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Luxe Prestige Chronicle

what is the longest highway in the united states

Author

Andrew Henderson

Updated on May 15, 2026

#1. I-90. As the longest interstate in the U.S., I-90 connects Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts.

What are the three longest highways in the United States?

7 of the Longest U.S. Interstates
I-90: Seattle to Boston, 3,085 miles. I-80: San Francisco to Teaneck, New Jersey, 2,906 miles. I-40: Barstow, California, to Wilmington, North Carolina, 2,554 miles. I-10: Los Angeles to Jacksonville, 2,459 miles. I-70: Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, 2,175 miles.

What are the 2 longest highways in the US?

These are the 10 longest highways in America:
I-90 (3,102 miles)U.S. Route 30 (3,073 miles)U.S. Route 50 (3,011 miles)I-80 (2,899 miles)U.S. Route 60 (2,670 miles)U.S. Route 2 (2,580 miles)I-40 (2,555 miles)U.S. Route 12 (2,483 miles)

Why is Route 66 so famous?

Route 66 reduced the distance between Chicago and Los Angeles by more than 200 miles, which made Route 66 popular among thousands of motorists who drove west in subsequent decades. Like other highways of its day, Route 66 reflects the origin and evolution of road transportation in the United States.

What state is Route 66 in?

Route 66 runs through 8 different states within the United States. From east to west, it runs through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

How much of Route 66 still exists?

Nowadays, over 85% of the original alignments of U.S. Route 66 are still drivable. Many segments of the road are simple two-laned highways, so you should drive with care and pay attention to the road signs.

Is interstate 95 the longest highway?

With a length of 1,908 miles (3,071 km), I-95 is the longest north–south Interstate and the sixth-longest Interstate Highway overall. I-95 passes through 15 states (as well as a brief stretch in the District of Columbia while crossing the Potomac River), more than any other Interstate.

What is the longest highway in the world?

The Pan-American is the longest highway in the world. This epic route, first proposed in 1889, runs south to north, or north to south, whichever way you prefer to travel. From Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in the U.S., all the way to the port city of Ushuaia, Argentina in the Tierra del Fuego.

Where does Route 66 begin and end?

The epitome of an American road trip, Route 66 takes you east to west, from Chicago to Santa Monica, Los Angeles, tracing the development of the pioneering country. The original road no longer exists unbroken, but as a road trip the route holds strong.

Why is Route 66 abandoned?

Route 66’s popularity led to its downfall, with traffic swelling beyond its two-lane capacity. In 1956, legislation created the Interstate System, and over the course of three decades, five separate interstates bypassed segment after segment of Route 66.

Does Radiator Springs really exist?

Radiator Springs is a fictional small Arizona town and the principal setting of the Disney/Pixar franchise Cars.

Why was Route 66 closed?

As president during the Cold War era, Eisenhower advocated for an interstate highway system, touting it as beneficial for military defense operations as well as for the nation’s economic growth. Interstate 40 subsequently replaced a large segment of Route 66 and the roadway was decommissioned in 1985.

How long does it take to drive Route 66 from Chicago to California?

The drive takes about 40 hours.

Plan to be on the road for at least five days—or longer—depending on how many stops and side trips you make. Route 66 rolls through small towns (with plenty of stop lights) along the way, so you won’t be driving as fast as you would on an interstate highway.

Why is Route 66 called the Mother Road?

In his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck called Route 66 the “Mother Road” because it beckoned to desperate migrants fleeing the Dust Bowl as they moved west in search of jobs in the 1930s. But in the years after the Depression, the highway took on mythic status as America’s main street for adventure.

How long does it take to drive Route 66 from end to end?

While many people have dreams of one day driving the length of Route 66, few know how long it would actually take to do it. Driving the 2,278 miles of Route 66 usually takes about 2 weeks when you include stops and visit the cities that are on the way.