Vermont Route 18

Infobox road
state=VT
type=VT
route=18
length_mi=7.887
length_round=3
length_ref=
established=1922
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=
junction=
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=
previous_type=VT
previous_route=17
next_type=VT
next_route=22A

Vermont Route 18 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Vermont. It runs southeast from near St. Johnsbury to the New Hampshire state line, continuing there as New Hampshire Route 18. The route parallels Interstate 93 and is a former routing of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway.

Route description

Vermont Route 18 begins at the New Hampshire state line between Littleton and Waterford. After crossing the Connecticut River into Vermont, VT 18 veers westward to cross under I-93 into Lower Waterford village. VT 18 then continues northwest running closely parallel to I-93 on its west side for roughly seven miles until Stiles Pond. Just north of the pond, I-93 changes direction from northwest to southwest. VT 18 crosses under I-93 at this point with an interchange at Exit 1 (the only numbered exit on I-93 in Vermont). Soon after the I-93 junction, VT 18 ends at U.S. Route 2 about a quarter of a mile past the St. Johnsbury town line. US 2 continues into the town center. VT 18 is part of the Connecticut River Byway. [ [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=10750331085356647426,44.343070,-71.889000%3B5699007397720484153,44.430030,-71.963150&saddr=Franconia+Rd%2FRT-18+%4044.343070,+-71.889000&daddr=VT-18+%4044.430030,+-71.963150&mra=cc&dirflg=h&sll=44.430424,-71.96341&sspn=0.02893,0.05785&ie=UTF8&ll=44.3889,-71.928177&spn=0.115801,0.2314&z=12 Google Maps - Map of VT 18] ]

History

Vermont Route 18 was originally part of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway, a trans-continental auto trail organized in 1919 running from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine via Ontario. [Max J. Skidmore, Moose Crossing: Portland to Portland on the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway, Hamilton Books, 2006, ISBN 0761835105] Several years later, in 1922, the New England states adopted the New England road marking system, assigning route numbers to the main through routes in the region.Motor Sign Uniformity, New York Times, April 16, 1922] The Roosevelt Highway routing in Vermont was assigned Route 14 from Burlington to Montpelier, and Route 18 from Montpelier to the New Hampshire state line in Waterford. ["Official Automobile Blue Book, Vol. 1", 1926 edition, (Automobile Blue Books Inc., Chicago, 1926). Map indicated the routing of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway by "T" markers along the route.] The original Vermont portion of Route 18 ran 40 miles from Montpelier to St. Johnsbury using modern U.S. Route 2, then modern Vermont Route 18 from St. Johnsbury to the New Hampshire line. ["Automobile Legal Association Green Book", 1925 edition, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1925). A route log of the New England Inter-state routes is included in the book showing rough mileage.]

In late 1926, the U.S. Highway system was established. U.S. Route 2 in Vermont was designated on New England Route 14 (Burlington to Montpelier), New England Route 25 (Montpelier to Wells River) and New England Route 15 (St. Johnsbury to Lunenberg), connected by a brief overlap with U.S. Route 5.United States Numbered Highways, "American Highways" (AASHO), April 1927] ["Official Automobile Blue Book, Vol. 1", 1927 edition, (Automobile Blue Books Inc., Chicago, 1927)] In 1935, the portion of U.S. Route 2 between Montpelier and St. Johnsbury was relocated to use the alignment of Vermont Route 18. The previous alignment from Montpelier to Wells River was designated as part of newly established U.S. Route 302, [ [http://www.us-highways.com/us2.htm#US_302 Robert Droz, U.S. Highways] ] and the overlap with U.S. Route 5 was eliminated."Automobile Legal Association Green Book", 1938/39 edition, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1938)] This truncated the northern/western end of Vermont Route 18 to St. Johnsbury.

Major intersections

VTint
mile=0.000
road=
location=Waterford
lspan=2
county=Caledonia
cspan=3
notes=State line at LittletonVTint
mile=7.380
road=
notes=Exit 1VTint
mile=7.887
road=
location=St. Johnsbury

References

External links

* [http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2487/index.html Connecticut River Byway] (National Scenic Byway)
* [http://www.state-ends.com/vermont/0180/ Photoraphs of VT 18 termini (state-ends.com)]