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How are highways numbered?

My dad took me and my sister on a road trip recently and we noticed all the highways are named with numbers. I was wondering if there was a pattern to it or if the numbers were just random.

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Amber Reed · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Interstate numbers might seem random—but they’re not! In fact, highways are numbered in a specific order based on the Interstate Highway System developed back in 1957:
  • Most major interstates are given one- or two-digit numbers
  • Highways that run east to west are given even numbers
  • Highways that run north to south are given odd numbers
Here are some general rules:
  • If the road is considered an Interstate or Route, the numbers will increase from west to east and from south to north
  • If it’s considered a Highway, the numbers increase from east to west and from north to south
  • Interstates with three digits are usually shorter than the one- or two-digit highways and serve to connect larger interstates.
There are some exceptions to these rules—but in general, most US Interstates and Highways follow this numbering convention.
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