End of historic US highway 116 |
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For most of its brief life, US 116 was only 27.6 miles long. In 1933 its length was extended to about 183 miles, but that lasted for only one year.
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US 116 was among the original routes of 1926; this excerpt is from AASHO's April 1927 route log:
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c. 1927, Rand McNally
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c. 1933, WY DoT
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The east end of US 116 was at its junction with its parent route (US 16) in Ucross. This photo was taken approaching from Sheridan via eastbound US 14. Today US 14 continues to the left with US 16 to Gillette, and westbound US 16 to Buffalo is to the right. But before US 14 had been extended this far west, this was the east end of US 116:
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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These photos show the signage for traffic on eastbound US 16 from Buffalo. Historically the east beginning of US 116 was to the left:
Lockwood, Apr. 2006
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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Here, we are looking down westbound US 14-16 from Gillette. US 16 curves to the left, towards Buffalo. To the right on today's US 14 was originally the beginning of US 116:
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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For the majority of its short life, the west end of US 116 was in Sheridan. This photo was looking west on Brundage Lane, at what may have been the west end of US 116:
Sanderson, Mar. 2001
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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The intersection ahead is Coffeen Avenue, which originally served as US 87E. This shot was looking south on Coffeen; to the left may have been the west beginning of US 116...
Sanderson, Mar. 2001
...and this next shot was taken from the opposite perspective (north on Coffeen). US 116 may have begun to the right on Brundage...
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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...but on the other hand, US 116 traffic may not have remained on Brundage all the way to Coffeen. Rather, it may have followed what is now Ridge Road, then headed west via College Avenue or Park Street to Coffeen. Whatever the old alignment, it is quite possible that US 116 would have been signed all the way to the courthouse. This shot was looking west on Coffeen at Main; US 116 may have ended here:
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Sanderson, Sep. 2022
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In 1933 the west end of US 116 was extended to Cody, overlapping and retiring the US 420 designation. But then US 116 itself was decommissioned just one year later, replaced by a westward extension of US 14.
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c. 1934, Gallup
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Research and/or photo credits: Steve Lockwood; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2001;
last updated Sep. 6, 2022.
last updated Sep. 6, 2022.
