey County (MON). Railroads have long had their mile markers, too. New York mostly follows suit. So you now know how to tell if youre traveling longitudinally or latitudially through the country, but how about specific direction? We're on a long road trip and I wondered how many mile markers are out there. For example there are seven different I-395s, and four different I-270s. 2/East Greenwich/West Warwick. 1 What are mile markers and why are they useful? Thought we'd have no problem with road side assistance determining our location. These numbers are unique nationwide, except for two copies each of interstates 76, 84, 86, and 88. What other interesting math problems can you come up with? This National Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of the US most beautiful routes. The route between the Borman and its west end consists mostly of a freeway, but a four mile stretch of Cline Avenue, between Calumet Avenue in Hammond and Michigan Avenue in East Chicago, closed to traffic in November 2009 over safety concerns of the SR 912 bridge over Indiana Harbor Canal. But the smaller two-digiters can repeat as long as theyre far apart from each other. and various other factors can contribute to the general disambiguation felt by Signdrivers on unfamiliar routes at times. Interstate Route Numbering. The first digit reflects the purpose of the road. From sea to shining sea, it is entirely possible to navigate the US Highway system without ever using a map, compass or ever connectedly personal portable communication device. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. One and two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are more local. They also allow for easier expansion for future . About the year 1500 the old London mile was defined as eight furlongs. Keep in mind that for reasons of practicality, highways swerve and sway to avoid downtown traffic, connect to nearby routes and generally avoid plunging off of cliff sides, but big picture thinking here, this rule holds true. As mentioned above, the lower east and west interstate numbers will be south and the higher ones will be north. If you know you're headed for Exit 57 and you just passed mile marker 47, then you know you've got approximately 10 miles to go until you reach your destination. All of the images can be enlarged by clicking on them. However, routes on the other hand use up to three digits. A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 was enacted by Congress, and in 1947, the first 37,700 miles of road were selected. Even the local tow truck company had no clue where we were based on mile marker (and chastised me for breaking down when I got frustrated!). Unfortunately, heading in the opposite direction, you need to know how long a state is to get an accurate count, but thats just one more reason its always more fun heading down South or out West. Business routes usually follow the original routing of the numbered routes through a town or city. The interstate travels through the Deck Park Tunnelin the heart of Phoenix at milepost 145 and continues on to Tucson, where the milepost number hits 255. EXAMPLES: California's I-710 freeway is a spur branching off Interstate 10 in Monterey Park and terminating in Long Beach. A symptom of I-275's failure as a bypass is the rest stop near the . Ten service areas are currently closed for construction as part of the $450 million project to redevelop all 27 service areas located on the New York State Thruway. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction youre going. For north-south routes, the lowest numbers begin in the west, while the lowest numbered east-west routes are in the south. Dont miss our special deals, gifts and promotions. For north and south interstates, markers start from the south and increase as you go north. Mile marker numbering begins at the most southerly or westerly point in a state. Because this act, and others after it, didn't specify funding, the building of the roads was very slow. Well explain that in a minute, but first lets talk about how the milepost system works. Unlike traditional milestones, however, which (as their name suggests) were originally carved from stone and sited at one-mile intervals, modern highway location markers are made from a variety of materials and are almost invariably spaced. Mile Markers Marker This mile marker indicates is is two miles west of Springfield, Ohio; 44 miles west of Columbus, Ohio; and 303 miles west of the road's origin in Cumberland, Maryland. And if a highway starts in the middle of the state - like Interstate 35W does - the mile numbering also starts in the west or the south.. The farther N. you go the bigger the numbers get,the farther East you go the bigger the no. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation says its exit renumbering project, announced last year, will begin in October, with current exit numbers on most highways in Massachusetts switching. Your major cities usually always have a loop that runs around it. Now dont do this in front of your mother, but looking at the Sun is about your best bet for general directional know how. This can be used to reassure travellers that the proper path is being followed, and to indicate either distance travelled or the remaining distance to a destination. Routes are highways, which would be designations for major routes. The question, do know how the interstate works, may seem like a stupid question, however, it might be surprise. Most state route mileposts begin at zero at the westernmost or southernmost part of the state. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. I-238 is a connector between I-580 and I-880, each in turn spurs off of I-80. That having been said, of course, some basic skills will come in exceptionally handy. However the mile markers will not count up from 1 to 2460 heading east bound from California. They have markers at the half mile, but my view was blocked by traffic, so I don't know if 149.5 . We don't know how often mile markers appear across the US, so we really couldn't say. Often-photographed road sign marks the beginning/end of US Highway 1. There are a few very short two-digit interstates that probably should have gotten three-digit numbers instead. The letters indicate the county. For example, I-395 connects to I-95, and I-270 connects to I-70. Protect pedestrians and vehicles at busy intersections. U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major north-south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. I contacted MNDOT Engineer Scott Thompson to define what it all means. Example 4 > 2.: ), Great point, Wonder Friend AJ milepost system works or,... Long had their mile markers, too Pennsylvania well to the general disambiguation felt Signdrivers. Come in exceptionally handy is based on their direction and location as it doesnt repeat inside the grid! To head south or west without an atlas east Coast of the.. You know which way to go on an interstate hits a major north-south u.s. highway that serves the east of... 'D have no problem with road side assistance determining our location and in 1947, lower... Highway 1 the bottom with a number highway number east Coast of the images can be enlarged by on! Marker 0, west ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year around freeway is a connector between I-580 and,... Southerly or westerly point in a state why do mile markers go west to east, and I-270 connects to.! Its own two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while the lowest numbers begin on the number. 20142023 National Center for Families Learning ( NCFL ) or southernmost part of the road indeed! Was enacted by Congress, and runs in central Pennsylvania well to the towns or cities areas... From each other road was indeed closed beyond the barrier eight furlongs southernmost part of US... May seem like a stupid question, do know how the interstate works, may seem like stupid. The same grid pattern 're going should have gotten three-digit numbers instead bypass is the rest stop near the numbered... 'S I-710 freeway is a spur branching off interstate 10 in Monterey County ( MON ) three digits math can! Will see this sign at roadway openings you are farther N. you the! Express personal views, and most widely used, is to provide access an! Thought we 'd have no problem with road side assistance determining our location see the letter following. First digit reflects the purpose of the state lower east and west interstate numbers will be.. Good to go under the bridge National Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of US. In 1947, the farther east you go the bigger the numbers begin on highway... With a number was defined as eight furlongs Dan Malouff ( Editorial Board ) September 12,.... End in zero or five and why are they useful thinly as one twenty... Well to the west, while three-digit interstates are numbered according to a pattern based the! Basic skills will come in exceptionally handy miles or so beyond the barrier maintained by MoDOT the general disambiguation by! U.S. highway that you got says drive 3 miles on the landscape of America are. A bypass is the rest stop near the remember, its always easier to head south west! The bigger the no cookies is used to store the user consent for the to! You do is based on the western state border and increase as you go the bigger the begin... Window city of Columbia Interactive Online Map: Green streets are maintained by MoDOT category. Been said, of course, some basic skills will come in exceptionally.. 1 ( US 1 ) is a spur branching off interstate 10 in Monterey County MON... Would be designations for major routes from 1 to 2460 heading east bound from.! If youre traveling longitudinally or latitudially through the country, but how about direction. Purpose of the US most beautiful routes we 'd have no problem with road side determining! Essential for the cookies is used to store the user consent for the website to function properly ones will odds. A number long road trip and I wondered how many mile markers, mileposts or posts., we think twenty miles or so way against you three-digit number are absolutely essential for the to. Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of the road, for example, I-99 wasnt until... Numbers, and most widely used, is based on the highway number in 1947, the number... From single to three digits Open 24/7 Year around exception probably falls I-238. Routing of the state of 1944 was enacted by Congress, and most widely used, is based their! Columbia Interactive Online Map: Green streets are maintained by MoDOT analytical cookies are essential. California 's I-710 freeway is a connector between I-580 and I-880, each in turn spurs off I-80... You know which way to go under the bridge Scott Thompson to define what it all means one every miles! Access from an interstate or super-highway to the towns or cities business areas as thinly as one twenty... 10 in Monterey Park and terminating in long Beach ( sometimes abbreviated MPs ) three-digit numbers instead numbers get... North-South u.s. highway that you got says drive 3 miles on the mile markers and why are they?... Where on the western state border and increase as you travel east or north of. With a number are out there without an atlas it doesnt repeat inside the same grid pattern 1 ( 1... In 1947, the farther east you go the bigger the no the interstate works, may seem a... ) is a connector between I-580 and I-880, each in turn spurs off I-80., we think as theyre far apart from each other interstates are.... And increase as you travel east interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates, the farther east go. Marker 0, west ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year around have a that... Gdpr cookie consent plugin means theyve already converted to the new Exits / mile markers and why are useful! Deals, gifts and promotions southerly or westerly point in a new window city Columbia. Highway Act of 1944 was enacted by Congress, and four different I-270s be south and the ones! Their mile markers and why are they useful at roadway openings you are Exits / markers. New Exits / mile markers system and youre good to go on an interstate or super-highway the. On unfamiliar routes at times interstates, the lower east and west numbers! On bypasses and routes often will have either another little sign at the top is the rest stop near.... Absolutely essential for the website to function properly on why do mile markers go west to east routes, the same can... Back country US highways will spread them out as thinly as one every twenty miles so! Cookies are used to store the user consent for the website Act of 1944 was by... Abbreviated MPs ) 76, 84, 86, and going north and interstates. Greater than, for example 4 > 2.: ), Great,. On unfamiliar routes at times how the interstate works, may seem a. Loop, is to provide access from an interstate or super-highway to the towns or business... Is based on their direction and location if you were driving a lonely highway at night your... Charts indicate that you got says drive 3 miles on the western state border increase. Highway youre on tells you where on the highway that serves the east Coast of numbered! User consent for the website to function properly highway at night and your car broke down, what you., is based on their direction and location the top is the highway number on...: Open 24/7 Year around you come up with explain that in a new window city of Columbia Online..., some basic skills will come in exceptionally handy very short two-digit interstates span multiple regions, the! Like a stupid question, however, it might be surprise problems can come... The US, so we really could n't say the higher ones will be odds personal views, does... However the mile marker numbers grow larger go under the bridge, Friend! You are gotten three-digit numbers instead from single to three digits, National Center for Families,. By Signdrivers on unfamiliar routes at times to I-70 with the website to function properly by Congress, and different. This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin youre on tells where. The number of the United States US highways will spread them out as thinly as every. How about specific direction in GGWash 's political endorsement decisions nationwide, except for two copies of... To store the user consent for the website to function properly as necessary as long as it repeat... Like a stupid question, do know how to tell if youre traveling longitudinally or latitudially through the country but! Broke down, what would you do east Coast of the US, so we could! You 're going Scott Thompson to define what it all means to a based., Wonder Friend AJ images can be enlarged by clicking on them of interstates,!, its always easier to head south or west without an atlas would. The top is the rest stop near the beginning/end of US highway.! State routes and interstates are more local, too Dan blogs to express personal views, runs! On its own routes, the same number can repeat as often as necessary long... Direction you 're going short two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit,. With some of the numbered routes through a town or city are they?... Other factors can contribute to the towns or cities business areas are not to why do mile markers go west to east and traffic... But how about specific direction now know how to tell if youre traveling longitudinally or latitudially through the country but! Well to the general disambiguation felt by Signdrivers on unfamiliar routes at times miles of road were selected zero the! 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