End of US highway 201
Mileage: in 1989 AASHTO listed a figure of 183 miles for US 201... however, that included the mileage of US 201's associated alternate route. According to the state subtotals on AASHTO's 1989 spreadsheet, mainline US 201's actual end-to-end total at the time was 157 miles. That closely matches our own 2020 measurement, which yielded 157.2 miles.
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This road is a heavily-used trade route between Canada and the US; at the time of that photo Canada was in the process of building a new port of entry that presumably accommodates more traffic volume. Here is the old US customs building, approaching from Canada:
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Highways 6 and 201 split near Jackman. Note the moose warning sign in the distance -- there are a lot of those in Maine's north woods.
The south end of US 201 has always been at its junction with US 1 in Brunswick. However, the routing of US 1 has changed over the years, and as a result the location of US 201's terminus has changed. We will start from the perspective of northbound US 1 (which actually heads more easterly through this area):
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Today US 1 traffic curves to the left via Mill Street (a bypass route). In that direction there is an interchange with Maine Street (US 201 and ME 24) on the north edge of town. However, left turns are not permitted from the offramps. So traffic is still directed to use old US 1 ahead (Pleasant Street) to get to US 201. A few blocks straight ahead we come to this sign at Maine St:
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That photo was taken looking north on Maine. Historically that was southbound US 1, which continued to the left on Pleasant, so US 201 began there. But US 1 traffic is now routed along the bypass, which runs a few blocks ahead. Signage at that interchange looks like this:
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Heading that direction, this exit is signed for US 201, because drivers can turn right on Maine. But note how it is not signed for "Brunswick" or south ME 24, because a left turn is not permitted. Instead, traffic heading into Brunswick exits to Bath Road, a couple miles behind the camera.
Research and/or photo credits: Carter Buchanan; Alex Nitzman; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 1999;
last updated Mar. 12, 2023.
last updated Mar. 12, 2023.