The Guide to Understanding the Highway Numbering System, Part 2

U.S. Highways System

This article provides a guide to the numbering system for the United States Numbered Highway system which is often called the U.S. Highways, Federal Highways, or U.S. Routes. Part 1 of the Guide to Understanding the Highway Numbering System covered the Interstate Highway numbering system. It will also help you to understand the geographic layout of the U.S. Highway system.

The U.S. Highway routes are the precursors to the Interstate Highway system that was created in the 1950's. These routes vary from two-lane undivided roads all the way to the Interstate-class limited-access, divided freeways. These highways are marked with a white shield against a black background.

Two-Digit Routes

The U.S. Highways are numbered in a particular system with the two-digit odd-numbered routes generally running from north to south and the two-digit even-numbered routes running from east to west. The pattern for the numbering system also begins with the lowest numbered odd routes starting on the east coast and going to the highest numbered routes on the west coast. For example, U.S. Highway 1 extends from Fort Kent, Maine to Key West, Florida on the east coast. U.S. Highway 101, which incidentally is considered a two-digit route, extends from Port Angeles, Washington to Los Angeles on the west coast. U.S. 2 runs from Houlton, Maine to Bonners Ferry, Idaho across the northern United States. U.S. 98 runs from Bartow, Florida to across the southern U.S. The U.S. Highway system numbering system, which increases from east to west and north to south, is the reverse of Interstate system to minimize confusion in the numbering system.