Notes and History |
The route log mileage above is based on the 2006 routing, which was altered
in May 2007 (see below).
To sum up US 1 in a nutshell would be impossible and its significance cannot
be overestimated, being even more important on
the East Coast than its opposite US 101 is on the West
as it touches and passes through nearly every major urban centre. So,
then, its routing in Maine is a similar microcosm passing by or spurring to
virtually all of the state's major cities;
even in this era of I-95 and the Turnpike,
US 1's importance as a major north-south arterial in the state remains supreme
as it is completely free (not tolled) and the only national highway north
of Houlton. It continues to be Maine's longest numbered highway and
also has the honour of bearing
Maine's only non-Interstate
freeway as of this writing (12/2007), adopting a true
freeway/controlled access alignment between Brunswick and Bath (but see
also ME 25).
What would become US 1 in Maine was a significant portion of the original 1913
lettered highway system, including routes
A, C, D, part of K,
L, part of M, and N, marking US 1's importance in Maine back to the
very beginning.
US 1 in Maine has had several significant realignments, the most notable being
shifted off the large modern US 1A through Bangor to old US 1A over the
Penobscot River Waldo-Hancock Bridge
in 1955 (shown as US 1 in 1956). Here are some of the known changes:
- Kittery. Although US 1 itself has not been significantly
realigned in this area, see US 1BYP.
- York-Cape Neddick. Original US 1 and NEI 1 both traversed the
older routing through York to Cape Neddick along the coast that is now
US 1A. The new routing US 1 follows today
was made official very early in 1926
and even appears as operational on the 1925 map; see ME 1ASH and US 1A.
- Portland. US 1 has occupied a variety of alignments in Portland.
As originally defined, US 1's earliest alignment entered the area on Main
St and then into the city
along a now-obliterated bay crossing south of the 1954
Veterans Memorial
Bridge (approximated by Main St Terrace and the southwesternmost stub of W
Commercial St), then up St John St to Park Ave. From there, it proceeded
east to Forest Ave, north with US 302 and ME 100 to Bedford St/Baxter
Blvd and then around Back Cove on Baxter Blvd to meet ME 26 and exit
along Veranda St.
A 1937 WPA map shows a secondary alignment along Danforth and State Sts back
to US 1 at Park Avenue, with ME 3/ME 25/ME 26/ME 100 and US 302
coming down along Forest and State Sts
to intersect the secondary alignment at State and Danforth. This is not
seen by 1949. It does not appear to have been signed as US 1A.
In 1954, the 2,150' steel
ten-span Veterans Memorial Bridge was constructed over the Fore
River to replace the former southern crossing, with a vertical clearance of 10'.
Because of the new bridge and approach, US 1 was realigned to veer north and
east to cross Casco Bay today further north along the new Bridge,
and then up Valley St (instead of St John) to Park Ave. During the construction
of I-295, this alignment was partially reconfigured for the US 1 interchange
and completed by 1974.
In May 2007, MDOT petitioned AASHTO and received approval to shift US 1 to
I-295 between exits 4 and "8" (technically through exit 9),
completely bypassing the Veterans Memorial
Bridge and all of the old alignment in downtown Portland and along Baxter
Blvd, cutting 1.17 miles off the old routing. This new routing is currently
not reflected in the route logs, and the old routing is as of this writing
still signed, although signage is going up rapidly on the new Interstate
alignment.
The Veterans Memorial is not part of the new US 1A, which
was changed at the same time.
- Cumberland-Falmouth.
The old alignment is mostly ME 88, which first appears in 1946-7,
reasonably consistent with 1948 bridge dates
(including the ME 115 junction in Yarmouth).
Old US 1 appears to be Old County Rd into Cumberland and E Main St (becoming
ME 88), and continuing on ME 88 through Falmouth Foreside
to rejoin US 1 south of Falmouth; a portion of the northern
routing can be seen on the 1944
topo (warning: large image).
- Freeport. US 1 occupies roughly its original routing through
the municipal limits, although between 1951 and 1960 it was routed on a bypass alignment
that is now Interstate 295 (and was I-95) from roughly
Desert Rd to the Exit 24
interchange southwest of Prout Rd and the former alignment
signed US 1B (erroneously US 1A on some maps). Although the bypass was
designated part of Interstate 95 in 1957, it appears US 1 was still routed
there until US 1B was decommissioned. See ME 125 for one consequence
of the reconfiguration.
- Brunswick-Bath. As mentioned above, US 1 is now on a fully
controlled-access freeway alignment.
The original portion of the Brunswick-Bath freeway was built as expressway
(with the Maine St ME 24/US 201 interchange)
and signed as US 1 through Brunswick to Cooks Corner in 1964;
it was subsequently
upgraded and extended to Bath by 1966.
At least one official MDOT map seems to imply Interstate 95 was briefly
signed on this alignment, but
all sources show the modern I-95 routing by 1967 and
US 1 remained alone on the freeway.
The previous routing
remains partially numbered highway as Pleasant Street to Main St/ME 24,
then south along Maine St to Bath Rd,
and following ME 24 along Bath Rd. ME 24 diverges
south to Gurnet Rd; old US 1 continues along Bath Rd and State Rd to rejoin
US 1 as the Leeman Hwy just west of the Kennebec River. This routing can be
seen on the 1957 topos (warning: large images), west and
east. Even this routing
was itself a bypass of an even earlier alignment, signed as Old Bath Rd
and Old Brunswick Rd; contemporary sources state it was bypassed in 1938,
consistent with a 1939 route log showing a loss of approximately
0.8 miles relative to 1937. See also US 201.
- Woolwich-Montsweag. US 1 now occupies a straightened alignment.
The former alignments appear to be signed as George Wright Rd, Shaw Rd
and Weston Rd, and can be seen on the
1945 topo (warning:
large image). The current alignment appears on the
1957 topo (warning:
large image), consistent with the 1957 bridge date of the Nequasset Lake
outlet. See also ME 127.
- Newcastle-Damariscotta. US 1 now occupies a
bypass alignment past Newcastle and Damariscotta to the north now signed as
the Atlantic Highway.
The former alignment along Main St is
now preserved as US 1B, and can be seen on the
1957 topo
(warning: large image). This bypass was complete by 1963.
- Nobleboro. US 1 now occupies a straightened bypass alignment to
the east now signed as the Atlantic Hwy. The former alignment appears to be
Center St/Inventory Rd 493, Morgan Hill Rd/IR 205, and then Center St again
back to the modern alignment, and can be seen on the
1915 topo (warning:
large image). The current alignment appears on the
1941 topo (warning:
large image).
- Waldoboro.
US 1 now occupies a straightened bypass alignment
to the north now signed as the Atlantic Hwy. The former alignment appears
to be Old Route 1, Main St (portions now ME 220) and W. Main St, which
can be seen on the 1915
topo (warning: large image). The present-day US 1
bridge over the Medomak River is dated 1932, concurring with the
subsequent 1941 topo
(warning: large image) showing the current routing.
- Warren. US 1 passes by Warren on a curve-reduced alignment of
uncertain date; the original alignment is seen on the
1915 topo (warning:
large image), but the current alignment is seen on the
1941 topo (warning:
large image). The change
is unrelated to the ME 90 realignment, which didn't even exist in those
days (see ME 137), but may be part of the 1932
Waldoboro realignment. Further to the southeast,
US 1 crosses the St George River on a newer crossing,
the current one being dated 1991. It isn't exactly clear when the replacement
was first constructed, but the original US 1 toll bridge crossing (shown
on the 1906 topo
[warning: large image]) is already
shown as bypassed in the
1941 topo (warning:
large image), and is obliterated today.
- Rockland. Originally US 1 occupied an alignment somewhat west of
its present routing through downtown Rockland along what is now signed
Old County Rd. The new and present-day routing appears as early as 1941,
as seen on the 1941 topo
(warning: large image) and
becoming exclusively US 1 by 1950; during this bifurcated period
the old routing may have been signed as US 1A. It is not numbered highway
presently, and does not seem to be related to Rockland's present US 1A.
See US 1A for more history of these alignments.
- Rockport. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the west now
signed as Commercial St and Elm St. The former alignment is Pascal Ave
north to Central St, then north on Union St to rejoin US 1 just south of
Camden, and can be seen on the
1941 topo (warning:
large image). Based on the shift in termini of ME 90, this probably occurred
around 1951.
- Belfast.
US 1 now occupies a partially controlled-access bypass
alignment with ME 3 around the west end of town. The former alignment is
Northport Avenue to High Street; a small structure signed as "Footbridge
Rd" off Pierce St is the remnant of
the original US 1 crossing over the Belfast
Bay inlet. Particularly troublesome is the "3&7" vs. separate ME 3 and
ME 7 entries for subsequent logs in this period; despite what this alleges,
ME 3 and ME 7 never met in the centre of
town, something that can be easily verified by checking their respective
routings (see each for a discussion). Instead,
the "3&7" seen in the US 1 route logs prior to the bypass
simply reflects a mileage difference between the termini of less than 0.1
mile. Initial work on this
bypass appears to have been done in 1960-1 based on accumulative log
comparison, although the new Bay bridge was not
constructed until 1963 and the routing
information for ME 52 does not show resolution of its terminus in Belfast
until 1963 either (see that entry); the alignment was not formally opened
to traffic until October of that year, at a cost of $3.8 million.
This initial bypass also included the grade separations at ME 7/ME 137
and High Street;
ramps and full grade separation were added to the ME 3 junction in 1973.
- Searsport. US 1/ME 3 occupies a curve-improved alignment
through Searsport, upgraded in 1954-5 at a cost of $600,000.
Part of the old alignment survives as Old Searsport Ave.
- Stockton Springs. US 1/ME 3 now occupies a partially
controlled-access alignment along the north portion of town, with its old
alignment through downtown as Main St. US 1A
also now descends on a realigned portion presently
signed as Bangor Rd, with its old alignment remaining as Church St, putting
the former junction at Main St and Church St which can be seen on the
1943 topo (warning:
large image). The bridges in this region
have a date of 1957, consistent with a 1958 map showing the new configuration.
- Bangor. As mentioned above, old US 1 is now US 1A. See US 1A
for the history of realignments related to this routing.
- Orland. US 1/ME 3/ME 15 now occupies a bypass alignment to the
north now signed as the Acadia Hwy.
The former alignment appears to be Gray Meadow Rd, Old County Rd
and Castine Rd/ME 175, which can be seen on the
1948 topo (warning:
large image). This bypass appears to been completed in 1963 based
on accumulative log comparison, although the US 1 bridge carries a date of
1961. It is definitely shown as completed on the 1967 general atlas.
Further straightening seems to have occurred east of there, one such
alignment being Mama Bear Rd.
- Hancock. US 1 now occupies a straightened alignment to the north.
The former alignment is now signed as Old Route 1 and can be seen on the
1942 topo (warning:
large image); the current alignment appears on the
1957 topo (warning:
large image), indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.
- Sullivan (Ashville). US 1 now occupies a straightened bypass
alignment to the south now signed as the Schoodic Scenic Byway. The former
alignment is in two parts, first as Grange Hill Rd and then as Ashville
Rd, and can be seen on the
1942 topo (warning:
large image); the current alignment appears on the
1956 topo (warning:
large image), indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.
- Gouldsboro. US 1 now occupies a straightened alignment through
Gouldsboro and Chicken Mill Pond. The first section to be realigned was the
approach to Gouldsboro, realigned to the south leaving the former alignment
as Old Route 1 (see the
1942 topo [warning:
large image] and the
1956 topo [warning:
large image] for before and after, respectively). The second realignment
occurred near Chicken Millpond considerably later; it does not definitively
appear on the current alignment until 1981. The old
routing remains as Chicken Mill Pond Rd.
- Steuben. US 1 now occupies a straightened alignment through
Steuben and East Steuben. The probable original alignments are seen on the
1904 topo (warning:
large image). What appears to have been the first to be bypassed is the
intersection in East Steuben now signed as Stevens Dr,
which has been replaced by a curve as seen
in the 1942 topo (warning:
large image). By the 1962 general atlas, the remainder of the alignments
along (west to east) Village Rd, Oak Ridge Rd and Augusta Dr appear to have
been bypassed, consistent with the 1962 bridge date for the Tunk Stream
and Whitten Brook crossings.
- Cherryfield. US 1 now occupies a northern alignment exiting
town now signed as Harrington Rd. A possible former alignment is Old
County Rd and can be seen on the
1904 topo (warning:
large image); the current alignment appears on the
1942 topo.
- Columbia Falls. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the north.
The former alignment appears to be Main St and can be seen on the
1942 topo (warning:
large image). The current alignment appears in the 1967 general atlas,
consistent with the Pleasant River crossing dated 1961 making that the likely
date of realignment.
- Jonesboro. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the north.
The former alignment is signed as Old US 1 and can be seen on the
1942 topo (warning:
large image).
The current alignment appears in the 1967 general atlas,
indicating the realignment occurred between those dates
(most likely early
1960s based on the nearby Columbia Falls project detailed above).
- Edmunds-Dennysville. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the
east. The former alignment appears to be Bunker Hill Rd and Main St, the north
portion of which is ME 86, and can be seen on the
1945 topo (warning:
large image). This bypass appears to have been completed in
1955 based on the Dennys River and New Hobart Stream bridge dates.
- Pembroke. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the north.
The former alignment appears to be Old County Rd
via High St, Old US 1/Garnet Head Rd and Robinson Rd and can be seen on the
1945 topo (warning:
large image); the current
Pennamaquam River crossing carries a construction date of 1951, making
it the likely date of realignment. Interestingly,
ME 214 still maintains its administrative
terminus on the old US 1 alignment.
- Perry. US 1 now occupies a straightened central alignment. The
former alignment appears to be as Mahar Ln, confusing as old ME 190 also
approaches on a separate alignment also apparently signed as Mahar Ln, and
reconnects to the mainline along S Meadow Rd; this alignment can be seen on the
1945 topo (warning:
large image). This realignment appears to have been completed in 1956
based on the current Little River bridge date.
- Orient. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the west.
The former alignment is Old US-1/School House Rd and can be seen on the
1958 topo (warning:
large image).
The current alignment appears in the 1967 general atlas,
indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.
- Houlton. See US 2.
- Littleton-Hill.
US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to the east.
The former alignment appears to be Hillsiding Rd. This bypass appears
to have been done in 1948 based on map trajectory comparison, consistent with
the 1938 topo (warning:
large image) showing the prior routing, and the
1951 topo (warning: large
image) showing the current one.
- Bridgewater Corner-Blaine-Mars Hill. US 1 now occupies a
straightened alignment to the west. The former alignment appears to be
Old Houlton Rd and Robinson Rd and can be seen on the
1938 topo (warning:
large image). The current alignment appears on the
1951 topo (warning:
large image),
consistent with the Three Brook Stream
crossing dated 1948 making that the likely
date of realignment.
- Mars Hill-Presque Isle. This portion of modern US 1 was
originally signed as part of US 1A. Previously, the earlier routing of
US 1 until 1940 was up to Easton Center, then west to Presque Isle; in 1940,
US 1A
took the old routing to Easton Center and US 1 shifted west to the
old US 1A, its present-day routing. The remaining orphaned
alignment between Easton Center and Presque Isle became ME 10.
- Caribou. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment, partially
expressway, to the east. The former alignment appears to be Main St which
is now partially ME 164 and ME 161, along with Old Van Buren Rd to the
north, and can be seen on the
1953 topo (warning:
large image). ME 89 continues to end at Main St where
US 1 once ran; it appears that the routing was not corrected. This bypass
appears to have been done in stages between 1968 and 1971 based on bridge
dates; a 1969 official
map shows only the northern portion complete (corresponding to
a 1968 date for the Water St crossing), and everything finished on a 1973
official
map (corresponding to a 1971 date for the railroad crossing south of ME 161).
This is compared to a 1966 official map that shows no bypass at all.
- Saint David. US 1 now occupies a bypass alignment to
the northeast. The former alignment appears to be Old Post Office Rd and
can be seen on the 1940
topo (warning: large image).
The current alignment appears in the 1966 general atlas,
indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.
- Other possible or probable
abandoned alignments, some of uncertain date, include
"Royal RT 1" near Baring Plt,
"Former US 1" near Calais,
"Old US 1" southwest of Whiting (in two parts, possibly ca. 1951
based on bridge date),
"Old US 1" near Jonesboro,
and
"Atlantic Hwy" in West Ellsworth.
There are probably even more numerous minor realignments as well. The majority
of these appeared to have happened during the late 1940s.
Although there are "Old Road" alignments in Ogunquit-Moody, Biddeford
(Old Post Rd), Freeport (Freeport Rd) and Northport (Shore Rd), both the
modern and these putative old routings existed together
as early as the 1890s, so it
is unlikely these were actually part of US 1 as it was originally signed
since US 1 was most likely already on the routing it has today.
Portions of US 1's routing along the coast are signed as "COASTAL" (apparently
between Bucksport and Calais based on field reports). This
is in addition to signage as Coastal Route; the "COASTAL" actually
appears as a banner on
route shields despite not being an official AASHTO designation. My
contacts in MDOT did not know when this signage first appeared.
US 1 across the Piscataqua River from the New Hampshire state line is
carried on the (presently) substandard Memorial Bridge, a 1923 truss
lift bridge with a length of 1,201' and a raised clearance of 130'
originally dedicated as a World War I memorial to New Hampshire participants
in that battle and jointly constructed by Maine, New Hampshire and the
federal government. Its currently poor status
means that large truck traffic must cross on US 1BYP or I-95, greatly
limiting its utility; various
projects are on the books for a 2009 retrofitting as of this writing with
estimated
pricetags of around $25-30 million.
It is jointly operated by Maine and New Hampshire; its original
dedication plaque remains on its entryway.
US 1 across the Penobscot Narrows was formerly carried upon the
Waldo-Hancock Bridge (itself formerly
US 1A), which upon its opening as a toll bridge
on 16 November
1931 was hailed as a monumental new advance in suspension bridge
construction with its pre-stressed cable system, designed by
noted bridge architect David B. Steinman. Then the longest highway
bridge in the United States, it boasted
a total length of 2,040' with a main span
of 800', tower heights to 206' with piers 29' above water and 45' below,
and a vertical clearance of 135' built for just $846,000.
Replacing the old, overworked
and slow ferry operation across the Penobscot River, the bridge was an
immediate financial success and completely
paid for itself by Hallowe'en 1953, at which point the toll was removed.
Unfortunately, despite a 1962 retrofit, corrosion imperceptibly worked itself
into the cabling and the W-H was judged structurally deficient during a
second rehabilitation in 2002. Due to the extent of the damage,
the old bridge could not be salvaged.
A temporary strengthening system using new anchorages and additional cabling
through the towers maintained the bridge's weight rating
while a new modern crossing was built in parallel; the $84 million
Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory became the new US 1 crossing on
30 December 2006 in honour of the 75th anniversary of the original opening,
complete with a 360-degree-view observatory perched on its 420' towers,
and the original bridge was closed to traffic. It is slated for
demolition, but the date is so far unspecified and some reports indicate
it may not be taken down until 2010 or later.
The Waldo-Hancock Suspension Bridge is, or perhaps I should say was,
designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark for its cable
system and for its pioneering use of the Vierendeel trussing system in a
suspension bridge, named for Belgian
engineer Arthur Vierendeel and notable for its absence of diagonals, instead
using a rigid frame system for connecting the posts and chords that is both
economical and aesthetically pleasing. The bridge was dedicated in January
2003, ironically not long after it was declared unsalvageable. It is unclear
what will happen to the designation when the bridge is demolished.
Near US 1 in Littleton is another landmark, the Watson Settlement Bridge.
Built in 1911, the Watson Settlement Bridge is the furthest north and the
last original covered bridge built in the state, using two spans with a
total length of 170'. Closed to traffic in 1984, it remains preserved today
and was commemorated as a State Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
in January 2002. For covered bridges in Maine that
still carry traffic today, see the Hemlock Bridge (US 302), Fryeburg,
and the Robyville Bridge (ME 15), Corinth, which is the covered bridge
shown on the main page.
US 1 continues into New Brunswick, Canada as NB 205. In Calais, US 1 is
routed along Main St; if you continue on Main St/EB ME 9
for about half a mile after US 1 bends southwest
with ME 9 along North St, it will cross into New Brunswick as NB 1.
This is probably a holdover of NEI 1's old terminus.
Curiously, US 1 between Madawaska and Fort Kent is not part of the National
Highway System.
US 1 is a Blue Star Memorial Highway in Maine, one of the memorial highways
in the United States designated by the National
Garden Clubs, Inc. as "a tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the
United States of America." First dating to 1944,
the blue star was chosen as the memorial symbol because of its use during
World War II on flags and homes of families with a son or daughter in the
armed forces.
Portions of US 1
are part of the Pine Tree Trail.
See also US 1B (Business US 1), US 1A (Alternate US 1),
US 1AB (Business Alternate US 1),
US 1BYP (Bypass US 1/"By-Pass US 1"),
ME 1SH (Maine State Route 1)
and
ME 1ASH (Maine State Route 1A).
|
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You can see some of modern US 1 and modern US 1A in the
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