Route 20 (United States)

Route 20 (United States). Spanning over 3,300 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. Route 20 is the longest road in the United States Numbered Highway System. It traverses a dozen states, connecting the West Coast with New England through a diverse cross-section of American geography and history. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 101 in Newport, Oregon, and its eastern end merges with U.S. Route 2 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Route description

Beginning on the Oregon Coast, the highway crosses the rugged Coast Range and proceeds through the agricultural Willamette Valley, passing near cities like Corvallis and Albany. In Idaho, it follows the path of the historic Oregon Trail through the Snake River Plain, serving communities such as Mountain Home and Idaho Falls. The route crosses Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming before entering the Great Plains of Nebraska, where it runs parallel to the Platte River and the Union Pacific Railroad. Through Iowa and Illinois, it connects major urban centers including Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and the Chicago metropolitan area. In Ohio, it forms a primary corridor through cities like Toledo and Cleveland along the Lake Erie shore. The final segment through New York and Massachusetts traverses the scenic Finger Lakes region, the Berkshires, and the historic towns of the Pioneer Valley before terminating in Boston.

History

The highway was officially designated with the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, consolidating numerous existing auto trails. Key predecessor routes included the Yellowstone Trail and portions of the Lincoln Highway in the west, and the Boston Post Road in the east. Significant realignments occurred over decades, most notably the construction of bypasses around downtown areas like Cleveland and Springfield. In Wyoming, the route through Yellowstone National Park follows early park roads developed by the U.S. Army and the National Park Service. The highway played a vital role in mid-20th century tourism and commerce before the completion of the Interstate Highway System, with segments later superseded by Interstate 90 in the west and I-90/I-94 near Chicago.

Major intersections

From west to east, U.S. 20 intersects with numerous other major highways. Key junctions include its western terminus at U.S. Route 101, a concurrency with U.S. Route 26 in Oregon, and intersections with Interstate 15 in Idaho Falls and Interstate 25 in Orin. In Nebraska, it meets Interstate 80 and has a long concurrency with U.S. Route 275. It intersects Interstate 35 in Iowa and has a significant multiplex with U.S. Route 151. Near Chicago, it converges with I-90/I-94 and U.S. Route 12. In Ohio, it crosses Interstate 75 in Toledo and Interstate 77 in Cleveland. Its eastern segment intersects Interstate 81 near Syracuse and Interstate 91 in Springfield, Massachusetts, before ending at U.S. Route 2 in Boston.

In popular culture

The road's iconic status and length have earned it references in various cultural works. It is notably mentioned in the Jack Kerouac novel On the Road as part of the cross-country journey. The television series Supernatural features the highway as a recurring route for the protagonists. Folk singer Woody Guthrie referenced the highway in his songs about American travel. The 1991 film Thelma & Louise, while not directly featuring it, embodies the spirit of the open road that Route 20 represents. Its passage through Yellowstone National Park has been featured in numerous documentaries by National Geographic and the BBC.

Related routes

Several auxiliary routes of U.S. 20 exist, primarily as business loops or spurs serving specific cities. These include U.S. 20 Business in Mountain Home, and multiple business routes in Iowa such as those for Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. In Illinois, a notable business loop serves Galena. There are also several former alignments designated as Alternate U.S. 20, particularly in Nebraska and New York. The highway shares significant concurrencies with other major routes, including U.S. Route 6 in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and U.S. Route 9W in New York.

Category:U.S. Route 20 Category:Transportation in the United States