U.S. Route 87
U.S. Highway 87 (US 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 in Havre, Montana, at U.S. Highway 2. Its southern terminus is in Port Lavaca, Texas.
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| Route information | |
| Length | 1,998 mi (3,215 km) |
| Existed | 1926–present |
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| Location | |
| States | Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana |
| Highway system | |
Route description
Texas
In Texas, US 87 is a north–south highway that begins near the Gulf Coast in Port Lavaca, Texas and heads north through San Antonio, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Dalhart to the New Mexico border near Texline.
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 state of Colorado, 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 Interstate 25 northward 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.
Great Falls Bypass
A bypass of US 87 exists on the eastern and northern edge of Great Falls. The route begins at US 87/89 west of Malmstrom Air Force Base along 57th Street South and runs south to north. Just south of the intersection with Second Avenue North the name of the road changes to 57th Street North. At 10th Avenue North, the street name changes to River Drive North, then curves towards the west as it crosses a bridge over a former Milwaukee Road railroad line. The route heads straight west until after the intersection of North Park Trail where it curves to the northwest. After a railroad crossing and the entrance to Giant Springs State Park and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the road curves to the southwest, generally following the south bank of the Missouri River. US 87 Bypass ends at US 87 south of the 15th Street Bridge, but River Drive North continues along the Missouri River through Riverside Park.
History
US Route 87 originally ran northwest out of Great Falls, Montana towards the eastern border of Glacier National Park. US 87 ran to the Canadian Border at the Piegan Border Crossing. This was changed in 1934, when US Route 89 was changed to run over US 87's former routing towards Glacier Park. US 87 ended in Great Falls until around 1945 when it was extended to run to its current northern terminus in Havre, Montana[1]
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
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- New Mexico
- Colorado
- Wyoming
- Montana
See also
Related routes
- U.S. Highway 187 (decommissioned)
- U.S. Highway 287
Bannered and suffixed routes
- U.S. Route 87 Business in Cheyenne, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 Business in Wheatland, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 Business in Casper, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 Business in Buffalo, Wyoming
- U.S. Route 87 Bypass in Great Falls, Montana
References
- "End of US Highway 87". US ENDS. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to U.S. Route 87. |
Routes in italics are no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system. |
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
←  | CO | SH 88  | ||
←  | MT | MT 87  | ||
←  | TX | SH 87  | ||
| ← | WY | US 89 | ||
←  |  | US 189  | ||
←  |  | WYO 345  | ||
| ← |  | WYO 350  | ||