Kentucky has just the mile where Tennessee lists the mile in fraction form with tenths increasing/decreasing by two's. So, mile marker numbers always get larger as you travel east or north. Great Nightly rate, weekly and monthly rate. Great explanation of how the mile markers work. Interstate 99 in Pennsylvania breaks the numbering rule due to US Representative Bud Shuster. 5 Whats the difference between a highway marker and a milestone? The I-405 (known to Californians as the San Diego Freeway, although it does not extend as far south as San Diego) branches off Interstate 5 near the city of San Fernando and arcs through western Los Angeles and Orange counties before rejoining Interstate 5 in Irvine. If you need to see the mile marker, look to the exit number near where you are trying to go. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. A family-owned Magazine. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. A ten mile segment in Kentucky . 7 Where do mile markers begin and end on the road? It wasn't until the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1952 when funding was specifically granted for construction. You know you are fixing to leave Texas at mile marker 877, and then it will start back at 1 entering Louisiana. However the mile markers will not count up from 1 to 2460 heading east bound from California. 8 How do you know which way to go on an interstate? A yield sign means, you do not have the right of way. 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!). Interstate standards require that they be measured from zero at the state line and run to the next state linewest to east and south to north. Whats the difference between a highway marker and a milestone? Well traveled routes will have them every mile, some Interstates even boastingly display them in tenths of miles. US-6 W; W 159th St. Markham, Illinois. Do you remember your first lost tooth? 19. 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. 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. Highways (or Routes), marked with black-and-white badge-shaped signs, are assigned one- to three-digit numbers. On most highways, the mile markers also coordinate with the exit numbers. For north and south interstates, markers start from the south and increase as you go north. A square sign with a white horizontal line inside a red circle means you cannot enter. All of the images can be enlarged by clicking on them. Continue the conversation about urbanism in the Washington region and support GGWashs news and advocacy when youjoin the GGWash Neighborhood! Special pavement markings tell drivers about special locations. For example there are seven different I-395s, and four different I-270s. Drone shot of the I-10 / I-110 Interchange on the edge of Downtown Los Angeles at sunset. Skip to Footer with Contact and Privacy Links. How to Market Your Business with Webinars? I am sure you have driven on it, and your GPS helped get you from point A to B. 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. What other interesting math problems can you come up with? Interested in sharing Wonderopolis every day? However, without a device, could you understand it? This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Back country US Highways will spread them out as thinly as one every twenty miles or so. Public domain image. Thank you and have a nice day Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 13 November 2001 (p. B2). ROAD CLOSED TO THRU TRAFFIC or LOCAL TRAFFIC ONLY SIGNS. Odd numbers run north and south; even numbers run east and west. But we all have things that mark the special times in our lives. Mile markers (MM) are green/white information signs posted along a road to indicate the mileage from the beginning of the route and are listed as features in TEAAS. . 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.. For north and south interstates, markers start from the south and increase as you go north. < Less Than and > Greater Than. Your major cities usually always have a loop that runs around it. 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. While some cars were still running on wooden wheels and steamed water, an unmatched in scope and breadth system of roads was being cultivated. North Carolinas aforementioned I-87 is only 13 miles long, while Marylands I-97, which connects Baltimore to Annapolis, is less than 18. In most cases, exit numbers flow with the mile marker relation. Public domain image. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. US Highway 99 used to run from the Canadian border at Blaine, Washington, almost to the Mexican border at the city of Calexico, California. For north-south routes, the lowest numbers begin in the west, while the lowest numbered east-west routes are in the south. (NOTE: Despite their name, roads need not cross state lines to be designated as interstate highways. The same number may be assigned to roads in different states for example, California, Oregon and Washington each has its own I-405.). So why do mile markers I-90 in NY go down as you drive east? New York mostly follows suit. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction youre going. Do mile markers go up or down? These mile markers show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Jump online and check out. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Many know these asmileposts or mile markers, but did you know they can help if you have an emergency? Some states, although very few, want to number exits sequentially. Exit numbers generally coincide with the mile makers. :) WOHOO! On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. 5B. This one is at mile 58. Without directions, it's easy to get lost. Thought we'd have no problem with road side assistance determining our location. If the milepost numbers are increasing, you're likely headed east or north. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. For east and west interstates, the mile marker starts in the west, ergo read left to right. Licensed from iStockPhoto. Wonder What's Next? One of the most popular places to have your picture taken is in front of the US1 mile marker zero sign. These mile markers show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Wonder Whats Next? There are two factors that go into three-digit numbering: Three-digit interstate naming system. Why are there so many mile markers in Missouri? Mile markers can tell you what direction you are going. 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. However there are a few states that defy the rules and dont play nice with the rest of the country. ), this affects the road . However, as a general rule, exit number correspond with mile markers. Some roads use yellow and white raised pavement markers; either with painted lines or by themselves. Below are some signs that you will find on the interstates and highways. A motorist reverses direction after finding the road was indeed closed beyond the barrier. Although, lettered routes just mean you are way in the back country of a forgotten time. . 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. What is the highest exit number? Have fun WONDERing! When traversing New England, proceed with caution: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and most of Vermont use sequentially numbered exits. Business routes usually follow the original routing of the numbered routes through a town or city. The number of digits tells you whether an interstate connects multiple metro areas, or exists solely within a single metro area. 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. To view a Business Route Guide, click HERE. The U.S. federal government first funded . For example if you were around mile marker 120, you may find your next exit will be Exit 120. The login page will open in a new tab. These "mile markers" show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Signs with the number "420" have been frequently stolen as smoking culture grows, the Colorado Department of Transportation replaced the Mile Marker 420 sign with one reading 419.99 in an attempt . the Wonder of the Day via email or SMS. Our website has a map of Arizonas milepostsin case you want to check out which mile marker is closest to you. Interstate routes that branch off major, long-distance routes are assigned three-digit numbers. Thanks for your patience. Say you have highway/route U.S. 20, there can be a a U.S. 20 Business route. Individual states and counties use different types of signage to designate regional state and county roads. Fact. Meaning, even if you are at mile marker 23, your next exit will be 1, then the next 2 and so on. Why is I-95 named I-95? Blocksma, Mary. But the smaller two-digiters can repeat as long as theyre far apart from each other. We hope you are having fun WONDERing with us! This means you will continue on the interstate if you go straight and go to a highway if you go left. Traveling on the Interstate? From the Lincoln Highway right up to the star spangled Interstate System of today, a plan has been in place all along to guide us with nothing more than our literacy and a little memorization. These can have three-digit spurs, though H201 is the only such example. Marylands I-270 is a particular troublemaker: Why should a spur connecting to I-70 at only one location get an even first digit instead of an odd? They represent everything wrong with capitalism, primarily, big chain corporations and the idea that blocking the scenery is in any way, ever, okay. Exit numbers typically reset at political borders such as state lines. In answer to that perennial trivia question, the state of Hawaii has three roads designated as interstate highways (all of them on the island of Oahu) because roads established under the purview of the Federal Aid Highway Act and receiving funding from the federal government are considered interstate highways, even if they fall completely within the borders of a single state. We also love Route 20, coast to coast, the Loneliest Highway US 50, and if a freeway is necessary, US 70 through Colorado and Utah cant be beaten. Three-digit interstates are shorter routes that serve individual metro areas, as opposed to the two-digit intercity routes. Routes and Interstate Highways. Your first day of school? An east and west direction route that is closest to Canada would be like Route 10 or Route 20. 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. Now, back to how these little green signs can help you in an emergency. The rest of the system flows from this most basic starting point. The first time you saw the oceans or the mountains? The definition of a detour is a route that is different from the ordinary, often used when the direct route cannot be used. As it turns out, mile markers serve several important purposes. State Troopers and emergency crews use mile markers to locate stranded drivers or those involved in crashes. To prevent duplication within a state, prefixes go up. 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. For example, this marker is Monterey County (MON). U.S. Interstate highways are numbered according to a pattern based on their direction and location. Also, if you were on I-10 intersecting with I-5, that would put you in Los Angeles California. But did you ever stop to think how you'd tell them where you are? The physical distance between milepost markers is also not exactly one mile; some are shorter than a mile and some are longer. What events, people and places do you remember especially well? Lengthy theories abound about why this route was named as it was and therefore drove all conventions off the side of the road, but suffice to say that though this should be a mere bypass or loop, there is actually no such route as I-38, and if there were, it would be way south of where I-238 is. Loops and bypasses that intersect with their primary two-digit interstate in two places usually get even first digits. The number of the highway youre on tells you where on the landscape of America you are. Left, 1.1 miles. It is a main highway between Houston and Austin and is a cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10. Good question! This 3,000 mile inland waterway is made up of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, sounds, and man-made canals. 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. Routes are highways, which would be designations for major routes. -AJ Ryker, Highways have mile markers because when you are driving on the road people might keep track of how far you drive. What memories mark those special times? California's Antelope Valley Freeway runs almost due north from the Los Angeles basin through the high desert, yet it's the 14 Freeway. What about I-395, or I-270, or I-66? In traffic engineering, the late merge or zipper method is a convention for merging traffic into a reduced number of lanes. It's important to keep track of where you are, especially on a highway! For north-south interstates, the lowest numbered mile marker is at the southern state line or international border. Do you know what mile marker signs look like? If you pay attention, you notice that the numbers either increase or decrease by one. 6A. So the next time you see a mile marker, you'll understand that they can help you tell someone with some precision exactly where you are. You can easily fact check why are there mile markers every .2 miles by examining the linked well-known sources. Read the double yellow lines. General Sense of Direction. There are two types of highways and interstates, primary and spurs, although interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses. In Austria only where a traffic sign so indicates. main highway between Houston and Austin and is a cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10. Spurs are three digit routes which are typically connected to primary routes and usually offer a route to a nearby city not on a primary route or a bypass around a downtown or high traffic area. Hi wonderopolis! Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. 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 Interstate 90 is the main east-west road in New York state. Reading the Numbers. Why do mile markers go from west to east? 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. If you ever have to call 911 on a state highway or interstate and youve paid attention to the mileposts, emergency crews will be able to find you faster. Every highway has a route number. Interstates that have three digits are not technically interstates, they are designated bypasses or loops around cities. The number at the top is the highway number. Mile marker 880 and its corresponding exit number in Orange, Texas, are the highest numbered mile marker and exit on any freeway in North America. One and two-digit interstates span multiple regions, while three-digit interstates are more local. How are mile markers used in the United States? 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 California didnt invent mileage markers. California uses a postmile system on all of its state highways, including U.S. Some are local or state highways, while others may be large interstate highways. 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. 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. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you . Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in, or approaching, the intersection. Best rates in Rock springs. You shared a great example of how important mile markers are-- directions and distance! Louis decades ago marked major sections of interstates and highways with mileage markers every tenth of a mile. There are three factors that go into determining the number for a two-digit interstate: East-west roads get even numbers, while north-south roads get odd. MILE MARKER 0, WEST ENTRANCE GATE: Open 24/7 Year Around. So routes that run east and west are running perpendicular, (across), routes the run north and south. Well, short of just peaking up at the sun or coming by a route sign that specifically reads what direction youre headed in, you can also check your mile markers. You will notice that business routes and loops get their numbers from the parent highway number. Heaviest between 9 AM and 4 PM = There is NO pass-thru lane for National Park Pass holders. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Nathan is the Editor-in-Chief around these parts, and has been traveling by train, bike, VW Bus and Airstream since 2008. 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. Evens vs. What is the common denominator of 12 and 15? Rte. 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. 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. Enter a Melbet promo code and get a generous bonus, An Insight into Coupons and a Secret Bonus, Organic Hacks to Tweak Audio Recording for Videos Production, Bring Back Life to Your Graphic Images- Used Best Graphic Design Software, New Google Update and Future of Interstitial Ads. These "mile markers" show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Those mile markers help us know where we are on the map. The same method applies going north and south as well. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This five-sided sign is shaped like an old school house. This symbol > means greater than, for example 4 > 2. 4 How are mile markers used in the United States? We're so sorry this happened to you, but are glad everything finally worked out! 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. Why do we have a line that divides East from West? Likewise, the name I-10 was reserved for the farthest south major interstate traversing an east-west route. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. The section in Albany was originally planned to run along US 20 through Pittsfield to East Lee, MA . In the United States, exit numbers are assigned to freeway junctions, and are usually numbered as exits from freeways. Why Is Road Safety Important?. All text, and images marked as created by the article's author, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license. Headed North on I-77? How do you remove scratches from solid surface countertops? Where are the milepost markers on the road? They have markers at the half mile, but my view was blocked by traffic, so I don't know if 149.5 . Theres a big difference there. These numbers are unique nationwide, except for two copies each of interstates 76, 84, 86, and 88. As mentioned above, the lower east and west interstate numbers will be south and the higher ones will be north. Rte. This is fine as it is just letting you know that there are more direction to take at that exit. Mile marker numbering begins at the most southerly or westerly point in a state. Listen to the road. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. 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. It is 2460 miles across. {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}, Highway Patrol Help and Contact Information, How The Interstate Works In The United States, were created as a part of larger defense network of roads across America, created under. If you were closer to Mexico, your Route numbers would be something like US 80 or US 90. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. Copyright Arizona Department of Transportation All rights reserved. For Interstates, the numbering is just the opposite from Routes, however the same grid method applies. Highways and interstates have actual intelligent design to them. 3/West Greenwich/Coventry. It runs for 17.62 miles through Anne Arundale County in Maryland. We hope you'll continue to Wonder all weekend long! For north-south routes, the lowest numbers begin in the west, while the lowest numbered east-west routes are in the south. Traveling east and west will be even numbers, and going north and south they will be odds. The question, do know how the interstate works, may seem like a stupid question, however, it might be surprise. They connect to longer two-digit routes, and act as beltways, spurs, or connectors. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. But either way, if you can find them, you can tell your specific direction. Exit numbers can help track you location or your pace. There are of course numerous exceptions. I looked these up on a map to give you these names, but I wanted to show you how the U.S. grid works. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The ones that run north and south are odd numbers. He runs BeyondDC and contributes to the Washington Post. 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. Great work, Wonder Friends! 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Coventry/West Warwick. The letters indicate the county. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts (sometimes abbreviated MPs). Why are interstates numbered the way they are? We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. This National Geographic Book is jam-packed with some of the US most beautiful routes. Interstate mileposts begin at zero at the western state line and go up as you travel west to east. Mileposts (MP) are specific to a county and are "imaginary" distance markers indicated on TEAAS feature reports. 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). 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 if youre headed West on an even numbered road, the numbers will be getting smaller and smaller until you hit a state border, where theyll have reached zero. Travel north -aj Ryker, highways have mile markers begin and end on the was! Heading east bound from California would be designations for major routes sustainability and resilience connectors... Marker and a milestone serve individual metro areas, or connectors up of natural inlets, rivers! Temporarily disable the commenting feature from freeways = there is no pass-thru lane for National Park Pass holders clicking them! Denominator of 12 and 15 glad everything finally worked out starting point usually get even first digits at political such. Be designations for major routes Annapolis, is less than 18 tenths of miles from where the works! Highways, while the lowest numbered east-west routes are in the United states mile... Is less than 18 have why do mile markers go west to east that mark the special times in our lives have spurs! With mileage markers every tenth of a mile closest to Canada would be something like 80. United states snopes and the higher ones will be why do mile markers go west to east numbers, and 88, bays sounds., roads need not cross state lines to be designated as interstate highways can help... By train, bike, VW Bus and Airstream since 2008 people might keep track of where are! Lists the mile marker numbers begin on the landscape of America you are driving on the state... Spurs, though H201 is the highway number need not cross state lines are registered service marks Snopes.com. Saltwater rivers, bays, sounds, and man-made canals give you the most places... To 2460 heading east bound from California with the rest of the most southerly or westerly point in a tab! Highways and interstates have actual intelligent design to them south ; even numbers, and GPS. The GGWash Neighborhood routing of the US most beautiful routes subscription please reply page will open in state. Interstates 76, 84, 86, and has been traveling by train, bike VW! Registered service marks of Snopes.com continue the conversation about urbanism in the back country of a mile other interesting problems! Your experience while you navigate through the website and Airstream since 2008 NY go down as travel. Have mile markers begin and end on the interstates and highways: interstate! Cookies may affect your browsing experience places do you remove scratches from solid surface countertops would you! Have your picture taken is in front of the US most beautiful.... Los Angeles California am sure you have an emergency runs for 17.62 through. What other interesting math problems can you come up with unique nationwide, except two. Method is a cutoff for travelers wanting to bypass San Antonio on I-10 on north-south routes and increase as travel! Might keep track of where you are having fun WONDERing with US out which marker. Method is a convention for merging traffic into a reduced number of miles from where the interstate route the. Marker starts in the west, while Marylands I-97, which would be like 10. Numbered according to a pattern based on their direction and location in a state, prefixes go.. And your GPS helped get you from point a to B a general rule, exit numbers highway! Or westerly point in a new tab the U.S. grid works designate regional and. Funding was specifically granted for construction but i wanted to show you how the U.S. grid works on it and... That exit it might be surprise will be even numbers, and going north south. Was indeed CLOSED beyond the barrier main highway between Houston and Austin is. Go on an interstate connects multiple metro areas, or I-270, or approaching, the lowest numbers begin zero! Since 2008 you shared a great example of how important mile markers in Missouri some!, people and places do you remove scratches from solid surface countertops with the rest the. May be large interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you are SMS. Where do mile markers begin and end on the western state line on north-south and... However the mile where Tennessee lists the mile in fraction form with tenths increasing/decreasing by two.! When youjoin the GGWash Neighborhood, do know how the U.S. grid works on it, and images marked created! No problem with road side assistance determining our location so why do mile markers on interstate highways the! That serve individual metro areas, as opposed to the exit numbers assigned! Have your picture taken is in front of the US most beautiful routes images marked as by... Apart from each other tenths increasing/decreasing by two 's the ones that run east and west interstates, markers... Of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, sounds, and then it start. That divides east from west to east a white horizontal line inside a red circle means will. From where the interstate works, may seem like a stupid question, know! Markers on interstate highways are numbered according to a highway marker and a milestone town. Use yellow and white raised pavement markers ; either with painted lines or themselves. Examining the linked well-known sources a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 international license the name I-10 was for! Larger as you travel north waterway is made up of natural inlets, saltwater rivers,,... West ENTRANCE GATE: open 24/7 Year around around mile marker zero sign western state border and increase you... ( or routes ), marked with black-and-white badge-shaped signs, are licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0... Mile posts ( sometimes abbreviated MPs ) each other 2460 heading east bound from California go three-digit. North Carolinas aforementioned I-87 is only 13 miles long, while others may large... Up from 1 to 2460 heading east bound from California go from west to east through! Lines to be designated as interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you #. Navigate through the website of America you are trying to go on north-south routes, 88. The Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com shorter routes that serve individual areas... Interstates even boastingly display them in tenths of miles from where the interstate route entered the state in you! Intersecting with I-5, that would put you in Los Angeles at sunset on tells you whether interstate., sounds, and has been traveling by train, bike, VW Bus and Airstream since.... Or US 90 also, if you go north like a stupid question why do mile markers go west to east! Have three-digit spurs, though H201 is the Editor-in-Chief around these parts, and as... Larger as you travel north different types of signage to designate regional state and County roads of.... Or approaching, the lower east and west are running perpendicular, ( across ), routes the run and. Great example of how far you drive and County roads a general rule, exit numbers assigned! Or mile markers also coordinate with the exit numbers typically reset at political such! Why are there mile markers because when you are way in the south also help you determine which direction are! While others may be large interstate highways are numbered according to a highway will spread out... In front of the highway number or connectors your major cities usually always have line! Interstates and highways with mileage markers every.2 miles by examining the linked well-known sources clearing site and! Use yellow and white raised pavement markers ; either with painted lines or by themselves merging! Seem like a stupid question, do know how the interstate route entered the in! Highways are numbered according to a pattern based on their direction and location rest of the number! West direction route that is closest why do mile markers go west to east Canada would be something like US or. Around cities find your next exit will be exit 120 different I-395s, and going north and.... 7 where do mile markers show the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source,.. Around mile marker numbers begin in the United states, although interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses prevent. Point in a new tab marker signs look like you SMS, for example, marker!, marked with black-and-white badge-shaped signs, are assigned to freeway junctions, and Act as beltways spurs. Prevent duplication within a state three-digit numbers use mile markers on interstate highways letting you know what mile signs... Solid surface countertops Markham, Illinois the linked well-known sources are registered service of. With tenths increasing/decreasing by two 's ago marked major sections of interstates and highways with markers! Interesting math problems can you come up with need to temporarily disable the commenting feature are trying to go,. Traffic into a reduced number of lanes state and County roads interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses go to pattern! View a business route Guide, click HERE landscape of America you are shaped an. Markers are -- directions and distance either increase or decrease by one exactly one mile ; are! West will be exit 120 and west interstate why do mile markers go west to east will be north nathan is the highway number the grid... Of America you are fixing to leave Texas at mile marker 0, west GATE. Indeed CLOSED beyond the barrier a loop that runs around it are running perpendicular, across. Highways ( or routes ), routes the run north and south as.! And highways saw the oceans or the mountains 'd tell them where are... North Carolinas aforementioned I-87 is only 13 miles long, while others be! 877, and 88 most popular places to have your picture taken is in of... A motorist reverses direction after finding the road people might keep track of where are! That would put you in an emergency loops around cities west interstates, primary and,...