01/11/2026
Another *💯 year milestone* in US route history: when this highway network was initially envisioned, US 30 was to go only as far west as Salt Lake City. US 20 was proposed as a coast-to-coast route, passing through Yellowstone, dropping down to Pocatello ID, and then following today's US 30 all the way to the Pacific coast at Astoria OR. But western states protested the facts that 1.) drivers had to pay to pass through Yellowstone, 2.) the highway was closed through Yellowstone in the winter, and 3.) the proposed route was rather indirect. So on Jan. 14, 1926, AASHO changed the route of US 30 such that, instead of going to Salt Lake, it would go to Pocatello and then on to Astoria. Thus when the US highways were inaugurated later in 1926, it was US 30 (not US 20) that ran from coast-to-coast. And US 30 is the only route that has remained coast-to-coast for the entire 💯 years of the US highway system. This photo shows the west beginning of US 30 in Astoria [p/c Chris Elbert] 🎂 The source of this info (plus other commemorative stuff) can be found here --> https://www.usends.com/store.html
