End of US highway 150
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Approx. time
period
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East Terminus
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West Terminus
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1926-1934
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New Albany, IN
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(near Shoals, IN)
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1934-1977
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Mount Vernon, KY
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Rock Island, IL
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1977-present
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Mount Vernon, KY
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Moline, IL
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(about 144 k)
Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical
road atlases, much of the info below is based on the research of Robert Droz;
click here to view his
site. Photo credits: Jeff
Morrison; me
US 150 has been around since the beginning, but in 1926 it was quite short.
Its east end was in New Albany IN (across from Louisville KY). I'm not exactly
sure where, so for now I've photographed what I figure would've been the most
likely intersection:
me,
July 2007
That's looking south on State Street at Main Street (part of I-64's bridge
over the Ohio River is visible in the background). Below we're looking east
on Main:
me,
July 2007
US 150 may have begun to the left on State. Today State joins with the current
alignment of US 150 about six miles that direction.
From New Albany, US 150 ran only about 60 miles to the northwest. According
to a 1929 map, US 150 turned west on what is now IN hwy. 550 at Lacy (a couple
miles south of Shoals). At the time, westbound US 50 did not cross the White
River at Shoals, like it does today. Instead, it stayed on the south bank, following
Spout Spring Road / CR 63. Where that meets today's IN 550...
me, July 2007
...US 50 turned west (right) to Loogootee, and to the east (left) was the original
beginning of US 150. Below we're looking east on IN 550:
me, July 2007
That was originally eastbound US 50, which continued to the left on Spout Spring.
Straight ahead was the west beginning of US 150. One more shot - this is looking
the opposite direction (west on IN 550):
me,
July 2007
US 150 originally ended here. Straight ahead was westbound US 50, and eastbound
was to the right.
In 1934, US 150 was extended eastward to its current terminus in Mount
Vernon KY; you can view photos from there on this
page.
Also in 1934, the west terminus was extended to Rock
Island IL; you can view photos from there on this
page.
In 1977 the westernmost few miles of US 150 were truncated, such that the designation
now ends where it meets US 6 on the outskirts of the Quad Cities, rather than
serving the central business districts. The photo below was taken looking eastbound
on US 6, at the west beginning of US 150:
Morrison,
Apr. 2006
Similar signage is visible in the background of the shot below, which is looking
the opposite direction (west on US 6):
me, June 2001
Despite the sign, this highway junction is actually within Moline city limits,
but it's another 5 miles or so to downtown. If instead you take that left turn,
the first eastbound confirming marker looks like this:
Morrison,
Apr. 2006
Downtown Coal Valley is about 2 miles ahead. If you turn around from there,
you'll have a view somewhat like the one shown below...
me, June 2001
...although Jeff reports that shield had been replaced by 2006. The stoplight
in the distance is US 6; the signage up closer to that intersection is shown
in the photo below:
me, June 2001
Personlly, I think it would be appropriate to co-sign US 150 with US 6 to the
left, to the freeway interchange (it's only about a mile to the west). But from
eastbound I-280, this is currently the only mention of the route:
me, Aug. 2005
The green signs in the distance are at exit 18, serving I-74 and US 6.
Page created 30 August 2001; last updated 13 July 2007.
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