They all wanted an exit number which we had no clue as we are not from the area. Copyright Arizona Department of Transportation All rights reserved. Civil Rights/ADA | Derechos Civiles/ADA | Website Policies. Interstate routes that branch off major, long-distance routes are assigned three-digit numbers. Primary interstates are one to two digit roadways that interconnect one state to the next. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. And, just to make things even more confusing, there are quirky exceptions to these rules: U.S. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. We're on a long road trip and I wondered how many mile markers are out there. 2023 ADOT- This is a Free Drupal Theme, Law Enforcement Resources/AZCrash Report/Training Resources, Transportation Systems Management and Operations. Odd numbers run north and south; even numbers run east and west. 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. North Carolinas aforementioned I-87 is only 13 miles long, while Marylands I-97, which connects Baltimore to Annapolis, is less than 18. Up at the northwest corner of 610, there is 290. He has a degree in urban planning from the University of Coloradoand lives in Trinidad, DC. Red markers are always on the mainland side. Example would be U.S. 20B, B would stand for Business. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you . Public domain image. More details on each service area and what they offer is available on the Service Areas page found on this site.. Great work, Wonder Friends! 96-99). Theres a logical system behind it all, and its easy to learn. Exit numbers generally coincide with the mile makers. Interstate 90 crosses the USA from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. The lowest numbers begin in the south and west, and get higher as you progressively move north and east. There you sit in the backseat. I-95 in Delaware and the New Jersey Turnpike are also culprits, as is the Baltimore Beltway and our nations capital, Washington D.C. Have you ever seen three seasons at once? And remember, its always easier to head South or West without an atlas. Interstate Routes, Mile Markers & Exit Numbering, highway signs, how do highway numbers work, how do interstate numbers work, how do mile markers work, how the interstate works, how the interstate works in the united states, how to exit numbers work, interstate signs, what is a business loop, what is a business route, what is the difference between a highway and an interstate. However there are a few states that defy the rules and dont play nice with the rest of the country. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. California uses a postmile system on all of its state highways, including U.S. Mile Markers go down as a road heads West or South, and up as you get closer to the Northeast. The first time you saw the oceans or the mountains? There is an organized method to how mileposts along state routes and interstates are numbered. Some smaller markers are placed at every 0.1 statute miles of the highway. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You have 610 that runs around the city with all of its branches that run from it. If you zoom in on the map and drag down the peg man in Street View, you can see the mile marker. For north-south interstates, the lowest numbered mile marker is at the southern state line or international border. 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! 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. For example, if you were driving a lonely highway at night and your car broke down, what would you do? :). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. See you soon! But who and why did they decide to go from west to east and south to north? 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. This National Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of the US most beautiful routes. But for navigational purposes, they can sometimes come in quite handy. While the Mile Marker to Exit Number rule generally holds true, there are a few scandalous rogue states who refuse to abide the method and instead number exits sequentially (ie, 1,2,3 no matter how far apart they are). Listen to the road. 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. Lets say you are on Route 101 that is intersecting with Route 10, that would put you in Oregon. A white background indicates a regulatory sign; yellow conveys a general warning message; green shows permitted traffic movements or directional guidance; fluorescent yellow/green indicates pedestrian crossings and school zones; orange is used for warning and guidance in roadway work zones; coral is used for incident. They were created as a part of larger defense network of roads across America, created under President Eisenhower. If youre using Google Maps to get you from Heresville to Theresburg or allowing some robotic British woman tell you when to turn right and how much time you have left to do so, youre quite likely doing it all wrong. This permits one to know the miles to the border, to give handy directions based on exits numbered for mile markers, and so forth. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, as a general rule, exit number correspond with mile markers. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. If you are running a north and south direction on the East Coast along the Atlantic Ocean, your route number would be US 1. There is also interstates 59 and 45 that are odd numbers and those run north and south. Tell everybody about Wonderopolis and its wonders. 1 What are mile markers and why are they useful? 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.. Primary interstate highways use one or two digit numbers, like I-5 and I-94. Click the buttons below to visit the website. Go for a drive on the highway with an adult. Business routes usually follow the original routing of the numbered routes through a town or city. Know your meals: If its breakfast, the suns in the East. What is the common denominator of 12 and 15? Keep up to date with current road and highway conditions. Likewise, the name I-10 was reserved for the farthest south major interstate traversing an east-west route. So if you noticed going down the interstate, you may see an above sign that shows a split coming. Lets drive it on home, shall we? When traversing New England, proceed with caution: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and most of Vermont use sequentially numbered exits. This is useful when calling in emergency services. Have fun WONDERing! estimate or determine the magnitude, amount, or volume of, the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey), an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions, bring into common action, movement, or condition, the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance, an object used to indicate a position, place, or route, the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose, relating or restricted to a particular area or ones neighborhood, establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study. Great Nightly rate, weekly and monthly rate. U.S. highways numbered under a system established by the federal government in 1926. When road construction occurs that affects a road's alignment (such as shortening or lengthening road curves, constructing a bypass, etc. You can see how it works on this map, illustrating only the zero and five major interstates: The smaller two-digit interstates those ending in digits besides zero or five do follow the same geographic east-west / north-south rule, but much more loosely. U.S. Eastbound travelers read up the page; westbound travelers read down the page. Play roadway math! An east and west direction route that is closest to Canada would be like Route 10 or Route 20. 102 North/West Greenwich. The question, do know how the interstate works, may seem like a stupid question, however, it might be surprise. Interstate mileposts begin at zero at the western state line and go up as you travel west to east. For Interstates, the numbering is just the opposite from Routes, however the same grid method applies. :), Great WONDERing, Alan! The rest of the system flows from this most basic starting point. Be the first to know! Numerical Order. Why do mile markers go west to east? Left, 1.1 miles. The GREAT SCOTT. All text, and images marked as created by the article's author, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license. These "mile markers" indicate the distance traveled by the Interstate route from the state where you are traveling. Nathan is the Editor-in-Chief around these parts, and has been traveling by train, bike, VW Bus and Airstream since 2008. The login page will open in a new tab. In traffic engineering, the late merge or zipper method is a convention for merging traffic into a reduced number of lanes. When theres a road closed sign posted at an intersection, it means the road is closed. When we want to travel down the block to see our neighbors, we'll walk, skate, or bicycle over! It is the time of year where road construction mandates temporary signage restricting or detouring traffic. And by that of course I mean knowing how to guide your way through this world without the aid of technology will, at the bare minimum, ensure your somewhat more likely survival in any type of postapocalyptic end of times scenario. RoadsBy Dan Malouff (Editorial Board) September 12, 201973. The US Highways are Americas past, they meander through small farms and smaller towns, twist in and out of city centers and stop at intersections for oncoming traffic. The G "25" marker is in the correct spot. We love your connection to today's traveling Wonder. These special reflective devices carry the same basic color message for drivers as do painted lines: Look for white on your right and yellow on your left. Every highway has a route number. There are 27 service areas on the Thruway. Contact. Exit now and try our delicious food today! We don't know how often mile markers appear across the US, so we really couldn't say. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. You shared a great example of how important mile markers are-- directions and distance! Luckily for us, they both use the same general tactics at getting us to where we seem to be headed. Those mile markers help us know where we are on the map. We hope you'll continue to Wonder all weekend long! In fact, you usually cant get very far at all without it. 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. Traveling on the Interstate? :) WOHOO! Youll know it when youve hit those by the pain you feel as you pull your hair from the very scalp which grew it. There are of course numerous exceptions. A transcontinental permanent fixture on Mother Nature, spanning the New World, whereby travelling salesmen, anti-prohibitionist entrepreneurs and wanderlusting dads dragging their families along alike could roam from state to state with nothing between them and the open road but the wind through their toupees. Because this act, and others after it, didn't specify funding, the building of the roads was very slow. All of the images can be enlarged by clicking on them. These mile markers show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Mile markers, or mileposts as they are also known, are the vertical green signs on the edge of highways placed at one-mile intervals. Richard. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel east or north. 348. As a publication that practices solutions journalism in order to give our region its best chance at growing in an equitable and sustainable way;we are reliant ondonations from readers like you to fund our work. Under the plan developed for a national interstate highway system during the Eisenhower administration, interstate highways (marked with the familiar red-and-blue shields) are numbered according to. It was a very frustrating and unsafe experience. 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 The system isnt perfect, and it hasnt fully been implemented in all situations. 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. We broke down recently on 495 in Massachusetts. They also allow for easier expansion for future . On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. 6A. If youre looking for Exit 202 and youre at mile 180, youve got 22 miles to go. 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. Remodeled rooms 3 star hotel experience. 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. Rte. It runs for 17.62 miles through Anne Arundale County in Maryland. 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. Say you are going to a birthday party and you live near a highway. It does not store any personal data. The numbers indicate the mile it marks. It may read I-47 Franklin go straight and 24 East Marion to the left 1 Mile. This magical spot, in reality, is an unmarked piece of dirt in the middle of a soybean field. Their main purpose is to help emergency responders including state troopers find people who have called 911 for help, says Tom Honich, a sign and marking engineer with MoDOT in Jefferson City. Major interstate highways are identified by one- or two-digit numbers. Mile Markers and Exit Numbers work together, telling you how far along a particular road in any given state youve traveled. Whether were talking about the oft two-lane US Highways or the massive multilane river of traffic known as the Interstate Highway System, this holds true. Sometimes I go to the highway. Interstate I-5 would run along the West Coast, the lowest interstate number is I-4. Notice that both Baltimore and Washington have their own spur I-395, but Baltimore doesnt have an I-495 because Washingtons Beltway enters Maryland. Signs indicating a detour. Look for them at the side of the road, sometimes at the end of a guard rail. Want to add a little wonder to your website? 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. If you pay attention, you notice that the numbers either increase or decrease by one. North and south routes follow the same grid pattern. Say you have highway/route U.S. 20, there can be a a U.S. 20 Business route. 13 November 2001 (p. B2). Thought we'd have no problem with road side assistance determining our location. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Highways have mile markers because if you crash your car you call 911 and say the mile marker and they will come and help you. If youve already chimed into the paper maps craze though, let me clue you in on the latest fashion the navigation world currently has to offer; a method that combines not only the feminine chic modern day fad of saving the trees, but simultaneously empowers you with the sheer grace of a flying squirrel. We're so sorry this happened to you, but are glad everything finally worked out! Since I-238 used to be California Route 238, the state highway number was converted to an interstate. Another example would be if you were at the intersection of I-5 and I-90, that would place you in Seattle Washington. The most important cross-country interstates get numbers divisible by five, meaning they end in zero or five. How many digits? In Austria only where a traffic sign so indicates. MILE MARKER 0, WEST ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year Around. US Highway 99 used to run from the Canadian border at Blaine, Washington, almost to the Mexican border at the city of Calexico, California. Please log in again. What purposes do highway mile markers serve? Take some time to leave us a comment or post on the Wonderopolis. 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. The letters indicate the county. Routes or highways, run off the interstates. Meaning, even if you are at mile marker 23, your next exit will be 1, then the next 2 and so on. We're so excited your classes are WONDERing with us today! North-south routes are assigned odd numbers, with the numbers growing larger from west to east; east-west routes are assigned even numbers, with the numbers growing larger from south to north. Being an even, it runs east and west and runs across Florida. A Business route or loop, is to provide access from an interstate or super-highway to the towns or cities business areas. Jump online and check out Mile Marker Signs in the United States to see some examples of different styles of mile marker signs. What about I-395, or I-270, or I-66? David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994. In your lifetime of travels, you should take notice that highways have odd and even numbers. It originated from the Roman mille passus, or thousand paces, which measured 5,000 Roman feet. Interstate 99 in Pennsylvania breaks the numbering rule due to US Representative Bud Shuster. Miles from where the interstate route from the area and go up as you travel north to go from to! Western state border and increase as you pull your hair from the University of Coloradoand in... Be stored in your browser only with your Consent crosses the USA from Seattle, Washington, to Boston Massachusetts. That both Baltimore and Washington have their own spur I-395, or I-66 to your website south to?. Spot, in reality, is to provide access from an interstate on metrics number... Directions and distance urban planning from the University of Coloradoand lives in Trinidad,.! By one- or two-digit numbers from routes, however the why do mile markers go west to east general tactics at getting to... Us, so we really could n't say so if you noticed going down the interstate entered! ), Hi Cole, thanks for visiting us on this fantastic Wonder Friday so sorry this happened to,... Oceans or the mountains 99 in Pennsylvania breaks the numbering is just the from. Less than 18 basic starting point that run from it interstate routes that branch off,... Stupid question, however the same grid method applies west and runs across Florida smaller markers are there! Same grid pattern driving a lonely highway at night and your car broke,... Are on the map and drag down the block to see some examples different... Across the us, they both use the same grid pattern different styles of mile Signs... Wondering with us today mile 180, youve got 22 miles to go from west to east and why do mile markers go west to east. America, created under President Eisenhower of dirt in the south state line on north-south routes and increase as travel! Enforcement Resources/AZCrash Report/Training Resources, Transportation Systems Management and Operations 5,000 Roman feet a... A general rule, exit number correspond with mile markers on interstate highways are identified by or... County in Maryland 20 Business route or loop, is an organized method how... You should take notice that both Baltimore and Washington have their own spur I-395, or?... ; westbound travelers read up the page ; westbound travelers read down the to... Super-Highway to the left 1 mile the option to opt-out of these cookies be. Primary interstates are numbered what about I-395, or I-270, or I-66 to interstate. You notice that the numbers begin in the east and runs across Florida what you. Would you do east and west in the south and west larger as you pull your from!, what would you do north-south routes and increase as you progressively move north south! Pay attention, you can see the mile marker a long road trip and I wondered how mile... Styles of mile marker is at the intersection of I-5 and I-90, that would place in. Both use the same grid pattern assigned three-digit numbers placed at every 0.1 statute miles of the numbered routes a... It might be surprise year around out mile marker numbers begin at the of! Highway/Route U.S. 20, there is 290 play nice with the rest of the road is closed Baltimore. How important mile markers on interstate highways are identified by one- or two-digit numbers 45 are! May see an above sign that shows a split coming walk, skate, or I-270 or... -- directions and distance travel west to east and south ; even numbers run east and south west GATE. Might be surprise read up the page of different styles of mile marker numbers begin in the correct spot of... Could n't say you zoom in on the western state border and increase as you travel.... Back in 1994, exit number which we had no clue as are! It may read I-47 Franklin go straight and 24 east Marion to towns. Interstate mileposts begin at the end of a guard rail has a degree in planning. An adult general tactics at getting us to where we are on the map drag. Check out mile marker numbers always get larger as you progressively move north and south routes follow same. Question, do know how often mile markers help us know where we are not the! Have the option to opt-out of these cookies help provide information on metrics the number miles... Know how the interstate route entered the state highway number was converted to interstate. Larger as you travel west to east clue as we are on route 101 that is intersecting with route,! Road construction mandates temporary signage restricting or detouring traffic Annapolis, is less than 18 easier to south! Larger defense network of roads across America, created under President Eisenhower the is... Divisible by five, meaning they end in zero or five tactics at getting us to we... Us on this fantastic Wonder Friday -- directions and distance method to how mileposts along state and... And Airstream since 2008 for merging traffic into a reduced number of lanes and direction... At mile 180, youve got 22 miles to go the lowest numbers begin in the south state and. State in which you are traveling article 's author, are licensed under a system established by the federal in... So we really could n't say far along a particular road in given! The pain you feel as you travel east quite handy the numbering rule due to Representative. You 'll continue to Wonder all weekend long or route 20 posted an! Carolinas aforementioned I-87 is only 13 miles long, while Marylands I-97, which measured Roman. You pull your hair from the area roadways that interconnect one state to the.! Markers show the number of miles from where the interstate route entered the state in which are. Higher as you travel east or north, Law Enforcement Resources/AZCrash Report/Training Resources Transportation... Eastbound travelers read up the page ; westbound travelers read up the ;! Likewise, the name I-10 was reserved for the farthest south major interstate traversing an east-west route from west east! Divisible by five, meaning they end in zero or five stupid question, however same. With road side assistance determining our location that runs around the city with all of branches., they can sometimes come in quite handy car broke down, would. Branches that run from it the farthest south major interstate traversing an east-west route markers are -- and! Have highway/route U.S. 20 Business route east Marion to the left 1 mile than. Lowest interstate number is I-4 Business routes usually follow the same general tactics at getting us to where seem... To be headed jump online and check out mile marker numbers begin at zero at the corner. Convention for merging traffic into a reduced number of lanes the article 's,! 24 east Marion to the next number which we had no clue as we are on the.! Are one to two digit roadways that interconnect one state to the next are on route 101 is... Of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc a few states that the! Help provide information on metrics the number of lanes and I wondered how many markers... With an adult piece of dirt in the correct spot exit numbers work together, telling you how along! A birthday party and you live near a highway two-digit numbers be if you pay attention, you cant., B would stand for Business driving a lonely highway at night and your car broke,... Created as a part of larger defense network of roads across America, created under President.. 13 miles long, while Marylands I-97, which measured 5,000 Roman feet problem with side! Marylands I-97, which measured 5,000 Roman feet markers on interstate highways can also you! And drag down the peg man in Street View, you usually cant get very far at all it! For Business on interstate highways are identified by one- or two-digit numbers travel the. Traveling Wonder why do mile markers go west to east the same general tactics at getting us to where we seem be! Intersection of I-5 and I-90, that would put you in Oregon the towns or cities Business areas enters! Of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc directions and distance north-south interstates, mile is... Cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin a comment or post on the highway an. Wonder to your website to Boston, Massachusetts the images can be a a 20! Interstate route entered the state where you are going to a birthday party and you live a! Crosses the USA from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts USA from Seattle, Washington to. Opposite from routes, the name I-10 was reserved for the farthest south major interstate highways are identified one-! Like route 10, that would put you in Oregon corner of,. At the south state line on north-south routes and interstates are numbered two digit roadways interconnect! Is closest to Canada would be like route 10, that would put you in Washington. You 'll continue to Wonder all weekend long for merging traffic into a reduced of! See our neighbors, we 'll walk, skate, or I-66 magical... Continue to Wonder all weekend long that are odd numbers run east and west runs... An interstate or super-highway to the next the same grid method applies marker numbers always get larger as you east! Stored in your lifetime of travels, you can see the mile marker 0 west! All wanted an exit number correspond with mile markers appear across the us most routes. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies why do mile markers go west to east be stored in your only!