Special routes of U.S. Route 12

Several special routes of U.S. Route 12 (US 12) exist, from Washington to Michigan. In order from west to east, separated by state, they are as follows.

U.S. Route 12 marker

Special routes of U.S. Route 12
Highway system

Walla Walla business route

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U.S. Route 12 Business
LocationWalla Walla, Washington
Existed1973–c. 2000

A business route in Walla Walla, Washington, was signed in December 1973 along the former alignment of US 12 two months after the main highway was rerouted onto a new freeway bypass of the city.[1]

Missoula business loop

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U.S. Highway 12 Business
LocationMissoula, Montana

U.S. Highway 12 Business (US 12 Bus.) is a business loop that runs through Missoula, Montana. It travels north via Higgins Avenue and then travels east via Broadway Street before ending at Madison Street (US 12).[2]

Helena business route

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U.S. Highway 12 Business
LocationHelena, Montana

Helena bypass route

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U.S. Highway 12 Bypass
LocationHelena, Montana

Fallon–Ismay temporary route

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U.S. Highway 12 Temporary
LocationFallonIsmay, Montana

Wisconsin

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Big Foot–Crystal Lake temporary route

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Temporary U.S. Route 12
LocationBig Foot PrairieCrystal Lake, Illinois
Existed1928–1929[3]

Temporary U.S. Route 12 (Temp. US 12) was a temporary route of US 12. It was formed in 1928 because a stretch of road between the Wisconsin state line at Richmond and Crystal Lake, Illinois, was incomplete. It ran from Big Foot Prairie to Crystal Lake which roughly followed present-day US 14. It was removed in 1929 after US 12 followed the completed roadway north of Crystal Lake.[4]

Des Plaines–Chicago business loop

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U.S. Route 12 Business
LocationDes PlainesChicago, Illinois
Existed1960[5]–1968[6][7]
City U.S. Route 12
LocationDes PlainesChicago, Illinois
Existed1938[8]–1960[5]

City U.S. Route 12 (City US 12; signed as U.S. Route 12 Business [US 12 Bus.] after 1960) was a business route of US 12. In 1938, almost the entire section of US 12 in Illinois was rerouted. While US 12 moved north along then-Illinois Route 60 from Richmond to Des Plaines, US 12 was rerouted to bypass the Chicago Loop via US 45 and 95th Street. This diversion subsequently redesignated the former route east of Des Plaines to City US 12, albeit along a slightly different path. Before 1938, US 12 traveled along Northwest Highway, Foster Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, and Leif Erikson (now Lake Shore) Drive. City US 12 on the South Side instead traveled along South Parkway (now Martin Luther King Drive), Midway Plaisance, and Stony Island Avenue before ending at US 12/US 20 (95th Street).[8][9][10] In 1941, City US 12 was rerouted to avoid Washington Park, traveling along Oakwood, Drexel, and Hyde Park boulevards.[11] In 1960, City US 12 was renamed to US 12 Bus.[5] In 1963, US 12 Bus. was rerouted onto the Chicago Skyway from Stony Island Avenue to US 12/US 20/US 41 (Indianapolis Boulevard).[12] In 1968, US 12 Bus. was decommissioned altogether.[6]

Chicago–Hammond toll route

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U.S. Route 12 Toll
LocationChicago, IllinoisHammond, Indiana

Michigan

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Michigan has had several special routes related to both routings of US 12 in the state. Before 1962, US 12 followed what is now the I-94 corridor, and there was an alternate route in the Kalamazoo area (1931–1954) as well as business routes in Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Marshall, Albion, and Jackson. After the 1962 realignment of US 12, these business routes were redesignated as business loops of I-94. Two business routes for US 112 in Niles and Ypsilanti were renumbered in 1962 when US 12 replaced US 112.

References

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  1. ^ Cockle, Dick (December 5, 1973). "Freeway bypass to get new signs". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. p. 1. Retrieved July 26, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  2. ^ "Overview of US 12 Bus. in Missoula" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; H.M. Gousha (1929). Illinois Official Auto Road Map (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  4. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; H.M. Gousha (1928). Illinois Official Auto Road Map (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  5. ^ a b c Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1960). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  6. ^ a b Illinois Division of Highways (1968). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:772,500]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  7. ^ "Routes 1 thru 20". www.n9jig.com. March 29, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2023.[self-published source]
  8. ^ a b Executive Committee (May 28, 1938). "Addendum to Minutes of Executive Committee" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. Retrieved January 15, 2022 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  9. ^ "1937 Illinois Official Highway Map" (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "1938 Illinois Official Highway Map" (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  11. ^ "1941 Illinois Official Highway Map" (PDF). Retrieved January 15, 2023.
  12. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1963). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved January 15, 2023 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
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