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[RoadsAroundME main page] US Highway 2 (Maine)
[East US 2 in Veazie.]
<< US Highway 1C (Maine) All Points in Maine Maine State Route 2 >>


Termini and Mileage (2006)

Termini (in-state)
Main alignment: Int of GILEAD-NEW HAMPSHIR, Gilead to End of I 95 NB, Houlton
Mileage (in-state)
Main alignment: 273.64 miles (total over all segments)
 

Regional and National Route Information

National termini
Everett, WA to Houlton, ME (in two parts: Houlton to Rouses Pt, NY [460 miles] and Everett to St. Ignace, MI [2119 miles])
Mileage (nationwide): 2,579 miles

History as Pole Highway (1919-1925)
Part of the Yellow Longfellow Highway to Bethel and the White - Yellow Grafton Notch Hwy to Newry; the section between Norridgewock and Solon with US 201A (former US 201) was originally part of the Red International Trail; and the original US 2 alignments from Pittsfield to Houlton were part of the White - Blue Aroostock Trail (now ME 100 from Pittsfield to Newport, and US 2A in Old Town-Orono).
History as New England Interstate (1925)
Signed as NEI 15 between the New Hampshire state line and Houlton except for the former alignment through Pittsfield, which is now partially ME 100 et al.
History as US Highway
Original 1926 route in Maine.

There seems to have been some initial shuffling of US 1 and US 2's respective routings. The 1926 Rand McNally atlas shows US 1 from Bangor to Houlton along what is now US 2, and north from there as US 1 to Fort Kent, with US 2 running along the coast from Bangor to Calais and then to Houlton along modern US 1A and US 1. On the other hand, the 1927 General Drafting map shows both routes following their modern routings to Houlton, but then US 2 from there to Fort Kent, with US 1 crossing at Houlton into Canada. The modern routings appear consistent across all sources by 1928.

 

Notes and History

Despite being a plumb-line route in the Federal highway system and one of Maine's longest, US 2 in Maine does not have a terribly distinguished routing for purposes of transport. In fact, it only touches one major urban centre (Bangor), preferring to let its spurs US 202 and US 302 enter the other cities, and mostly wanders through central Maine up into the northern Penobscot region where it splits from US 2A up to Houlton to terminate at I-95 (which prevents it from crossing the border as it once did).

Like US 1, large portions of US 2 were in the original 1913 lettered highway definitions, including part of I, part of K, part of O, and V.

Tracing old alignments of US 2 is extremely hard as many of them were outright obliterated (made harder by the fact that route logs prior to 1956 used cities in New Hampshire and New Brunswick as termini instead of the respective borders, distorting mileage counts). Nevertheless, here are some of the known and likely changes:

  • Bethel. Originally, US 2 entered Bethel and turned north using an at-grade intersection with what is now ME 26, as shown on the 1941 topo (warning: large image). The current grade separation, which also involves modern ME 5 as well as ME 26, carries a bridge date of 1962 which is consistent with the 1964 general atlas showing it completed. The US 2/ME 5/ME 26 Sunday River crossing to the north of town was also part of this project, constructed in 1963, and the ME 5 realignment from Mill Hill Rd and Church St to its modern routing on Lovers Ln probably occurred around the same time.

  • Rumford. US 2 is not known to be significantly realigned in Rumford, but see ME 108 and ME 120.

  • Dixfield-East Dixfield. US 2 (and partially ME 17) occupies a curve-straightened alignment with pieces of its former alignment surviving as Robbins Rd, near Tainter Corner/Dixfield Center, and More Acres Rd near East Dixfield, both of which can be seen on the 1929 topo (warning: large image). On the 1956 topo (warning: large image), we can see the current alignment at Tainter Corner, but the original alignment in East Dixfield persists even through the 1968 general atlas. One clue is provided by the 1991 date of the nearby US 2/ME 17 Seven Mile Stream crossing, making that date the most reasonable suspect. Also see ME 108.

  • Wilton. US 2 (and partially ME 4) now occupies a southern bypass alignment. The former alignment appears to be Lake Rd to Main St, where ME 4 approached on what is now Maxwell Rd, then continuing as US 2/ME 4 along Main St into downtown Wilton, across/briefly corouting with ME 156, through East Wilton as Main St/East Wilton Rd, and back to the present-day mainline. This original alignment can be seen on the 1924 topo (warning: large image). This realignment occurred in two distinct stages; the first shifted US 2 to new alignment south of Lake Rd, then connecting back to the old alignment using Main St at the old ME 4 junction, as shown in the 1956 topo (warning: large image). The second realignment shifted both US 2 and ME 4 to the new Main St alignment with a single interchange at the new ME 4 junction, continuing on the bypass alignment to intersect the old routing east of town. Based on the date of the Wilson Stream crossing and map trajectory comparison, this realignment was complete by 1962, consistent with the 1968 general atlas showing it completed.

  • Farmington. US 2/ME 4's approach into Farmington was altered to use an evenly curved alignment instead of the somewhat crossbacked alignment shown on the 1924 topo (warning: large image); the current alignment appears on the 1956 topo (warning: large image), indicating the realignment occurred between those dates. A remnant of the former alignment still exists north of the Hannaford shopping center along the curve as Old ME-2 (NAVTEQ).

  • New Sharon. US 2/ME 27 now occupy a northern bypass alignment now signed as Farmington Falls Rd. The former alignment appears to be Main St, and can be seen on the 1924 topo (warning: large image). The current alignment appears on the 1956 topo (warning: large image), but the current bridge over the Sandy River actually carries a date of 1958.

    East of New Sharon, just after ME 27 splits to the southeast, US 2 occupies a curve-straightened alignment now signed as Mercer Rd. The former alignment is in two parts, mostly Lane Rd with the rest being Taylor Rd, and can be seen on the 1943 topo (warning: large image). The current alignment appears on the 1956 topo (warning: large image), consistent with the Fillibrown Brook crossing dated 1955 making that the likely date of realignment.

  • Mercer. US 2 now occupies a southern bypass alignment. The former alignment appears to be Main St up to the north and then back east to the present-day mainline and can be seen on the 1943 topo (warning: large image). The current alignment appears on the 1956 topo (warning: large image), indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.

  • Palmyra, Pittsfield. NEI 15, and original US 2, originally entered Pittsfield probably along Higgins Rd, Weeks Rd and Somerset Avenue, intersecting ME 100 at S Main St, and then leaving town along N Rd and Ox Bow Rd to the modern mainline. The current routing through Palmyra appears to have been first constructed in 1931 based on map comparison.

  • East Newport. US 2/ME 100 (and partially ME 7) now occupy a southern bypass alignment now signed as Elm St. The former alignment appears to be signed as Old Bangor Rd, but it must have been bypassed very early as it already appears on the 1935 topo. It is unclear if Old Bangor Rd was even part of original NEI 15.

  • Hermon-Bangor. US 2/ME 100 originally crossed directly into Bangor entirely on a now-obliterated portion of Hammond St, which can be seen on the 1942 topo and 1946 topo (warning: large images). Part of this old alignment survives as the Hammond Street Extension, which amusingly terminates at a cemetery in a fine if unintentional example of roadgeek gallows humour. Subsequent extensions to then-Dow Air Force Base (succeeded today by the civilian Bangor International Airport, a building I am unbelievably familiar with; see ME 222) removed the original road in favour of building it a new southeasterly bypass heading, which can be seen on the 1955 topo (warning: large image), towards what is now the I-95/I-395 junction. Near the modern I-395 terminus, US 2 and ME 100 then continued on the bypass back onto Hammond St into downtown Bangor to resume the former alignment. The earliest incarnation of this change seems to have occurred around 1955 based on local map comparison, as shown on the topo, but in 1960 the easternmost portion of the loop was obliterated with the construction of I-95 between Hammond St and Hogan Rd and US 2/ME 100 was routed onto the Interstate instead. In the early 1980s, an extension of Odlin Rd was created for the airport and US 2/ME 100 moved off the freeway to the new road between the two "Hammonds," its routing today.

    Although US 2 is not known to be significantly realigned in downtown Bangor, see US 202 and US 1A (and the terminus of ME 100).

  • Veazie. US 2 now occupies a western bypass alignment now signed as State St. The former alignment appears to be Main St and can be seen on the 1902 topo (warning: large image). This bypass is believed to have been completed fairly early, as it can be seen on the 1946 topo (warning: large image).

  • Orono-Old Town. US 2 originally ran where modern US 2A does today, along the University of Maine-Orono and the cemetery into Old Town on College and Stillwater Aves and Center St to the terminus of ME 43 and over the Penobscot River; this original routing can be seen on the 1946 topo (warning: large image). In 1954, this alignment was designated as new US 2A and the routing switched to the extant southern bypass routing, as shown on the 1956 topo (warning: large image).

  • Greenbush. US 2 now occupies a straightened alignment signed now as Main Rd. The former alignments appear to be Lower, Middle and Upper River Rds (not all are continuous today) and Military Rd, and can be seen on the 1917 topo (warning: large image). The Beach Bridge Brook bridge, say it five times fast, carries a date of 1938, making that the likely date of realignment.

  • West Enfield. US 2 (and partially ME 6) now occupies an eastern bypass alignment now signed as Main Rd. The former alignment appears to be Old County Rds S and N and can be seen on the 1917 topo (warning: large image). It isn't exactly clear when the bypass was constructed, but it appears as complete on the 1960 topo (warning: large image).

    North of West Enfield, US 2/ME 6 occupy a curve-straightened alignment now signed as Main Rd and W Broadway. Most of the smaller pieces have been obliterated but several large portions of the old alignment are represented by Oak View Ln and further to the northeast by Mohawk Rd, and can be seen on the 1942 topo (warning: large image -- note that in 1942, US 2 was cosigned with ME 11, not ME 6). The current alignment appears on the 1957 topo (warning: large image), indicating the realignment occurred between those dates.

  • Chester. US 2 has been realigned to avoid directly crossing the railroad wherever possible; one extant remnant of the prior alignment is Old Military Rd, with US 2 occupying a northwestern "bypass" now signed as S Main St. The former alignment can be seen on the 1920 topo, while the current alignment can be seen on the 1960 topo (warning: large images).

  • Winn. US 2 now occupies a southern bypass alignment now signed as S Main St. The former alignment appears to be Main St and can be seen on the 1920 topo (warning: large image). It isn't exactly clear when the bypass was constructed, but it appears as complete on the 1960 topo (warning: large image); because again this was obviously done to avoid another set of railway at-grade crossings, this may have been done simultaneously with the Chester realignments.

  • Macwahoc. US 2 now occupies a curve-straightened alignment just north of the US 2A split now signed as Silver Ridge Rd. The former alignment is partially represented by Smith Rd and an unnamed, possibly obliterated, road to the north; both can be seen on the 1942 topo (warning: large image). The current alignment appears on the 1966 general atlas.

  • Island Falls. US 2 now occupies a curve-smoothed alignment east of town now signed as Silver Ridge Rd. Most of the smaller pieces have been obliterated but one remnant is Ryan Lane Rd, which can be seen on the 1942 topo (warning: large image); an unnamed, possibly obliterated, road northwest of the lake may also be part of this realignment. The current alignment appears on the 1966 general atlas.

  • Houlton. US 2 has always approached Houlton on Smyrna St, but today it leaves by a different route. Originally, US 2 descended south on North St with US 1 to Main St, and then proceeded east on Main St (where it connected with US 2A after its designation) to join and exit the town on Military St as seen on the 1938 topo (warning: large image). Although the 1937 WPA map for Houlton does not make this routing as clear, it does not dispute it. By 1949, the official state maps show US 2 as shifted to its current routing on Military and US 2A with it, but curiously the 1951 topo (warning: large image) still shows the old routing. The 1967 general atlas clearly shows the present-day alignment.

    From there, US 2 originally entered Canada by itself on a now obliterated alignment that partially survives as Old Woodstock Rd, visible on the 1938 topo (warning: large image). This alignment was first partially altered by construction of what is now the Houlton International Airport during the mid-1940s. A bizarrely conceived border port with a single unique purpose, the strip was borne of an American security requirement during WWII that outlawed cross-border flights. Instead, flights would take off from Portland, land in Houlton, be towed across into New Brunswick by tractor or horse, and continue from there. The resulting change to US 2 is thus visible on the 1951 topo (warning: large image); however, it was the construction of Interstate 95 through the Canadian border in 1966 that completely cut off US 2, and as a result US 2 traffic must join I-95 just shy of the international line to cross today.

Portions of US 2 are part of the Pine Tree Trail.

See also US 2A and ME 2SH.

 
Additional Photographs

 
[Thumbnail image. Select for 640x480.] End ME 222 in downtown Bangor (there is a nice Japanese restaurant just ahead on the right). US 2 and ME 100 are cosigned through most of Bangor. Note the dark navy blue "old sign style" I-95 shield.
[Thumbnail image. Select for 640x480.] End of two routes in downtown Bangor, viewed from EB US 2: the (false) end of US 202 at US 2, and ME 100 at the end of its useless multiplex with US 2 (preserved for historical reasons). This is shown on unified signage instead of separate shields and banners.
[Thumbnail image. Select for 640x480.] End of two routes in downtown Bangor, viewed SB at the (false) northern terminus of US 202, with two signage errors: ME 9 is not routed here (it comes with US 1A up ahead; this should be signed as "TO ME 9"), and this is the terminus of ME 100, which comes in from the right and does not continue along US 2 as the sign implies it does. On this view, US 202 starts here and proceeds straight ahead to US 1A.
[Thumbnail image. Select for 640x480.] US 2 and ME 100 cosigned along Hammond St south of Bangor International Airport.
[Thumbnail image. Select for 640x480.] I-395 ending at US 2 and ME 100 just southeast of the Bangor International Airport.
 

Additional Resources

<< US Highway 1C (Maine) All Points in Maine Maine State Route 2 >>
Routing information is property of the Maine Department of Transportation, based on most current data available at time of this writing. No warranty or guarantee is expressed or implied regarding this routing's suitability for travel or resemblance to fact. RoadsAroundME is not affiliated with, sponsored by or funded by the taxpayers of the state of Maine, or the Maine Department of Transportation.

All images, photographs and multimedia, unless otherwise stated, are copyright © 2005-2010 Cameron Kaiser. All rights reserved. All writeups are copyright © 2005-2010 Cameron Kaiser. All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying or duplication without express consent of the copyright holder is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sitemaster to request permission if you wish to use items from this page.

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