End of US highway 2 (western segment)

View a map showing this route.

Photo credits: Patrick Allen; Chris Elbert; Andy Field; Alex Nitzman; Mike Wiley; SRweb (WA DoT's web-based state route viewer)
Additional research: Mark Bozanich, Gary Voshol

Approx. time period East terminus West terminus
1926-1948 Sault Ste. Marie, MI Bonners Ferry, ID
1948-1984 Sault Ste. Marie, MI Everett, WA
1984-present St. Ignace, MI Everett, WA

Note: there is also an eastern segment of US 2.

An original 1926 route, the western segment of US 2 used to continue north from St. Ignace, roughly along today's I-75, to the Canada border at Sault Ste. Marie. I-75 skirts the west side of town, but Business Spur I-75 connects with Mackinac Trail/Ashmun Street, which carried old US 2. Traffic was directed east on Water Street - the photo below is looking that direction:

Allen, Aug. 2008

On the left was a left turn to the landing for the ferry that went to Sault Ste. Marie Ontario, and that is where the US 2 designation ended. Unfortunately there's little (if any) remaining evidence of the old ferry landing - the dock has been completely reconfigured and is now on Coast Guard property (this is the area immediately west of the Kemp Marina).

At some point after I-75 was built (around 1960), US 2 traffic was rerouted onto the interstate, and then the east end was where I-75 enters Canada. Below is a scan from an old postcard, showing the "End" signage that used to be posted there:

In 1984, the east end of the US 2 was truncated to St. Ignace MI - you can view photos from there on this page.

Originally US 2 went only as far west as Bonners Ferry ID, to its junction with US 95. The shot below shows signage for northbound traffic:

Elbert, July 2008

To the right was the original west beginning of US 2. The photo below is looking west on US 2:

Elbert, July 2008

That's where the route ended at first. But as you can see, US 2 now extends further west by duplexing with southbound US 95. That happened in 1948, when the west end of US 2 was extended to Everett WA. Back then, it seems likely that US 99 was routed along Broadway, so US 2 would've begun there. Here's modern signage posted on northbound Broadway at Hewitt Avenue:

Elbert, Feb. 2005

The original west beginning of US 2 was probably to the right. But after I-5 was built and US 99 was decommissioned, US 2's western terminus became a little less well-defined. Heading westbound, there is no "End" sign, but the photo below shows the last US 2 sign on the road:

Wiley, 2000

Going that direction, WSDoT apparently wants you to think US 2 ends at its junction with I-5:

Elbert, Feb. 2005

Despite the fact that there's no shield, the US 2 designation officially continues ahead via the roadway signed "Everett", a bit past the southbound I-5 onramp, to its junction with Maple Street (which is now WA hwy. 529). That intersection is shown below:

Field/Nitzman, Aug. 2006

At this point, US 2 is aligned with California Street (straight ahead), but the designation ends at this intersection (Maple) - the signage ahead says "Residential Street - Speed Limit 25". Eastbound US 2 uses Hewitt, which is one block to the south (left). So if you turn left there, you'll see the sign shown in the next photo:

Wiley, 2000

That was on southbound Maple at Hewitt. The overhead sign is still there, as is the one just visible at far left; below are some close-ups:

Elbert, Feb. 2005

Elbert, Feb. 2005

The photo below was looking the opposite direction (north on Maple at Hewitt):

Wiley, 2000

That sign has now been replaced:

Elbert, Feb. 2005

When you turn that direction, the view under the I-5 overpass used to look like this:

SRweb

Note how Hewitt used to head due east to an elevated portion which joined US 2 traffic coming from I-5. That's not the case anymore:

Elbert, Feb. 2005

Hewitt is now just a surface road ahead. US 2 traffic is directed to turn left (as the red car in the middleground is doing). That joins with I-5 traffic and then curves back to join the US 2 bridge over the Snohomish River (visible in the distance). The first eastbound reassurance marker is posted on that bridge:

Elbert, Feb. 2005