Editing U.S. Route 50

{{Short description|Numbered Highway in the United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| type = US
| route = 50
| map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=220|type=line|from=U.S. Route 50.map}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = US&nbsp;50 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 3019
| length_ref = <ref>Figure derived from summing mileages provided by each state DOT.</ref>
| established = {{start date|1926|11|11}}<ref name="1926 map"/>
| direction_a = West
| terminus_a = {{Jct|country=USA|I|80}} in [[West Sacramento, California|West Sacramento, CA]]
| junction = <!-- Only 10 junctions allowed, per WP:USRD/STDS#Infobox. -->
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|5}} in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|15}} near [[Fillmore, Utah|Fillmore, UT]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|25|US|85|US|87}} in [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo, CO]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|35}} from [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]] to [[Lenexa, Kansas|Lenexa, KS]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|55}} in [[Concord, Missouri|Concord, MO]]<!--please don't bypass redirects. this allows readers to see the full state name when hovering their cursor over the link to pull up the tooltip.-->
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|65}} in [[Seymour, Indiana|Seymour, IN]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati, OH]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|77}} in [[Parkersburg, West Virginia|Parkersburg, WV]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|81|US|11|US|17|US|522}} in [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester, VA]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|95|I|495|dab2=Maryland}} in [[Lanham, Maryland|Lanham, MD]]
| direction_b = East
| terminus_b = {{Jct|state=MD|MD|528}} in [[Ocean City, Maryland|Ocean City, MD]]
| states = [[California]], [[Nevada]], [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Ohio]], [[West Virginia]], [[Virginia]], [[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]], [[Maryland]]
|previous_type=US
|previous_route=49
|next_type=US
|next_route=51
}}
'''U.S. Route 50''' or '''U.S. Highway 50''' ('''US&nbsp;50''') is a major east–west route of the [[U.S. Highway system]], stretching {{convert|3019|mi|km}} from [[Interstate 80]] (I-80) in [[West Sacramento, California]], to [[Maryland Route 528]] (MD 528) in [[Ocean City, Maryland]], on the Atlantic Ocean. Until 1972, when it was replaced by [[Interstate Highway]]s west of the Sacramento area, it extended (by way of [[Stockton, California|Stockton]], the [[Altamont Pass]], and the [[San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge|Bay Bridge]]) to [[San Francisco]], near the Pacific Ocean. The Interstates were constructed later and are mostly separate from this route. It generally serves a corridor south of [[Interstate 70|I-70]] and I-80 and north of [[Interstate 64|I-64]] and [[Interstate 40|I-40]].

The route runs through mostly rural [[desert]] and [[mountain]]s in the [[western United States]], with the section through [[Nevada]] known as "[[The Loneliest Road in America]]". In the [[Midwest]], US&nbsp;50 heads through mostly rural areas of farms as well as a few large cities including [[Kansas City, Missouri]]; [[St. Louis, Missouri]]; and [[Cincinnati, Ohio]].

The route continues into the eastern United States, where it passes through the [[Appalachian Mountains]] in [[West Virginia]] before heading through [[Washington, D.C.]] From there, US&nbsp;50 continues through [[Maryland]] as a high-speed partially limited access road. It crosses the [[Chesapeake Bay]] on the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] and then continues on Maryland’s eastern shore to Ocean City.

Signs at each end give the length as {{convert|3073|mi}}, but the current distance is slightly less due to realignments since that figure was calculated.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dildine|first=Dave|title=How did that Sacramento road sign end up in Ocean City?|publisher=WTOP-FM|location=Washington, DC|date=November 27, 2017|url=https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2017/11/ocean-city-not-long-road-ahead/|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref> US&nbsp;50 passes through a total of 12 states; [[California]], Nevada, [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], [[Kansas]], [[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]], [[Ohio]], West Virginia, [[Virginia]], and Maryland, as well as the [[District of Columbia]].

US&nbsp;50 was created in 1926 as part of the original U.S. Highway system. The original route planned in 1925 ran from [[Wadsworth, Nevada]], east to [[Annapolis, Maryland]], along several [[auto trail]]s including the [[Lincoln Highway]], [[Midland Trail]], and the [[National Old Trails Road]]. The final 1926 plan had US&nbsp;50 running from [[Sacramento, California]], east to Annapolis with a gap in west Utah that was bridged by running the route north via [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] before rerouting it to [[U.S. Route 6|US&nbsp;6]] in the 1950s. US&nbsp;50 was extended west from Sacramento to San Francisco in the 1930s, replacing [[U.S. Route 48 (1926)|US&nbsp;48]]; this was reversed in 1964 when [[Interstate 580 (California)|I-580]] replaced much of the route between the two cities. In addition, US&nbsp;50 was extended east from Annapolis to Ocean City prior in 1949, replacing a portion of [[U.S. Route 213|US&nbsp;213]]. US&nbsp;50 had two split configurations into US&nbsp;50N and US&nbsp;50S, one in Kansas and another in Ohio and West Virginia; both of these instances have been removed.

==Route description==
{{lengths table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in California|CA]]
|{{convert|109|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Nevada|NV]]
|{{convert|409|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Utah|UT]]
|{{convert|335|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|CO]]
|{{convert|468|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Kansas|KS]]
|{{convert|448|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Missouri|MO]]
|{{convert|264|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Illinois|IL]]
|{{convert|166|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Indiana|IN]]
|{{convert|171|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Ohio|OH]]
|{{convert|209|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia|WV]]
|{{convert|196|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Virginia|VA]]
|{{convert|86|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in the District of Columbia|DC]]
|{{convert|8|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 50 in Maryland|MD]]
|{{convert|150|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{convert|3,019|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}
[[File:Mileage Sign At West End of US 50.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mileage sign]] at the western terminus of US&nbsp;50]]

===Western U.S.===
{{main|U.S. Route 50 in California|U.S. Route 50 in Nevada|U.S. Route 50 in Utah|U.S. Route 50 in Colorado}}
[[Image:Us route 50 nevada.jpg|thumb|upright|left|US&nbsp;50 in the Nevada desert]]
US&nbsp;50 begins as a major freeway at its junction with [[Interstate 80]] in [[West Sacramento, California|West Sacramento]] and continues into [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]]. The portion of US&nbsp;50 west of and including its interchange with California's State Highway 99 in Sacramento is also designated, but not signed as, Interstate 305. The signage along this portion of the highway indicates Business Loop I-80 and a portion of the way (2 miles/3.33&nbsp;km) as California State Highway 99. From Sacramento, the highway heads eastward as the William Alexander Leidesdorff, Jr. Memorial Highway, continuing as a freeway to the [[Gold Country]] foothills, then following the [[American River]] up the [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] as a conventional highway, until cresting the Sierras at [[Echo Summit]] and descending to [[Lake Tahoe]], where the highway enters [[Nevada]]. In Nevada, the highway crosses a series of north–south running mountain ranges that break up the Nevada desert which are called [[Basin and range topography|Basin and Range]]. East of [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]], the road enters the heart of the [[Great Basin]], passing by few communities and minimal services, giving it the name "[[Loneliest Road in America]]" until reaching [[Utah]].<ref name=ncot>{{cite web |author = Nevada Commission on Tourism |url = http://files.travelnevada.com/guides/11300/11297/original-hwy50-issu.pdf |title = The Official Hwy 50 Survival Guide: The Loneliest Road in America |access-date = May 10, 2016 |publisher = Nevada Commission on Tourism |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160123053802/http://files.travelnevada.com/guides/11300/11297/original-hwy50-issu.pdf |archive-date = January 23, 2016 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref>

In Utah, US&nbsp;50 also passes through desolate, remote areas with few inhabitants. After crossing the [[Confusion Range]] via [[Kings Canyon (Utah)|Kings Canyon]] and the [[House Range]], the road traverses the north shore of the [[endorheic basin|endorheic]] [[Sevier Lake]]. In [[Holden, Utah|Holden]], US&nbsp;50 shortly overlaps [[Interstate 15 in Utah|Interstate 15]] to cross the [[Pavant Range]]. The road begins a much longer overlap with [[Interstate 70 in Utah|Interstate 70]] in [[Salina, Utah|Salina]] crossing the [[Wasatch Plateau]] and [[San Rafael Swell]] into [[Colorado]]. US&nbsp;50 leaves I-70 upon entering the state and heads southeast through [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]] and into the southern part of Colorado. Once there, the road climbs to its highest elevation of {{convert|11312|ft}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Cycling Colorado's Mountain Passes |last=Magsamen |first=Kurt |year=2002 |publisher=Fulcrum Publishing |isbn=1-55591-294-X |page=152 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qdWnRHuE5sEC&q=US+Highway+50+11312&pg=PA152 |access-date=2009-08-01}}</ref> over the [[Rocky Mountains]] and in [[Monarch Pass]] where it crosses the [[Continental Divide]]. After descending from the Rockies, US&nbsp;50 passes by [[Royal Gorge]] near [[Cañon City, Colorado|Cañon City]] and serves [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]]. The route then joins [[U.S. Route 400]] in [[Granada, Colorado|Granada]] and follows the [[Arkansas River]] into [[Kansas]].<ref name=Google>{{google maps |title=National Map of U.S. Route 50 |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-80+Bus+E&daddr=US-50+E+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:I-44+E+to:S+Lindbergh+Blvd%2FUS-50%2FUS-61%2FUS-67+to:S+Lindbergh+Blvd%2FUS-50%2FUS-61%2FUS-67+to:38.508147,-90.32989+to:I-255+N+to:New+Route+50%2FUS-50+to:US-50+to:US-50+to:Unknown+road+to:US-50%2FWooster+Pike+to:W+Main+St%2FOH-41%2FUS-50+to:John+Mosby+Hwy%2FUS-50+to:Fairfax+Blvd%2FUS-29%2FUS-50+to:Arlington+Blvd%2FUS-50+to:Arlington+Blvd%2FUS-50+to:Constitution+Ave+NW%2FUS-50+to:N+Division+St%2FMD-528&geocode=FaCbTAIdYPbA-A%3BFQzlTQId1yfK-A%3BFUglWAIdR6v4-A%3BFRLqWwIdYt79-A%3BFVRgSQIdaHOy-Q%3BFXh6QAIdWM8J-g%3BFcYrQwId4goZ-g%3BFVCwTQIdgkZ5-g%3BFUDrSgIdCKSV-g%3BFWofTAIdwJmc-g%3BFRqYSwIdhqqd-g%3B%3BFQgeSwId9Pme-g%3BFQBITQIdKn2p-g%3BFdoxUQIdNFLZ-g%3BFSgcVQIdOHXz-g%3BFfKYVAIdyk72-g%3BFRZHVQId2Ff4-g%3BFQiQVgIdOF8J-w%3BFUAgUgIdTt1g-w%3BFbD8UAIdqpZk-w%3BFbQRUQIdEDRm-w%3BFUFrUQIduuVn-w%3BFRJyUQIdEE9o-w%3BFcLkSAIdbUaG-w&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=1&mrsp=11&sz=15&via=1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,17,18,19,20,21,22,23&sll=38.506115,-90.329354&sspn=0.014541,0.027595&ie=UTF8&ll=36.137875,-98.964844&spn=15.34217,45&z=5 |access-date = July 31, 2009 }}</ref>

===Midwestern U.S.===
{{main|U.S. Route 50 in Kansas|U.S. Route 50 in Missouri|U.S. Route 50 in Illinois|U.S. Route 50 in Indiana|U.S. Route 50 in Ohio}}
[[Image:Jefferson Barracks Bridge 1993 flood cropped.jpg|thumb|The [[Jefferson Barracks Bridge]] over the Mississippi River]]
Upon entering Kansas, US&nbsp;50, [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with US&nbsp;400, runs along the Arkansas River to [[Dodge City, KS|Dodge City]] where US&nbsp;50 splits from US&nbsp;400 and takes a more northerly course. US&nbsp;50 continues to traverse the farmlands and small towns of the [[Great Plains]] mostly as a straight two-lane road until [[Emporia, KS|Emporia]] where it joins [[Interstate 35]] and splits onto [[Interstate 435 (Kansas-Missouri)|Interstate 435]] to bypass the center of the [[Kansas City Metropolitan Area|Kansas City Area]]. In [[Missouri]], US&nbsp;50 leaves I-435 for [[Interstate 470 (Missouri)|Interstate 470]] splitting at [[Lee's Summit, Missouri|Lee's Summit]]. US&nbsp;50 runs as a four-lane [[divided highway]] across the [[Geography of Missouri|Western Plain]] to [[Sedalia, MO|Sedalia]] where it continues as a two-lane road until reaching [[California, Missouri|California, MO]] about 20 miles west of [[Jefferson City, MO|Jefferson City]]. The road continues as a four-lane divided highway into [[Jefferson City, MO|Jefferson City]] where it joins US&nbsp;63 just south of the Missouri River Bridge.  It continues 12 miles east of Jefferson City to the Osage River where US&nbsp;63 splits off to the south.  It then continues as a two-lane road as it traverses the northern sections of the [[Ozarks|Ozark Highlands]] east to [[Union, MO|Union]] where it begins an overlap with [[Interstate 44]] which goes through [[Pacific, Missouri|Pacific]]. The routes separate in [[Sunset Hills, MO|Sunset Hills]] where US&nbsp;50 migrates southeast bypassing [[St Louis, MO|St Louis]] by joining [[Interstate 255 (Illinois-Missouri)|Interstate 255]] to cross [[Mississippi River]] into [[Illinois]].<ref name=Google/>

In that state, US&nbsp;50 switches to [[Interstate 64]] before splitting onto its own alignment in eastern [[O'Fallon, IL|O'Fallon]]. It heads east through [[Trenton, IL|Trenton]], [[Breese, IL|Breese]], [[Carlyle, IL|Carlyle]] crossing the [[Kaskaskia River]], [[Salem, IL|Salem]], [[Flora, IL|Flora]] and [[Lawrenceville, IL|Lawrenceville]] to the [[Wabash River]] along a corridor between Interstates [[Interstate 64|64]] and [[Interstate 70|70]]. US&nbsp;50 enters [[Indiana]] at the Wabash River, bypassing [[Vincennes, IN|Vincennes]] and [[Washington, IN|Washington]] and passing through [[Bedford, IN|Bedford]], [[Seymour, IN|Seymour]], and [[Versailles, IN|Versailles]]. It meets the [[Ohio River]] at [[Aurora, IN|Aurora]], and soon crosses into [[Ohio]], running through downtown [[Cincinnati, OH|Cincinnati]] via [[Fort Washington Way]] ([[Interstate 71]]). The route crosses southern Ohio via [[Hillsboro, OH|Hillsboro]], [[Chillicothe, OH|Chillicothe]], and [[Athens, Ohio|Athens]], joining the four-lane divided [[Corridor D]] ([[State Route 32 (Ohio)|State Route 32]]) west of Athens. It meets the Ohio River around [[Belpre, OH|Belpre]], and crosses the newer [[Blennerhassett Island Bridge]] (previously crossing the [[Parkersburg-Belpre Bridge]]) into greater [[Parkersburg, West Virginia]].<ref name=Google/>

===Mid-Atlantic states===
[[File:Saddle-mtn.jpg|thumb|left|Saddle Mountain at sunrise, as viewed from [[Skyline, West Virginia|Skyline]] atop the [[Allegheny Front]] along US&nbsp;50 in West Virginia]]
[[Image:DC us50 shield.jpg|thumb|right|US&nbsp;50 shield on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C.]]
[[File:Chesapeake Bay Bridge 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]], carrying US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;301 over the bay]]
[[File:US&nbsp;50 WB past MD 528.jpeg|thumb|right|View west from the eastern terminus of US&nbsp;50 in Ocean City, Maryland, with a sign listing the distance to Sacramento, California]]
{{main|U.S. Route 50 in West Virginia|U.S. Route 50 in Virginia|U.S. Route 50 in the District of Columbia|U.S. Route 50 in Maryland}}
The portion of US&nbsp;50 from [[Parkersburg, West Virginia]] to [[Winchester, Virginia]] follows the historic [[Northwestern Turnpike]], which crosses the southern tip of [[Garrett County, Maryland]]. From Parkersburg to [[Interstate 79]] east of [[Clarksburg, West Virginia|Clarksburg]], US&nbsp;50 has been upgraded as part of the four-lane divided [[Corridor D]]. US&nbsp;50 is a curving two-lane mountain road, east of Clarksburg through [[Grafton, West Virginia|Grafton]], a bit of Maryland, and [[Romney, WV|Romney]] to Winchester. This portion of the road is so curvy that locals claim "you can meet yourself coming." The land flattens out after the route crosses the [[Blue Ridge Mountain]] east of Winchester, and it follows the old [[Little River Turnpike]] from [[Aldie, Virginia|Aldie]] to [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax City]] and the newer [[Arlington Boulevard]] to [[Rosslyn, Virginia|Rosslyn]], where it crosses the [[Washington, D.C.]] line on the west shore of the [[Potomac River]] and joins [[Interstate 66]] on the [[Theodore Roosevelt Bridge]].<ref name=Google/>

Within the District, US&nbsp;50 immediately exits the freeway onto [[Constitution Avenue]] along the north side of the [[National Mall]] and south of the [[White House]]. After turning north on 6th Street Northwest, it exits the city to the northeast on [[New York Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|New York Avenue]]. Upon crossing into [[Maryland]], it passes the south end of the [[Baltimore-Washington Parkway]] and becomes the [[John Hanson Highway]], a freeway to [[Annapolis, MD|Annapolis]]. The portion of this highway east of the [[Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)|Capital Beltway]] ([[Interstate 95 in Maryland|I-95]]/[[I-495 (DC)|I-495]]) is also designated, but not signed as, [[Interstate 595 (Maryland)|Interstate 595]], and [[U.S. Route 301]] joins from the south at [[Bowie, MD|Bowie]]. The freeway continues beyond Annapolis as the [[Blue Star Memorial Highway (Maryland)|Blue Star Memorial Highway]] which crosses the [[Chesapeake Bay]] on the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] and continues to [[Queenstown, MD|Queenstown]]. There the Blue Star Memorial Highway continues northeast as US&nbsp;301, while US&nbsp;50 turns south, passing through [[Easton, MD|Easton]] to [[Cambridge, MD|Cambridge]], and then east through [[Salisbury, MD|Salisbury]] to [[Ocean City, MD|Ocean City]] on the four-lane divided [[Ocean Gateway (Maryland)|Ocean Gateway]]. US&nbsp;50 ends near the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic Ocean shore]] at Baltimore Avenue ([[Maryland Route 378]] northbound); its westbound beginning is one block to the west, at Philadelphia Avenue ([[Maryland Route 528]] southbound).<ref name=Google/>

==History==
[[Image:US50LoneliestRoadInAmerica.jpg|thumb|left|A "Loneliest Road in America" sign outside [[Austin, NV]]]]
{{Hatnote|For more details, see the state-specific articles linked in the route description above.}}
Before the creation of the [[Interstate Highway System]] after [[World War II]], US&nbsp;50 was a major east–west route. Numbered highways in the United States follow a pattern of odd numbers for north–south routes and even numbers for east–west routes, hence the designation of "50" for this route. In the preliminary report, approved by the [[Joint Board on Interstate Highways]] in late 1925, US&nbsp;50 ran from [[Wadsworth, Nevada]] to [[Annapolis, Maryland]], passing through [[Pueblo, Colorado]]; [[Kansas City, Missouri]]; [[Tipton, Missouri]]; [[St. Louis, Missouri]]; [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="1925 list">{{cite book |type= Report |author = Joint Board on Interstate Highways |year = 1925 |chapter = Appendix VI: Descriptions of the Interstate Routes Selected, with Numbers Assigned |chapter-url = https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Report_of_Joint_Board_on_Interstate_Highways_October_30,_1925#53 |title = Report of Joint Board on Interstate Highways, October 30, 1925, Approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, November 18, 1925 |location= Washington, DC |publisher= [[United States Department of Agriculture]]  |page = 53 |id= {{OCLC|733875457|55123355|71026428}} |via = [[Wikisource]] |access-date = November 14, 2017 }}</ref> The route did not directly replace any [[auto trail]], instead combining portions of many into one continuous route. It followed the historic [[Northwestern Turnpike]] across [[West Virginia]], and portions of other historic roads. Major auto trails followed, including the [[Midland Trail]] in part of [[Indiana]], [[Illinois]], [[Missouri]], and parts of [[Utah]] and [[Colorado]]. The [[National Old Trails Road]] ([[Old Santa Fe Trail]]) was designated in [[Kansas]] and  eastern Colorado, and the [[Lincoln Highway]] was constructed in [[Nevada]].<ref name="1926 Rand McNally">{{cite map |publisher=[[Rand McNally]] |title=United States Road Atlas |url=http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/ |year=1926 |access-date=2009-08-03}}</ref> In most states that had numbered their [[state highway]]s, US&nbsp;50 followed only one or two numbers across the state.<ref group="note">The following routes were used, mostly shown on the 1926 Rand McNally:

* Nevada: 2
* Utah: 8 (in the east half of the state; the west half was unnumbered)
* Colorado: 6
* Kansas: state highways were not numbered prior to the U.S. Highway system
* Missouri: 12, shown on [[Missouri State Highway Commission]], [http://www.cosmos-monitor.com/mo/hist/maps/etc/map1922-backlin.html Route Map Showing Designated Routes and Numbers], Approved September 19, 1922
* Illinois: 12
* Indiana: 4 and 5; by 1926, a short piece was 41, but this was originally part of 5, shown on the description of the [http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=2980 1917 Indiana State Highway Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520185627/http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=2980 |date=May 20, 2011 }} at the [[Indiana University Bloomington]] Libraries
* Ohio: mostly 26; it had been Main Market Route V in the 1910s, shown on 1914, 1915, and 1917 [http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/TransSysDev/Innovation/Prod_Services/TransMap/Pages/default.aspx Ohio Transportation Maps]
* West Virginia: 1
* Virginia: 36; it had been 6 until the [[1923 renumbering (Virginia)|1923 renumbering]], shown in the [http://www.vahighways.com/route-log/VDOT%20logs/log1918.htm route descriptions as defined by the General Assembly] on January 31, 1918
* Maryland: state highways were not numbered prior to the U.S. Highway system</ref>

One major controversy related to the preliminary route of US&nbsp;50. The through route had been assigned to the [[Old Santa Fe Trail]], while the spur U.S. Route 250 followed the competing [[New Santa Fe Trail]] to the south. As a compromise, the [[Joint Board on Interstate Highways]] approved a split configuration—[[U.S. Route 50N (Kansas)|U.S. Route 50N]] and [[U.S. Route 50S (Kansas)|U.S. Route 50S]]—in January.<ref name="FHWA planning">{{cite web |first = Richard F. |last = Weingroff |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/numbers.cfm |title = From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System |publisher = [[Federal Highway Administration]] }}</ref> Another problem was in western Utah, where no improved road existed for US&nbsp;50 to use. The final numbering plan, approved in November 1926, left a gap in US&nbsp;50 between [[Ely, Nevada]] and [[Thistle, Utah]]. Finally, rather than ending US&nbsp;50 at Wadsworth, where the Lincoln and [[Victory Highway]]s merged, it was sent over the Lincoln Highway's Pioneer Branch, past the south side of [[Lake Tahoe]], to [[Sacramento, California]].<ref name="1926 map">{{cite map |author1= [[Bureau of Public Roads]] |author2= [[American Association of State Highway Officials]] |date= November 11, 1926 |title= United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials |url= https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg |scale= 1:7,000,000 |location= Washington, DC |publisher= [[United States Geological Survey]] |oclc= 32889555 |access-date= November 7, 2013 |via= [[Wikimedia Commons]] |name-list-style= amp}}</ref><ref name="1927 log">{{cite book |chapter = United States Numbered Highways |title = [[American Highways]] |publisher = [[American Association of State Highway Officials]] |date = April 1927 }}</ref>

The gap in Utah was soon bypassed by taking US&nbsp;50 to the north, crossing the [[Great Salt Lake Desert]] with [[U.S. Route 40 in Utah|U.S. Route 40]] to [[Salt Lake City, UT|Salt Lake City]], and using long portions of [[U.S. Route 93 in Nevada]] and [[U.S. Route 89 in Utah]].<ref>[[Nevada Department of Highways]], [http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?/hmaps,459 Road Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613102542/http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/u?%2Fhmaps%2C459 |date=June 13, 2015 }}, 1932</ref> [[U.S. Route 6]] was marked along the direct, but still partially unimproved, route in 1937; it was finally paved in 1952,<ref>{{cite web |first = Richard F. |last = Weingroff |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/us6.cfm |title = US&nbsp;6: The Grand Army of the Republic Highway |publisher = Federal Highway Administration }}</ref> and US&nbsp;50 was moved to it within a few years.<ref>{{cite map |publisher=[[Nevada Department of Highways]] |title=Official Highway Map of Nevada |url=http://www.nevadadot.com/traveler/maps/historical/pdfs/1954HwyMapDuplexWeb.pdf |year=1954 |cartography=[[Rand McNally & Company]]|access-date=2009-08-03 }}</ref> Another straightening was made in 1976, when US&nbsp;50 in central Utah was moved south onto the new extension of [[Interstate 70]] at the request of the National Highway 50 Federation,<ref>Senate Committee on Public Works, [https://books.google.com/books?id=OjjeVS7e2VQC&q=%22State+Highway+63+from+Scipio Designating Highway US&nbsp;50 as Part of the Interstate System, Nevada], 1970, p. 68: recommends that the road between [[Delta, UT|Delta]] and [[Salina, UT|Salina]] receive a single number</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=SR-50 |url=http://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609140952271 |pages=4–12 |publisher=[[Utah Department of Transportation]] |access-date=2 August 2009 |archive-date=October 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019011433/https://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=200609140952271 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a group dedicated to promoting US&nbsp;50.<ref>{{cite news |work = [[Rocky Mountain News]] |title = Highway to Heaven |date =  November 1, 1992 }}</ref> Among other things, the group has unsuccessfully pushed for an extension of [[Interstate 70]] west along US&nbsp;50 to [[California]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/covefort.cfm |title = Ask the Rambler: Why Does I-70 End in Cove Fort, Utah? }}</ref>

The north–south split in Kansas was eliminated in the late 1950s, with the south route—which was to be US&nbsp;250—becoming part of US&nbsp;50, and most of US&nbsp;50N becoming part of a new [[U.S. Route 56]].<ref>[http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp KDOT Historic State Maps], 1956 and 1957–1958</ref> Another split was located between [[Athens, Ohio]] and [[Ellenboro, West Virginia]] from the late 1920s to the mid-1930s, when US&nbsp;50 went back to its original southern route; that [[U.S. Route 50N (Ohio-West Virginia)|U.S. Route 50N]] is now [[Ohio State Route 550]] and part of [[West Virginia Route 16]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.dot.state.oh.us/techservsite/availpro/GIS_Mapping/mrsid/default.htm |title = Ohio Transportation Maps |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070625053747/http://www.dot.state.oh.us/techservsite/availpro/GIS_Mapping/mrsid/default.htm |archive-date=2007-06-25 |date= 1928–1935 }}</ref>

At its west end, US&nbsp;50 was extended south from Sacramento along [[U.S. Route 99]] to [[Stockton, CA|Stockton]] and west to the [[San Francisco Bay Area]], replacing [[U.S. Route 48 (California)|U.S. Route 48]], by the early 1930s.<ref>{{cite map |author = Rand McNally & Company |author-link = Rand McNally & Company |url = http://members.cox.net/mkpl2/hist/hist.html |year = 1933  |title = California |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202003424/http://members.cox.net/mkpl2/hist/hist.html |archive-date=2011-12-02 }}</ref> US&nbsp;50 was officially cut back to Sacramento in the [[1964 renumbering (California)|1964 renumbering]], replaced by [[Interstate 580 (California)|Interstate 580]],<ref>California Streets and Highways Code, 1963: "Route 50 is from Route 80 in Sacramento to the Nevada state line near Lake Tahoe via Placerville. (Repealed and added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 385.)"</ref> but remained on maps and signs for several more years.<ref>{{cite map |author = Thomas Guide |author-link = Thomas Guide |url = http://www.pcpages.com/sanfrancisco/map3.htm|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040605163248/http://www.pcpages.com/sanfrancisco/map3.htm |archive-date = 2004-06-05 |title = San Francisco |year = 1967 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=July 19, 1967 |title=Highway Projects Speed Along |page=C1 |work=[[Modesto Bee and News-Herald]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121025091/highway-projects-speed-along/ |via=Newspapers.com |accessdate=March 16, 2023 |quote=Route 205, which will be the North Tracy Bypass linking Route 580 (the present Route 50) to Interstate 5 }}</ref> US&nbsp;50 was extended east from Annapolis to [[Ocean City, Maryland]] in 1949, three years prior to the opening of the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] in 1952; this extension replaced [[Maryland Route 404]] between Annapolis and [[Wye Mills, Maryland|Wye Mills]] and [[U.S. Route 213]] between Wye Mills and Ocean City. Prior to the bridge opening, US&nbsp;50 used a ferry across the Chesapeake Bay between [[Sandy Point, Maryland|Sandy Point]] and [[Matapeake, Maryland|Matapeake]] and followed present-day [[Maryland Route 8]] between Matapeake and [[Stevensville, Maryland|Stevensville]] before continuing east.<ref name="MD 1949 map">{{Maryland road map|year=1949}}</ref>

==Major intersections==
;California
: {{jct|country=USA|I|80}} in [[West Sacramento, California|West Sacramento]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|5}} in [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]]
;Nevada
: {{jct|country=USA|I|580|dab1=Nevada|US|395}} in [[Carson City, Nevada|Carson City]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|95}} in [[Fallon, Nevada|Fallon]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|93}} in [[Ely, Nevada|Ely]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Majors Place, Nevada|Majors Place]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6}} in Ely. The highways travel concurrently to [[Delta, Utah]].
;Utah
: {{jct|country=USA|I|15}} north-northeast of [[Holden, Utah|Holden]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Scipio, Utah|Scipio]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|89}} in [[Salina, Utah|Salina]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|70|US|89}} in Salina. I-70/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to south-southwest of [[Mack, Colorado]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|191}} west of [[Green River, Utah|Green River]]. US&nbsp;6/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to [[Grand Junction, Colorado]]. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;191 travels concurrently to west-southwest of [[Thompson Springs, Utah|Thompson Springs]].
;Colorado
: {{jct|country=USA|I|70}} in Grand Junction
: {{jct|country=USA|US|550}} in [[Montrose, Colorado|Montrose]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|285}} in [[Poncha Springs, Colorado|Poncha Springs]]. The highways travel concurrently through the town.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|25|US|85|US|87}} in [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|350}} in [[La Junta, Colorado|La Junta]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|287}} south of [[Wiley, Colorado|Wiley]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Lamar, Colorado|Lamar]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|287|US|385}} in Lamar. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;385 travels concurrently to [[Granada, Colorado|Granada]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|385|US|400}} in Granada. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;400 travels concurrently to west of [[Dodge City, Kansas]].
;Kansas
: {{jct|country=USA|US|83}} north-northwest of [[Garden City, Kansas|Garden City]]. The highways travel concurrently to Garden City.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|56|US|283}} in Dodge City. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;56 travels concurrently to [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]]. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;283 travels concurrently to west-southwest of [[Wright, Kansas|Wright]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|183}} in Kinsley
: {{jct|country=USA|US|281}} south of [[St. John, Kansas|St. John]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|135|US|81}} in [[Newton, Kansas|Newton]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|77}} in [[Florence, Kansas|Florence]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35|I|335|dab2=Kansas}} in [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35}} east of Emporia. The highways travel concurrently to [[Lenexa, Kansas|Lenexa]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|75}} south-southeast of [[Olivet, Kansas|Olivet]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|59}} in [[Ottawa, Kansas|Ottawa]]. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Ottawa.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|56}} in [[Gardner, Kansas|Gardner]]. The highways travel concurrently to Lenexa.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|169}} in [[Olathe, Kansas|Olathe]]. The highways travel concurrently to Lenexa.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35|I|435|US|56|US|169}} in Lenexa. I-435/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to [[Kansas City, Missouri]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|69}} in [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]]
;Missouri
: {{jct|country=USA|I|49|I|435|I|470|dab3=Missouri|US|71}} in Kansas City. I-470/US&nbsp;50 travel concurrently to [[Lee's Summit, Missouri|Lee's Summit]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|65}} in [[Sedalia, Missouri|Sedalia]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|54|US|63}} in [[Jefferson City, Missouri|Jefferson City]]. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;63 travels concurrently to north of [[Westphalia, Missouri|Westphalia]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|44}} south-southwest of [[Villa Ridge, Missouri|Villa Ridge]]. The highways travel concurrently to the [[Sunset Hills, Missouri|Sunset Hills]]–[[Kirkwood, Missouri|Kirkwood]] city line.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|270|dab1=Illinois–Missouri}} in Sunset Hills
: {{jct|country=USA|I|44|US|61|US|67}} on the Sunset Hills–Kirkwood city line. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;61/US&nbsp;67 travels concurrently to [[Mehlville, Missouri|Mehlville]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|255}} in Mehlville. The highways travel concurrently to [[Caseyville, Illinois]].
;Illinois
: {{jct|country=USA|I|64|I|255}} in Caseyville. I-64/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to [[O'Fallon, Illinois|O'Fallon]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|51}} in [[Sandoval, Illinois|Sandoval]]. The highways travel concurrently through the village.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|57}} in [[Salem, Illinois|Salem]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|45}} northwest of [[Flora, Illinois|Flora]]. The highways travel concurrently to east of Flora.
;Indiana
: {{jct|country=USA|US|41|US|150}} in [[Vincennes, Indiana|Vincennes]]. US&nbsp;41/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently through the city. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;150 travels concurrently to [[Shoals, Indiana|Shoals]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|69}} east of [[Washington, Indiana|Washington]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|231}} in [[Loogootee, Indiana|Loogootee]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|65}} in [[Seymour, Indiana|Seymour]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|31}} in Seymour
: {{jct|country=USA|US|421}} in [[Versailles, Indiana|Versailles]]. The highways travel concurrently through the town.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|275|dab1=Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky}} in [[Greendale, Indiana|Greendale]].
;Ohio
: {{jct|country=USA|US|27|US|42|US|52|US|127}} in [[Cincinnati]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|71|I|75}} in Cincinnati. I-71/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|471}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|US|52}} in Cincinnati
: {{jct|country=USA|US|68}} in [[Fayetteville, Ohio|Fayetteville]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|62}} in [[Hillsboro, Ohio|Hillsboro]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|23|US|35}} in [[Scioto Township, Ross County, Ohio|Scioto Township]]. US&nbsp;23/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently through the township. US&nbsp;35/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to [[Schrader, Ohio|Schrader]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|33}} in [[Athens, Ohio|Athens]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Athens Township, Athens County, Ohio|Athens Township]].
;West Virginia
: {{jct|country=USA|I|77}} east of [[Parkersburg, West Virginia|Parkersburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|19}} in [[Clarksburg, West Virginia|Clarksburg]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|79}} in Clarksburg
: {{jct|country=USA|US|250}} west-southwest of [[Pruntytown, West Virginia|Pruntytown]]. The highways travel concurrently to Pruntytown.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|119}} in [[Grafton, West Virginia|Grafton]]
;Maryland
: {{jct|country=USA|US|219}} in [[Red House, Maryland|Red House]]
;West Virginia
: {{jct|country=USA|US|220}} southeast of [[New Creek, West Virginia|New Creek]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Junction, West Virginia|Junction]].
;Virginia
: {{jct|country=USA|US|11|US|17|US|522}} in [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]]. US&nbsp;11/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently through the city. US&nbsp;17/US&nbsp;50 travels concurrently to [[Paris, Virginia|Paris]]. US&nbsp;50/US&nbsp;522 travels concurrently to southeast of Winchester.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|81}} in [[Winchester, Virginia|Winchester]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|340}} in [[Waterloo, Clarke County, Virginia|Waterloo]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|15}} in [[Gilberts Corner, Virginia|Gilberts Corner]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|66}} in [[Fair Oaks, Fairfax County, Virginia|Fair Oaks]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|29}} in [[Fairfax, Virginia|Fairfax]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|495|dab1=Capital Beltway}} on the [[Annandale, Virginia|Annandale]]–[[Merrifield, Virginia|Merrifield]]–[[West Falls Church, Virginia|West Falls Church]] line
;District of Columbia
: {{jct|country=USA|I|66}} in [[Washington, D.C.]] The highways travel concurrently through the city, to the [[Foggy Bottom]] neighborhood.<!--The interchange is in DC, not VA.-->
: {{jct|country=USA|US|1}} in Washington, in the [[National Mall]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Mount Vernon Square]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|395|dab1=District of Columbia–Virginia}} in Washington, in Mount Vernon Square
;Maryland
: {{jct|country=USA|I|95|I|495|dab2=Capital Beltway}} in [[Lanham, Maryland|Lanham]]. The unsigned [[I-595 (MD)|I-595]] is entirely concurrent with US&nbsp;50 from here to [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|301}} in [[Bowie, Maryland|Bowie]]. The highways travel concurrently to southwest of [[Queenstown, Maryland|Queenstown]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|97}} in [[Parole, Maryland|Parole]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|13}} in [[Salisbury, Maryland|Salisbury]]. The highways travel concurrently around the northeastern corner of the city.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|113}} in [[Berlin, Maryland|Berlin]]
: {{jct|state=MD|MD|528}} in [[Ocean City, Maryland|Ocean City]]
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 12, 20-21, 33, 37, 40-41, 46-47, 58-59, 64, 81-81, 102-103, 107, 111-112|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[U.S. Bicycle Route 50]]

===Related U.S. Routes===
*[[U.S. Route 150]]
*[[U.S. Route 250]]
*[[U.S. Route 350]]
*[[U.S. Route 450]]
*[[U.S. Route 550]]
*[[U.S. Route 650]]
*[[Special routes of U.S. Route 50]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
{{Commons category|U.S. Route 50}}
* [http://usends.com/50.html Endpoints of U.S. Highway 50]
* Kansas Highway Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT

{{US Highways}}
{{US&nbsp;50}}

{{good article}}

[[Category:U.S. Route 50| ]]
[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|50]]