U.S. Route 19

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U.S. Route 19
Length:	1,406 mi[1] (2,262 km)
Formed:	1926[1]
South end:	US 41 at Memphis, FL
Major junctions:	I-275 along the Sunshine Skyway I-10 at Drifton, FL I-75 at Forest Park, GA I-40 at Asheville, NC I-81 at Bristol, VA I-77 at Camp Creek, WV I-70 I-79 at Washington, PA I-76 Penn Tpk. at Fernway, PA I-80 near Mercer, PA US 6 at Meadville, PA I-90 near Erie, PA
North end:	US 20 at Erie, PA
United States Numbered Highways

U.S. Route 19 is a north-south United States highway. Despite encroaching Interstate highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting Lake Erie with the Gulf of Mexico.

[edit] Termini

As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is in Erie, Pennsylvania at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 about a mile from the shores of Lake Erie. Its southern terminus is in Memphis, Florida, south of Tampa at an intersection with U.S. Route 41.^[2]

[edit] Alternate routes

As of 2004, US 19 splits into US 19E and US 19W in Bluff City, Tennessee. The routes rejoin in rural Yancey County, North Carolina. While US 19W heads directly for Interstate 26 in Johnson City, Tennessee, US 19E takes a 70-mile (113 km) path through the Great Smoky Mountains. US 19W doesn't completely avoid the mountains, however. It breaks off of I-26 shortly before the Tennessee-North Carolina border, and takes a tortuous path through the mountains of Yancey County, North Carolina.

An "Alt 19" exists in Florida, beginning at the intersection of US 19 in Holiday, Pasco County, Florida, it runs for 34.6 miles west of US 19 near the Gulf coast ending at the intersection of US 19 and 5th Avenue North in St. Petersburg, Florida. It used to continue east of this along 5th Avenue North, to the intersection with US 92. The planned St. Petersburg-Clearwater Expressway, or Pinellas Beltway, would have followed the current alignment of "Alt 19" from I-275 to Clearwater, Florida. The intersection of Seminole Boulevard and Bay Pines Boulevard is a remenant of this proposed road. The beltway road was proposed in 1974, but dead by 1980.^[3]

There is a "Business 19" that goes through Dahlonega, Georgia. US 19 proper bypasses the town to the east.

[edit] States traversed

The highway passes through the following states:

[edit] Pennsylvania

Closely paralleled by Interstate 79 for its entire length.

Additional Information:

• Its northern terminus runs through the city of Erie crossing its downtown and suburban areas before heading towards Interstate 79
• Runs close to the heart of Pittsburgh
• Traverses the West End Bridge with a great view of Downtown Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, Point State Park, and Heinz Field.

[edit] West Virginia

New River Gorge Bridge

Closely paralleled by Interstate 79, Interstate 64, and Interstate 77, except for the Corridor L segment east of Charleston.

Additional information:

• Crosses New River Gorge Bridge north of Fayetteville.
• Prior to US Highway Numbering System this was West Virginia Route 4

[edit] Virginia

Main article: U.S. Route 19 in Virginia

Paralleled by Interstate 81, 10-20 miles (16-32 km) distant across a mountain ridge.

[edit] Tennessee

US 19 breaks away from the interstate, but alternate route US 19W is co-signed with Interstate 26 for much of its Tennessee length. US 19E in Tennessee is the same highway as State Route 37.

[edit] North Carolina

The split routes join together and are co-signed or closely parallel Interstate 26 and Interstate 40 until I-40 veers north, leaving US 19 to head into the Great Smoky Mountains.

[edit] Georgia

US 19 pursues an independent path in Georgia, with Interstate 75 as much as 50 miles (80 km) away.

Additional information:

• It is the same road as U.S. 41 in downtown Atlanta
• Between downtown Atlanta and I-285, it is the same road as State Route 9 (Roswell Road)
• Between Interstate 285 and Dahlonega, Georgia, it is the same road as State Route 400.

[edit] Florida

US 19 remains independent of I-75, even as the routes converge on Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. The route is co-signed with US 27 between Capps and Perry, Alternate U.S. 27 between Perry and Chiefland, US 98 between Perry and Chassahowitzka, and Interstate 275 over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge over the mouth of Tampa Bay.

The secret designation for US 19 in Florida, beteween Perry and Memphis, is State Road 55. Between Perry and Capps, it follows State Road 20, and beween Capps and the Georgia border, it follows State Road 57.

Currently, US 19 between Clearwater and Pinellas Park is getting a freeway-style upgrade ([1] [2]), due to the cancellation of an extension on Interstate 375 in the late 1970s.

Studies were being conducted for possible tolled express lanes along the US 19 freeway corridor during 2004/2005 ^{[citation needed]}. However, a recently passed rider in the SAFETEA-LU Federal transportation bill in 2005 banned such express lanes from being built.

[edit] Most dangerous road

According to some studies, part of US 19 in Florida is the most dangerous road in the United States. A Florida Highway Patrol test period beginning in 1998 and ending in 2003, as mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, showed the strech of US 19 from Pasco County to Pinellas County to average approximately 52 deaths a year, or 262 deaths in the 5 year duration of the study. 100 of these deaths were pedestrian related making US 19 the #1 worst road to walk on in these two counties.^[4]

[edit] Related US routes

• U.S. Route 119
• U.S. Route 219
• U.S. Route 319
• List of U.S. Routes

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} US Highways from US 1 to US 830 Robert V. Droz
2. ^ Endpoints of US highways
3. ^ Pinellas Beltway/St. Petersburg Clearwater Expressway reference
4. ^ MSNBC report on America's deadliest roads

		edit Main U.S. Routes
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
40	41	42	43	44	45	46		48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59
60	61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79
80	81	82	83	84	85		87		89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99
101		163						400				412				425
Lists		U.S. Routes - Bannered - Divided - Replaced

Browse numbered routes
< NC 18	NC		NC 20 >
< PA 18	PA		US 20 >

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