End of US highway 302

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info on this page is based on the research of Robert Droz; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Andy Field; Doug Kerr; Alex Nitzman; me

US 302 was commissioned in 1935, and although its destinations haven't changed since then, its west endpoint may have changed slightly. It's always been in Montpelier VT; the photo below shows today's west beginning as viewed from westbound US 2:

Kerr, Nov. 2002

The photo above is looking north on River Street:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

River takes a left at the intersection ahead (that road becomes Berlin Street closer to downtown Montpelier), but then you're westbound on US 2. However, this 1924 USGS map (pointed out by Dan Moraseski) indicates that the US 302 designation may have originally been signed into downtown Montpelier:

The "Y" junction where US 302 ends today is shown between the "L" and the "I" in "MONTPELIER", right by the number "543" (downtown Montpelier is just off the north edge of this quad, and unfortunately I haven't seen a copy of that). The US 302 shield would seem to indicate that the designation was co-signed with US 2 to the junction with VT 12 downtown. So let's turn that way and see what we find:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

That shows the junction where US 302 might have originally ended. Or it may have continued to the right here with VT 12 (old US 2, now Business 2) into downtown:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

That's looking north on Main Street, where historic westbound US 2 split from VT 12. Heading the opposite direction on old US 2 (east on State Street), signs for US 302 may have began to the right on Main in the photo below...

Field/Nitzman, 2000

...and the first reassurance market might have been here:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

That's south on Main. Otherwise, signage may have begun a few blocks further ahead, where US 2 splits off to the east on Berlin:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

That's approaching Berlin. At the intersection itself, it's signed as if US 302 still does begin here, providing further evidence that may have been the case in the past:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

Below we're looking east on Berlin (modern US 2), approaching Main:

Field/Nitzman, 2000

Perhaps that was the west beginning of US 302. Ahead, we come to the modern west beginning of US 302:

Nitzman, Aug. 2007

That's looking east on River (US 2); the straight-ahead arrow says "RT2", and the curve-right arrow says "RT302". If you take that right, you'll soon see the first eastbound US 302 marker:

Nitzman, Aug. 2007

The east endpoint in Portland has definitely changed; you can view photos and get info on this page.