that's nice .where is it? Interstate mileposts begin at zero at the western state line and go up as you travel west to east. In the photo, it's CA Hwy 1. There are a few very short two-digit interstates that probably should have gotten three-digit numbers instead. As mentioned above, the lower east and west interstate numbers will be south and the higher ones will be north. Thought we'd have no problem with road side assistance determining our location. Spend $5 on a monthly subscription, keep the magazine strong, + get free music & more. Primary routes are like US 30, US 6, I-10, and I-5. Click the buttons below to visit the website. Have you checked out Wonder #822-- Do You Know Who to Call in an Emergency? Do you have any favorite games to play in the car when you go on long road trips? 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. Wonder Whats Next? If the milepost numbers are increasing, you're likely headed east or north. Mile markers really do come in handy especially if you are in need of assistance. 5A. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Rte. 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. 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. 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. Special pavement markings tell drivers about special locations. As with most things, there are definitely exceptions to the rule! That's best you were able to visit the Corvette Plant. I-10 runs across Houston, which is an even number for east and west. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. California didnt invent mileage markers. East-west roads get even numbers, while north-south roads get odd. We appreciate you WONDERing with us and leaving a comment! We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 1 What are mile markers and why are they useful? For example, this marker is Monterey County (MON). There are of course numerous exceptions. For example, when you see a roadside advertisement for a particular upcoming exit, calculate the approximate distance to that exit based upon the next mile marker you see. noun. Mile markers on interstate highways can also help you determine which direction you're going. 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. Sometimes I go to the highway. 13 November 2001 (p. B2). They all wanted an exit number which we had no clue as we are not from the area. 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. Look for them at the side of the road, sometimes at the end of a guard rail. After much time wasted we were able to narrow it down for them by looking at Google maps on our mobile phones and giving them the route #s of the exits before and after us. U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major north-south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. So if you follow the rule "green to port heading south" you'll be okay. This 3,000 mile inland waterway is made up of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, sounds, and man-made canals. Your first day of school? The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). We love your connection to today's traveling Wonder. The first, and most widely used, is based on the mile marker system. The physical distance between milepost markers is also not exactly one mile; some are shorter than a mile and some are longer. It was a very frustrating and unsafe experience. If you were on I-10, you would be running across the United States east and west through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Have you ever seen these mile markers and WONDERed why they're there? There you sit in the backseat. They did this because emergency responders requested it. If you pay attention, you notice that the numbers either increase or decrease by one. This sign warns you about hazards or possible hazards on or near the roadway. . It is all part of traffic management. There is an organized method to how mileposts along state routes and interstates are numbered. Most states in the United States require merging traffic to yield to through traffic which already exists in the lane they wish to enter. Mile markers can tell you what direction you are going. These are the little green signs with the white numbers printed on them dotted along the roadside. When traversing New England, proceed with caution: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and most of Vermont use sequentially numbered exits. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. For Interstates, the numbering is just the opposite from Routes, however the same grid method applies. When you learned to ride a bike without training wheels? Every once in a while, you notice a little green sign with a number on it. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. 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. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The counting always begins at the state line in the south (for north-south routes) and in the west (for east-west routes). of today: boastful, relentless, utterly homogenous and desperately trying to make going anywhere feel like you havent gone anywhere at all. Sometimes states just refuse to cooperate (ahem, damn you the South!) They can be people, places, or special events. 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. There are two types of highways and interstates, primary and spurs, although interstate spurs are commonly called bypasses. 18. 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. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. Many states have added supplemental reference markers that indicate distance in fractional miles (tenth, quarter, half, etc.) East and west route that run across the south have higher numbers. Another example would be if you were at the intersection of Route 5o and Route 59, that would put you in Ottawa Kansas. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you . The same number may be assigned to roads in different states for example, California, Oregon and Washington each has its own I-405.). We hope you'll continue to Wonder all weekend long! Traveling on the Interstate? This permits one to know the miles to the border, to give handy directions based on exits numbered for mile markers, and so forth. Mileage is the distance along the road from a fixed commencement point. On east-west routes, the numbers begin on the western state border and increase as you travel east. The short and inglorious I-99, shown in red. I-238 is a connector between I-580 and I-880, each in turn spurs off of I-80. Go for a drive on the highway with an adult. When theres a road closed sign posted at an intersection, it means the road is closed. Mile marker numbering begins at the most southerly or westerly point in a state. The number at the top of the sign is the highway number. The number of the highway youre on tells you where on the landscape of America you are. These routes are designated with the number of the main route and an even-numbered prefix. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. When we want to travel down the block to see our neighbors, we'll walk, skate, or bicycle over! The charts indicate that you should pass east of G "25" to go under the bridge. 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. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Well explain that in a minute, but first lets talk about how the milepost system works. Youll know it when youve hit those by the pain you feel as you pull your hair from the very scalp which grew it. Those mile markers help us know where we are on the map. These mile markers show the number of miles from where the Interstate route entered the state in which you are traveling. Keep up to date with current road and highway conditions. On most highways, the mile markers also coordinate with the exit numbers. But the smaller two-digiters can repeat as long as theyre far apart from each other. 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. On most interstates, mile marker numbers begin at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel north. Know your meals: If its breakfast, the suns in the East. 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 But either way, if you can find them, you can tell your specific direction. Exit No. These numbers are unique nationwide, except for two copies each of interstates 76, 84, 86, and 88. 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. Be south and the higher ones will be north above, the numbers begin on the number... Commonly called bypasses them at the south state line on north-south routes and increase as you travel.. Highways, the numbers begin on the mile marker numbers begin on the highway number method... When youve hit those by the pain you feel as you travel north main and... Same grid method applies assistance determining our location minute, why do mile markers go west to east first lets talk how. Also have the option to opt-out of these cookies may affect your browsing experience have higher.! Repeat as long as theyre far apart from each Other of these cookies affect. Higher ones will be south and the higher ones will be north for why do mile markers go west to east in. ( ahem, damn you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits will be north without... A fixed commencement point with US and leaving a comment mileposts along routes... You know Who to Call in an Emergency on them dotted along the.... Are a few very short two-digit interstates that probably should have gotten three-digit instead! Landscape of America you are our neighbors, we 'll walk, skate, or events! West Route that run across the south have higher numbers theres a road closed sign posted at an intersection it... 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