U.S. Route 80
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:US80.pngU.S. Highway 80 is an east-west United States highway. As the "0" in the route number indicates, it was originally a cross-country route, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. However, the entire segment west of Dallas, Texas has been decommissioned in favor of various Interstate highways and state highways.
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Termini
As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in Tybee Island, Georgia at the Atlantic Ocean. Its western terminus is at the border of Dallas and Mesquite, Texas at an intersection with Interstate 30.
Original route
California
US-80 originally had its western terminus in San Diego, California. The original route is now roughly the alignment of Interstate 8 through San Diego and Imperial Counties. In Imperial County the old path of US-80 has been redesignated Imperial County Route S80 for continuity. The original alignment splits off in western El Cajon to become El Cajon Boulevard and Main St. Old Highway 80 then continues roughly parallel to Interstate 8 through Alpine. It picks up again at Japatul Rd. and goes through Descanso Junction and Guatay and crosses Interstate 8 east of Pine Valley. It continues on the south side of the freeway to near the Imperial County line through Boulder Oaks, Live Oak Springs, Boulevard and Jacumba. Most of old Highway 80 east of El Cajon to Imperial County still consists of the original pavement in excellent condition.
Arizona
East of Yuma the old route splits off Interstate 8 to the north to the Phoenix area. East of Phoenix, it heads almost due south to Interstate 10, which it follows to, and east of, Tuscon. East of Tuscon at Benson, it cuts south and travels through Tombstone, Bisbee, and Douglas. At Douglas, which is on the Mexican border, it cuts northeast towards the New Mexico border.
New Mexico
East of Douglas, Arizona, old US-80 almost heads due north to Interstate 10, following a path close to the Arizona border. It ultimately hits Interstate 10 west of Lordsburg, New Mexico and from there, generally follows Interstate 10 all the way to Texas.
Texas
From the New Mexico border, Interstate 10 now follows the old US-80 route to the current junction with Interstate 20, where Interstate 10 breaks off south to go San Antonio. Interstate 20 (which begins there) then follows US-80 all the way to Fort Worth, bypassing many old sections of US-80 on the way. They are as follows:
- Pecos: Interstate 20 Business Loop
- Monahans: Texas State Highway Spur 57
- Odessa: Interstate 20 Business Loop
- Interstate 20 Business does not rejoin with Interstate 20 past Odessa, it enters into Midland.
- Midland: Interstate 20 Business Loop
- Interstate 20 Business is a second spur around old US-80, which through central Midland is known as Wall Street.
- Stanton: Texas State Highway 214
- Big Spring: Interstate 20 Business Loop or 3rd Street
- Westbrook: Interstate 20 Business Loop
- Colorado City: Texas State Highway Loop 377 or 2nd Street or Westpoint Avenue or Texas State Highway Spur 377
- Sweetwater: Texas State Highway Loop 432 or Broadway Street
- Trent: Texas State Highway Loop 319 or 1st Street
- Merkel: Texas State Highway Loop 319 or 1st Street
- Abilene: Interstate 20 Business Loop or Texas State Highway Loop 355 or 1st Street
- US-80 also multiplexes with U.S. Highway 84 in Abilene.
- Baird: Texas State Highway Loop 425 or 4th Street
In Fort Worth, Interstate 20 breaks off the old US-80 route at Interstate 30's junction with Interstate 20, which is also Interstate 30's western terminus. Just east of the junction, Interstate 30 breaks off with old US-80's route. Old US-80 travels due east to U.S. Highway 377, the Benbrook Highway. East of the junction with it, the two roads multiplex through southwest Fort Worth as Camp Bowie Boulevard. At Montgomery Street, old US-80 breaks off with US-377 and goes east along Lancaster Avenue. Lancaster Avenue and the subsequent roads that travel east to Dallas are currently signed Texas State Highway 180. As it travels east, it becomes Division Street in Arlington, Main Street in Grand Prairie, and Davis Street in Dallas. In the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, old US-80 breaks off with TX SH-180 and becomes Fort Worth Avenue or Texas State Highway 260. It then heads northeast towards Downtown Dallas, where it has a junction with Commerce street in West Dallas and crosses the Trinity River into downtown. In downtown, it has a three-way split between, from north to south, the one-way westbound Elm Street, the two-way east/westbound Main Street, and the one-way eastbound Commerce Street. East of downtown, the definition of US-80 is a bit muddied, but eventually, in East Dallas, US-80 rejoins Interstate 30. State Highway Loop 12 (Buckner Boulevard), US-80 regains a recognized route when it splits from Interstate 30 and heads east towards Longview.
Cities traversed
The highway passes through the following notable cities:
- Savannah, Georgia
- Macon, Georgia
- Columbus, Georgia
- Montgomery, Alabama
- Selma, Alabama
- Demopolis, Alabama
- Meridian, Mississippi
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Vicksburg, Mississippi
- Monroe, Louisiana
- Ruston, Louisiana
- Shreveport, Louisiana
- Longview, Texas
- Mesquite, Texas
- Dallas, Texas
Originally it also passed through Texas west of Dallas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.