U.S. Route 2 in Vermont
Theodore Roosevelt Highway[1] | ||||||||||
US 2 highlighted in red, VT 2A highlighted in blue, and VT 2B highlighted in purple | ||||||||||
Route information | ||||||||||
Maintained byNYSDOTandVTrans | ||||||||||
Length | 150.518 mi[2](242.235 km) | |||||||||
Existed | 1926[4]–present | |||||||||
Major junctions | ||||||||||
West end | ![]() | |||||||||
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East end | ![]() | |||||||||
Location | ||||||||||
Country | United States | |||||||||
State | Vermont | |||||||||
Counties | Grand Isle,Chittenden,Washington,Caledonia,Essex | |||||||||
Highway system | ||||||||||
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U.S. Route 2(US 2) is a part of theUnited States Numbered Highway Systemthat is split into two segments. Its eastern segment runs fromRouses Point, New York,toHoulton, Maine.InVermont,US 2 extends 150.518 miles (242.235 km) from theNew Yorkstate line inAlburghto theNew Hampshirestate line inGuildhall.West of Vermont, US 2 continues into New York for another 0.87 miles (1.40 km) to an intersection withUS 11in Rouses Point. US 2 passes through the cities ofBurlingtonandMontpelieras it traverses the state. The highway parallelsInterstate 89(I-89) between these two cities. The Burlington to Montpelier route was first laid out as a toll road in the early 19th century. It was later incorporated into the transcontinentalauto trailknown as theTheodore Roosevelt International Highwayin 1919 before being designated as part of US 2 in 1926.
Although the portion of the road from Alburgh to Burlington follows a north–south alignment, US 2 is continuously signed east (heading south during this portion) and west (heading north) to match its overall alignment, making it the longest east–west signed route in the state. At a nearly 460-mile (740 km) overall length, US 2 is also the longest highway of any designation (Interstate, U.S. Route, or state highway) that enters the state of Vermont.
Route description[edit]
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![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/US_Hwy_2_in_Vermont.jpg/220px-US_Hwy_2_in_Vermont.jpg)
The eastern segment of US 2 begins inNew Yorkat an intersection withUS 11just one mile (1.6 km) south of theCanadian borderinRouses Point.From there, it crossesLake ChamplainintoGrand Isle County,traversing the length of the county and crossingLake Champlainover several bridges until it reaches the mainland inMiltonandChittenden County.From there, it travels south toBurlington,where it begins to closely parallelI-89and theWinooski Riverall the way toMontpelierandWashington County.In Montpelier, the main route bypasses the downtown area using Memorial Drive, while a business loop using State Street serves downtown. After leaving Montpelier, the road turns northeastward, crossing intoCaledonia Countyand passing throughSt. Johnsbury.It then passes into ruralEssex Countyand eventually crosses theConnecticut RiverfromGuildhallintoLancaster, New Hampshire.
History[edit]
An improved road between the main settlements ofBurlingtonandMontpelierwas first established from old footpaths in 1805, when the 36-mile (58 km) Winooski Turnpike was chartered by the state of Vermont. The old turnpike road utilized the relatively flat banks of theWinooski Riverto connect the two major towns and opened to traffic several years after the company was chartered. The road ceased operating as a toll road several decades later in 1852, when the road became publicly owned.[5]The route of the old Winooski Turnpike between Burlington and Montpelier was later incorporated into the oldTheodore Roosevelt International Highway.This cross-countryauto trail,named in honor of recently deceased ex-presidentandnaturalistTheodore Roosevelt,was organized in February 1919 to connectPortland, Maine,withPortland, Oregon.[6]Within Vermont, the auto trail used what is now US 2 fromVermont Route 129(VT 129) south of Alburgh center toVT 18east of downtown St. Johnsbury.[7]
Before being designated as US 2, the current alignment was part of several interstate routes of the 1922New England road marking system.FromDanvilleeastward to the state line, the US 2 alignment was part ofRoute 15;it was part ofRoute 18between Montpelier and Danville; it usedRoute 14between Burlington and Montpelier; and it usedRoute 30betweenAlburghand Burlington.[8]When the plans for theU.S. Highway Systemwere first drawn up in 1925, US 2 began in Alburgh and was routed along the Roosevelt Highway from Alburgh to Montpelier. Both US 2 and the Roosevelt Highway connected Montpelier to St. Johnsbury; however, the Roosevelt Highway used a direct path along former Route 18 while US 2 was initially assigned to then-Route 25(modernUS 302) toWells River,where itoverlappedproposedUS 5north to St. Johnsbury. From St. Johnsbury, the Roosevelt Highway turned southeast towardPortlandalong modern VT 18 while US 2 continued east along former Route 15 toBangor.[9]No changes were made to US 2 in the final system plan approved on November 11, 1926.[4]US 2 was relocated onto its modern alignment along the original Roosevelt Highway route between Montpelier and St. Johnsbury in the mid-1930s. The original alignment of US 2 became part of the newly designated US 302.[10][11]
Initially,Rouses Point, New York,and Alburgh were connected by way of a ferry across theRichelieu River.The ferry ran from the center of Rouses Point to Vermont's Windmill Point, where it connected to VT F-1, an east–west route linking Windmill Point to Alburgh.[12]When US 2 was assigned, it was overlaid on the preexisting VT F-1, following the route and the ferry to theNew Yorkstate line, where US 2 initially ended.[13]In 1937, a new tolledswing bridgeacross the Richelieu River opened, carrying an extended US 2 betweenUS 11in Rouses Point and Alburgh. The swing bridge was replaced with a toll-free permanent bridge on September 22, 1987.[14]
Major intersections[edit]
The short continuation of US 2 into New York is included below.
State | County | Location | mi[2][3] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | Clinton | Rouses Point | 0.00 | 0.00 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of US 2; servesRouses Point station |
Lake Champlain | 0.87 0.000 | 1.40 0.000 | Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge[1] (New York–Vermont state line) | |||
Vermont | Grand Isle | Alburgh | 3.152 | 5.073 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of VT 225 |
6.234 | 10.033 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of VT 78 | |||
11.633 | 18.721 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of VT 129 | |||
Grand Isle | 25.609 | 41.214 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 314 | ||
South Hero | 28.504 | 45.873 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of VT 314 | ||
Chittenden | Colchester | 38.658– 38.921 | 62.214– 62.637 | ![]() | Exit 17 on I-89 | |
39.011 | 62.782 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with US 7 | |||
41.901 | 67.433 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 2A | |||
42.095 | 67.745 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | UnsignedVT 127 | |||
43.542 | 70.074 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 127 | |||
45.286– 45.358 | 72.881– 72.997 | ![]() | Exit 16 on I-89 | |||
Winooski | 46.369 | 74.624 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of VT 15;Roundabout | ||
Burlington | 47.672 | 76.721 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of US 7 Alt. | ||
48.612 | 78.233 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 7 | |||
South Burlington | 49.619– 49.920 | 79.854– 80.338 | ![]() | Exit 14 on I-89 | ||
50.447 | 81.187 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 116 | |||
Williston | 53.777 | 86.546 | ![]() | |||
Richmond | 59.201 | 95.275 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of VT 117 | ||
59.234– 59.399 | 95.328– 95.593 | ![]() | Exit 11 on I-89 | |||
Washington | Waterbury | 74.080 | 119.220 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with VT 100 | |
Moretown | 75.395 | 121.336 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with VT 100 | ||
Middlesex | 79.819 | 128.456 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 100B | ||
Montpelier | 85.767 | 138.029 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of US 2 Bus. | ||
85.942 | 138.310 | ![]() ![]() | Exit 8 on I-89 | |||
86.368 | 138.996 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of US 2 Bus. | |||
88.092 | 141.770 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of US 302; roundabout | |||
East Montpelier | 92.781 | 149.317 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with VT 14 | ||
92.988 | 149.650 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with VT 14 | |||
Plainfield | 95.831 | 154.225 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of VT 214 | ||
Marshfield | 103.213 | 166.105 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of VT 215 | ||
104.350 | 167.935 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 232 | |||
Caledonia | Danville | 112.554 | 181.138 | ![]() | Eastern terminus of VT 15 | |
118.219 | 190.255 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of VT 2B | |||
St. Johnsbury | 121.625– 122.252 | 195.736– 196.746 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Exit 21 on I-91 | ||
122.569 | 197.256 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of VT 2B | |||
123.558 | 198.847 | ![]() ![]() | Western end of concurrency with US 5 | |||
123.672 | 199.031 | ![]() ![]() | Eastern end of concurrency with US 5 | |||
126.506 | 203.592 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of VT 18 | |||
Essex | Guildhall | 150.416 | 242.071 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of VT 102 | |
150.518 | 242.235 | ![]() ![]() | Continuation intoNew Hampshire | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Suffixed routes[edit]
Vermont Route 2A[edit]
Location | St. George–Colchester |
---|---|
Length | 13.853 mi[2](22.294 km) |
Vermont Route 2A(VT 2A) is a largely 13.853-mile (22.294 km)alternate routeof US 2 betweenSt. GeorgeandColchester.It begins atVT 116in St. George and continues north and west throughWillistonandEssex Junctionbefore ending at US 2 andUS 7in Colchester.[2]Much of the portion of VT 2A that runs through Williston has been expanded from two to four lanes, particularly the stretch between US 2 andI-89,to accommodate the many restaurants, offices, and stores that have been developed there.
Major intersections[edit]
The entire route is inChittenden County.
Location | mi[2] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. George | 0.000 | 0.000 | ![]() | ||
Williston | 4.911– 4.994 | 7.903– 8.037 | ![]() | Exit 12 on I-89 | |
5.703 | 9.178 | ![]() ![]() | |||
Essex Junction | 8.591 | 13.826 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of VT 117 | |
8.740 | 14.066 | ![]() | |||
Essex | 10.624 | 17.098 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Exit 7 on VT 289; current western terminus of VT 289 | |
Colchester | 13.626 | 21.929 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Unsigned portion of VT 127 | |
13.853 | 22.294 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
Vermont Route 2B[edit]
Location | Danville–St. Johnsbury |
---|---|
Length | 3.459 mi[2](5.567 km) |
Vermont Route 2B(VT 2B) is an alternate route of US 2 betweenDanvilleandSt. Johnsbury.The route begins across the street from the intersection of US 2 and Jamieson Road in Danville, first running south, then curving east at Parker Road, which began west of there at US 2 near a local restaurant. The rest of the road runs through rural Caledonia County and crosses a bridge overI-91with no access, just south of exit 21 before finally terminating at US 2 in St. Johnsbury.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abState of Vermont Board of Libraries (April 28, 2008)."Vermont Named State Highways and Bridges"(PDF).Department of Libraries, State of Vermont.RetrievedApril 1,2015.
- ^abcdefTraffic Research Unit (May 2013)."2012 (Route Log) AADTs for State Highways"(PDF).Policy, Planning and Intermodal Development Division, Vermont Agency of Transportation.RetrievedMarch 8,2015.
- ^ab"2014 Traffic Data Report for New York State"(PDF).New York State Department of Transportation.July 22, 2015. p. 80.RetrievedSeptember 16,2016.
- ^abBureau of Public Roads&American Association of State Highway Officials(November 11, 1926).United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials(Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC:United States Geological Survey.OCLC32889555.RetrievedNovember 7,2013– viaWikimedia Commons.
- ^Wood, F.J. (1919).The Turnpikes of New England.Boston: Marshall Jones Company.RetrievedJuly 20,2010.
- ^Skidmore, Max J. (2006).Moose Crossing: Portland to Portland on the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway.Hamilton Books.ISBN0-7618-3510-5.
- ^United States Touring Map(Map). Automobile Club of America. 1924.RetrievedJuly 20,2010.
- ^Automobile Blue Book (Vol. 1),1926 and 1927 eds., (Automobile Blue Book, Inc., Boston)
- ^Joint Board on Interstate Highways (1925)."Appendix VI: Descriptions of the Interstate Routes Selected, with Numbers Assigned".Report of Joint Board on Interstate Highways, October 30, 1925, Approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, November 18, 1925(Report). Washington, DC:United States Department of Agriculture.p. 49.OCLC733875457,55123355,71026428.RetrievedNovember 14,2017– viaWikisource.
- ^Texaco Road Map – New England(Map). Cartography byRand McNally and Company.Texas Oil Company.1933.
- ^Thibodeau, William A. (1938).The ALA Green Book(1938–39 ed.). Automobile Legal Association.
- ^Road Map of New York(Map). Cartography byGeneral Drafting.Standard Oil Company of New York.1930.
- ^Weingroff, Richard (January 9, 2009)."U.S. 2: Houlton, Maine, to Everett, Washington".Highway History.Federal Highway Administration.RetrievedJanuary 18,2010.
- ^Faber, Harold (September 21, 1987)."New York and Vermont Get New Toll-Free Bridge".The New York Times.p. B2.RetrievedJanuary 18,2010.
External links[edit]
- U.S. Highways in Vermont
- U.S. Route 2
- Transportation in Grand Isle County, Vermont
- Transportation in Chittenden County, Vermont
- Burlington, Vermont
- Transportation in Washington County, Vermont
- Montpelier, Vermont
- Transportation in Caledonia County, Vermont
- St. Johnsbury, Vermont
- Transportation in Essex County, Vermont