U.S. Route 87

U.S. Route 87 marker

U.S. Route 87
Route information
Length: 1,998 mi[1] (3,215 km)
Existed: 1926[1] – present
Major junctions
South end: SH 238 in Port Lavaca, TX
 
North end: US 2 at Havre, MT
Location
States: Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana
Highway system
Raton, New Mexico, as it appears from U.S. Route 87, which becomes Interstate 25
Route 87 as it approaches Big Spring, Texas, from the south. The Veterans Administration Hospital is shown in the background.
Route 87 in background, looking north from Loma, Montana.

U.S. Highway 87 is a north–south United States highway (though it is signed east–west in New Mexico) that runs for 1,998 miles (3,215 km) from northern Montana to southern Texas. Most of the portion from Billings, Montana, to Raton, New Mexico, is co-signed along Interstates 90 and 25. It is also co-signed along the majority of Interstate 27 in Texas.

As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is Havre, Montana, at U.S. Highway 2. Its southern terminus is Port Lavaca, Texas.

Route description

Texas

New Mexico

US 87 continues in a northwesterly direction in New Mexico, and is signed by NMDOT primarily as an east–west route. It merges with US 64 (and thus the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway) in Clayton, shortly after entering New Mexico. It continues to the northwest until Des Moines, when it takes a more westerly approach to Raton. In Raton, it separates from US 64 and merges with Interstate 25 and US-85, with which it remains concurrent through Raton Pass and into Colorado, though it is unsigned on much of the concurrency.

Colorado

US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 25 throughout the states of Colorado and Wyoming, of which is a rare occurrence for a US highway to have a concurrency with an Interstate in its entirety within state boundaries. For more on this section of US 87, see Interstate 25 in Colorado.

Wyoming

US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 25 northward until exit 160 east of Glenrock where it joins US Route 20/US Route 26 from Glenrock to Casper. In Casper it splits from US-20/26 and rejoins I-25 at exit 186. It then remains concurrent with I-25 until its terminus with Interstate 90. It then follows I-90 west to exit 44 where it runs up to Sheridan. A portion of US-87 has been washed out for several years along this stretch and "temporary" detour signs are posted directing US-87 traffic along Wyoming Highway 193 through Story. In Sheridan US-87 rejoins Interstate 90 into Montana.

Montana

US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 90 westward until Billings, where it breaks off and heads north. Between Crow Agency and Billings, US 87 and I-90 are merged with US 212. It intersects with (and briefly merges with) US 12 in Roundup and continues north with a slight bend to the northwest until, at Grass Range it takes a sharp turn to the west at an intersection with Montana State Highway 200. US 87 remains concurrent with Montana State Highway 200 until Great Falls. In Lewistown, it merges with US 191 and remains heading generally west. Some ten miles (16 km) out of Lewistown, it breaks with US 191 and merges with Montana State Highway 3, heading generally northwest and merging briefly with US 89 before breaking with all three in Great Falls. US 87 heads northeast then east to Fort Benton and then generally northeast to its terminus with US 2 about two miles (3 km) west of Havre.

History

U.S. Route 185 was formed in 1926, and extended from US 85 in Cheyenne north to Orin. It became part of a southern extension and realignment of US 87 in 1936.

Major intersections

Texas
SH 238 in Port Lavaca
Future I‑69 / US 59 in Victoria
US 77 in Victoria
US 183 in Cuero. The highways travel concurrently to southwest of Cuero.
I‑410 in San Antonio
I‑10 / US 90 in San Antonio. I-10/US 87 travels concurrently to Comfort. US 87/US 90 travels concurrently through San Antonio.
I‑37 / US 281 in San Antonio
I‑35 / US 90 in San Antonio. I-35/US 87 travels concurrently through San Antonio.
I‑410 on the Balcones Heights–San Antonio city line
US 290 in Fredericksburg. The highways travel concurrently through Fredericksburg.
US 377 northwest of Mason. The highways travel concurrently to Brady.
US 190 in Brady. The highways travel concurrently to Brady.
US 283 northwest of Brady
US 83 in Eden
US 277 in San Angelo. The highways travel concurrently through San Angelo.
US 67 / US 277 in San Angelo
I‑20 in Big Spring
US 180 south of Los Ybanez. The highways travel concurrently to Lamesa.
US 380 in Tahoka
I‑27 in Lubbock. The highways travel concurrently to south of Kress.
US 84 in Lubbock
US 62 in Lubbock
US 82 in Lubbock
US 70 in Plainview
I‑27 north-northwest of Tulia. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast of Happy.
US 60 in Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo.
I‑27 north of Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo.
I‑27 / I‑40 / US 287 in Amarillo. US 87/US 287 travels concurrently through Amarillo.
US 60 in Amarillo
US 287 in Amarillo. The highways travel concurrently to Dumas.
US 385 in Hartley. The highways travel concurrently to Dalhart.
US 54 in Dalhart
New Mexico
US 56 / US 64 / US 412 in Clayton. US 64/US 87 travels concurrently to Raton.
I‑25 / US 64 / US 85 in Raton. I-25/US 87 travels concurrently to southeast of Glenrock, Wyoming. US 85/US 87 travels concurrently to Fountain, Colorado.
Colorado
US 160 in Trinidad. The highways travel concurrently to Walsenburg.
US 50 in Pueblo. The highways travel concurrently through Pueblo.
US 24 in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently through Colorado Springs.
US 85 in Colorado Springs
US 85 in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently to Castle Rock.
I‑225 in Denver
US 285 in Denver
US 85 in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 6 in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.
US 40 / US 287 in Denver
I‑70 / US 6 / US 85 in Denver
I‑76 southeast of Twin Lakes
I‑270 / US 36 on the Twin Lakes–Sherrelwood–Welby line
US 34 in Loveland
Wyoming
I‑80 south-southwest of Cheyenne
US 30 southwest of Cheyenne
US 85 in Cheyenne. The highways travel concurrently to Ranchettes.
US 26 west-southwest of Dwyer Junction. The highways travel concurrently to the Casper–Hartrandt city line.
US 18 / US 20 in Orin. US 20/US 87 travels concurrently to the Casper–Hartrandt city line.
I‑25 in Casper. The highways travel concurrently to north-northeast of Buffalo.
US 16 in Buffalo
I‑25 / I‑90 north-northeast of Buffalo. I-90/US 87 travels concurrently to Lockwood.
US 14 in Sheridan. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Ranchester.
Montana
US 212 in Crow Agency. The highways travel concurrently to Lockwood.
I‑94 in Lockwood
US 12 north of Klein. The highways travel concurrently to Roundup.
US 191 in Lewistown. The highways travel concurrently to west-northwest of Moore.
US 89 south-southeast of Armington. The highways travel concurrently to Great Falls.
US 2 northeast of Herron

See also

Bannered and suffixed routes

References

  1. 1 2 Droz, Robert V. U.S. Highways : From US 1 to (US 830). URL accessed 02:55, 4 July 2006 (UTC).
Browse numbered routes
← SH 86COSH 88 →
← MT 86MTMT 87 →
← SH 86TXSH 87 →
← US 85WYUS 89 →
← I-180WYUS 189 →
← WYO 343WYWYO 345 →
← WYO 345WYWYO 350 →
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