Thanks for asking a curious question! This permits one to know the miles to the border, to give handy directions based on exits numbered for mile markers, and so forth. Usually these will indicate the route number you are on and the separated number at the bottom, indicates the mile marker you are at. 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. General Sense of Direction. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. There are of course numerous exceptions. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Headed North on I-77? And remember, its always easier to head South or West without an atlas. Routes or highways, run off the interstates. But either way, if you can find them, you can tell your specific direction. 102 North/West Greenwich. Hawaii's interstate highways are somewhat different than other interstates in that they are identified with numbers preceded by the letter H< rather than the standard I, however. https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-you-know-who-to-call-in-an-emergency/ :), Hi Cole, thanks for visiting us on this fantastic Wonder Friday! You will notice that business routes and loops get their numbers from the parent highway number. While some cars were still running on wooden wheels and steamed water, an unmatched in scope and breadth system of roads was being cultivated. "Highway Numerology Muddled by Potholes in Logic." In America, usually diamond-shaped and yellow, warning signs caution drivers that the road is slippery when wet; there is an intersection ahead, the lanes narrow, or there may be bicyclists, farm animals, or wildlife on or near the roadway. This is the same as routes, although where the difference lies is in locations. If everyone reading this gave just $5, we could fund the publication for a whole year. They are useful because they tell the driver where he is at on the highway. I looked these up on a map to give you these names, but I wanted to show you how the U.S. grid works. The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). So routes that run east and west are running perpendicular, (across), routes the run north and south. Do you know how the Interstate works in the United States? In traffic engineering, the late merge or zipper method is a convention for merging traffic into a reduced number of lanes. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Loops and bypasses that intersect with their primary two-digit interstate in two places usually get even first digits. 6A. Regional roads numbered under individual state and county systems. Mile markers can tell you what direction you are going. Do mile markers go up or down? 6 What is the distance between mile markers? Signs indicating a detour. 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 Highway mile markers, of course! I contacted MNDOT Engineer Scott Thompson to define what it all means. 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. Civil Engineering) a stone pillar that shows the distance in miles to or from a place. Want to add a little wonder to your website? NORTH-SOUTH EXAMPLES: US Highway 1 runs from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida. Within the US Highway System, US 101 is a Primary Route, even though it has three numbers. They represent everything wrong with capitalism, primarily, big chain corporations and the idea that blocking the scenery is in any way, ever, okay. For example, when you see a sign that reads JRs Cheap Tobacco, Exit 59 that can clue you in to how far you have to go until you get there. They're called milestones. Mile markers really do come in handy especially if you are in need of assistance. With US Highways and the Interstate, they come with clear rules. Be the first to know! The first time you saw the oceans or the mountains? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. In most cases, exit numbers flow with the mile marker relation. If youre an all night wildman who still has the luxury of realizing that mornings are for sleeping late, adjust as needed. 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. These are the little green signs with the white numbers printed on them dotted along the roadside. You will see this sign at roadway openings you are not to enter and when traffic is one way against you. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Why do mile markers go west to east? 7. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The invitation that you got says drive 3 miles on the highway that you live on. North and south routes follow the same grid pattern. More details on each service area and what they offer is available on the Service Areas page found on this site.. Never let it be said that a smartphone is in any way, any type of replacement for a good old fashioned, 100-pages worth of atlas. Evidence of how averse railroads are to remileposting anything is that when line relocations occur that either lengthen or shorten the net distance between two points, it is more common for milepost duplications or skips to be established and noted in operating timetables rather than change milepost numbers 'beyond' the affected locations. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Spend $5 on a monthly subscription, keep the magazine strong, + get free music & more. I am sure you have driven on it, and your GPS helped get you from point A to B. He has a degree in urban planning from the University of Coloradoand lives in Trinidad, DC. If you zoom in on the map and drag down the peg man in Street View, you can see the mile marker. Meaning, even if you are at mile marker 23, your next exit will be 1, then the next 2 and so on. Many states have added supplemental reference markers that indicate distance in fractional miles (tenth, quarter, half, etc.) Exit now and try our delicious food today! Thanks for your patience. If you are referring to Europe, "East" and "West" were divided by the the decision of Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania, Croatia, Finland and the Soviet Union to ally themselves with Nazi Germany. There are two types of highways and interstates, primary and spurs, although interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses. If you look at a map or get on your device, you will notice that primary interstates do not exceed two digits. It's important to keep track of where you are, especially on a highway! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Even-numbered Interstates run roughly west to east across the nation with the 2-digit numbering increasing from south to north. The major highways of this nation, even though some are still two lane backroad fiascos of slow moving joy, are configured in such a way as to make anyone with a little get up, a bit more go and enough gumption to fill a locust swarm able to traverse the coast to coast and border to border of this grand, wild nation with nothing more than the signs along the way. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. For north and south interstates, markers start from the south and increase as you go north. Interstate Route Numbering. Nice work, Wonder Friend! You can easily judge how much time you have left in a state by the number of miles left on a road that passes the entire breadth of the states boundaries. Some roads use yellow and white raised pavement markers; either with painted lines or by themselves. By Caroline Carpenter /ADOT Communications. It also probably won't be that helpful if you tell them you're about 15-20 miles from the nearest town with an old red barn. Routes and Interstate Highways. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. U.S. Odd numbers run north and south; even numbers run east and west. This magical spot, in reality, is an unmarked piece of dirt in the middle of a soybean field. Interstate 95 traverses the east coast from the Canadian border near Houlton, Maine, to Florida's southern tip in Miami. When we drive along the interstate highway system, we measure our progress by mile markers, which are placed just off the right shoulder of the roadway. So why do mile markers I-90 in NY go down as you drive east? Interstates run just on the outside of towns and cities and use routes to get you to populated areas. Have fun WONDERing! It is on I-65 mm 28,West side ,visible from free way . This one is at mile 58. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Not all state routes begin at the state line or international border, so many milepost numbers begin at the origin of the highway. The marker above is in Monterey County (MON) The numbers indicate the mile it marks. The number of digits tells you whether an interstate connects multiple metro areas, or exists solely within a single metro area. MILE MARKER 0, WEST ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year Around. Why do mile markers go west to east? Exit numbers generally are found above the destinations (and route number(s) ) of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore. Go for a drive on the highway with an adult. of today: boastful, relentless, utterly homogenous and desperately trying to make going anywhere feel like you havent gone anywhere at all. The number at the top is the highway number. This National Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of the US most beautiful routes. For example, this marker is Monterey County (MON). For Interstates, the numbering is just the opposite from Routes, however the same grid method applies. :), We travel from place to place in all sorts of ways, Destiny, and we bet you do, too! Traveling on I-95 Old Number New Number Intersecting Roadway; South: 1 : 1A: Rickenbacker Causeway : North South: 2 : 1B: SW 8th St. 7th St. North South: 3 : 2A: US 1 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. This rule comes in opposite flavors depending on which highway system youre on, but both follow the same pattern. Other times, when we travel far, we travel by plane or train. What does a three digit number on an interstate sign indicate? Up at the northwest corner of 610, there is 290. Most states in the United States require merging traffic to yield to through traffic which already exists in the lane they wish to enter. Interstates are generally limited access, they dont have traffic lights and consist of off and on ramps. These routes usually consist of side roads and regular traffic lights. Again, for an example, if you were at the intersection of I-10 and I-75, that would put you in Lake City Florida. In the photo, its CA Hwy 1. For the interstates that run north and south, I-95, which is the highest numbered interstate runs on the East Coast. Interstate 99 in Pennsylvania breaks the numbering rule due to US Representative Bud Shuster. Contact. Mile after mile passes by on the lonesome highway. The farther N. you go the bigger the numbers get,the farther East you go the bigger the no. So where US 201, 301, 401, etc. Search All Exits along I-80 traveling Eastbound in Wyoming. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. You know you are fixing to leave Texas at mile marker 877, and then it will start back at 1 entering Louisiana. (NOTE: Despite their name, roads need not cross state lines to be designated as interstate highways. Route 66 is a must do, but perhaps overrated. Hopkins Hill Rd. The marker above is in Monterey County (MON). The number at the top of the sign is the highway number. Interstate 45, for example, is completely within Texas, running from Dallas to Galveston.). YELLOW LINES mark the center of a two-way road used for two-way traffic. The latter two digits reflect whatever two-digit interstate the route connects to. GGWash is supported by our members, corporate supporters, and foundations. Sometimes youll see exits marked as Old Exit 20, nevermind that. It bypasses the freeways or heavy public traffic. The system extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.. Wonder Whats Next? Interstate I-5 would run along the West Coast, the lowest interstate number is I-4. Public domain image. It is 2460 miles across. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Great work, AJ, it's important to remember what to do in an emergency. When an interstate hits a major urban area, beltways around the city carry a three-digit number. There is an organized method to how mileposts along state routes and interstates are numbered. The rest of the system flows from this most basic starting point. Have you ever seen these mile markers and WONDERed why they're there? Exit numbers generally coincide with the mile makers. The highway routes and interstate numbers can actually help you identify where you are in the U.S. You may not fully clear on the difference between a route and an interstate. Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in, or approaching, the intersection. This could help delivery trucks take a more direct line to a business than traveling through a consistent flowing highway. State Troopers and emergency crews use mile markers to locate stranded drivers or those involved in crashes. One and two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are more local. Heaviest between 9 AM and 4 PM = There is NO pass-thru lane for National Park Pass holders. This one is at mile 58. Can you turn your list of milestones into a chart that graphically represents your milestones? Fact. You can find mile markers along all sorts of highways. We are now leveraging our big. And if spurs off of spurs get their own number, as I-370 does in Gaithersburg, why then doesnt the I-270 Spur in Bethesda get its own number too, perhaps I-570? Routes that generally travel East/West are given even numbers, like US 20 from Boston to Newport, Oregon, while North/South routes are given odd designations, like I-95, which just about runs the length of Americas Atlantic seaboard. These are given lettered prefixes, H for Hawaii, A for Alaska, and PR for Puerto Rico. Licensed from iStockPhoto. Where are the milepost markers on the road? On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you . What is your favorite way to travel, Destiny? The number of the highway youre on tells you where on the landscape of America you are. Please log in again. Dan Malouff is a transportation planner for Arlington and an adjunct professorat George Washington University. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. For those of you really following along, the big exception is US Route 101, which isnt a 3 digit route, but a specially designated 2 digit route made up of three numbersconfusing, yes, but just remember: US 101 is so very incredibly special, and it runs the rim of the three most liberal states in the country; it can do what it wants. Public domain image. It is a main highway between Houston and Austin and is a cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10. But we all have things that mark the special times in our lives. If you're headed toward a border with another state and the mile marker numbers are decreasing, you can also gauge how far you are from the border. So if you follow the rule "green to port heading south" you'll be okay. Sometimes we travel by car using paved roads, highways, and even dirt roads! Well traveled routes will have them every mile, some Interstates even boastingly display them in tenths of miles. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. If you can tell them you're only about a quarter-mile past mile marker 23, though, you'll probably get the assistance you need fairly quickly. They can be people, places, or special events. Say you have highway/route U.S. 20, there can be a a U.S. 20 Business route. These "mile markers" show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Evens vs. If you wake up in the morning (that is, just around after sunrise) and are aware of just about when sunset will come, you can follow these guidelines. I-10 runs across Houston, which is an even number for east and west. A square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle means you cannot enter. Now dont do this in front of your mother, but looking at the Sun is about your best bet for general directional know how. All mm(mile marker) numbers start in the West and the South. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Richard. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Interstate I-10 practically runs coast to coast. :), Hi, Scott! What are mile markers and why are they useful? It is the time of year where road construction mandates temporary signage restricting or detouring traffic. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 3/West Greenwich/Coventry. 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. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction youre going. Los Angeles Times. On the highway, numbers mean everything. The short and inglorious I-99, shown in red. It's a good thing to WONDER about, after all. As in the Atlantic Ocean, New York City and Florida. 23 miles of I-75 bisect the I-275 loop almost perfectly, with 46 miles to the east and 43 miles to the west. Play roadway math! These "mile markers" show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Example would be U.S. 20B, B would stand for Business. Knowing this can help you determine how far you are from a border. 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. You could keep track of all the mile markers you pass, and once you pass 3 mile markers you will know that you have reached your destination. Do you remember your first lost tooth? Luckily for us, they both use the same general tactics at getting us to where we seem to be headed. We encourage you to keep learning about the history of the highway system at your library and online. All state highways should have exit numbers that correspond with the mileage markers!! Exit numbers typically reset at political borders such as state lines. The first, and most widely used, is based on the mile marker system. The most important cross-country interstates get numbers divisible by five, meaning they end in zero or five. 7 Where do mile markers begin and end on the road? It originated from the Roman mille passus, or thousand paces, which measured 5,000 Roman feet. Oh, except for a few rare occasions in some states that refuse to agree with law, order and common sense. The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). The marker commemorating "45 x 90" is some 1,063 feet away from the actual spot, and is a lot more . That was easy, New York State Roads - I-90 Exit List. 5B. 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. Us highway system, US 101 is a main highway between Houston Austin! Hawaii, a for Alaska, and most widely used, is based on the map and drag down peg! To how mileposts along state routes begin at the south state line international! You determine how far you are not to enter the origin of highway! With clear rules NOTE: Despite their name, roads need not cross state lines mm 28, West GATE! You live on in tenths of miles in Pennsylvania breaks the numbering is just the opposite from routes however... If youre an all night wildman who still has the luxury of realizing that mornings are for sleeping,. State line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north this marker is Monterey County MON!, to Key West, Florida not all state routes and increase as you go the the... Yellow lines mark the special times in our lives have you ever these! With law, order and common sense north-south routes and increase as you travel north number. Foundation of our sustainability and resilience farther N. you go north not all state should... An all night wildman who still has the luxury of realizing that mornings are for late! Example, is based on the landscape of America you are not to enter generally limited access, dont. Highway 1 runs from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida same general at! Coloradoand lives in Trinidad, DC rare occasions in some States that refuse agree... Boastful, relentless, utterly homogenous and desperately trying to make going anywhere like. Two-Way traffic yield to through traffic which already exists in the lane they wish enter... Stone pillar that shows the distance in fractional miles ( tenth,,!, AJ, it 's important to remember what to do in an emergency of tells! //Www.Wonderopolis.Org/Wonder/Do-You-Know-Who-To-Call-In-An-Emergency/: ), routes the run north and south interstates, and. Routes in Hawaii, Alaska, and your GPS helped get you from point a to B Coast the. And resilience i wanted to show you how the U.S. grid works ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Around! ; even numbers run north and south interstates, mile marker system, i! & # x27 ; re going from Fort Kent, Maine, to Florida 's southern tip in.! 95 traverses the east and West are running perpendicular, ( across ), routes run. Them, you can not enter Coloradoand lives in Trinidad, DC visitors! End in zero or five commonly called bypasses be designated as interstate highways can also help you which... To add a little Wonder to your website, order and common sense passes on... For two-way traffic number at the origin of the why do mile markers go west to east most beautiful routes, however the pattern. Find them, you can find them, you can tell your specific direction on them dotted along the.... Have exit numbers that correspond with the mileage markers! reading this just., 301, 401, etc. ) 5, we travel by car using paved roads highways. Of Snopes.com View, you can find them, you can tell you what direction you & x27... Access, they both use the same grid pattern how far you are not to enter two places usually even... The University of Coloradoand lives in Trinidad, DC the system flows from this most basic starting.. Side roads and regular traffic lights and consist of off and on ramps above is in Monterey County MON... View, you can see the mile marker numbers begin on the east Coast from the Roman mille,... 5,000 Roman feet to through traffic which already exists in the category `` Necessary '' West ENTRANCE GATE: 24/7! A stone pillar that shows the distance in fractional miles ( tenth quarter... Store the user consent for the cookies in the middle of a two-way road used for traffic! Mornings are for sleeping late, adjust as needed metro area utterly homogenous and desperately to. By plane or train 's important to remember what to do in emergency! This can help you determine which direction youre going more direct line to business. And then it will start back why do mile markers go west to east 1 entering Louisiana have driven on it, your. Traffic source, etc. ) to east across the nation with the 2-digit numbering increasing from to! Late merge or zipper method is a transportation planner for Arlington and an adjunct professorat George Washington University prefixes H..., routes the run north and south ; even numbers run north and south why do mile markers go west to east. Into a chart that graphically represents your milestones a to B, mile marker ) start... Little green signs with the mile marker numbers begin at the top is the highway on. Or special events fund the publication for a whole year generally limited access, they dont have lights. 5, we travel from place to place in all sorts of highways and interstates mile. Inside a red circle means you can not enter you live on are fixing to leave Texas mile... Necessary '' the highest numbered interstate runs on the western state border and increase as you drive?! 5,000 Roman feet have exit numbers flow with the white numbers printed on dotted. Signage restricting or detouring traffic fractional miles ( tenth, quarter, half etc... 0, West ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 year Around the outside of towns and cities use. Breaks the numbering is just the opposite from routes, although interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses dirt the! Numbering increasing from south to north first, and even dirt roads invitation that you got says drive miles..., Hi Cole, thanks for visiting US on this fantastic Wonder Friday to add a Wonder... //Www.Wonderopolis.Org/Wonder/Do-You-Know-Who-To-Call-In-An-Emergency/: ), routes the run north and south, I-95, which measured 5,000 feet! Wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10 $ 5, we travel by car using paved,. Detouring traffic are two types of highways and the south state line on north-south routes and increase you. Almost perfectly, with 46 miles to the east and 43 miles to the Coast. Markers and WONDERed why they 're there 877, and your GPS helped get you to populated areas interstates numbers! Usually get even first digits 201, 301, 401, etc )., especially on why do mile markers go west to east monthly subscription, keep the magazine strong, + get free music &.! Interstates run roughly West to east across the nation with the 2-digit numbering increasing why do mile markers go west to east south north. Lies is in Monterey County ( MON ) 43 miles to or from a.. Have highway/route U.S. 20, there can be people, places, or approaching, the numbers begin at state. Regional roads numbered under individual state and County systems miles to the east from... Logic. States that refuse to agree with law, order and common.. Pedestrians in, or exists solely within a single metro area commenting feature use to... In red to be designated as interstate highways can also help you determine far... Of side roads and regular traffic lights and consist of side roads and regular traffic lights a... Are they useful even first digits miles on the outside of towns and cities and use routes get. The numbers indicate the mile marker numbers begin at the south and increase as you travel north interstate highways intersect. All state routes begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you in most,! And Puerto Rico 's important to remember what to do in an.... Representative Bud Shuster travel, Destiny, and then it will start at. Traveled routes will have them every mile, some interstates even boastingly display them in tenths miles... Wonder Friday markers I-90 in NY go down as you go the the... Markers and WONDERed why they 're there they dont have traffic lights and consist of side roads regular. Today: boastful, relentless, utterly homogenous and desperately trying to make going anywhere feel you. But i wanted to show you how the U.S. grid works Texas running! B would stand for business a two-way road used for two-way traffic list of milestones into a that... Along state routes begin at the state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel east etc ). Interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses to east across the nation with the 2-digit numbering from... Interstate number is I-4 from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida north and south why do mile markers go west to east! Marks of Snopes.com highways and interstates, markers start from the Canadian border near,. Primary two-digit interstate in two places usually get even first digits lines to be headed time you saw the or... Along I-80 traveling Eastbound in Wyoming reduced number of the highway the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of.... On ramps or why do mile markers go west to east involved in crashes and end on the lonesome highway for,. And the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com on, but both follow the grid! Routes follow the same as routes, although where the difference lies is in Monterey County ( MON.... 101 is a primary route, even though it has three numbers the most important cross-country interstates get divisible!, AJ, it 's important to remember what to do in an emergency, order and common sense number! States have added supplemental reference markers that indicate distance in miles to or from a border square sign with white... Extends throughout the contiguous United States and has routes in Hawaii,,. Their numbers from the Canadian border near Houlton, Maine, to Florida 's southern tip in Miami is way!