U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west
United States highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
, running from
Aberdeen, Washington, to
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by
Interstate 90 (I-90) and
I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes that have been superseded by an
Interstate
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
, US 12 remains as an important link for local and regional destinations. The highway's western terminus is in
Aberdeen, Washington, at an intersection with
US 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...
, while the highway's eastern terminus is in
Downtown Detroit, at the corner of Michigan and Cass avenues, near
Campus Martius Park
Campus Martius Park ( ') is a re-established park in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius (from the Latin for ''Field of Mars'', where Roman heroes walked) was the focal point of Judge Augustus Woodward's plans to ...
.
Route description
Washington
![US 12 Aberdeen downtown](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/US_12_Aberdeen_downtown.jpg)
The western terminus of US 12 is located in
Aberdeen, Washington. In the 1960s, a portion of US 12 was moved north to the town of
Morton Morton may refer to:
People
* Morton (surname)
* Morton (given name)
Fictional
* Morton Koopa, Jr., a character and boss in ''Super Mario Bros. 3''
* A character in the ''Charlie and Lola'' franchise
* A character in the 2008 film '' Horton H ...
, when the
Mossyrock Dam
Mossyrock Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the Cowlitz River near Mossyrock in Lewis County, Washington. The reservoir created by the dam is called Riffe Lake and the primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric production while flood con ...
was built and flooded the towns of
Kosmos and Riffe, along the
Cowlitz River
The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.
The Cowlitz has a d ...
in
Lewis County. A large portion of old, two-lane US 12 was replaced by
Interstate 82
Interstate 82 (I-82) is an Interstate Highway in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States that travels through parts of Washington and Oregon. It runs from its northwestern terminus at I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington, to its southeaste ...
(I-82) and
I-182 in the 1980s, between
Yakima
Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uni ...
and the
Tri-Cities, though the freeways are still cosigned with the US 12 designation. The old two-lane highway now bears the name ''Wine Country Road''. The highway loosely follows the eastbound leg of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...
, between
Wallula, Washington
Wallula () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.
History
The Lewis and Clark Expedition reached this area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the ...
and
Clarkston, Washington
Clarkston is a city in Asotin County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area, and is located west of Lewiston, Idaho, across the Snake River.
The population of Clarkston was 7,229 at the 2010 census.
Wal ...
, thus being marked as part of the
Lewis and Clark Trail. The east end of the highway in the state is at
Clarkston, where the highway crosses the
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...
into
Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
at
Lewiston.
The Washington section of US 12, other than a
concurrency with
I-5
Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
, is defined at Washington Revised Code § 47.17.055.
Idaho
US 12 enters the state at
Lewiston, crossing the
Snake River
The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...
from
Clarkston, Washington
Clarkston is a city in Asotin County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Lewiston, ID-WA metropolitan area, and is located west of Lewiston, Idaho, across the Snake River.
The population of Clarkston was 7,229 at the 2010 census.
Wal ...
. It ascends the
Clearwater River, running concurrently with
US 95 for . It reduces to a two-lane undivided highway with signs that read "winding road next 99 miles" and goes on to
Orofino, continuing up the middle fork of that river to
Lowell, the junction of the
Lochsa and
Selway River Selway may refer to:
*Selway (surname)
*Selway National Forest Selway National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho on July 1, 1911 with from parts of Clearwater National Forest and Nez Perce National Forest. On October 29, ...
s. It continues up the Lochsa and climbs to
Lolo Pass at the
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
border. This portion of the highway is also designated as part of the
Lewis and Clark Trail. Most of the highway in Idaho is within the
Clearwater National Forest
Clearwater National Forest with headquarters on the Nez Perce Reservation at Kamiah is located in North Central Idaho in the northwestern United States. The forest is bounded on the east by the state of Montana, on the north by the Idaho Panha ...
. The eastern section of US 12, through remote mountain forest and up to Lolo Pass, was built in the early 1960s, making it the last
US highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
constructed. No services are available between Lowell and Powell, about further east.
Montana
![Lolo Hot Springs, Lolo, MT, 2011 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Lolo_Hot_Springs%2C_Lolo%2C_MT%2C_2011_3.jpg)
US 12 in Montana has been defined as the ''Lewis and Clark Highway'', despite not being the route followed by
Lewis and Clark across the state.
US 12's through Montana's mountains and plains is the greatest distance that US 12 traverses through any state. The highway enters Montana at
Lolo Pass, southwest of
Lolo Hot Springs in the
Lolo National Forest
__NOTOC__
Lolo National Forest is a national forest located in western Montana, United States with the western boundary being the state of Idaho. The forest spans 2 million acres (8,000 km2) and includes four wilderness areas; the Scapegoat a ...
. After passing
Lolo Peak
Lolo Peak () is a mountain in the western United States, in the northern Rocky Mountains. It is located in the Bitterroot Range of western Montana in Missoula County, southwest of Missoula.
East of Lolo Pass at the Idaho border, the peak is v ...
to the south and traveling east for , it meets with
US 93 at
Lolo and continues as a
concurrency northeast for , where US 93 heads due north on Reserve Street, toward
Glacier National Park. US 12 continues northeast through
Missoula
Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...
's downtown, eventually meeting
I-90. It then overlaps I-90 for , until
Garrison, where it heads east toward
Helena for . This two-lane section of the trip passes through Avon and
Elliston winding through the
Helena National Forest, over the
Continental Divide
A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...
at
MacDonald Pass, and then through Montana's capital city,
Helena. US 12 passes over
I-15 at which, point it joins
US 287 south. US 12 overlaps US 287 and heads southeast, toward
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to:
Places United States
*Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York
*Townsend, Delaware
*Townsend, Georgia
*Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town
** Townsend ...
for , where it splits from US 287, which heads south for toward the intersection of I-90 near the town of
Three Forks. US 12 heads east toward
White Sulphur Springs for . The route joins
US 89 for before entering White Sulphur Springs, and for another east of town. US 89 splits north and US 12 continues east on its own for , until the junction with
I-94 at
Forsyth Forsyth may refer to:
Places Oceania
* Forsyth Island, Queensland, Australia, one of the West Wellesley Islands (aka Forsyth Islands)
* Forsyth Island, Tasmania, Australia
* Forsyth Island (New Zealand), in the outer Marlborough Sounds of South I ...
as a concurrency northeast for , to
Miles 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 .
North Dakota
US 12 is a two-lane undivided highway that runs , through
Adams,
Bowman and
Slope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line is a number that describes both the ''direction'' and the ''steepness'' of the line. Slope is often denoted by the letter ''m''; there is no clear answer to the question why the letter ''m'' is use ...
counties in southwest North Dakota. The speed limit is on rural segments, with slower posted speeds within the cities of
Marmarth,
Rhame
Rhame (, ''RAYM'') is a city in Bowman County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 158 at the 2020 census. Rhame was founded in 1908.
History
Rhame was founded in 1908 as Petrel, North Dakota, when the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul ...
,
Bowman,
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 U.S. census, Scranton is the largest city in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wyoming V ...
and
Hettinger. US 12 meets with
US 85 in Bowman, and the routes are
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
for a short distance through the city.
South Dakota
US 12 enters South Dakota from North Dakota as a rural two lane highway about west/northwest of
Lemmon before entering the
Standing Rock Reservation. For approximately the next , US 12 runs parallel to the border of North Dakota, sometimes within less than a mile. At
Walker
Walker or The Walker may refer to:
People
* Walker (given name)
*Walker (surname)
* Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer
Places
In the United States
*Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County
*Walker, Mono County, California ...
, US 12 heads southeast for , where it crosses the
Missouri River at
Mobridge, exiting the reservation. From there it continues east for , until it meets with
US 83 near
Selby
Selby is a market town and civil parish in the Selby District of North Yorkshire, England, south of York on the River Ouse, with a population at the 2011 census of 14,731.
The town was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire until ...
. It overlaps US 83 for . After leaving US 83, it turns due east and spends about as a rural two-lane highway again. A few miles before reaching
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, it becomes an at-grade expressway. After the junction with
US 281, it goes back to being two lanes for a few miles through Aberdeen and past the
Aberdeen Regional Airport
Aberdeen Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) east of the central business district of Aberdeen, a city in Brown County, South Dakota, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation ...
, before once again becoming a four-lane expressway, until before
Waubay
Waubay is a city in Day County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 473 at the 2020 census.
Waubay had its start in the early 1880s when the railroad was extended to that point.
The school district is Waubay Public 18-3. The local ...
. East of Waubay it becomes again an at-grade expressway until it meets with
I-29
Interstate 29 (I-29) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern United States. I-29 runs from Kansas City, Missouri, at a junction with I-35 and I-70, to the Canada–US border near Pembina, North Dakota, where it connects with Manitoba ...
near
Summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous.
The term (mountain top) is generally used ...
. The speed limit from Aberdeen to I-29 is except through the communities of
Groton,
Webster and Waubay. From there it heads southeast , until
Milbank. At Milbank, it continues east for 12 miles, until it crosses into
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
at
Big Stone City, just south of
Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake ( dak, Íŋyaŋ Tháŋka Bdé) is a long, narrow freshwater lake and reservoir on the border between western Minnesota and northeastern South Dakota in the United States.
Description
The lake covers , stretching from end to end ...
. The South Dakota section of US 12 is legally defined at South Dakota Codified Laws § 31 April 132.
Minnesota
From the South Dakota–Minnesota state line at
Ortonville, to
Wayzata
Wayzata ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. A western suburb of the Twin Cities, Wayzata is situated along the northern shore of Lake Minnetonka about west of Minneapolis. Known for its small-town character and lakeside lo ...
, US 12 is mostly a rural two-lane highway with a speed limit, with slower speed limits through towns and a four-lane surface arterial segment through the city of
Willmar. From western Wayzata to
Interstate 394
Interstate 394 (I-394) is a small east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in Hennepin County in the US state of Minnesota. It is also commonly referred to by its pre-1991 name, Wayzata Boulevard, and by its other designation, US Highway& ...
in
Minnetonka
Minnetonka ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. A western suburb of the Twin Cities, Minnetonka is located about west of downtown Minneapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 53,781.
Minnetonka is the ...
, US 12 is a six-lane freeway. East of
I-494
Interstate 494 (I-494) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway making up part of a beltway of I-94, circling through the southern and western portions of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in Minnesota. The road is coupled with I- ...
, US 12 is invisibly
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with I-394 and
I-94 through
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
and
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
to the Minnesota–Wisconsin state line at
Hudson
Hudson may refer to:
People
* Hudson (given name)
* Hudson (surname)
* Henry Hudson, English explorer
* Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back
* Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...
.
The Minnesota section of US 12 is defined as Routes 149, 26, and 10 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.115(80) and 161.114(2).
Wisconsin
US 12 crosses the
St. Croix River from
Lakeland, Minnesota, into
Hudson
Hudson may refer to:
People
* Hudson (given name)
* Hudson (surname)
* Henry Hudson, English explorer
* Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back
* Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...
, 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 downtown
Menomonie before continuing in an easterly direction through
Eau Claire. In
Fall Creek, US 12 turns southeasterly towards
Fairchild Fairchild may refer to:
Organizations
* Fairchild Aerial Surveys, operated in cooperation with a subsidiary of Fairey Aviation Company
* Fairchild Camera and Instrument
* List of Sherman Fairchild companies, "Fairchild" companies
* Fairchild Fa ...
, it then runs concurrently with
US 10 going east for just before returning to its course southeast bound. US 12 eventually recrosses I-94 into
Black River Falls
, settlement_type = City
, nickname =
, motto =
, image_skyline = Black River Falls Wisconsin Downtown2 WIS54.jpg
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Looking west at ...
then parallels I-94 in a southeastward direction. US 12 also runs through
Millston and
Kirby
Kirby may refer to:
Buildings
* Kirby Building, a skyscraper in Dallas, Texas, United States
* Kirby Hall, an Elizabethan country house near Corby, Northamptonshire, England
* Kirby House (disambiguation), various houses in England and the Unit ...
. Afterwards it turns directly south to
Tomah, where it becomes North Superior Avenue. It alternates between a four-lane and two-lane road on its way through downtown. It then turns east for , then parallels I-90/I-94 through
Camp Douglas,
New Lisbon,
Mauston, and
Lyndon Station before crossing under the pair of Interstates into downtown
Wisconsin Dells. US 12 turns south to
Baraboo
Baraboo is a city in the Midwest and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States. The largest city in the county, Baraboo is the principal city of the Baraboo Micropolitan Statistical Area. Its 2020 population was 12,556. It is situ ...
and runs along the western edge of
Devils Lake State Park Devil's Lake State Park may refer to the following:
*Devils Lake State Parks (North Dakota), consisting of:
** Grahams Island State Park
** Black Tiger Bay State Recreation Area
* Devils Lake State Recreation Area in Oregon, formerly known as Devil' ...
. In
Sauk City
Sauk City is a village in Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States, North America. The population was 3,518 as of the 2020 census. The first incorporated village in the state, the community was founded by Agoston Haraszthy and his business partner, R ...
, US 12 turns southeast towards
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
and runs along the city's western and southern edges. Here it becomes a four- to six-lane freeway with
US 14 and
US 18 known by the locals as "The Beltline". On the southeast side of the city it crosses I-39/I-90 towards
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. It turns southeast here at runs through
Fort Atkinson and
Whitewater
Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...
. In
Elkhorn, US 12 becomes a four-lane freeway with a speed limit. It returns to a two-lane road at the Wisconsin–Illinois state line at
Genoa City.
Illinois
In
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, US 12 is an arterial surface road that runs from
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, southeast to
Des Plaines
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after the ...
. It then turns due south, continuing through the
Chicago metropolitan area
The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hi ...
, joining with
US 45. In
Stone Park,
US 20 joins US 12/US 45. In
Hickory 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 the
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
lakefront and then joins with
US 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, Illinois
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after the ...
, the location where the road resumes its westerly direction. South of Des Plaines, US 12 follows
Mannheim Road, La Grange Road, and then
95th Street, before merging with US 41 on Ewing and Indianapolis Avenues toward the Indiana state line.
Indiana
In Indiana, US 12 is a historically significant route, that winds along the southern coast of
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
. It runs from an interchange with the
Indiana Toll Road
The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a tolled freeway that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line. It has been advertised as the "Main Street of the ...
, concurrent with US 20 and US 41 in
Whiting, to
Michiana Shores, at the
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
state line. A large portion of this segment is known as the Dunes Highway.
Michigan
US 12 is now the only U.S. Highway still serving downtown Detroit, whose
street grid was laid by
Augustus B. Woodward
Augustus Brevoort Woodward (born Elias Brevoort Woodward; November 1774 – June 12, 1827) was the first Chief Justice of the Michigan Territory. In that position, he played a prominent role in the reconstruction of Detroit following a d ...
, to have a five-way intersection of the roads that would become US 12,
US 10,
US 16,
US 112 and
US 25.
US 24 still travels through Detroit from Puritan to
8 Mile Road
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
on the far west side.
As from the earliest days of its existence, US 12 enters Michigan from Indiana, southwest of
New 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, the
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate ...
(MDOT) designated of US 12 from New Buffalo to Detroit as a
Historic Heritage Route. The east–west corridor traverses the counties of Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee, Washtenaw and Wayne.
History
Since the highway's creation in 1926, the eastern terminus has always remained within a few blocks of
Cadillac Square
Campus Martius Park ( ') is a re-established park in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius (from the Latin for ''Field of Mars'', where Roman heroes walked) was the focal point of Judge Augustus Woodward's plans to ...
in downtown
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
.
* 1926:
Cadillac Square
Campus Martius Park ( ') is a re-established park in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. After the fire of 1805, Campus Martius (from the Latin for ''Field of Mars'', where Roman heroes walked) was the focal point of Judge Augustus Woodward's plans to ...
at the convergence with
US 10,
US 16,
US 25 and
US 112; US 12 ran along Grand River. The original ending was at
Miles City, Montana
Miles City ( chy, Ma'xemâhoévé'ho'eno) is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2020 census.
History
After the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, the U.S. Army created fo ...
.
* 1939: The
American Association of State Highway Officials
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction throughout the United St ...
(then AASHO, now AASHTO) approved a request to extend US 12 to
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
.
* 1956: US 12 was rerouted along the
Lodge Freeway
M-10 is a state trunkline highway in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan in the United States. Nominally labeled north-south, the route follows a northwest-southeast alignment. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown De ...
, ending on Jefferson; the terminus moved four blocks southeast, to the corner of
Woodward Avenue
A woodward is a warden of a wood. Woodward may also refer to:
Places
;United States
* Woodward, Iowa
* Woodward, Oklahoma
* Woodward, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place
* Woodward Avenue, a street in Tallahassee, Florida, which bisects th ...
(US 10) and
Jefferson Avenue.
* 1959: Extended to
Missoula, Montana
Missoula ( ; fla, label= Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County. It is located along the Clark Fork ...
.
* 1962: After I-94 was completed across Michigan, it was no longer co-signed with US 12. The US 12 route designation was moved to the former route of US 112, which was decommissioned. US 12 now runs along Michigan Avenue and again ends at Cadillac Square. It was extended to
Lewiston, Idaho.
*1967: Extended to
Aberdeen, Washington, to its present terminus at
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101 (US 101), is a north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as (The Royal Roa ...
.
* 1970: US 10 was rerouted from Woodward to the Lodge Freeway and Jefferson. At this time US 12 was apparently extended along Woodward, to again terminate with US 10 at Woodward and Jefferson, though with the designations flip-flopped from their 1956 routing.
* 2001: The City of Detroit and the
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is a constitutional government principal department of the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate ...
, in a series of jurisdictional transfers, moved the terminus back four blocks, to again be at Cadillac Square.
* 2005: In another transfer, the US 12 terminus is truncated another four blocks, to end at the
Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building
The Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building is a class-A skyscraper located at 477 Michigan Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, designed by the Detroit architectural firm of Smith, Hinchman and Grylls. It opened in 1976 to consolidate the office ...
, on the corner of Michigan and Cass avenues.
The western terminus was gradually extended westward, until it reached the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
.
Former ferry crossing
In 1925, US 12 in Michigan was originally proposed to run from Detroit to
Ludington, across
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...
, via the
Pere Marquette Railway car ferry to
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with ove ...
, and then continuing into Wisconsin, on what later became US 10, in those two states. The 1974 "Golden Anniversary Celebration" reprint of the 1926 Rand McNally Road 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.
Wyoming
US 12 originally went into
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
, before being rerouted into Montana and was proposed to go into
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, but did not.
Major intersections
;Washington
: in
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
: in
Grand Mound. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast of
Napavine
Napavine is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,766 at the 2020 census.
History
Napavine was officially incorporated as a town on November 21, 1913. Settlers began arriving in the Cowlitz area in the early 1 ...
.
: in
Yakima
Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uni ...
. I-82/US 12 travel concurrently to south of
West Richland
West Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington. The population was 16,295 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is part of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, whose principal cities (the Tri-Cities) are Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. ...
. US 12/US 97 travel concurrently to south of
Union Gap
Union Gap is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,568. Union Gap has become the retail hub for the entire Yakima Valley as a result of Valley Mall and other thriving businesses be ...
.
: south of
West Richland
West Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington. The population was 16,295 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is part of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, whose principal cities (the Tri-Cities) are Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco. ...
. I-182/US 12 travel concurrently to
Pasco.
: in
Pasco. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: south-southwest of
Wallula
Wallula () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 179 at the 2010 census.
History
The Lewis and Clark Expedition reached this area April 27, 1806, on their return journey from the ...
;Idaho
: in
Lewiston. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of
Lapwai
Lapwai is a city in the Northwestern United States, northwest United States, in Nez Perce County, Idaho, Nez Perce County, Idaho. Its population was 1,137 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and it is the seat of government of the Nez Pe ...
.
;Montana
: in
Lolo. The highways travel concurrently to
Missoula
Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...
.
: in
Missoula
Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...
. The highways travel concurrently to
Garrison.
: in
Helena. US 12/US 287 travel concurrently to
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to:
Places United States
*Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York
*Townsend, Delaware
*Townsend, Georgia
*Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town
** Townsend ...
.
: south of
White Sulphur Springs. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of White Sulphur Springs.
: in
Harlowton
Harlowton is a city in and the county seat of Wheatland County, Montana, United States. The population was 955 at the 2020 census.
Description
The city was once the eastern terminus of electric operations (1914–74) for the "Pacific Extension ...
. The highways travel concurrently to east of Harlowton.
: north of
Klein. The highways travel concurrently to
Roundup.
: southwest of
Forsyth Forsyth may refer to:
Places Oceania
* Forsyth Island, Queensland, Australia, one of the West Wellesley Islands (aka Forsyth Islands)
* Forsyth Island, Tasmania, Australia
* Forsyth Island (New Zealand), in the outer Marlborough Sounds of South I ...
. The highways travel concurrently to east-northeast of
Miles City.
;North Dakota
: in
Bowman. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
;South Dakota
: northwest of
Selby
Selby is a market town and civil parish in the Selby District of North Yorkshire, England, south of York on the River Ouse, with a population at the 2011 census of 14,731.
The town was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire until ...
. The highways travel concurrently to south of Selby.
: in
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
: northwest of
Summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous.
The term (mountain top) is generally used ...
;Minnesota
: in
Ortonville
: north of
Holloway
: in
Willmar
: in
Minnetonka
Minnetonka ( ) is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. A western suburb of the Twin Cities, Minnetonka is located about west of downtown Minneapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 53,781.
Minnetonka is the ...
. I-394/US 12 travel concurrently to
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
.
: in
St. Louis Park.
: in Minneapolis. US 52 travel concurrently to
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
. I-94/US 12 travel concurrently to east of
Hudson
Hudson may refer to:
People
* Hudson (given name)
* Hudson (surname)
* Henry Hudson, English explorer
* Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back
* Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...
.
: in Minneapolis. The highways travel concurrently, on separate lanes, through the city.
: in
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: in Saint Paul. US 10/US 12 travel concurrently through the city.
: in Saint Paul. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: on the
Woodbury Woodbury may refer to:
Geography
Antarctica
*Woodbury Glacier, a glacier on Graham Land, British Antarctic Territory
Australia
* Woodbury, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
England
* Woodbury, Bournemouth, an area in Dorset
*Woodbury, East Devo ...
–
Oakdale city line.
;Wisconsin
: in
Baldwin. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: northwest of the
Town of Elk Mound
: on the
Eau Claire–
Altoona city line
: south of
Fairchild Fairchild may refer to:
Organizations
* Fairchild Aerial Surveys, operated in cooperation with a subsidiary of Fairey Aviation Company
* Fairchild Camera and Instrument
* List of Sherman Fairchild companies, "Fairchild" companies
* Fairchild Fa ...
. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Fairchild.
: in
Black River Falls
, settlement_type = City
, nickname =
, motto =
, image_skyline = Black River Falls Wisconsin Downtown2 WIS54.jpg
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Looking west at ...
: in the
Town of Tomah
: in Tomah
: in the
Town of Lyndon
: on the
Lake Delton–
Delton town line
: in
Middleton. The highways travel concurrently to .
: in
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
. US 12/US 18 travel concurrently to
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. US 12/US 151 travel concurrently through the city.
: in Madison
: in
Elkhorn
;Illinois
: in
Des Plaines
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 60,675. The city is a suburb of Chicago and is located just north of O'Hare International Airport. It is situated on and is named after the ...
. The highways travel concurrently to west of the
Palos Hills–
Hickory Hills, Illinois
Hickory Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois. Located principally in Palos Township, it is a suburb of Chicago. The population in 2020 was 14,505.
History
The Hickory Hills Country Club was founded in 1917 in the area of the present-day cit ...
city line.
: in Des Plaines
: west of
Rosemont
: on the
Melrose Park–
Stone Park city line. The highways travel concurrently to
East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census. The city is home of the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, an artificial freshwater harbor characterized by industrial and manufacturing ac ...
.
: on the
Westchester–
Hillside–
Bellwood city line
: in
La Grange
: on the
Countryside
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...
–
Hodgkins city line
: in
Willow Springs
: on the
Hickory Hills–
Bridgeview city line
: in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. The highways travel concurrently to northwest of
Whiting, Indiana
Whiting is a city located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area in Lake County, Indiana, which was founded in 1889. The city is located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It is roughly 16 miles from the Chicago Loop and two miles from Chicago' ...
.
;Indiana
: northwest of
Whiting
: on the
Hammond–
Gary city line. The highways travel concurrently into Gary proper.
: in Gary
: in Gary
;Michigan
: in
New Buffalo Township
: in
Bertrand Township
: in
White Pigeon
: in
Coldwater
: in
Woodstock Township
: in
Pittsfield Charter Township
: in
Ypsilanti Township. The highways travel concurrently through the township, passing through
Ypsilanti.
: in
Canton
: in
Dearborn
: in Dearborn
:Cass Avenue in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
See also
*
*
U.S. Route 410
Notes
References
External links
*
Endpoints of US highway 12
{{Authority control
12
12
12
12