It's upsetting that this is probably one of the only videos I've found about the creation of the US Federal highway system. As much as Interstates are cool and are extremely innovative, no one seems to want to talk about how America was originally connected by road. Thanks for making this video!
This is a great video. I like to ride my bicycle across America every summer. I look for one us route to take me from one end of America to the next that is continuous of 1000 miles or more. This always makes the journey real easy.
As someone that has done a lot of urban and suburban daily cycling, I want to do this someday. Reminds me of the video from the guy that cycled from China to the UK.
I just watched this video and I wanted to let you know that I actually grew up Astoria Oregon and live only 20 minutes west of there. 😊 this is very interesting. Watch and thank you.
Thomas MacDonald (directed Bureau of Public Roads/FHA from 1919 to 1953) was one of the Great US bureaucrats of the 20th century. [On par with J. Edgar Hoover, Harry Anslinger, and Elwood Mead.]
It is my understanding that before there was a U.S. highway system, the 6 New England states had their own highway system. Some of the original N.E. highways still exist as state highways. The U.S. government decided to do what the N.E. states were doing to a national scale. Some of the original N.E. highways are now U.S. highways and renumbered, but some of the ones that were not part of the U.S. highway system are VT 9/NH 9/ME 9, CT 12/MA 12/NH 12/VT 12. U.S. 20 in Massachusetts was once New England 5.
Here in the Great State of Misery, the Missouri Highway Department had already numbered it's roads under the Centennial Road act of 1921, so they just changed the signs on the ones the feds picked for their routes. Missouri Highway 2 became US 40 between St. Louis and Kansas City. Highway 14 became US 66. Highway 16 became US 60. Highway 9 became US 61. Highway 12 became US 50. Several others also changed numbers as well. The changed numbers were assigned to new roads as they were built. Most had been paved by 1938.
Illinois did that as well, where (the original) IL Route 2 became US 51, IL 4 became US 66, etc. I'm sure other states that had already started building their own highway systems did this as well.
I have never been able to figure out why US route 220 goes North and South if it is to be considered a child route of Route 20. It should have been numbered something else. Contrast this with the child routes of route 22 -- 122, 222, 322, 422, 522 all go pretty much East-West just like their parent route.
Exactly, Route 220 should have continued east on NY 17 to Binghamton, NY 7 to Schenectady and Troy, and NY2 / MA 2 to North Adams, Greenfield, Fitchburg, Leominster, Concord, Cambridge and finally Boston.
Great info regarding the East Yellowstone terminus. I plan on riding all of Route 20 this September. In my planning, Google Maps would not let me route through Yellowstone. Why? Because it was closed for winter!
It's upsetting that this is probably one of the only videos I've found about the creation of the US Federal highway system. As much as Interstates are cool and are extremely innovative, no one seems to want to talk about how America was originally connected by road. Thanks for making this video!
Fr
US numbered routes were the OG interstates
This is a great video. I like to ride my bicycle across America every summer. I look for one us route to take me from one end of America to the next that is continuous of 1000 miles or more. This always makes the journey real easy.
As someone that has done a lot of urban and suburban daily cycling, I want to do this someday. Reminds me of the video from the guy that cycled from China to the UK.
I just watched this video and I wanted to let you know that I actually grew up Astoria Oregon and live only 20 minutes west of there. 😊 this is very interesting. Watch and thank you.
Thomas MacDonald (directed Bureau of Public Roads/FHA from 1919 to 1953) was one of the Great US bureaucrats of the 20th century. [On par with J. Edgar Hoover, Harry Anslinger, and Elwood Mead.]
It is my understanding that before there was a U.S. highway system, the 6 New England states had their own highway system. Some of the original N.E. highways still exist as state highways. The U.S. government decided to do what the N.E. states were doing to a national scale. Some of the original N.E. highways are now U.S. highways and renumbered, but some of the ones that were not part of the U.S. highway system are VT 9/NH 9/ME 9, CT 12/MA 12/NH 12/VT 12. U.S. 20 in Massachusetts was once New England 5.
I think I have some of these maps. They say “federal highway system - progress map”.
Here in the Great State of Misery, the Missouri Highway Department had already numbered it's roads under the Centennial Road act of 1921, so they just changed the signs on the ones the feds picked for their routes. Missouri Highway 2 became US 40 between St. Louis and Kansas City. Highway 14 became US 66. Highway 16 became US 60. Highway 9 became US 61. Highway 12 became US 50. Several others also changed numbers as well. The changed numbers were assigned to new roads as they were built. Most had been paved by 1938.
Illinois did that as well, where (the original) IL Route 2 became US 51, IL 4 became US 66, etc. I'm sure other states that had already started building their own highway systems did this as well.
Awesome video man! 🛴💨💨💨
I live on US 20 near Gibsonburg, Ohio!
And I live within 7.5 miles of US 20, 26, and 30
I live about ten miles north of US Route 20 on the upper west side of Buffalo.
GREAT VIDEO !!
US-30 goes to Joliet, IL which is near Chicago.
I have never been able to figure out why US route 220 goes North and South if it is to be considered a child route of Route 20. It should have been numbered something else. Contrast this with the child routes of route 22 -- 122, 222, 322, 422, 522 all go pretty much East-West just like their parent route.
Exactly, Route 220 should have continued east on NY 17 to Binghamton, NY 7 to Schenectady and Troy, and NY2 / MA 2 to North Adams, Greenfield, Fitchburg, Leominster, Concord, Cambridge and finally Boston.
Hey man, this video is about to go viral
Nice!
Great info regarding the East Yellowstone terminus. I plan on riding all of Route 20 this September. In my planning, Google Maps would not let me route through Yellowstone. Why? Because it was closed for winter!
Technically, the Route through YNP is not signed as 20. So.. you can view maps at www.historicroute20.org/maps