List of Primary State Highways in Washington
Primary State Highways were major state highways in Washington state. They were used from 1905 to 1964. The 1964 state highway renumbering changed the highway numbering in the state to consolidate and create a more organized and systematic method of numbering the highways within the state.
History
The first state road, running across the Cascade Range roughly where State Route 20 now crosses it, was designated by the legislature in 1893 (However, this road wasn't actually opened until 1972). Two other roads - a Cascade crossing at present State Route 410 and a branch of the first road to Wenatchee - were added in 1897. The Washington Highway Department was established in 1905, and a set of twelve State Roads, numbered from 1 to 12, were assigned. A thirteenth was added in 1907, and State Roads 14 to 18 in 1909.[1]
However, it was not until 1913 that a connected system was laid out - earlier state roads had been disconnected segments of road needing improvements. The seven primary roads were only assigned names, while the older state roads kept their numbers as secondary roads. In 1923, most state roads were assigned new numbers, though the primary and secondary split remained, and several roads remained named only. The United States Numbered Highways were assigned in late 1926, overlapping some of the State Roads.
The first major reworking of the system was passed in 1937, including a complete renumbering. A number of Primary State Highways were designated, while Secondary State Highways were suffixed spurs off those. For instance, Primary State Highway 1 was the Pacific Highway (present Interstate 5), and Secondary State Highway 1B was a spur from Bellingham to the Canadian border (now State Route 539). U.S. Routes kept dual designations with State Highways. By 1952, the present highway shield, in the shape of George Washington's head, had been adopted.
The primary/secondary state highway systems was replaced by the current numbering system in the 1960s. The signs for the new highway numbers first were posted in 1964, while the PSH/SSH signs were removed in 1970.
Secondary State Highways
Secondary State Highways (SSH) were branches of Primary State Highways.[2]
Primary State Highway 1
Primary State Highway 2
| Primary State Highway 2
|
| Location: |
Seattle to Spokane |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 3
Primary State Highway 4
| Primary State Highway 4
|
| Location: |
Tonasket to San Poil |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 5
| Primary State Highway 5
|
| Location: |
Seattle to Yakima |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 6
Primary State Highway 7
Primary State Highway 8
| Primary State Highway 8
|
| Location: |
Vancouver to Buena |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 9
| Primary State Highway 9
|
| Location: |
Olympia to Mud Bay |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 10
Primary State Highway 11
| Primary State Highway 11
|
| Location: |
Pasco to Spokane |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 12
| Primary State Highway 12
|
| Location: |
Chehalis to Kelso |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 13
Primary State Highway 14
Primary State Highway 15
Primary State Highway 16
| Primary State Highway 16
|
| Location: |
Fredonia to Pateros |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 17
Primary State Highway 18
Primary State Highway 21
|
Primary State Highway 21
|
| Location: |
Kingston to Gorst |
| Existed: |
1937–1964 |
Primary State Highway 22
References