 U.S. Route 12 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 12 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 2,482 mi (3,994 km) | |||
| Existed | November 11, 1926 (1926-11-11)[1]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  US 101 atAberdeen, WA | |||
| Major intersections |
| |||
| East end | Cass Avenue inDetroit, MI | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| States | Washington,Idaho,Montana,North Dakota,South Dakota,Minnesota,Wisconsin,Illinois,Indiana,Michigan | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 12 orU.S. Highway 12 (US 12) is an east–westUnited States Numbered Highway, running fromAberdeen, Washington, toDetroit, Michigan, for almost 2,500 miles (4,000 km). The highway has mostly been superseded byInterstate 90 (I-90) andI-94, but, unlike most U.S. Highways that have been superseded by anInterstate, US 12 remains intact as an important link for local and regional destinations. The highway's western terminus in Aberdeen is at an intersection withUS 101, while the highway's eastern terminus inDowntown Detroit is at the corner of Michigan and Cass avenues, nearCampus Martius Park.
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| mi | km | |
|---|---|---|
| WA | 431 | 694[2] |
| ID | 174 | 280[3] |
| MT | 598 | 962[4] |
| ND | 87 | 140[5] |
| SD | 319 | 513[6] |
| MN | 193 | 311[7] |
| WI | 339 | 546[8] |
| IL | 85 | 137[9] |
| IN | 46 | 74[10] |
| MI | 210 | 340[11] |
| Total | 2,482 | 3,994 |
The western terminus of US 12 is located inAberdeen. The highway loosely follows the eastbound leg of theLewis and Clark Expedition, betweenWallula andClarkston, thus being marked as part of theLewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The east end of the highway in the state is at Clarkston, where the highway crosses theSnake River intoIdaho atLewiston, Idaho.
The Washington section of US 12, other than aconcurrency withI-5, is defined at Washington Revised Code § 47.17.055.[12]
US 12 enters the state atLewiston, crossing theSnake River fromClarkston, Washington. It ascends theClearwater River, running concurrently withUS 95 for seven miles (11 km). It reduces to a two-lane undivided highway with signs that read "winding road next 99 miles [159 km]" and goes on toOrofino, continuing up the middle fork of that river toLowell, the junction of theLochsa andSelway rivers. It continues up the Lochsa and climbs toLolo Pass at theMontana border. This portion of the highway is also designated as part of theLewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Most of the highway in Idaho is withinClearwater National Forest. The eastern section of US 12, through remote mountain forest and up to Lolo Pass, was built in the early 1960s, making it the lastU.S. Highway constructed. No services are available between Lowell and Powell, about 70 miles (110 km) further east.
US 12 in Montana has been defined as the Lewis and Clark Highway[13] despite not being the route followed byLewis and Clark across the state.[14]
US 12's 598 miles (962 km) through Montana's mountains and plains is the greatest distance that US 12 traverses through any state. The highway enters Montana atLolo Pass, seven miles (11 km) southwest ofLolo Hot Springs inLolo National Forest. After passingLolo Peak to the south and traveling east for 33 miles (53 km), it meets withUS 93 atLolo and continues as aconcurrency northeast for 7.5 miles (12.1 km), where US 93 heads due north on Reserve Street, towardGlacier National Park. US 12 continues northeast throughMissoula's downtown, eventually meetingI-90. It then overlaps I-90 for 69 miles (111 km) untilGarrison, where it heads east towardHelena for 48.8 miles (78.5 km). This two-lane section of the trip passes through Avon andElliston winding throughHelena National Forest, over theContinental Divide atMacDonald Pass, and then through Montana's capital city,Helena. US 12 passes overI-15, at which point it joinsUS 287 south. US 12 overlaps US 287 and heads southeast, towardTownsend for 33.4 miles (53.8 km), where it splits from US 287, which heads south for 30 miles (48 km) toward the intersection of I-90 near the town ofThree Forks. US 12 heads east towardWhite Sulphur Springs for 42.2 miles (67.9 km). The route joinsUS 89 for 8.4 miles (13.5 km) before entering White Sulphur Springs and for another three miles (4.8 km) east of town. US 89 splits north and US 12 continues east on its own for 233 miles (375 km), until the junction withI-94 atForsyth as a concurrency northeast for 45.8 miles (73.7 km), toMiles City. At the east exit for Miles City, US 12 splits again from I-94 and heads almost directly east to the North Dakota border at a distance of 92.4 miles (148.7 km).
US 12 is a two-lane undivided highway that runs 87.47 miles (140.77 km), throughAdams,Bowman, andSlope counties in southwest North Dakota. The speed limit is 65 mph (105 km/h) on rural segments, with slower posted speeds within the cities ofMarmarth,Rhame,Bowman,Scranton, andHettinger. US 12 meets withUS 85 in Bowman, and the routes areconcurrent for a short distance through the city.
US 12 enters South Dakota from North Dakota as a rural two-lane highway about 10 miles (16 km) west-northwest ofLemmon before entering theStanding Rock Indian Reservation. For approximately the next 70 miles (110 km), US 12 runs parallel to the border of North Dakota, sometimes within less than a mile (1.6 km). AtWalker, US 12 heads southeast for 37 miles (60 km), where it crosses theMissouri River atMobridge, exiting the reservation. From there, it continues east for 18 miles (29 km), until it meets withUS 83 nearSelby. It overlaps US 83 for seven miles (11 km). After leaving US 83, it turns due east and spends about 80 miles (130 km) as a rural two-lane highway again. A few miles before reachingAberdeen, it becomes an at-grade expressway. After the junction withUS 281, it goes back to being two lanes for a few miles through Aberdeen and pastAberdeen Regional Airport, before once again becoming a four-lane expressway, until two miles (3.2 km) beforeWaubay. East of Waubay, it becomes again an at-grade expressway until it meets withI-29 nearSummit. The speed limit from Aberdeen to I-29 is 70 mph (110 km/h) except through the communities ofGroton,Webster, and Waubay. From there, it heads southeast 22 miles (35 km) untilMilbank. At Milbank, it continues east for 12 miles (19 km), until it crosses intoMinnesota atBig Stone City, just south ofBig Stone Lake. The South Dakota section of US 12 is legally defined at South Dakota Codified Laws § 31 April 132.[15]
From the South Dakota–Minnesota state line atOrtonville toWayzata, US 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a 60-mile-per-hour (97 km/h) speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city ofWillmar. From western Wayzata toI-394 inMinnetonka, US 12 is a six-lane freeway. East ofI-494, US 12 is invisiblyconcurrent with I-394 andI-94 throughMinneapolis andSaint Paul to the Minnesota–Wisconsin state line atHudson.
The Minnesota section of US 12 is defined as Routes 149, 26, and 10 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.115(80) and 161.114(2).[16][17]
US 12 crosses theSt. Croix River fromLakeland, Minnesota, intoHudson, running concurrently with I-94 before splitting just east of the city. It mainly follows a similar path to I-94 to the north, before crossing under I-94 into downtownMenomonie before continuing in an easterly direction throughEau Claire. InFall Creek, US 12 turns southeasterly towardFairchild, it then runs concurrently withUS 10 going east for just 2.5 miles (4.0 km) before returning to its course southeast bound. US 12 eventually recrosses I-94 intoBlack River Falls and then parallels I-94 in a southeastward direction. US 12 also runs throughMillston andKirby. Afterward, it turns directly south toTomah, where it becomes North Superior Avenue. It alternates between a four- and two-lane road on its way through downtown. It then turns east for 4.5 miles (7.2 km), then parallels I-90/I-94 throughCamp Douglas,New Lisbon,Mauston, andLyndon Station before crossing under the pair of Interstates into downtownWisconsin Dells. US 12 turns south toBaraboo and runs along the western edge ofDevil's Lake State Park. InSauk City, US 12 turns southeast towardMadison and runs along the city's western and southern edges. Here, it becomes a four- to eight-lane freeway withUS 14 andUS 18 known by the locals as "The Beltline". On the southeast side of the city, it crossesI-39/I-90 towardCambridge. It turns southeast here and runs throughFort Atkinson andWhitewater. InElkhorn, US 12 becomes a four-lane freeway with a 70-mile-per-hour (110 km/h) speed limit. It returns to a two-lane road at the Wisconsin–Illinois state line atGenoa City.
InIllinois, US 12 is an arterial surface road that runs fromRichmond, southeast toDes Plaines. It then turns due south, continuing through theChicago metropolitan area, joining withUS 45. InStone Park,US 20 joins US 12/US 45. InHickory Hills, US 45 continues south, while US 12/US 20 runs due east along 95th Street in the southwest suburbs. From Hickory Hills, US 12/US 20 runs east nearly to theLake Michigan lakefront and then joins withUS 41, as all three routes travel southeast into the state of Indiana.
US 12 is referred to as Rand Road in Chicago's northwest suburbs. Rand is an original name for the area around Des Plaines, the location where the road resumes its westerly direction. South of Des Plaines, US 12 followsMannheim Road, La Grange Road, and then95th Street, before merging with US 41 on Ewing and Indianapolis avenues toward the Indiana state line.
In Indiana, US 12 is a historically significant route, that winds along the southern coast ofLake Michigan. It runs from an interchange with theIndiana Toll Road, concurrent with US 20 and US 41 inWhiting, toMichiana Shores, at theMichigan state line. A large portion of this segment is known as the Dunes Highway.
US 12 is now the only U.S. Highway still serving Downtown Detroit, whosestreet grid was laid byAugustus B. Woodward, to have a five-way intersection of the roads that would become US 12,US 10,US 16,US 112 andUS 25.US 24 still travels through Detroit from Puritan to 8 Mile Road (M-102) on the far west side.
As from the earliest days of its existence, US 12 enters Michigan from Indiana, southwest ofNew Buffalo, and continues to the old junction of US 12 and US 112 in New Buffalo. It is now assigned between New Buffalo and Detroit (except through Ypsilanti), along what was US 112 until 1962.
On May 4, 2004, theMichigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) designated 209 miles (336 km) of US 12 from New Buffalo to Detroit as aMichigan Heritage Route. The east–west corridor traverses the counties ofBerrien,Cass,St. Joseph,Branch,Hillsdale,Lenawee,Washtenaw, andWayne.
Since the highway's creation in 1926, the eastern terminus has always remained within a few blocks ofCadillac Square inDowntown Detroit, Michigan.[18][self-published source?]
The western terminus was gradually extended westward, until it reached thePacific Ocean.[19]
In 1925, US 12 in Michigan was originally proposed to run from Detroit toLudington, acrossLake Michigan, via thePere Marquette Railway car ferry toManitowoc, Wisconsin, and then continuing into Wisconsin, on what later became US 10, in those two states. The 1974 Golden Anniversary Celebration reprint of the 1926Rand McNallyRoad Atlas shows US 12 following what later became the route of US 10 through Michigan, from Detroit, through Flint, Saginaw, Midland, and Clare on its way to Ludington.
US 12 was proposed to enterWyoming on the current route ofUS 212 fromMammoth Hot Springs to a point northwest ofClark before its route in Montana was rerouted.[19] It was also proposed to enterOregon on the current route ofUS 730 from east-southeast ofBoardman to a point northeast ofCold Springs, but that was canceled.[19]
In the 1960s, a portion of US 12 in Western Washington was moved north to the town ofMorton, whenMossyrock Dam was built on theCowlitz River inLewis County. A large portion of old, two-lane US 12 in theYakima Valley was replaced byI-82 andI-182 in the 1980s, betweenYakima and theTri-Cities, though the freeways are still cosigned with the US 12 designation. The old two-lane highway now bears the name Wine Country Road.
US 101 inAberdeen
I-5 inGrand Mound. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast ofNapavine.
I-82 /US 97 inYakima. I-82/US 12 travel concurrently to south ofWest Richland. US 12/US 97 travel concurrently to south ofUnion Gap.
I-82 /I-182 south ofWest Richland. I-182/US 12 travel concurrently toPasco.
US 395 inPasco. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
US 730 south-southwest ofWallula
US 95 inLewiston. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest ofLapwai.
US 93 inLolo. The highways travel concurrently toMissoula.
I-90 inMissoula. The highways travel concurrently toGarrison.
I-15 /US 287 inHelena. US 12/US 287 travel concurrently toTownsend.
US 89 south ofWhite Sulphur Springs. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of White Sulphur Springs.
US 191 inHarlowton. The highways travel concurrently to east of Harlowton.
US 87 north ofKlein. The highways travel concurrently toRoundup.
I-94 southwest ofForsyth. The highways travel concurrently to east-northeast ofMiles City.
US 85 inBowman. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
US 83 northwest ofSelby. The highways travel concurrently to south of Selby.
US 281 inAberdeen
I-29 /US 81 northwest ofSummit
US 75 inOrtonville
US 59 north ofHolloway
US 71 inWillmar
I-394 /I-494 inMinnetonka. I-394/US 12 travel concurrently toMinneapolis.
US 169 inSt. Louis Park.
I-94 /I-394 /US 52 in Minneapolis. US 52 travel concurrently toSaint Paul. I-94/US 12 travel concurrently to east ofHudson.
I-35W in Minneapolis. The highways travel concurrently, on separate lanes, through the city.
I-35E inSaint Paul. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
I-35E /US 10 in Saint Paul. US 10/US 12 travel concurrently through the city.
US 61 in Saint Paul. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
I-494 /I-694 on theWoodbury–Oakdale city line.
US 63 inBaldwin. The highways travel concurrently through the city.I-94 northwest ofElk Mound
US 53 on theEau Claire–Altoona city lineUS 10 south ofFairchild. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Fairchild.I-94 inBlack River FallsI-94 inTomahI-90 in TomahI-90 /I-94 in theTown of LyndonI-90 /I-94 on theLake Delton–Delton town line
US 14 inMiddleton. The highways travel concurrently to Madison.
US 18 /US 151 inMadison. US 12/US 18 travel concurrently toCambridge. US 12/US 151 travel concurrently through the city.
I-39 /I-90 in Madison
I-43 inElkhorn
US 45 inDes Plaines. The highways travel concurrently to west of thePalos Hills–Hickory Hills, Illinois city line.US 14 in Des Plaines
I-190 west ofRosemont
US 20 on theMelrose Park–Stone Park city line. The highways travel concurrently toEast Chicago, Indiana.
I-290 on theWestchester–Hillside–Bellwood city line
US 34 inLa Grange
I-55 on theCountryside–Hodgkins city line
I-294 inWillow SpringsI-294 on theHickory Hills–Bridgeview city line
US 41 inChicago. The highways travel concurrently to northwest ofWhiting, Indiana.I-90 northwest ofWhitingUS 20 on theHammond–Gary city line. The highways travel concurrently into Gary proper.
I-65 in GaryI-90 in GaryI-94 inNew Buffalo Township
US 31 inBertrand Township
US 131 inWhite Pigeon
I-69 inColdwater
US 127 inWoodstock Township
US 23 inPittsfield Charter TownshipI-94 inYpsilanti Township. The highways travel concurrently through the township, passing throughYpsilanti.
I-275 inCanton
US 24 inDearbornI-94 in Dearborn
Media related toU.S. Route 12 at Wikimedia CommonsRoutes initalics are no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system. |
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