Floodgap Roadgap's RoadsAroundME: Maine State Route 163

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Maine State Route 163

<< Maine State Route 162 All Points in Maine Maine State Route 164 >>

Termini and Mileage (2006)

Termini
Main alignment: Int of RTE 11, 163, Ashland to Int of RTE 1A, 163, Fort Fairfield
Mileage
Main alignment: 29.22 miles (total over all segments)

Notes and History
ME 163 as originally designated in 1925 ran between Ashland at ME 158 (now ME 11) and Presque Isle at NEI 24 (now US 1). After the Maine Great Renumbering, the original routing of ME 164 between Presque Isle and Maplegrove was vacated and added to ME 163.
ME 163's (and ME 164's) original alignment in Presque Isle was somewhat different, apparently up US 1 to Blake St and then Fort St to become Fort Fairfield Rd joining the alignment of what is now solely ME 167. This early alignment is visible on the 1935 topo (warning: large image). In 1941 the old landing field was expanded into a staging area for Europe-bound World War II aircraft battallions and was formally designated as the Presque Isle Air Force Base in 1950. The expansions that this required caused a southern rerouting to ME 163, which is seen by 1953 on this 1953 topo (warning: large image). (The Presque Isle Air Force Base was notable as the only base with the SM-62 "Snark," a specialized nuclear intercontinental missile with a top speed of 650mph and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. In active status from 1959 to 1961, the Snarks under the 702nd Strategic Missile Wing were only placed on alert once until they were declared obsolete by President Kennedy. After the base itself was decommissioned in 1961 as well, it became the present-day Northern Maine Regional Airport.)
It is not clear exactly when ME 163 was moved to North St as there are few detailed maps of the area, but it is seen by 1987 together on North St without the northern ME 163 bypass; this ME 163 routing went up US 1 to North St at ME 167's terminus and both routes exited the town together. Based on bridge dates, the current bypass seems to have been constructed in 1994; by 1998 it is seen on the bypass alignment up Parsons St/ME 227, across on the Parsons Rd Connector to cross US 1 and then as Maysville St to connect with ME 167 just west of Washburn Junction. ME 167 now runs on the North St alignment by itself.

<< Maine State Route 162 All Points in Maine Maine State Route 164 >>

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Termini and Mileage (2006)	Termini Main alignment: Int of RTE 11, 163, Ashland to Int of RTE 1A, 163, Fort Fairfield Mileage Main alignment: 29.22 miles (total over all segments)

*Notes and History*	ME 163 as originally designated in 1925 ran between Ashland at ME 158 (now ME 11) and Presque Isle at NEI 24 (now US 1). After the Maine Great Renumbering, the original routing of ME 164 between Presque Isle and Maplegrove was vacated and added to ME 163. ME 163's (and ME 164's) original alignment in Presque Isle was somewhat different, apparently up US 1 to Blake St and then Fort St to become Fort Fairfield Rd joining the alignment of what is now solely ME 167. This early alignment is visible on the 1935 topo (warning: large image). In 1941 the old landing field was expanded into a staging area for Europe-bound World War II aircraft battallions and was formally designated as the Presque Isle Air Force Base in 1950. The expansions that this required caused a southern rerouting to ME 163, which is seen by 1953 on this 1953 topo (warning: large image). (The Presque Isle Air Force Base was notable as the only base with the SM-62 "Snark," a specialized nuclear intercontinental missile with a top speed of 650mph and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. In active status from 1959 to 1961, the Snarks under the 702nd Strategic Missile Wing were only placed on alert once until they were declared obsolete by President Kennedy. After the base itself was decommissioned in 1961 as well, it became the present-day Northern Maine Regional Airport.) It is not clear exactly when ME 163 was moved to North St as there are few detailed maps of the area, but it is seen by 1987 together on North St without the northern ME 163 bypass; this ME 163 routing went up US 1 to North St at ME 167's terminus and both routes exited the town together. Based on bridge dates, the current bypass seems to have been constructed in 1994; by 1998 it is seen on the bypass alignment up Parsons St/ME 227, across on the Parsons Rd Connector to cross US 1 and then as Maysville St to connect with ME 167 just west of Washburn Junction. ME 167 now runs on the North St alignment by itself.