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U.S. Route 60 is a major east–west United States highway, traveling from southwestern Arizona to the Atlantic Ocean coast in Virginia.
The highway's eastern terminus is in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where it is known as Pacific Avenue, in the city's Oceanfront resort district at the intersection of 5th Street and Winston-Salem Avenue. Its original western terminus was in Springfield, Missouri; it was then extended to Los Angeles, California, but in 1964, it was truncated to end southwest of Brenda, Arizona, at an Interchange (road), interchange with Interstate 10 (I-10) after the US 60 highway designation was decommissioned highway, removed from California. I-10 replaced US 60 from Beaumont, California, to Arizona, and California State Route 60 (SR 60) replaced US 60 from Los Angeles to Beaumont.
The westernmost stretch of US 60, to the California state line, has been replaced by Interstate 10 in Arizona, Interstate 10 (I-10). The western terminus of US 60 is near Brenda, Arizona, Brenda, from where it travels northeast to Wickenburg, Arizona, Wickenburg. Once US 60 enters Surprise, Arizona, Surprise, it carries the name Grand Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, Grand Avenue through the Phoenix metropolitan area before joining Interstate 17, I-17 and I-10 in Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix for approximately . In Tempe, Arizona, Tempe, US 60 exits I-10 and becomes the Superstition Freeway, a significant part of the Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways, Phoenix freeway system that serves cities such as Mesa, Arizona, Mesa, Gilbert, Arizona, Gilbert, and Apache Junction, Arizona, Apache Junction. East of the Phoenix area, US 60 bears roughly east-northeast through mountainous areas, passing through Globe, Arizona, Globe, Show Low, Arizona, Show Low, and Springerville, Arizona, Springerville before entering New Mexico.
It then enters the county seat of Socorro, New Mexico, Socorro, where it meets Interstate 25 in New Mexico, Interstate 25. US 60 heads north, beginning a concurrency with the Interstate.
US 60 splits off from I-25 near Bernardo, New Mexico, Bernardo, about north of Socorro. It turns back eastward, rising through Abo Canyon, Abo Pass at the southern end of the Manzano Mountains before crossing into Torrance County, New Mexico, Torrance County and passing through Mountainair, New Mexico, Mountainair, where it intersects New Mexico State Road 55, NM-55. After passing through Willard, New Mexico, Willard, it sets out across the Pedernal Hills. In Encino, New Mexico, Encino, it begins a concurrency with US-285 (NM), US-285. Just after crossing into Guadalupe County, New Mexico, Guadalupe County, US-54 (NM), US-54 joins the concurrency. The three highways pass through Vaughn, New Mexico, Vaughn and then go their separate ways, with US 285 heading southeast towards the direction of Roswell, New Mexico, Roswell, US 54 heading northeast towards both Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Santa Rosa and Interstate 40, and US 60 heading east towards Clovis, New Mexico, Clovis.
US 60 angles southeast toward Yeso, New Mexico, Yeso, entering De Baca County, New Mexico, De Baca County en route. Curving back towards the east, the road enters Fort Sumner, New Mexico, Fort Sumner, the county seat, later. Just west of town, it serves as the northern terminus of New Mexico State Road 20, NM-20, and in Fort Sumner proper, it begins a concurrency with US-84 (NM), US-84, which will persist for the remainder of the routes' miles in New Mexico. East of town the two highways encounter New Mexico State Road 212, NM-212, a spur to Fort Sumner State Monument, and New Mexico State Road 252, NM 252 in Taiban, New Mexico, Taiban.
US 60/84 passes through Tolar, New Mexico, Tolar near the De Baca–Roosevelt County, New Mexico, Roosevelt County line. The two routes do not stay in Roosevelt County for long, however, proceeding into Curry County, New Mexico, Curry County west of Melrose, New Mexico, Melrose. The highways pass through Melrose, St. Vrain, New Mexico, St. Vrain, and Grier, New Mexico, Grier before widening out to a four-lane highway as they approach Clovis, New Mexico, Clovis, the Curry County seat. In Clovis, the home of Cannon Air Force Base, the highways meet up with US-70 (NM), US-70, which joins the concurrency. The three highways proceed through Texico, New Mexico, Texico, and then cross the state line near Farwell, Texas.
For the distance of more than 300 miles (480 km) between Abo Pass and Amarillo, the highway parallels the Southern Transcon, one of the busiest transcontinental railroads in the west.
Most of the route east of Springfield is four-lane divided and several stretches are freeway-graded. On July 9, 2010, The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) finished the process of upgrading US 60 to four lanes along a segment between the towns of Willow Springs, Missouri, Willow Springs and Van Buren, Missouri, Van Buren. This project's overall completion indicates that US 60 is now a four-lane facility from Springfield to Charleston, Missouri, Charleston, a distance of approximately . A stretch of US 60 from east of US 65 in Springfield to Rogersville has been in long range plans on being upgraded to freeway status, therefore removing all at-grade crossings, installing overpasses and interchanges, and access roads.
At Mansfield, Missouri, Mansfield, US 60 meets Missouri Route 5, which runs south towards Ava, Missouri, Ava. U.S. 60 is briefly concurrent with Route 5 north of Mansfield, after which Route 5 continues north towards Hartville, Missouri, Hartville. On the southeast side of Cabool, Missouri, Cabool US 60 encounters US Route 63 and continues as a concurrency to Willow Springs, Missouri, Willow Springs, where the two routes separate with Route 60 continuing east to Mountain View, Missouri, Mountain View and Route 63 continues south toward West Plains, Missouri, West Plains.
US 60 intersects Interstate 55 (Missouri), Interstate 55 and Interstate 57 (Missouri), Interstate 57 just southeast of Sikeston, Missouri, Sikeston. It runs concurrently with I-57 from this junction to the east side of Charleston.
From Charleston to Bird's Point, Missouri, Bird's Point, where the route leaves Missouri on a bridge crossing of the Mississippi River, US 60 is now concurrent with U.S. Route 62 (Missouri), U.S. Route 62 and - for a short distance - Missouri Route 77, Route 77.
William Jefferson Blythe Jr., the biological father of former U.S. president Bill Clinton, died on Route 60 (now Missouri Route 114, Route 114) outside of Sikeston, Missouri after being thrown from his car and drowning in a drainage ditch.
T2 GIS Data
Retrieved June 2, 2006. As documented in Wikipedia:WikiProject U.S. Roads/Lengths/Illinois. The routes enter Illinois at its very southern tip between the Mississippi River, Mississippi and Ohio River, Ohio rivers. The concurrent routes pass Fort Defiance (Illinois), Fort Defiance, which lies at the lowest and southernmost point of Illinois, then intersect with U.S. Highway 51, U.S. 51 south of Cairo, Illinois, Cairo, turning eastward along with southbound U.S. 51 to cross the Ohio River into Kentucky.
From Sam Black Church, West Virginia, Sam Black Church east through Lewisburg, West Virginia, Lewisburg to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, White Sulphur Springs, US 60 lives in the shadow of I-64 and carries a very small amount of traffic. Just east of White Sulphur Springs, US 60 joins I-64 for the last in the state before they enter Virginia at Allegheny Mountain (West Virginia-Virginia), Allegheny Mountain.
Between Lexington, Virginia, Lexington in the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, I-64 uses a lower elevation crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains located about further north, where it runs parallel to U.S. Route 250 (Virginia), U.S. Route 250 through Rockfish Gap. In contrast, through this section, the older US 60 is mostly a rural two-lane road. With the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains at a higher altitude in more rugged terrain, US 60 in this area offers much more challenging and weather-sensitive driving conditions, as well as a history of many crashes in the years before I-64 was completed.
East of north–south U.S. Route 29 (which runs parallel to the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge), the older US 60 and I-64 gradually converge as they pass through the rolling hills of the rocky Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region in an easterly direction to reach the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, Fall Line at Richmond, where they again become very close.
From Richmond east to the harbor area near the mouth of Hampton Roads, US 60 again essentially parallels I-64 through Williamsburg, Virginia, Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle region, extending down the Virginia Peninsula east to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel which it shares with I-64. Along the way, a notable section of Huntington Ave in Newport News carries US 60 in both directions overlapping, and is possibly the only example of a highway in the United States with such a configuration. A few miles south of the bridge-tunnel, in Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk, US 60 diverges to the east to follow the south shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay through Ocean View, Virginia, Ocean View and past the south entrance to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to reach Cape Henry. There it curves south to run along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline to end near the south end of the Virginia Beach resort strip.
Broer Map Library
/ref>Report of Joint Board on Interstate Highways, October 30, 1925, Approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, November 18, 1925 Kentucky Governor William J. Fields objected to the Joint Board's plan, which took most major east–west routes (multiples of ten) to the East Coast of the United States, East Coast, but sent Route 60 from Los Angeles northeast to end in Chicago, leaving none to cross Kentucky, the only Mississippi Valley state without such a route. Proposals were considered for splitting US 60 into 60N and 60E at Springfield (MO) or using 62 for the Chicago route; Missouri had already prepared maps that showed the original plans for 60 and 62. The final plan, agreed to by the affected states, assigned US 66 to the Los Angeles-Chicago highway and US 60 to the route from Springfield to Virginia Beach (extended from Newport News), absorbing all of 62 and part of 52 from the 1925 plan.Richard F. Weingroff
From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System
United States Numbered Highways, ''American Highways'' (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHO), April 1927 Although US 60 initially stretched less than halfway across the country, due to its late creation, it was soon extended west to Los Angeles. One auto trail — the Atlantic and Pacific Highway - and three other U.S. Highways played a part in this extension. The Atlantic and Pacific Highway had been organized in 1921, and connected New York City with Los Angeles. The original alignment of U.S. Route 70 entered Clovis, New Mexico from the east, as it does now, but continued west to Holbrook, Arizona. Crossing US 70 at Clovis was the El Paso, Texas, El Paso-Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo U.S. Route 366 (1926), U.S. Route 366. Finally, U.S. Route 164 was created by 1928, stretching northeast and east from Amarillo to U.S. Route 64 and U.S. Route 81 in Enid, Oklahoma. The American Association of State Highway Officials approved the first part of the extension in May 1930, following the rest of Missouri's Route 16 to the Oklahoma state line, and several state highways to Enid, before absorbing US 164 to a terminus at Amarillo. The remainder to Los Angeles was approved at AASHO's June 1931 meeting, and involved a number of other changes. US 60 replaced US 366 from Amarillo to Clovis, where it continued west along US 70 to Springerville, Arizona. The remainder of US 70 to Holbrook, Arizona became a new U.S. Route 260, while US 60 followed the Atlantic and Pacific Highway, which it had picked up at Vaughn, New Mexico, southwest and west through Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix to Los Angeles. US 70 was not truncated to Clovis, but was instead redirected southwest along US 366 to El Paso, and later reached Los Angeles itself, though most of the route west of Globe, Arizona overlap (road), overlapped US 60. After the Interstate Highway System was signed into law in 1956, the Midland Trail portion of US 60, from Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville east to the Hampton Roads area, was bypassed by Interstate 64. From Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix west to Los Angeles, Interstate 10 paralleled and, for the most part, replaced US 60. I-10 and I-64 were mostly completed by the late 1970s, though part of Interstate 64 in West Virginia, built on a new alignment east from Beckley, West Virginia, Beckley, did not bypass the old winding US 60 until July 15, 1988. California decommissioned its portion of US 60 in 1972; most was replaced by I-10, while the independent piece in the Los Angeles area became State Route 60 (California), State Route 60.California Highways and Public Works
Route Renumbering
March–April 1964 In 1982, the portion overlap (road), overlapping I-10 in western Arizona was removed. US 60 between Phoenix and Louisville remains a major regional corridor in most places, and is not paralleled by an Interstate for any significant length.
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 60
Illinois Highway Ends: US 60
{{Authority control U.S. Route 60, U.S. Highways in California, 60 Interstate 10, 060 United States Numbered Highway System, 60 U.S. Highways in West Virginia, 60
Route description
, - , U.S. Route 60 in Arizona, AZ , 368 , 592 , - , U.S. Route 60 in New Mexico, NM , 366 , 590 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Texas, TX , 225 , 362 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Oklahoma, OK , 355 , 571 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Missouri, MO , 341 , 549 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Illinois, IL , 1 , 2 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky, KY , 489 , 787 , - , U.S. Route 60 in West Virginia, WV , 179 , 288 , - , U.S. Route 60 in Virginia, VA , 302 , 486 , - , Total , 2,655 , 4,273Arizona
The westernmost stretch of US 60, to the California state line, has been replaced by Interstate 10 in Arizona, Interstate 10 (I-10). The western terminus of US 60 is near Brenda, Arizona, Brenda, from where it travels northeast to Wickenburg, Arizona, Wickenburg. Once US 60 enters Surprise, Arizona, Surprise, it carries the name Grand Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, Grand Avenue through the Phoenix metropolitan area before joining Interstate 17, I-17 and I-10 in Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix for approximately . In Tempe, Arizona, Tempe, US 60 exits I-10 and becomes the Superstition Freeway, a significant part of the Metropolitan Phoenix Freeways, Phoenix freeway system that serves cities such as Mesa, Arizona, Mesa, Gilbert, Arizona, Gilbert, and Apache Junction, Arizona, Apache Junction. East of the Phoenix area, US 60 bears roughly east-northeast through mountainous areas, passing through Globe, Arizona, Globe, Show Low, Arizona, Show Low, and Springerville, Arizona, Springerville before entering New Mexico.
New Mexico
US 60 enters New Mexico in Catron County, New Mexico, Catron County east of Springerville, Arizona. The road makes an arc through Catron County, with the apex at Quemado, New Mexico, Quemado, avoiding Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and Escondido Mountain. East of Pie Town, New Mexico, Pie Town, the road crosses the Continental Divide. Between the Divide and Datil, New Mexico, Datil, US 60 cuts through Cibola National Forest. In Datil, US 60 serves as the eastern terminus of New Mexico State Road 12, NM-12. East of Datil, US 60 traverses the northern end of the Plains of San Augustin, then crosses the county line into Socorro County, New Mexico, Socorro County. The road bisects the Very Large Array complex, and a track used in rearranging the antennas that make up the Array crosses the highway. into the county, the highway passes through Magdalena, New Mexico, Magdalena.
It then enters the county seat of Socorro, New Mexico, Socorro, where it meets Interstate 25 in New Mexico, Interstate 25. US 60 heads north, beginning a concurrency with the Interstate.
US 60 splits off from I-25 near Bernardo, New Mexico, Bernardo, about north of Socorro. It turns back eastward, rising through Abo Canyon, Abo Pass at the southern end of the Manzano Mountains before crossing into Torrance County, New Mexico, Torrance County and passing through Mountainair, New Mexico, Mountainair, where it intersects New Mexico State Road 55, NM-55. After passing through Willard, New Mexico, Willard, it sets out across the Pedernal Hills. In Encino, New Mexico, Encino, it begins a concurrency with US-285 (NM), US-285. Just after crossing into Guadalupe County, New Mexico, Guadalupe County, US-54 (NM), US-54 joins the concurrency. The three highways pass through Vaughn, New Mexico, Vaughn and then go their separate ways, with US 285 heading southeast towards the direction of Roswell, New Mexico, Roswell, US 54 heading northeast towards both Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Santa Rosa and Interstate 40, and US 60 heading east towards Clovis, New Mexico, Clovis.
US 60 angles southeast toward Yeso, New Mexico, Yeso, entering De Baca County, New Mexico, De Baca County en route. Curving back towards the east, the road enters Fort Sumner, New Mexico, Fort Sumner, the county seat, later. Just west of town, it serves as the northern terminus of New Mexico State Road 20, NM-20, and in Fort Sumner proper, it begins a concurrency with US-84 (NM), US-84, which will persist for the remainder of the routes' miles in New Mexico. East of town the two highways encounter New Mexico State Road 212, NM-212, a spur to Fort Sumner State Monument, and New Mexico State Road 252, NM 252 in Taiban, New Mexico, Taiban.
US 60/84 passes through Tolar, New Mexico, Tolar near the De Baca–Roosevelt County, New Mexico, Roosevelt County line. The two routes do not stay in Roosevelt County for long, however, proceeding into Curry County, New Mexico, Curry County west of Melrose, New Mexico, Melrose. The highways pass through Melrose, St. Vrain, New Mexico, St. Vrain, and Grier, New Mexico, Grier before widening out to a four-lane highway as they approach Clovis, New Mexico, Clovis, the Curry County seat. In Clovis, the home of Cannon Air Force Base, the highways meet up with US-70 (NM), US-70, which joins the concurrency. The three highways proceed through Texico, New Mexico, Texico, and then cross the state line near Farwell, Texas.
For the distance of more than 300 miles (480 km) between Abo Pass and Amarillo, the highway parallels the Southern Transcon, one of the busiest transcontinental railroads in the west.
Texas
US 60 runs in a northeasterly direction across the Texas Panhandle. It enters the state as a four-lane divided highway at Farwell, Texas, Farwell on the Texas-New Mexico border, and heads northeast, intersecting U.S. Route 385 at Hereford, Texas, Hereford. At Canyon, Texas, Canyon, the route begins a concurrency with both U.S. Route 87 and Interstate 27; the three routes are united to Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo. At Amarillo, the road crosses Interstate 40 and has a short concurrency with U.S. Route 66 in Texas, Historic US 66 on Amarillo Boulevard. The road continues as a divided highway, heading northeast to Pampa, Texas, Pampa, where the road goes to two lanes. At Canadian, Texas, Canadian, the route briefly returns to four-lane status and forms a concurrency with U.S. Route 83. US 60 leaves Texas for Oklahoma east of Higgins, Texas, Higgins.Oklahoma
Except for three short sections near Enid, Oklahoma, Enid, Vinita, Oklahoma, Vinita, and Ponca City, Oklahoma, Ponca City, US 60 is a two-lane highway its entire length across Oklahoma. It enters the state west of Arnett, Oklahoma, Arnett and travels east to Orienta, Oklahoma, Orienta where it begins a concurrency with U.S. Highway 412 (Oklahoma), U.S. Highway 412. At Enid, it leaves the concurrency with US-412 and begins another with U.S. Highway 64 (Oklahoma), U.S. Highway 64 with which it is united for . Near Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Tonkawa, US 60 has an interchange with Interstate 35 (Oklahoma), Interstate 35. At Ponca City, Oklahoma, Ponca City, US 60 enters Osage County, Oklahoma, Osage County, leaving it at Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Bartlesville. From Vinita to Afton, Oklahoma, Afton, the highway has a concurrency with Historic U.S. Highway 66 (Oklahoma), U.S. Highway 66 and U.S. Highway 69 (Oklahoma), U.S. Highway 69. The road meets Interstate 44 (Oklahoma), Interstate 44 at Vinita and Afton. It passes through Twin Bridges State Park about west of the Missouri state line.Missouri
US 60 crosses southern Missouri, south of Interstate 44 (Missouri), Interstate 44. It crosses the Missouri-Oklahoma state line near the Missouri town Seneca, Missouri, Seneca. It is concurrent with U.S. Route 62 from Charleston, Missouri, Charleston and spans the Mississippi River to enter Illinois. Prior to the creation of the U.S. Highway system, U.S. Route 60 was Route 16. Between the Missouri-Oklahoma state line and south of Seneca and Republic, Missouri, Republic, US 60 is a two-lane highway, often splitting into alternating three-lane highways beginning at Monett, Missouri, Monett. At Republic, Missouri, Republic, the road becomes a four-lane divided highway, turning southeast onto the James River Freeway in the Springfield, Missouri, Springfield city limits.
Most of the route east of Springfield is four-lane divided and several stretches are freeway-graded. On July 9, 2010, The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) finished the process of upgrading US 60 to four lanes along a segment between the towns of Willow Springs, Missouri, Willow Springs and Van Buren, Missouri, Van Buren. This project's overall completion indicates that US 60 is now a four-lane facility from Springfield to Charleston, Missouri, Charleston, a distance of approximately . A stretch of US 60 from east of US 65 in Springfield to Rogersville has been in long range plans on being upgraded to freeway status, therefore removing all at-grade crossings, installing overpasses and interchanges, and access roads.
At Mansfield, Missouri, Mansfield, US 60 meets Missouri Route 5, which runs south towards Ava, Missouri, Ava. U.S. 60 is briefly concurrent with Route 5 north of Mansfield, after which Route 5 continues north towards Hartville, Missouri, Hartville. On the southeast side of Cabool, Missouri, Cabool US 60 encounters US Route 63 and continues as a concurrency to Willow Springs, Missouri, Willow Springs, where the two routes separate with Route 60 continuing east to Mountain View, Missouri, Mountain View and Route 63 continues south toward West Plains, Missouri, West Plains.
US 60 intersects Interstate 55 (Missouri), Interstate 55 and Interstate 57 (Missouri), Interstate 57 just southeast of Sikeston, Missouri, Sikeston. It runs concurrently with I-57 from this junction to the east side of Charleston.
From Charleston to Bird's Point, Missouri, Bird's Point, where the route leaves Missouri on a bridge crossing of the Mississippi River, US 60 is now concurrent with U.S. Route 62 (Missouri), U.S. Route 62 and - for a short distance - Missouri Route 77, Route 77.
William Jefferson Blythe Jr., the biological father of former U.S. president Bill Clinton, died on Route 60 (now Missouri Route 114, Route 114) outside of Sikeston, Missouri after being thrown from his car and drowning in a drainage ditch.
Illinois
U.S. 60 continues its concurrency with U.S. Highway 62 for its entire length, , in Illinois.Illinois Technology Transfer CenterT2 GIS Data
Retrieved June 2, 2006. As documented in Wikipedia:WikiProject U.S. Roads/Lengths/Illinois. The routes enter Illinois at its very southern tip between the Mississippi River, Mississippi and Ohio River, Ohio rivers. The concurrent routes pass Fort Defiance (Illinois), Fort Defiance, which lies at the lowest and southernmost point of Illinois, then intersect with U.S. Highway 51, U.S. 51 south of Cairo, Illinois, Cairo, turning eastward along with southbound U.S. 51 to cross the Ohio River into Kentucky.
Kentucky
US 60, along with US 51 and US 62, crosses into the Commonwealth of Kentucky from Cairo, Illinois. US 60 splits off from this concurrency at Wickliffe, Kentucky, Wickliffe, and heads northeast towards Paducah, Kentucky, Paducah. US 60 has an interchange with Interstate 24 and enters the city along with Business Loop 24. US 60 joins US 62 once again, and the routes head out of Paducah. US 60 splits off to the northeast and crosses the Tennessee River, while US 62 heads southeast and serves as the western terminus of U.S. Route 68, US 68. From there, US 60 follows the Ohio River, traveling through the city of Smithland, Kentucky, Smithland, and junctions U.S. Route 641, US 641 at Marion, Kentucky, Marion. US 60 continues northeast to Morganfield, Kentucky, Morganfield, and then to Henderson, Kentucky, Henderson, where it joins alternate US 41. The two routes head to the other side of Henderson, where they have an interchange with U.S. Route 41, US 41. Currently, Kentucky's segment of Interstate 69 ends south of Henderson, but once connected with the mainline in Interstate 69 in Indiana, Indiana, the interstate will be concurrent with US 41 and share the interchange with US 60. From there, US 60 heads east towards the city of Owensboro, Kentucky, Owensboro. US 60 becomes an expressway, the Wendell H. Ford Expressway, traversing around the south side of the city of Owensboro, Kentucky, Owensboro. The route serves as the eastern terminus of the Audubon Parkway (future I-69 spur), as well as the northern terminus of U.S. Route 431, US 431. U.S. Route 231, US 231 joins US 60 and the routes serve as the northern terminus of Interstate 165 (Kentucky), I-165 (formerly the William H. Natcher Parkway). The routes travel north, leaving Owensboro, towards Maceo, Kentucky, Maceo. At Maceo, US 60 splits from US 231 and heads east along the Ohio River traveling through the cities of Lewisport, Kentucky, Lewisport, Hawesville, Kentucky, Hawesville, and Cloverport, Kentucky, Cloverport. The route then goes southeast to Hardinsburg, Kentucky, Hardinsburg, and then traverses northeast to U.S. Route 31W, US 31W north of Fort Knox. US 60 joins U.S. Route 31W, US 31W, and the routes travel north to the city of Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville. US 60 creates an alternate route, traveling through the south side of Louisville, while US 60 travels through the north side. The routes head north through the city, having an interchange with Interstate 264 (Kentucky), I-264 along the way. At Bernheim Lane, US 31W splits off US 60 and parallels on the west side, while US 60 continues north, traveling further into the city. US 60 joins U.S. Route 150, US 150, and the routes travel east out of the downtown area. The routes junction U.S. Route 31E, US 31E, and US 60 goes north on US 31E, while US 150 goes south on US 31E. Then, US 60 turns off onto U.S. Route 42, US 42, has an interchange with Interstate 64, and then splits off of US 42 and heads out of Louisville. Before leaving, Alternate US 60 joins back, and US 60 has an interchange with I-264 once more, and then with Interstate 265, I-265. US 60 parallels Interstate 64 as the route travels east through Shelbyville, Kentucky, Shelbyville, and on into the capital city of Frankfort, Kentucky, Frankfort. Here, US 60 junctions U.S. Route 127, US 127, and heads on east into the city. US 60 crosses the Kentucky River and continues east to U.S. Route 421, US 421 and U.S. Route 460, US 460. US 60 joins US 421, and the routes travel south for a bit, and then US 421 splits off of US 60 and heads east. US 60 heads southeast, crossing over to the south side of Interstate 64. US 60 joins U.S. Route 62, US 62 once again in a strange concurrency (US 60 is heading east while US 62 is heading west, and vice versa). US 60 quickly splits off at Versailles, Kentucky, Versailles, and then the route travels east towards Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington. US 60 enters Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington after having an interchange with Kentucky Route 4 (KY 4). US 60 goes into the city, joining U.S. Route 68, US 68 for a block, and then turns south onto U.S. Route 25, US 25 and U.S. Route 421, US 421. The three routes travel through downtown Lexington, and then US 60 splits off and heads east out of the city. On its way out, US 60 has an interchange with Special routes of U.S. Route 421, US 421 By-Pass and then with Interstate 75. US 60 continues on east, paralleling Interstate 64. The route travels through Winchester, Kentucky, Winchester, and then junctions US 460 in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Mount Sterling. After leaving the city, US 60 crosses over to the north side of Insterstate 64, creating an interchange. From here, US 60 travels through the cities of Owingsville, Kentucky, Owingsville, Morehead, Kentucky, Morehead, and Grayson, Kentucky, Grayson, before turning northeast to head to the city of Ashland, Kentucky, Ashland. In the city, US 60 joins U.S. Route 23, US 23, and the two routes head south along the Ohio River. The routes continue to Catlettsburg, Kentucky, Catlettsburg, where US 60 leaves US 23 and heads east, crossing over the Big Sandy River (Ohio River), Big Sandy River on the Billy C. Clark Bridge into the state of West Virginia.West Virginia
In West Virginia, US 60 largely follows the path of the Midland Trail. It enters the state at Kenova, West Virginia, Kenova by crossing over the Big Sandy River (Ohio River), Big Sandy River from the city of Catlettsburg, Kentucky. From there, it heads through Huntington, West Virginia, Huntington east to Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston. From Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston, US 60 heads southeast on its own course apart from Interstate 64, its replacement. The road first follows the Kanawha River to its source at Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, Gauley Bridge, where US 60 then climbs out of the river valley and follows a twisting path through Rainelle, West Virginia, Rainelle and back to Interstate 64 at Sam Black Church, West Virginia, Sam Black Church. This stretch was the last section of US 60 to be bypassed by the Interstate system in West Virginia. I-64 between Beckley, West Virginia, Beckley and Sam Black Church, West Virginia, was not completed and open to traffic until July 15, 1988 Due to its location, many miles away from I-64, US 60 still serves a large amount of traffic through the central part of the state, even though I-64 has replaced the highway for most through traffic. From the early 1970s, when I-64 was completed through Charleston to the West Virginia Turnpike until 1988, all east-west I-64 traffic was routed onto the mostly two lane U.S. 60 from Charleston to Sam Black Church where I-64 resumed. During this time U.S. 60 was signed by W.V.D.O.T. with a U.S. 60 shield and a "to I-64(east or west)" sign in order to assure travelers they would eventually return to the interstate highway by following the federal designated route. This stretch of highway from Charleston to Sam Black Church is significant as it was the second to last segment of U.S. highway to be replaced by an interstate (of the original 1960s grid plan).
From Sam Black Church, West Virginia, Sam Black Church east through Lewisburg, West Virginia, Lewisburg to White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, White Sulphur Springs, US 60 lives in the shadow of I-64 and carries a very small amount of traffic. Just east of White Sulphur Springs, US 60 joins I-64 for the last in the state before they enter Virginia at Allegheny Mountain (West Virginia-Virginia), Allegheny Mountain.
Virginia
In Virginia, U.S. Route 60 runs west to east through the central part of the state, generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 (Virginia), Interstate 64 corridor, except for the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and in the South Hampton Roads area.
Between Lexington, Virginia, Lexington in the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, I-64 uses a lower elevation crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains located about further north, where it runs parallel to U.S. Route 250 (Virginia), U.S. Route 250 through Rockfish Gap. In contrast, through this section, the older US 60 is mostly a rural two-lane road. With the crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains at a higher altitude in more rugged terrain, US 60 in this area offers much more challenging and weather-sensitive driving conditions, as well as a history of many crashes in the years before I-64 was completed.
East of north–south U.S. Route 29 (which runs parallel to the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge), the older US 60 and I-64 gradually converge as they pass through the rolling hills of the rocky Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region in an easterly direction to reach the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, Fall Line at Richmond, where they again become very close.
From Richmond east to the harbor area near the mouth of Hampton Roads, US 60 again essentially parallels I-64 through Williamsburg, Virginia, Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle region, extending down the Virginia Peninsula east to the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel which it shares with I-64. Along the way, a notable section of Huntington Ave in Newport News carries US 60 in both directions overlapping, and is possibly the only example of a highway in the United States with such a configuration. A few miles south of the bridge-tunnel, in Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk, US 60 diverges to the east to follow the south shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay through Ocean View, Virginia, Ocean View and past the south entrance to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to reach Cape Henry. There it curves south to run along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline to end near the south end of the Virginia Beach resort strip.
History
Historical California alignment
U.S. Route 60 has been fully decommissioned in California since 1972, when Interstate 10 was completed in California. It had a clear east-west orientation and was so signed. Between downtown Los Angeles (its western terminus at its interchange with Interstates 5 and 10) it had an existence separate from U.S. Routes 70 and 99, lying to its south. US 60 passed through Pomona, California, Pomona and Riverside, California, Riverside, meeting US 70 and US 99 near Beaumont, California, Beaumont, east of which it coincided with US 70 and US 99 as far to the east as Indio, California, Indio. East of Indio, US 99 separated from US 60 and US 70, both continuing through the Mojave Desert to the Arizona state line at the Colorado River near Blythe, California, Blythe almost entirely as a two-lane highway. After the Great Renumbering of 1964, US 60 remained intact east of Beaumont, but for only eight years. Meanwhile, US 70 and US 99 had disappeared completely in Southern California. West of Beaumont, the route that had been US 60 was re-signed as State Route 60 (California), State Route 60 (although often on a somewhat different alignment than the current California 60, as the new freeway had not yet been completed). East of Beaumont, US 60 remained in existence while Interstate 10 supplanted it, with the course of US 60 being moved to Interstate 10 and some sections of the old highway being demolished. In 1972, California decommissioned whatever remained of US 60 within the state as the last segments of Interstate 10 were opened. Parts of old US 60 (which in places coincided with US 70 and US 99) remain as business loops of Interstate 10 in Indio and Blythe. US 60 had its beginnings in the Midland Trail, an auto trail organized in 1912 by residents of Grand Junction, Colorado. The next year, this route was considered but rejected for the Lincoln Highway, after which the Midland Trail Association laid out and marked its own transcontinental highway, eventually connecting Newport News, Virginia with Los Angeles, California. When the Joint Board on Interstate Highways published its preliminary plan for a system of interstate routes in 1925, the Midland Trail was split among many numbers, including US 52, 52, 62, US 150, 150, US 50, 50, and US 40, 40. East of Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville, where it would become US 60, it was assigned parts of 52 and 62. Route 52 began at Newport News and followed the Midland Trail to Richmond, VA, Richmond, but took a more southerly route to Lexington, Virginia. The trail was used again through West Virginia to Huntington, WV, Huntington, where Route 52 split to the northwest. Route 62 began at Ashland, Kentucky (near Huntington) and followed the Midland Trail across northeastern Kentucky to Louisville, where the trail crossed the Ohio River and became Route 150. Route 62 continued southwest along the south bank of the Ohio River to Wickliffe, KY, Wickliffe in western Kentucky, and then crossed the Mississippi River at the Ohio's mouth. The final portion of Route 62 crossed southern Missouri to Springfield, MO, Springfield on an existing main highway that had been numbered 16 by the state.Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas, 1926, accessed via thBroer Map Library
/ref>Report of Joint Board on Interstate Highways, October 30, 1925, Approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, November 18, 1925 Kentucky Governor William J. Fields objected to the Joint Board's plan, which took most major east–west routes (multiples of ten) to the East Coast of the United States, East Coast, but sent Route 60 from Los Angeles northeast to end in Chicago, leaving none to cross Kentucky, the only Mississippi Valley state without such a route. Proposals were considered for splitting US 60 into 60N and 60E at Springfield (MO) or using 62 for the Chicago route; Missouri had already prepared maps that showed the original plans for 60 and 62. The final plan, agreed to by the affected states, assigned US 66 to the Los Angeles-Chicago highway and US 60 to the route from Springfield to Virginia Beach (extended from Newport News), absorbing all of 62 and part of 52 from the 1925 plan.Richard F. Weingroff
From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System
United States Numbered Highways, ''American Highways'' (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, AASHO), April 1927 Although US 60 initially stretched less than halfway across the country, due to its late creation, it was soon extended west to Los Angeles. One auto trail — the Atlantic and Pacific Highway - and three other U.S. Highways played a part in this extension. The Atlantic and Pacific Highway had been organized in 1921, and connected New York City with Los Angeles. The original alignment of U.S. Route 70 entered Clovis, New Mexico from the east, as it does now, but continued west to Holbrook, Arizona. Crossing US 70 at Clovis was the El Paso, Texas, El Paso-Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo U.S. Route 366 (1926), U.S. Route 366. Finally, U.S. Route 164 was created by 1928, stretching northeast and east from Amarillo to U.S. Route 64 and U.S. Route 81 in Enid, Oklahoma. The American Association of State Highway Officials approved the first part of the extension in May 1930, following the rest of Missouri's Route 16 to the Oklahoma state line, and several state highways to Enid, before absorbing US 164 to a terminus at Amarillo. The remainder to Los Angeles was approved at AASHO's June 1931 meeting, and involved a number of other changes. US 60 replaced US 366 from Amarillo to Clovis, where it continued west along US 70 to Springerville, Arizona. The remainder of US 70 to Holbrook, Arizona became a new U.S. Route 260, while US 60 followed the Atlantic and Pacific Highway, which it had picked up at Vaughn, New Mexico, southwest and west through Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix to Los Angeles. US 70 was not truncated to Clovis, but was instead redirected southwest along US 366 to El Paso, and later reached Los Angeles itself, though most of the route west of Globe, Arizona overlap (road), overlapped US 60. After the Interstate Highway System was signed into law in 1956, the Midland Trail portion of US 60, from Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville east to the Hampton Roads area, was bypassed by Interstate 64. From Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix west to Los Angeles, Interstate 10 paralleled and, for the most part, replaced US 60. I-10 and I-64 were mostly completed by the late 1970s, though part of Interstate 64 in West Virginia, built on a new alignment east from Beckley, West Virginia, Beckley, did not bypass the old winding US 60 until July 15, 1988. California decommissioned its portion of US 60 in 1972; most was replaced by I-10, while the independent piece in the Los Angeles area became State Route 60 (California), State Route 60.California Highways and Public Works
Route Renumbering
March–April 1964 In 1982, the portion overlap (road), overlapping I-10 in western Arizona was removed. US 60 between Phoenix and Louisville remains a major regional corridor in most places, and is not paralleled by an Interstate for any significant length.
Major intersections
;Arizona : southwest of Brenda, Arizona, Brenda : in Wickenburg, Arizona, Wickenburg : in Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Phoenix. The highways travel concurrently to Tempe, Arizona, Tempe. : in Globe, Arizona, Globe : in Springerville, Arizona, Springerville. The highways travel concurrently through the town. ;New Mexico : in Socorro, New Mexico, Socorro. The highways travel concurrently to south-southwest of Abeytas, New Mexico, Abeytas. : in Encino, New Mexico, Encino. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of Vaughn, New Mexico, Vaughn. : southwest of Vaughn. The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast of Vaughn. : in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, Fort Sumner. The highways travel concurrently to Texico, New Mexico, Texico. : in Clovis, New Mexico, Clovis. The highways travel concurrently to Texico. ;Texas : in Hereford, Texas, Hereford : in Canyon, Texas, Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo. : north of Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo. : in Amarillo. US 60/US 287 travels concurrently through the city. : south-southwest of Canadian, Texas, Canadian. The highways travel concurrently to north-northeast of Canadian. ;Oklahoma : west of Arnett, Oklahoma, Arnett. The highways travel concurrently to east of Arnett. : west-southwest of Seiling, Oklahoma, Seiling : in Seiling. US 60/US 270 travels concurrently through the city. US 60/US 281 travels concurrently to Chester, Oklahoma, Chester. : in Orienta, Oklahoma, Orienta. The highways travel concurrently to Enid, Oklahoma, Enid. : in Enid. The highways travel concurrently to Pond Creek, Oklahoma, Pond Creek. : in Enid. The highways travel concurrently to west of Pond Creek. : in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Tonkawa : in Tonkawa. The highways travel concurrently to Ponca City, Oklahoma, Ponca City. : east of Tonkawa. The highways travel concurrently to Ponca City. : in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Bartlesville. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Nowata, Oklahoma, Nowata : west-southwest of Vinita, Oklahoma, Vinita. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Afton, Oklahoma, Afton. : in Vinita : northeast of Afton. The highways travel concurrently for approximately . : northeast of Afton ;Missouri : in Neosho, Missouri, Neosho : southwest of Springfield, Missouri, Springfield. The highways travel concurrently to Springfield. : in Springfield : southeast of Cabool, Missouri, Cabool. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of Willow Springs, Missouri, Willow Springs. : south-southwest of Hendrickson, Missouri, Hendrickson. The highways travel concurrently to northwest of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Poplar Bluff. I-57/US 60 will travel concurrently to Sikeston. : in Sikeston, Missouri, Sikeston. : on the Sikeston–Miner, Missouri, Miner city line. I-57/US 60 travels concurrently to Charleston, Missouri, Charleston. : in Charleston. US 60/US 62 travels concurrently to Wickliffe, Kentucky, with a short Illinois segment in-between. ;Illinois : in Cairo, Illinois, Cairo. The highways travel concurrently to Wickliffe, Kentucky. ;Kentucky : in Paducah, Kentucky, Paducah : in Paducah. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Paducah. US 60/US 62 travel concurrently to Riverview, McCracken County, Kentucky, Riverview. : in Marion, Kentucky, Marion : in Henderson, Kentucky, Henderson : in Owensboro, Kentucky, Owensboro : in Owensboro. The highways travel concurrently to Maceo, Kentucky, Maceo. : in Owensboro : in Fort Knox. The highways travel concurrently to Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville. : in Louisville : in Shively, Kentucky, Shively : in Louisville. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Louisville. The highways travel concurrently for one block. : in Louisville. US 31E/US 60 travel concurrently through the city. : in Louisville : in Louisville : on the St. Matthews, Kentucky, St. Matthews–Louisville city line : in Middletown, Kentucky, Middletown : in Frankfort, Kentucky, Frankfort : in Frankfort. US 60/US 421 travels concurrently through the city. : southeast of Frankfort : in Versailles, Kentucky, Versailles. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : in Lexington. US 25/US 60/US 421 travels concurrently through the city. : in Lexington : northeast of Winchester, Kentucky, Winchester : in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, Mt. Sterling. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : northeast of Mt. Sterling : east-southeast of Owingsville, Kentucky, Owingsville : northeast of Olive Hill, Kentucky, Olive Hill : in Coalton, Kentucky, Coalton : in Ashland, Kentucky, Ashland. The highways travel concurrently to Catlettsburg, Kentucky, Catlettsburg. ;West Virginia : in Huntington, West Virginia, Huntington : in Barboursville, West Virginia, Barboursville : in South Charleston, West Virginia, South Charleston : in Charleston, West Virginia, Charleston : in Charleston : in Charleston. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of Snow Hill, Kanawha County, West Virginia, Snow Hill. : in Chelyan, West Virginia, Chelyan : in Hico, West Virginia, Hico : south-southeast of Crawley, West Virginia, Crawley : in Lewisburg, West Virginia, Lewisburg : east of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, White Sulphur Springs : east-southeast of White Sulphur Springs. The highways travel concurrently to Callaghan, Virginia. ;Virginia : in Covington. The highways travel concurrently to east-northeast of Clifton Forge, Virginia, Clifton Forge. : in Mallow, Virginia, Mallow. The highways travel concurrently to north-northwest of Lexington, Virginia, Lexington. : southeast of Lexington : southeast of Lexington : in Buena Vista, Virginia, Buena Vista : in Amherst, Virginia, Amherst : in Sprouses Corner, Virginia, Sprouses Corner : northwest of Powhatan, Virginia, Powhatan : in Richmond, Virginia, Richmond : in Richmond. The highways travel concurrently through the city. : east-southeast of Sandston, Virginia, Sandston : in Newport News, Virginia, Newport News : in Newport News : in Newport News : in Hampton, Virginia, Hampton. The highways travel concurrently to Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk. : in Norfolk : in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Virginia Beach : in Virginia Beach : 5th Street/General Booth Boulevard in Virginia BeachSee also
* U.S. Route 160 * U.S. Route 260 * U.S. Route 360 * U.S. Route 460 * Special routes of U.S. Route 60References
External links
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 60
Illinois Highway Ends: US 60
{{Authority control U.S. Route 60, U.S. Highways in California, 60 Interstate 10, 060 United States Numbered Highway System, 60 U.S. Highways in West Virginia, 60