End of historic US highway 126

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. Photo credits: Chris Elbert

US 126 was a relative latecomer, and the route lasted only about 20 years. It was commissioned in 1952 along what had been US 28. The east end of US 126 was always in Prineville OR. The photo below is looking at the end of modern OR hwy. 126:

Elbert, July 2005

That's where US 126 used to end. Below we're on eastbound US 26 heading into Prineville:

Elbert, July 2005

The east beginning of US 126 was to the right; the signage at the fork in the distance is shown close-up below:

Elbert, July 2005

And finally, a shot from westbound US 26:

Elbert, July 2005

Eastbound US 126 used to begin to the left.

The west end of US 126 was always in the Eugene area, but things changed there about two years after the route was commissioned. In 1952, US 99 was still using Franklin Boulevard out of Eugene all the way to Goshen. So US 126 originally began where Springfield's Main Street splits off from Franklin and crosses the river.

Two years later, the "US 99 cutoff" (now part of I-5) was completed; then US 99 used the flyover ramps from Franklin to I-5. So the US 126 designation had to be extended about a mile west on former US 99 to the new freeway (today's exit 192). Interestingly - because the new interchange provided only partial access - US 126 also had to be extended south along former US 99 to exit 189. In other words, it had a split terminus.

You can view photos of all these places on my Eugene page.