Historic US Highway ends
near Maryhill WA
Highway
|
Approx. time period
|
US
830 |
1949-1968
|
US 197
|
1952-1968
|
US 830 was first routed to the Maryhill area in about 1933, but originally
it ended at a different point (you can view photos on my main US
830 page). It was about 1949 when the junction of US 97 and US 830 (today's
WA hwy. 14) was upgraded to its current configuration. So the east end of US
830 was there until its decommissioning in 1968. Also, when US 197 was first
commissioned in 1952, it was co-signed with US 830 to this same junction (actually,
because of a spur connector, there are three relevant junctions). Chris
Elbert took the following photos in summer 2004; this first one is looking
east on WA hwy. 14:
To the left is signed as northbound US 97, but it's actually "Spur US 97" leading
to mainline 97. Straight ahead and down the hill is WA 14, but it's also signed
as southbound 97. So my guess is that signage for eastbound US 830 (and later
US 197) would've ended here. Modern signage in the distance is shown close-up
below:
Below we're on northbound US 97/westbound WA 14. From this direction, straight
ahead would've been signed as the east beginning of US 830 (and later the beginning
of US 197):
Below is a view from southbound US 97, which continues by turning left ahead
(where the van is). Straight ahead is signed as westbound WA 14, but it's actually
"Spur US 97" leading to mainline WA 14:
So, heading this direction, straight ahead would've been signed as the east
beginning of US 830 (and later the beginning of US 197). The turning van will
soon reach the junction with mainline WA 14, shown below:
Southbound US 97 continues to the left with eastbound WA 14. Of course westbound
WA 14 is to the right, but it's not signed that way because drivers here would've
already had an opportunity to go that direction (via Spur 97). Likewise, although
US 830 (and later US 197) was to the right, it probably wouldn't have been signed
here.
US 830 was decommissioned in 1968, replaced with WA 14. When WA DoT removed
the 830 signs, they also removed the US 197 signs between here and Dallesport.
AASHTO wasn't informed about this until nearly 40 years later, so even though
the signed end of US 197 has long been near Dallesport, AASHTO's records indicated
that this junction near Maryhill was its official north end until 2006 (more
on my main US
197 page).
Page created 22 September 2004; last updated 02 November 2006.
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