End of US highway 202

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info on this page is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. More research and/or photos: Eric Bryant; Carter Buchanan; Andy Field; Cameron Kaiser; Alex Nitzman; me

US 202 was commissioned in 1934, and from what I can tell it has served essentially the same route ever since. Before I discuss its endpoints, I should point out that the signed direction on this route changes several times. I'm told it's north-south in DE, PA, and NJ; then it's east-west in NY and at least the western part of CT; then possibly back to north-south in CT and MA; and finally east-west again in NH and ME. I can see why NH would want to sign at least part of US 202 as east-west, but I think ME and NY could've just as easily chosen north-south signs. I mean, if US 1 is considered to run north-south through this part of the country, then couldn't US 202 as well? In fact, instead of a branch route for US 2, US 202 looks more like a branch route of US 1, and therefore I think US 101 would've been a more appropriate number for this highway. Yeah, I know there's a rather famous US 101 on the west coast, but I think its number is a major violation...

...anyway, all that to explain that the "north" end of US 202 in Bangor ME is actually signed as its "east" end. Some smaller-scale maps seem to indicate that US 202 terminates at I-395's interchange 2. However, Cameron reports that the official route log from Maine DoT indicates that US 202 actually ends at its junction with US 1A... in other words, it duplexes with I-395 east for one mile, and then ends at exit 3. I know, I know, it doesn't make any sense. In fact, I don't understand why MDoT even bothered to truncate US 202 - apparently this was done in the late 1980s, but as of 2007 US 202 is still signed all the way to its original endpoint at US 2 downtown. Why truncate a designation if you're not going to remove the signage? The photo below was taken from eastbound I-395:

Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005

According to the route log, US 202 ends here... but as you can see, the exit to northbound Main Street is still signed for US 202. The shot below was taken from the opposite direction (west on I-395):

Kaiser, July 2006

That direction is likewise informed that US 202 continues to serve downtown Bangor. From that interchange, US 202 is signed north on Main to its original terminus at the junction with US 2. In the photo below, we're looking north on Main:

Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005

US 202 originally ended at the traffic signal in the distance; the sign at far right is shown close-up below...

me, Oct. 2004

...and the sign at the next intersection is enlarged below:

me, Oct. 2004

That sign is a bit underinformative: it refers to eastbound US 2, via State Street. Westbound is to the left via Hammond Street, but it's not mentioned because traffic on Main can't turn that direction. To the right, State is one-way road over a bridge; so westbound US 2 has to leave State, turning to the north on Harlow Street, then looping around back south via Central Street (a movement that was not well-signed). Thus westbound US 2 traffic actually approaches this intersection heading south:

me, Oct. 2004

That's kind of a strange sign too: we're already on westbound US 2, and we continue by taking a right here on Hammond. To go left on State would be to go the opposite direction (eastbound) on US 2. At any rate, the historic beginning of US 202 was straight ahead on Main (and it's signed as if that's still the case). Below is the original beginning as seen from eastbound Hammond:

me, Oct. 2004

State is straight ahead, but if you take this right turn onto Main, you'll soon see the first westbound US 202 confirming marker...

me, Oct. 2004

...but according to MDoT, we're not actually on US 202 yet. If we continue ahead, US 202 traffic is instructed to use I-395 westbound...

Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005

...and that's technically the east beginning of US 202. But I sure don't understand why MDoT thought it was so important to truncate US 202 to this point. Anyway, let's follow it all the way to Delaware...

As you approach Wilmington from the north on US 202, there was an "End" sign at I-95 (interchange 8):

Nitzman/Field, Oct. 2001

Below is a closeup:

Nitzman/Field, Oct. 2001

But this is not the south end of US 202. So, what's up with the sign? Until I hear otherwise, I'll offer this theory: it's true that DE state hwy. 202 begins straight ahead on the Concord Pike. However, the US 202 designation does not end here. I'm guessing this is a well-intentioned mistake: the DoT probably just wants to make sure you know you're not following US 202 anymore. However, instead of an "End" sign, there should be a sign routing US 202 traffic to the right on southbound I-95 (that on-ramp is just behind the camera; the "North I-95" sign refers to the cloverleaf ahead, on the far side of the overpass).

US 202 is actually routed further south with I-95 about 5 miles. At exit 5 traffic is routed south on Basin Road; the designation ends just outside New Castle DE, at its junction with US 13/US 40, which the state highway map labels "Basin Corner":

Nitzman, Dec. 2004

That's looking south on Basin Road (US 202) at the Dupont Highway (US 13/40). The shot below was taken heading north out of downtown New Castle on Basin Road (DE hwy. 141) at its interchange with Dupont Highway (US 13/40). This is the point where the US 202 designation begins; DE 141 is co-signed with it a couple miles straight ahead, to the I-95 interchange:

Nitzman, 2000

That had changed slightly by 2005:

Nitzman, Aug. 2004

The sign assembly just barely visible on the overpass is shown close-up below:

Nitzman, 2000

That's the first US 202 sign at its south beginning. Well, it's supposed to be a US 202 sign, anyway - as you can see, the highway department messed up: US 141 serves Michigan and Wisconsin, but it has never come anywhere close to Delaware. They got it right on the signage below:

Nitzman, 2000

That was taken from Dupont Hwy, heading north on US 13/east on US 40. The overpass in the distance is the same one shown in the photos above; it marks the south terminus of US 202. The signage in the distance is shown close-up below:

Nitzman/Field, Mar. 2004

Below is a view of the south beginning of US 202, as seen from the opposite direction (southbound US 13/westbound US 40):

Nitzman/Field, Mar. 2004

Historically, the south end of US 202 was located at other intersections in the New Castle/Wilmington area; you can view photos and read more on this page.