U.S. Route 87
 U.S. Route 87 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 87 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 1,998 mi[citation needed](3,215 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926[citation needed]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  SH 238inPort Lavaca, TX | |||
| ||||
| North end |  US 2atHavre, MT | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| States | Texas,New Mexico,Colorado,Wyoming,Montana | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
U.S. Highway 87(US 87) is a north–southUnited States highway(though it is signed east–west inNew Mexico) that runs for 1,998 miles (3,215 km) from northernMontanato southernTexas,making it the longest north-south road to not have a "1" in its number and the third longest north-south road in the country, behindU.S. 41andU.S. 1.Most of the portion fromBillings, MontanatoRaton, New Mexicois co-signed alongInterstates 90and25.It is also co-signed along the majority ofI-27in Texas and future plans call for the interstate to be extended along the US 87 corridor. As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is inHavre, Montana,atUS 2and its southern terminus is inPort Lavaca, Texas,atSH 238.
Route description
[edit]Texas
[edit]In Texas, US 87 is a north–south highway that begins near theGulf CoastinPort Lavaca, Texas,and heads north throughSan Antonio,Lubbock,Amarillo,andDalhartto theNew Mexicoborder nearTexline.
New Mexico
[edit]US 87 continues in a northwesterly direction inNew Mexicoand is signed byNMDOTprimarily as an east–west route. It merges withUS-64(and thus theSanta Fe Trail National Scenic Byway) inClayton,shortly after entering New Mexico. It continues to the northwest untilDes Moines,when it takes a more westerly approach toRaton.In Raton, it separates from US 64 and merges withInterstate 25andUS 85,with which it remains concurrent throughRaton Passand into Colorado, though it is unsigned on much of the concurrency.
Colorado
[edit]US 87 remains concurrent withI-25throughout the state ofColorado,which is a rare occurrence for a US highway to have a concurrency with an Interstate in its entirety within state boundaries. It is unsigned through the entire state.
Wyoming
[edit]US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 25 northward until exit 160 east of Glenrock where it joinsUS Route 20/US Route 26from Glenrock to Casper. In Casper it splits from US-20/26 and rejoins I-25 at exit 186. It then remains concurrent with Interstate 25 northward until its terminus withInterstate 90.It then follows I-90 west to exit 44 where it runs up to Sheridan. A portion of US-87 has been washed out for several years along this stretch and "temporary" detour signs are posted directing US-87 traffic alongWyoming Highway 193through Story. In Sheridan US-87 rejoins Interstate 90 into Montana.
Montana
[edit]US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 90 westward until Billings, where it breaks off and heads north. BetweenCrow Agencyand Billings, US 87 and I-90 are merged withUS 212.It intersects with (and briefly merges with)US 12inRoundupand continues north with a slight bend to the northwest until, atGrass Rangeit takes a sharp turn to the west at an intersection withMontana State Highway 200.US 87 remains concurrent with Montana State Highway 200 until Great Falls. InLewistown,it merges withUS 191and remains heading generally west. Some ten miles (16 km) out of Lewistown, it breaks with US 191 and merges withMontana State Highway 3,heading generally northwest and merging briefly withUS 89before breaking with all three inGreat Falls.US 87 heads northeast then east toFort Bentonand then generally northeast to its terminus withUS 2about two miles (3 km) west ofHavre.
History
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US 87 originally ran northwest out ofGreat Falls, Montana,towards the eastern border ofGlacier National Park.US 87 ran to the Canadian Border at thePiegan Border Crossing.This was changed in 1934, whenUS Route 89was diverted to US 87's routing to Glacier Park. US 87 ended in Great Falls until circa 1945 when it was extended to its current northern terminus inHavre, Montana.[1]
U.S. Route 185was formed in 1926 and extended from US 85 inCheyennenorth toOrin.It became part of a southern extension and realignment of US 87 in 1936.
Future
[edit]On March 15, 2022,a billwas signed by PresidentJoe Bidenthat added the extension of I-27 from its termini inAmarilloandLubbock, Texas,northward toRaton, New Mexico,and southward toLaredo, Texas,respectively to the Interstate Highway System utilizing the US 87 corridor. The interstate's northern terminus would be atI-25.[2]A bill introduced in 2023 would explicitly designate the extension as I-27 with twoauxiliary routesnumbered I-227 and I-327. I-227 is proposed to be routed viaSH 158fromSterling Cityto Midland andSH 349from Midland toLamesa;I-327 would utilize US 287 fromDumasto theOklahomaborder.[3][4]However, after legislation passed through the U.S. Senate in August 2023, I-227 and I-327 were respectively redesignated as I-27W and I-27N, with I-27E replacing the proposed I-27 between Sterling City and Lamesa.[5][6]
Major intersections
[edit]- Texas
- SH 238inPort Lavaca
Future I-69/US 59inVictoria
US 77in Victoria
US 183inCuero.The highways travel concurrently to southwest of Cuero.
I-410inSan Antonio
I-10/US 90in San Antonio. I-10/US 87 travels concurrently toComfort.US 87/US 90 travels concurrently through San Antonio.
I-37/US 281in San Antonio
I-35/US 90in San Antonio. I-35/US 87 travels concurrently through San Antonio.- I-410on theBalcones Heights–San Antonio city line
US 290inFredericksburg.The highways travel concurrently through Fredericksburg.
US 377northwest ofMason.The highways travel concurrently toBrady.
US 190in Brady. The highways travel concurrently to Brady.
US 283northwest of Brady
US 83inEden
US 277inSan Angelo.The highways travel concurrently through San Angelo.
US 67/US 277in San Angelo
I-20inBig Spring
US 180south ofLos Ybanez.The highways travel concurrently toLamesa.
US 380inTahoka
I-27inLubbock.The highways travel concurrently to south ofKress.
US 84in Lubbock
US 62in Lubbock
US 82in Lubbock
US 70inPlainview- I-27north-northwest ofTulia.The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast ofHappy.
US 60inCanyon.The highways travel concurrently toAmarillo.- I-27north of Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo.
I-27/I-40/US 287in Amarillo. US 87/US 287 travels concurrently through Amarillo.- US 60in Amarillo
- US 287in Amarillo. The highways travel concurrently toDumas.
US 385inHartley.The highways travel concurrently toDalhart.
US 54in Dalhart- New Mexico
US 56/US 64/US 412inClayton.US 64/US 87 travels concurrently toRaton.
I-25/US 64/US 85in Raton. I-25/US 87 travels concurrently to southeast ofGlenrock, Wyoming.US 85/US 87 travels concurrently toFountain, Colorado.- Colorado
US 160inTrinidad.The highways travel concurrently toWalsenburg.
US 50inPueblo.The highways travel concurrently through Pueblo.- US 85inFountain.
US 24inColorado Springs.The highways travel concurrently through Colorado Springs.- US 85in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently toCastle Rock.
I-225inDenver
US 285in Denver- US 85in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 6in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 40/US 287in Denver
I-70/US 6/US 85in Denver
I-76southeast ofTwin Lakes
I-270/US 36on the Twin Lakes–Sherrelwood–Welbyline
US 34inLoveland- Wyoming
I-80south-southwest ofCheyenne
US 30southwest of Cheyenne- US 85in Cheyenne. The highways travel concurrently toRanchettes.
US 26west-southwest ofDwyer Junction.The highways travel concurrently to theCasper–Hartrandtcity line.
US 18/US 20inOrin.US 20/US 87 travels concurrently to the Casper–Hartrandt city line.- I-25in Casper. The highways travel concurrently to north-northeast ofBuffalo.
US 16in Buffalo
I-25/I-90north-northeast of Buffalo. I-90/US 87 travels concurrently toLockwood.
US 14inSheridan.The highways travel concurrently to northeast ofRanchester.- Montana
US 212inCrow Agency.The highways travel concurrently to Lockwood.
I-94in Lockwood
US 12north ofKlein.The highways travel concurrently toRoundup.
US 191inLewistown.The highways travel concurrently to west-northwest ofMoore.
US 89south-southeast ofArmington.The highways travel concurrently toGreat Falls.- US 2northeast ofHerron
See also
[edit]Related routes
[edit]- U.S. Highway 187(decommissioned)
- U.S. Highway 287
Bannered and suffixed routes
[edit]- U.S. Route 87 BusinessinCheyenne, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 BusinessinWheatland, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 BusinessinCasper, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 BusinessinBuffalo, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 BypassinGreat Falls, Montana
References
[edit]- ^"End of US Highway 87".US ENDS.Retrieved30 June2018.
- ^Driggars, Alex (March 15, 2022)."Raton to Laredo corridor added to Interstate Highway System, paving way for I-27 expansion".Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.Archivedfrom the original on July 15, 2022.RetrievedMarch 17,2022.
- ^Text of the I–27 Numbering Act of 2023atCongress.gov
- ^Driggars, Alex (March 28, 2023)."Cruz, Cornyn introduce legislation to name I-27 extension project".Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.RetrievedApril 4,2023.
- ^McEwen, Mella (1 August 2023)."Senate passes act to create I-27 West through Midland".Midland Reporter Telegram.Retrieved25 January2024.
- ^Bordner, Zachery (5 August 2023)."MOTRAN talks I-27, what it means for Midland/Odessa, Big Spring".Yourbasin.Retrieved25 January2024.
- ^Rand McNally (2014).The Road Atlas(Walmart ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 21, 60–61, 68, 98–101, 116.ISBN978-0-528-00771-2.
External links
[edit]
Routes initalicsare no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system. |
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
← SH 86 | CO | → SH 88 | ||
← MT 86 | MT | → MT 87 | ||
← SH 86 | TX | → SH 87 | ||
| ←US 85 | WY | →US 89 | ||
← I-180 |  WY | → US 189 | ||
← WYO 343 |  WY | → WYO 345 | ||
| ←WYO 345 |  WY | → WYO 350 | ||