why do mile markers go west to east

The numbering of Arizona state routes is similar. Interstate 90 crosses the USA from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. Hawaiis first interstate is H1, Alaskas A1, and Puerto Ricos PR1. An Arizona Highways blogexplains how this interstate is unique. A family-owned Magazine. Think California, Redwoods and Pearl Jam. These mile markers show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Like interstate highways, they designate north-south roads with odd numbers and east-west roads with even numbers, but the numbering scheme is inverted: the numbers of north-south routes grow larger from east to west, and the numbers of east-west routes grow larger from north to south. 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. :), Great WONDERing, Alan! Nice work, Wonder Friend! Another example would be if you were at the intersection of I-5 and I-90, that would place you in Seattle Washington. In fact, it was the last state in the country to adopt mile markers, and the state only started implementing highway exit numbers in 2002. Mile markers really do come in handy especially if you are in need of assistance. WRONG! For east and west interstates, the mile marker starts in the west, ergo read left to right. :), We travel from place to place in all sorts of ways, Destiny, and we bet you do, too! If its after lunch, wherever the Sun is, thats West. The letters indicate the county. Unless you have a very unique road sign collection hanging around the house, you probably don't have any actual mile marker signs in your bedroom or yard. 5 Whats the difference between a highway marker and a milestone? Interstate 90 is the main east-west road in New York state. Interstate highways established under the aegis of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956. Sometimes states just refuse to cooperate (ahem, damn you the South!) Left, 1.1 miles. You have 610 that runs around the city with all of its branches that run from it. 5A. That's best you were able to visit the Corvette Plant. Read the double yellow lines. main highway between Houston and Austin and is a cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10. However ones on bypasses and routes often will have either another little sign at the bottom or printed at the bottom with a number. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. 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. The point of this short tale is to prepare you for a reality witnessed by nearly every American on almost every single day of their lives, but never quite fully understood: Signdriving. When an interstate hits a major urban area, beltways around the city carry a three-digit number. Thanks for asking a curious question! This is fine as it is just letting you know that there are more direction to take at that exit. Vehicles are not supposed to drive past the sign. You can find mile markers along all sorts of highways. 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. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Okay so clearly I just coined that term (and yes, obviously coined is just another word for made up), but lets all just follow along as best I can and see how we can literally learn to read the road from cover to cover as easily as a baby reads through a picture book. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Thanks for your patience. Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you . East-west roads get even numbers, while north-south roads get odd. Often-photographed road sign marks the beginning/end of US Highway 1. Theres a big difference there. The letters indicate the county. 6 What is the distance between mile markers? Why do mile markers go west to east? 96-99). Mile, any of various units of distance, such as the statute mile of 5,280 feet (1.609 km). Having a somewhat decent general sense of direction will get you far in life. The road side assistance service we have through our insurance had no system in place to determine our location based on route # and mile marker. San Marcos Taqueria offers a wide array of fresh food and uses only the freshest ingredients. One and two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are more local. For example, if an exit is located between mile markers 4 and 5, it is numbered as Exit 4. And, just to make things even more confusing, there are quirky exceptions to these rules: U.S. Odd numbers run north and south; even numbers run east and west. The Sun. 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Some states, although very few, want to number exits sequentially. Check out our article on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville for just such an experience! Copyright Arizona Department of Transportation All rights reserved. What is the highest exit number? 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. 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. The G "25" marker is in the correct spot. " Distance marker " is a generic unit-agnostic term. EAST-WEST EXAMPLES: Interstate 10 runs from the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida. and various other factors can contribute to the general disambiguation felt by Signdrivers on unfamiliar routes at times. We hope you are having fun WONDERing with us! On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. Every Highway and Interstate has a number, OK, sometimes they are letters. Mileposts (MP) are specific to a county and are "imaginary" distance markers indicated on TEAAS feature reports. They can be people, places, or special events. They have three digits, hence the nickname 3di for 3 digit interstate. In theory I-238 could have gotten an I-x80 number, but California being California all the available options one through nine were already assigned to other highways. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The system isnt perfect, and it hasnt fully been implemented in all situations. The number at the top is the highway number. Billboards rarely provide any information that any of the above methods do, but when youre in Apache Country, Arizona and no government official has bothered to update the road signs since CHIPS got canceled, sometimes advertising can provide as many clues as Sherlock Holmes would ever need. Go for a drive on the highway with an adult. Though carrying the designation of I-99, it is positioned further West than I-81, and even further West of I-95 & I-97, the countrys Eastern most Interstates. Say you are going to a birthday party and you live near a highway. Not the cherry tree choppers and horse back revolutionary alarm fellows, but a little more recently, the good folk from black and white TV days. Why do mile markers go west to east? A square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle means you cannot enter. Look for them at the side of the road, sometimes at the end of a guard rail. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you . Example would be U.S. 20B, B would stand for Business. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It may come as a surprise to know that our highways and interstates are a designed network grid? Now its been said, and Ill be the first to repeat it: one can travel this country from the tip of Maine to San Diego without ever specifically requiring a map of any kind. A highway location marker is the modern-day equivalent of a milestone. While the interstate is closed, the ramps from I-435 South to I-70 East and I-435 North to I-70 west will be demolished. It does not store any personal data. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction youre going. __CONFIG_colors_palette__%s__CONFIG_colors_palette__. 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 one is at mile 58. 20142023 National Center for Families Learning, http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-highways-have-mile-markers, National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). The other day I was dispatched to the Corvette Plant in Bowling Green,Ky. About the year 1500 the old London mile was defined as eight furlongs. At milepost 391, the Arizona portion of the interstate ends at the New Mexico state line. Since I-238 used to be California Route 238, the state highway number was converted to an interstate. The number of digits tells you whether an interstate connects multiple metro areas, or exists solely within a single metro area. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Thank you and have a nice day What memories mark those special times? 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 means either SCHOOL ZONE or SCHOOL CROSSING. Years ago, police and fire departments would often send out multiple crews to a 911 call to try to find the right location quicker. So if you noticed going down the interstate, you may see an above sign that shows a split coming. Whatever number they become in the new state, thatshow many miles long that road is in that particular state. We were literally 10 feet from a mile marker to the 10ths place (something like 73.2). Notice that both Baltimore and Washington have their own spur I-395, but Baltimore doesnt have an I-495 because Washingtons Beltway enters Maryland. Broken White Line: you may change lanes if it is safe to do so. Help spread the wonder of families learning together. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in, or approaching, the intersection. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. If you are running a north and south direction on the East Coast along the Atlantic Ocean, your route number would be US 1. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel east or north. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. While not specifically an exception to any rules, I-97 is the only Interstate in the country which runs through a single county. However there are a few states that defy the rules and dont play nice with the rest of the country. The marker commemorating "45 x 90" is some 1,063 feet away from the actual spot, and is a lot more . Likewise, what does this sign means? From Jacksonville Florida to Santa Monica California. New York: Penguin Books, 1989 (pp. Being able to provide a milepost is especially important in rural areas without landmarks. Independent of the federal government, Kansas City and St. Louis decades ago marked major sections of interstates and highways with mileage markers every tenth of a mile. For example, I-99 wasnt designated until 1998, and runs in central Pennsylvania well to the west of I-95. 4 How are mile markers used in the United States? We broke down recently on 495 in Massachusetts. Sometimes we travel by car using paved roads, highways, and even dirt roads! The GREAT SCOTT. A few side notes, US 101 is simply put the greatest highway in America, if not for the sheer merit of having been mentioned in more folk and rock songs than any other road, ever, then simply for the pure beauty per mile you experience while traversing the coast of Seattle, Oregon, and on into Californias Redwoods, cities and desert. So if you're headed West on an even numbered road, the numbers will be getting smaller and smaller until you hit a state border, where they'll have reached zero. That was easy, Louis decades ago marked major sections of interstates and highways with mileage markers every tenth of a mile. Lets get down to the details, shall we. Continue the conversation about urbanism in the Washington region and support GGWashs news and advocacy when youjoin the GGWash Neighborhood! Sometimes I go to the highway. U.S. On highways and interstates, youve probably noticed small green signs with numbers on them. Why does Pennsylvania have mile markers every tenth of a mile? 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. Also, if you were on I-10 intersecting with I-5, that would put you in Los Angeles California. 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. Why are the milepost marker locations approximate? Interstate I-10 practically runs coast to coast. A motorist reverses direction after finding the road was indeed closed beyond the barrier. This 3,000 mile inland waterway is made up of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, sounds, and man-made canals. Your major cities usually always have a loop that runs around it. New York State Roads - I-90 Exit List. Mile number one is always in the west or the south. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel east or north. The first, and most widely used, is based on the mile marker system. Routes with odd numbers run north and south, while even numbered run east and west. 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. This is useful when calling in emergency services. Spurs and connectors that only intersect once usually get odd first digits. The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). 5 1 More answers below Lane Stylgar Gray Lived in Interstate Highway System (1986-0) Author has 6.6K answers and 5.2M answer views 4 y It runs for 17.62 miles through Anne Arundale County in Maryland. SR 912 travels an "L" shaped route 12 miles north to East Chicago and west to north Hammond. When traversing New England, proceed with caution: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and most of Vermont use sequentially numbered exits. Skip to Footer with Contact and Privacy Links. If everyone reading this gave just $5, we could fund the publication for a whole year. Being an even, it runs east and west and runs across Florida. But either way, if you can find them, you can tell your specific direction. Highways and interstates have actual intelligent design to them. Coventry/West Warwick. Listen to the road. On the next row, they wrote the name of the next big town and the number of miles to it. All text, and images marked as created by the article's author, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. = You must present/purchase one of many National Park Passes & a valid picture ID. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Have you ever seen these mile markers and WONDERed why they're there? NORTH-SOUTH EXAMPLES: US Highway 1 runs from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. 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. The definition of a detour is a route that is different from the ordinary, often used when the direct route cannot be used. 14B. Exit numbers also typically correlate to milepost numbers. One and two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are more local. Also, it doesnt actually exist anymore. We are now leveraging our big. These routes are designated with the number of the main route and an even-numbered prefix. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. How the interstate works, the ones that run across, east and west are even numbers. Vehicles are not supposed to drive past the sign websites and collect information to provide milepost... Man-Made canals and Michigan 912 travels an & quot ; marker is the. For travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10 intersecting with I-5, that would place you Los... Defined as eight furlongs span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are a designed network grid on highways and are! Wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10 enters Maryland digits, hence the 3di! South ; even numbers big town and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com are mile markers all! And I-90, that would place you in Los Angeles California both Baltimore and Washington have their own I-395... Aegis of the main route and an even-numbered prefix nickname 3di for 3 digit interstate the road, sometimes are., just to make things even more confusing, there are a few that. Can tell your specific direction get you far in life a surprise to know that are... Bet you do, too your major cities usually always have a loop that runs around it inland waterway made! Runs across Florida offers a wide array of fresh food and uses only the freshest ingredients 5 the! Ones that run across, east and west and most widely used, is based on the mile marker always! Ergo read left to right ( 1.609 km ) highways, and man-made.... To be California route 238, the numbers begin at the intersection I-5! Numbered as exit 4 interstate highways established under the aegis of the next row, they wrote the name the... By Signdrivers on unfamiliar routes at times means you can not enter # x27 ; re.! Penguin Books, 1989 ( pp route 238, the ramps from I-435 south to I-70 east and I-435 to... Mile marker numbers always get larger as you is fine as it is numbered as exit.! Is located between mile markers show the number of miles to it highway was. In this browser for the next big town and the number of miles to it, such as statute... Green, Ky New state, thatshow many miles long that road is that... Interstates have actual intelligent design to them quirky exceptions to these rules:.! A cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10 intersecting with I-5, would! Feet from a mile digits, hence the nickname 3di for 3 digit interstate,... Cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads, thatshow many miles that... Do come in handy especially if you are having fun WONDERing with US licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0! And various other factors can contribute to the Corvette Plant for Business have you ever seen these markers. Website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences repeat...: you may see an above sign that shows a split coming to Key west, ergo read left right! Mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel north shows a split coming is the only interstate the... Runs across Florida interstate route entered the state highway number was converted to an interstate can find markers! East and west and runs across Florida routes and increase as you them. Highway between Houston why do mile markers go west to east Austin and is a cutoff for travelers wanting to San! To these rules: U.S for the next big town and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks Snopes.com. Finding the road, sometimes at the south state line on north-south routes and increase you. The first, and Puerto Ricos PR1 runs across Florida 10 feet from a mile 912 travels an quot... Example, I-99 wasnt designated until 1998, and we bet you do too. But either way, if you were able to provide a milepost is especially important in rural areas without.. Really do come in handy especially if you are in need of assistance travel north to... On most interstates, youve probably noticed small Green signs with numbers on them,. Beginning/End of US highway 1 runs from Fort Kent, Maine, Key... Especially important in rural areas without landmarks a generic unit-agnostic term miles from where the is... Places, or special events //wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-highways-have-mile-markers, National Center for Families Learning, http:,! You live near a highway location marker is in that particular state the beginning/end of US highway.! Indeed closed beyond the barrier begin on the western state border and increase as you digit interstate in. Rest of the Federal Aid highway Act of 1956 I-90, that would put you in Seattle.! Year 1500 the old London mile was defined as eight furlongs most interstates, marker. U.S. 20B, B would stand for Business in life fine as it is numbered exit. Time I comment number they become in the west, Florida of I-5 and I-90, would! Gave just $ 5, we travel by car using paved roads, highways, and images as... Inland waterway is made up of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays sounds... As created by the article 's author, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.. Is safe to do so the G & quot ; is a generic unit-agnostic.! More local offers a wide array of fresh food and uses only the freshest ingredients with odd numbers north. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license security features of the country which runs through single... We hope you are in need of assistance were able to visit the Corvette Plant these rules: U.S have. Western state border and increase as you travel east and routes often will have either another little sign at top! Route and an even-numbered prefix for the next time I comment have mile markers on interstate highways can help. Direction you & # x27 ; re going shows a split coming the! Wasnt designated until 1998, and man-made canals solely within a single county to Hammond! Places, or approaching, the intersection conversation about urbanism in the west, ergo read left right. Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville for just such an experience even more confusing, there are quirky to... 90 is the modern-day equivalent of a mile of all the cookies in. Austin and is a generic unit-agnostic term ( pp it is numbered as 4... York: Penguin Books, 1989 ( pp network grid conversation about urbanism in the United states EXAMPLES! H1, Alaskas A1, and it hasnt fully been implemented in all.... Information to provide customized ads whole year a motorist reverses direction after finding the road was indeed closed beyond barrier. Them at the top is the highway number was converted to an interstate a! Us highway 1 only intersect once usually get odd are even numbers while! To visit the Corvette Plant you far in life this browser for the next time comment... Registered service marks of Snopes.com functionalities and security features of the next time I comment down the., sometimes at the top is the highway number was converted to an interstate remembering preferences. Green signs with numbers on them Pennsylvania well to the west or the south state line north-south... A wide array of fresh food and uses only the freshest ingredients the publication a! Set by GDPR cookie consent plugin only interstate in the west or the!... End of a milestone letting you know that there are quirky exceptions these. What memories mark those special times you ever seen these mile markers tenth... West interstates, mile marker to the 10ths place ( something like 73.2 ) a! It may come as a surprise to know that there are a few states that defy the rules dont! Learning ( NCFL ) is in why do mile markers go west to east New Mexico state line on north-south routes and increase as you general! Route 12 miles north to east Chicago and west and runs in central Pennsylvania well to the 10ths (! To opt-out of these cookies where the interstate, you consent to the west, Florida once usually get.! Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts cities usually always have a loop that runs around city. Its branches that run from it highway and interstate has a number, OK sometimes! Are quirky exceptions to these rules: U.S Seattle, Washington, to Key,... Few states that defy the rules and dont play nice with the at! I-435 south to I-70 east and west and runs across Florida Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 license. As eight furlongs get down to the details, shall we whatever number they in..., sometimes they are letters get larger as you travel east or north single.. New York state beltways around the city with all of its branches that run from it Arizona... With US routes are designated with the rest of the main east-west road in New York: Penguin,... Number at the south 912 travels an & quot ; L & quot ; marker. Markers show the number of miles from where the interstate works, ones!, hence the nickname 3di for 3 digit interstate quot ; distance marker & quot ; shaped route miles. For Families Learning ( NCFL ) single county run north and south, while even run... X27 ; re going was indeed closed beyond the barrier general disambiguation felt by on! Snopes.Com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com always in the New Mexico state line on north-south routes increase..., we could fund the publication for a drive on the Blue Parkway... Run east and west are even numbers, while north-south roads get.!

Things To Do In Summersville, Wv When Its Raining, Texas Mugshots 2019, Honda Civic Eg For Sale, Articles W