U.S. Route 26

Infobox U.S. Route
article_route=26

---

length_mi=1,485
length_ref= [http://www.us-highways.com/us1830.htm US Highways from US 1 to US 830] Robert V. Droz]
length_km=2,390
yrcom=1926
direction_a=West
direction_b=East
from=Jct|state=OR|US|101 near Seaside, OR
junction=Jct|state=OR|I|5 at Portland, OR
Jct|state=ID|I|84 at Boise, ID
Jct|state=WY|I|25 at Casper, WY
to=Jct|state=NE|I|80|NE|61 at Ogallala, NE

U.S. Route 26 is an east-west United States highway. It started in Ogallala, Nebraska, and gradually grew to reach the West Coast in Oregon. When the U.S. highway system was first defined, it was limited to Nebraska and Wyoming; by the 1950s, it continued into Idaho and Oregon. The highway's eastern terminus is in Ogallala, Nebraska at an intersection with Interstate 80. Its western terminus is south of Seaside, Oregon at an intersection with U.S. Route 101. Prior to 2004, the route's last 20 miles (32 km) were co-signed with U.S. Route 101 from the highways' junction south of Seaside north to Astoria where its intersection with U.S. Route 30 was also U.S. 30's western terminus. [http://www.geocities.com/usend2029/End026/end026.htm Endpoints of US highways] ]

Much of the highway follows the path of the historic Oregon Trail. At its peak, immediately before the establishment of the interstate highway system, US 26 was 1,557 miles (2506 km) in length, and terminated in Astoria, Oregon.

Route description

Oregon

In Oregon, US 26 heads west across the central part of the state, curving northwest through Portland and ending at the Oregon Coast near Seaside. In the western Portland area, US 26 is a freeway known as the Sunset Highway.

Idaho

From Alpine, Wyoming, the road proceeds to Idaho Falls and joins Interstate 15. It departs at Blackfoot for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, then skirts the north edge of Craters of the Moon National Monument before joining Interstate 84 in Bliss. It joins further with U.S. Highway 20 at Mountain Home and remains with Highway 20 into Oregon.

Wyoming

Heading westward, the first city in Wyoming US 26 runs through is Torrington. About 50 miles (80 km) further west, US 26 joins Interstate 25 and remains co-signed with it until reaching Casper. From Casper to Shoshoni US 26 is co-signed with U.S. Highway 20. After that, US 26 enters Grand Teton National Park before curving southwestward and eventually entering Idaho.

Nebraska

The eastern terminus of US 26 is in Ogallala, Nebraska at Interstate 80. From there, it runs northwestward parallel to the North Platte River and intersects with U.S. Highway 385 in Bridgeport. The largest city US 26 runs through in Nebraska is Scottsbluff, which is just 22 miles (35 km) from the Wyoming border. US 26 also goes past the Chimney Rock National Historic Site. All told, there are 145 miles (233 km) of US 26 in the state of Nebraska.

History

U.S. Highway 320 was part of the initial 1926 system, connecting US 20 at Shoshoni with US 87W at Riverton, Wyoming. It became WYO 320 in 1938, which was extended southwest to Lander in 1940 when US 287 (which had replaced US 87W) was realigned. The original part of US 320/WYO 320 became part of an extension of US 26 in 1950, and the rest of WYO 320 became part of WYO 789 in 1954. [ [http://www.rockymountainroads.com/us-320_wy.html Wyoming @ RockyMountainRoads.com - U.S. Highway 320 (Decommissioned) ] ]

ee also

* U.S. Route 126

References

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