End of US highway 2 (eastern segment)
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1926-present
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Mileage: as of 2020, the eastern segment of US 2 measured 459.8 miles in total length. Historically, when it connected with the Canada border in Rouses Point, it was 460.6 miles long.
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The east end of the eastern segment of US 2 is near the Canada border just outside Houlton ME. I-95 runs east/west through Houlton and into New Brunswick. US 2 heads east out of Houlton, but just shy of the Canada border the highway turns north, and that is where the last eastbound US 2 marker is posted:
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Dienhart, Sep. 2019
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(To the left is also how one would get to northbound I-95, although there are only a few hundred feet of I-95 remaining before the road crosses the Canada border.) Immediately to the left drivers encounter this "End" assembly where US 2 terminates at the last interchange on I-95 (formerly exit 63, now exit 305):
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Miller, Nov. 2001
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Taylor, Oct. 2004
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Dienhart, Sep. 2019
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Straight ahead leads only to the onramp for southbound I-95 (the next photo was taken from that overpass). If one were to go right in the photo above (to north I-95), they would be on the on-ramp visible at far right in this photo:
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Miller, Nov. 2001
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That was looking east along the northbound barrel of I-95. The building in the median is the US customs station. The Canada line is right about where the road bends in the distance. Of course, before I-95 was built, it was US 2 that provided access to this border crossing, so its historic east end was in the distance (we'll see more of that below). But first, here is a shot from the last exit on northbound I-95:
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Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005
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That exit leads to the east beginning of US 2. The offramp has the following assembly:
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Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005
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When a driver turns that direction, they are heading south, but US 2 traffic is directed to take another right:
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Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005
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...and drivers are shortly reassured with the first westbound sign...
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Buchanan/Nitzman, June 2005
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...but in the opposite direction was where US 2 ran before I-95 was built, and before an extension of a runway at the Houlton airport. Just off modern US 2, the old border inspection station still stands, mellowing with age:
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Mortell, 1998
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Mortell, 1998
The west end of the eastern segment of US 2 has always been in Rouses Point.
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Research and/or photo credits: George Bourey; Carter Buchanan; Paul Dienhart; Matt Miller; Robert Mortell; Alex Nitzman; Dale Sanderson; Steven Taylor
Page originally created 2000;
last updated June 6, 2020.
last updated June 6, 2020.
