Highway Trivia (home, live, buses)

[pw72]

I will take a stab at the traffic light question. I believe it was in Wallace, Idaho on I-90 sometime in the 90's. The town is in a narrow valley and there wasn't much room for an interstate, so they elevated parts of it above the town. Prior to that the route wound through town with one traffic light.

[tcmouse]

Ben Around, you are getting closer. Think more in terms of more than just two highways, this is a series of sequential US highways crossing each other in order such as US 1 crossing US 2, US 2 crossing US 3, etc. And remember the biggest clue of all, southern states. I will post the answer tomorrow.

[tcmouse]

Originally Posted by Ben Around

Without looking at the road atlas, I'm guessing:
US 99 crosses US 98 in CA
US 1 crosses US 2 in ME
US 2 crosses US 3 in NH
US 6 crosses US 7 in NY
US 19 crosses US 20 in NY
US 30 crosses US 31 in OH
US 40 crosses US 41 in IL
US 50 crosses US 51 in IL
US 51 crosses US 52 in WI
US 60 crosses US 61 in KY
US 61 crosses US 62 in MO
US 62 crosses US 63 in MO
US 65 (used to) cross US 66 in MO
US 69 crosses US 70 in AR
US 80 crosses US 81 in TX
US 89 crosses US 90 in AZ.

Because the numbering of the US highway system runs north to south and east to west, the crossings run diagonal across the country from ME to CA.

Here's a little trivia that caught my eye long ago: US 2 runs east/west from ME to WA, but it "disappears" in northern NY at the international border, only to reappear hundreds of miles west at Sault Ste. Marie, MI. From there it runs unbroken to the Pacific coast.

I also noticed that US2 issue years ago, my only conclusion was when the US DOT had a much more active ferry system than today, perhaps crossing the Great Lakes in some manner, in addition it could have been a re-routed issue in the 1930's when a number of US highways had their routes altered. Might have to dig deeper into that one. You have also got my next trivia question already perkin in my mind.

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by pw72

I will take a stab at the traffic light question. I believe it was in Wallace, Idaho on I-90 sometime in the 90's. The town is in a narrow valley and there wasn't much room for an interstate, so they elevated parts of it above the town. Prior to that the route wound through town with one traffic light.

You, sir, are correct!

[tcmouse]

Ding Ding Ding.....ladies and gentlemen, we have our first winner. Anyone else wanna get in on the fun?????

[mike0421]

What is the longest continuous 3 digit US route? For instance, US 301, I-295, etc, would be eligible.

[lammius]

I'll take a guess at the 3-digit interstate, I-495 in Mass? or maybe 476 in PA (the Northeast Extension of the PA Tpk + Blue Route).

Longest 3-digit US route (black and white), I'm not so sure. I'd guess there could be one that goes coast to coast or at least close to it

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by lammius

I'll take a guess at the 3-digit interstate, I-495 in Mass? or maybe 476 in PA (the Northeast Extension of the PA Tpk + Blue Route).

Longest 3-digit US route (black and white), I'm not so sure. I'd guess there could be one that goes coast to coast or at least close to it

The correct answer is actually a US (old federal highway) route, not an interstate.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by mike0421

What is the longest continuous 3 digit US route? For instance, US 301, I-295, etc, would be eligible.

I would've said 301 if you hadn't used it as an example . I think the other ones I am familiar with are shorter than 301. But let me take a wild guess: 169? If no, I'd need a hint

[mike0421]

Originally Posted by Ben Around

I would've said 301 if you hadn't used it as an example . I think the other ones I am familiar with are shorter than 301. But let me take a wild guess: 169? If no, I'd need a hint

It runs north to south, not east to west.