U.S. Route 12 in Washington

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 12 in Washington. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 12.

U.S. Route 12

Map
US 12 highlighted in red
Route information
Defined by RCW 47.17.055
Maintained by WSDOT
Length430.80 mi[1] (693.31 km)
Existed1967–present
Tourist
routes
Major junctions
West end US 101 in Aberdeen
Major intersections
East end US 12 in Lewiston, Idaho
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountiesGrays Harbor, Thurston, Lewis, Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin
Highway system
← SR 11→ SR 14

U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is a major east–west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans 430.8 miles across the state of Washington, making it the second longest highway in the state. It is also the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near Clarkston. It crosses the Cascade Range over White Pass, south of Mount Rainier National Park. Portions of it are concurrent with Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 82 (I-82), although the majority of the route does not parallel any interstate highway.

Although US 12 was not extended into Washington until 1967, portions of it have been part of Washington's state highway system since as early as 1905. The last part of the highway to open was over White Pass in 1951, although it was added to the state highway system by the legislature in 1931. Most of the route (except for the approximately 160 miles between Elma and Naches) had been part of the U.S. Highway System since its inception in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 410. The portion between Napavine and Grand Mound was also designated a U.S. Highway in 1926 as part of U.S. Route 99.

Route description

US 12 crossing the Wishkah River near Aberdeen

US 12 begins in downtown Aberdeen on the Pacific Coast as a pair of one-way streets: Heron Street for eastbound traffic and Wishkah Street for westbound traffic. The streets travel from the highway's western terminus at US 101, which continues west to Hoquiam and south to Cosmopolis, across the Wishkah River and merge onto Wishkah Street near a shopping center. US 12 leaves Aberdeen and follows the Chehalis River east through Central Park as a four-lane divided highway. The highway bypasses the towns of Montesano and Elma, which are served by interchanges as well as a junction with SR 107 in the former.[2]

In Elma, US 12 exits at a diamond interchange, while the highway continues east to Olympia as SR 8. US 12 heads southeast towards Oakville and Rochester, still following the Chehalis River.[3][4] East of Oakville, US 12 runs north of the Chehalis Indian Reservation.[5] It then continues east through the town of Rochester, and interchanges with I-5 at exit 88 in the town of Grand Mound.[6]

Riffe Lake

US 12 continues south concurrent with I-5 through Chehalis and Centralia before exiting again at exit 68 south of Napavine.[7] The highway then heads east along the Cowlitz River and passes through the town of Mossyrock, where it intersects SR 122. East of Mossyrock, US 12 runs just north of Mossyrock Dam and Riffe Lake. In the town of Morton, it intersects SR 7, which heads north to Tacoma.[8] It then ascends the Cascade Range, passing south of Mount Rainier, and intersects SR 123, which serves the Stevens Canyon entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.[9] Twelve miles (19 km) east of this intersection, US 12 crosses the Cascades over White Pass at an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m).[1][10] White Pass is the only crossing of the Cascades open year-round between I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass and SR 14 through the Columbia River Gorge.[10][11]

After it descends the mountains, US 12 intersects SR 410 (formerly US 410) west of Naches, which serves Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass, and the White River entrance of Mount Rainier National Park.[9] East of Naches, US 12 widens once again to four lanes as it approaches the city of Yakima.[1] There, it has an interchange with I-82 and US 97 at exit 31.[12] US 12 then runs concurrently with I-82, bypassing the towns of Toppenish and Prosser and paralleling the Yakima River, until exit 102 near the Tri-Cities. At exit 102, it meets the western terminus of Interstate 182. US 12 and I-182 then run concurrently east over Goose Gap and through the Tri-Cities. In Pasco, I-182 ends, and US 12 intersects US 395.[13]

US 12 at a junction with SR 127 in rural Garfield County

US 12 then heads south to the town of Wallula, intersecting US 730, then east to Walla Walla, north to Dodge, and east to Clarkston before crossing the Idaho state line over the Snake River just outside Lewiston.[14] US 12 through Walla Walla consists of a four-lane bypass, also known as Inland Empire Highway.[1][15] The alignment of US 12 through Walla Walla County passes by a number of historical landmarks,[16] such as Whitman Mission and Fort Walla Walla.[14]

History

The Washington section of US 12 was originally developed as a state highway in the early 20th century. It was incorporated into several later highways, including US 410.

Early years

State Road 5 (brown) as defined in 1905 and shifted west in 1907 and 1923

The Washington State Legislature created the State Highway Board in 1905 and appropriated funds to construct—but not maintain—twelve highways in sparsely settled areas of the state. Main highways in more populated areas would continue to be entirely under county control, though sometimes built with 50% state aid. Six of these highways were east-west crossings of the Cascades, including one in the corridor currently served by U.S. Route 12—State Road 5, the Cowlitz Pass State Road, climbing east from a point near Salkum via the Cowlitz River, over Cowlitz Pass, and down towards Yakima.[17][18] A 1907 amendment renamed State Road 5 the Cowlitz-Natches Road, moved the Cascade crossing north to Carlton Pass, and defined the portion east of the pass to follow the Bumping River and Naches River to a point near Naches. East of the mouth of the American River, this replaced part of State Road 1 (North Yakima and Natches State Road), which had been defined in 1897 to cross the Cascades north of Chinook Pass[19] and included in the 1905 appropriations.[17][20]

Under a 1909 law, the State Highway Board surveyed a connected network of proposed state roads. Included was a westerly extension of SR 5 via Chehalis to South Bend and Aberdeen and an easterly extension to Pullman. A route from Yakima southeast and east via the Tri-Cities to Idaho was also surveyed, mostly as an extension of State Road 8 (Columbia River Road).[21] The legislature added most of these routes to the state highway system in 1913, when they formed a two-tiered system of primary and secondary roads. Primary roads were completely controlled by the state, including maintenance, and received only names, while secondary roads kept their numbers and county maintenance. The National Park Highway replaced State Road 5 west of Riffe, and extended as surveyed to and beyond South Bend, and the McClellan Pass Highway replaced State Road 1 and continued via State Road 5 to Yakima. The majority of the route from Yakima via Connell to Pullman was not added at that time; it was finally taken over in 1937 as Secondary State Highways 11A and 11B. Only the route via the Tri-Cities, forming part of the Inland Empire Highway, continued from Yakima to Idaho. East of Pomeroy, the original survey had curved south, using State Road 16 to near the Oregon state line; this was bypassed by the 1913 designation, which instead continued directly east to Clarkston. Unlike the earlier state roads, these primary roads mostly followed existing passable county roads.[22] The incomplete roadway between Riffe and the American River remained as part of secondary State Road 5, and the legislature designated the surveyed route from the National Park Highway near Raymond north to Aberdeen as secondary State Road 20 in 1915.[18][23][24][25][26]

US 12 through White Pass

A 1923 restructuring of the system reassigned numbers to almost all the primary state highways. State Road 5 became a primary route and was greatly expanded, taking over the entire McClellan Pass Highway and the National Park Highway east of the Pacific Highway. The former secondary State Road 5 was realigned starting from near Packwood, heading north instead of east, alongside the Ohanapecosh River to the old McClellan Pass Highway at Cayuse Pass, west of the summit of the Cascades. The new State Road 5, named the National Park Highway System, now included four roads in the vicinity of Mount Rainier National Park, but as the road across the Cascades at Chinook Pass was not yet built, these roads did not connect with each other.[27] Also included in this numbering was the designation of the Inland Empire Highway, including Yakima to Clarkston, as State Road 3.[28] In 1925, a spur was added to State Road 9—the Olympic Highway, looping around the Olympic Peninsula—connecting Elma to the Pacific Highway at Grand Mound, and creating a shortcut between the Cowlitz River route and Aberdeen.[29] The Olympic Highway from Elma west to Aberdeen had been added to the state highway system in 1905 west of and 1913 east of Montesano.[17][24]

U.S. Route 410

Photo taken from Clarkston, Washington of the Interstate Highway Bridge (built in 1939), with Lewiston, Idaho in the background. This bridge carries U.S. Route 12 between Washington State and Idaho.

As part of the U.S. Highway system laid out in 1925 and finalized in late 1926, US 410 connected Aberdeen with Clarkston, following the Olympic Highway (State Road 9) to Olympia, the Pacific Highway (State Road 1)—concurrent with US 99—to Tacoma, the National Park Highway System (State Road 5) to Yakima, and the Inland Empire Highway (State Road 3) to Clarkston.[30] This differed from present US 12 between Elma and Naches in that it followed the route through Olympia and Tacoma rather than along the Cowlitz River. However, despite being part of the state highway system since 1897, US 410's crossing of the Cascades, the first between the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass, was not opened to traffic until 1931.[31] A shortcut from near Packwood east across White Pass to Naches, very close to the original plan for the east half of State Road 5, was added to the state highway system in 1931 as another branch of the highway.[32] The roadway between Packwood and Cayuse Pass, added to the state highway system on a different alignment in 1905, was finally completed in 1940,[33] and the White Pass Highway was dedicated on August 12, 1951, opening a shortcut between southwest Washington and Yakima.[34]

When the U.S. Highways were first established in 1926, US 12 ended in Miles City, Montana, and most of US 12's current routing in Washington was followed by US 410.[30] U.S. Route 12 was extended westward in stages; an extension to Lewiston, Idaho, was approved on June 19, 1962.[35] At various times in the early 1960s, the states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon submitted plans for further westward extension to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) to either Vancouver, Washington or Boardman, Oregon—or, a plan submitted in 1963 had the highway going only as far as Pasco—but all of these plans were rejected.[35][36] Washington introduced a new system of sign route numbers in 1964. While US 410 was still signed as such, present US 12 became State Route 8 between US 410 at Elma and US 99/I-5 at Grand Mound and State Route 14 between US 99/I-5 at Chehalis and US 410 at Naches.[37]

Renumbering and realignments

The extension of US 12 to Aberdeen was approved on June 20, 1967, with US 12 taking over much of US 410's former routing.[35][38] However, where US 410 had crossed the Cascades at Chinook Pass, US 12 used the all-weather White Pass, replacing SR 8 and SR 14.[39] Signs were changed in late December 1967,[40] and the bypassed segments of US 410 became a new SR 8 between Elma and Olympia, and SR 410 between Tacoma and Naches.[41][42] The bypass of Walla Walla was opened on October 17, 1973, despite local opposition that compared the new elevated freeway to the Berlin Wall.[43]

In 1985, US 12 was moved onto I-182 in the Tri-Cities, while its former route through Kennewick was replaced with an extension of SR 240.[44] The change was not formally submitted to the AASHTO until 2006.[45] The White Pass Scenic Byway was designated as a National Scenic Byway in October 2009.[46]

Local officials in Walla Walla County began lobbying for the replacement of two-lane sections on US 12 between the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla with a four-lane divided highway in the 1970s. The project was funded by the state government in 2001 and broken up into eight phases, of which six were completed between 2004 and 2012 at a cost of $180 million.[47][48] The seventh phase, bypassing Touchet and constructing 11 miles (18 km) of four-lane highway with two interchanges, began construction in 2021 and opened to traffic on June 2, 2023.[49][50] The original opening date of May 26 was delayed by a week after issues with a paint truck needed for road striping.[51] Construction of the final phase, bypassing Wallula Junction, remains unfunded as of 2022 and would require an extension of US 730 to a new interchange with US 12.[52][53]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Grays HarborAberdeen0.000.00

 US 101 to SR 105 / SR 109 – Westport, Grayland, Raymond, Port Angeles, Hoquiam
​9.4115.14Devonshire Road
Montesano10.2416.48 SR 107 – Montesano, Raymond
Elma20.1932.493rd Street – Satsop Development ParkInterchange
20.9933.78
 SR 8 east – Olympia		Interchange
ThurstonRochester41.5866.92Albany StreetFormer SR 121
Grand Mound46.0774.14Old Highway 99 – Grand MoundFormer US 99 south
46.3274.5488
 I-5 north / Old Highway 99 – Seattle, Tenino		Western end of I-5 concurrency; western end of freeway; former US 99 north
LewisCentralia51.9283.5682Harrison Avenue / Factory Outlet Way
52.9885.2681 SR 507 (Mellen Street)Southbound exit is via exit 82.
Chehalis55.5789.4379Chamber Way
56.6891.2277
 SR 6 west – Pe Ell, Raymond
58.1093.507613th Street
74Labree Road
Napavine61.8799.5772Rush Road
63.60102.3571
 SR 508 east – Onalaska, Napavine
​66.24106.6068
 I-5 south – Portland		Eastern end of I-5 concurrency; eastern end of freeway
Mary's Corner68.86110.82Jackson Highway – Lewis and Clark State ParkFormer US 99
Silver Creek79.98128.72
 SR 122 east
Mossyrock86.59139.35
 SR 122 west
Morton97.40156.75
 SR 7 north – Morton, Mount Rainier, Tacoma
Randle114.72184.62


 SR 131 south to FR 23 / FR 25 – Mount St. Helens
​138.34222.64
 SR 123 north – Mount Rainier National Park
Lewis–Yakima
county line		​150.79242.67White Pass
Yakima​185.08297.86
 SR 410 west – Chinook Pass
​199.06320.36Western end of freeway
Yakima199.64321.29Fruitvale Boulevard, North 40th Avenue
201.25323.88North 16th Avenue
202.19325.39North 1st Street
202.44325.8031

 I-82 west / US 97 north (SR 823 north) – Selah, Ellensburg		Western end of I-82 and US 97 concurrencies
203.72327.8633AFair Avenue, Lincoln AvenueEastbound exit only
204.27328.7433BYakima Avenue – Terrace HeightsSigned as exit 33 westbound
205.80331.2034
 SR 24 east / Nob Hill Boulevard – Moxee
Union Gap207.32333.6536Valley Mall Boulevard – Union Gap
​208.87336.1437
 US 97 south – Goldendale		Eastern end of US 97 concurrency; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
​209.13336.5638Union GapWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
​211.37340.1740Thorp Road, Parker Road
​215.35346.5744Wapato
​221.14355.8950
 SR 22 east – Toppenish, Buena
Zillah223.11359.0652Zillah, Toppenish
225.11362.2854Division Road – Zillah
Granger229.53369.3958
 SR 223 south – Granger
Outlook234.67377.6663Sunnyside, Outlook
Sunnyside237.96382.9667Sunnyside, Mabton
239.97386.1969 SR 241 – Vernita Bridge, Sunnyside, Mabton
Grandview243.64392.1073Stover Road – Grandview
246.08396.0375County Line Road – Grandview
BentonProsser250.96403.8880 CR 12 (Wine Country Road) / Gap Road – Prosser
253.37407.7682
 SR 22 to SR 221 – Mabton, Paterson
​259.58417.7588Gibbon Road
​264.64425.9093Yakitat Road
Benton City267.61430.6896

 SR 224 east / SR 225 north – West Richland, Benton City
​273.62440.35102
 I-82 east – Umatilla, Pendleton

 I-182 east – Richland, Pasco		Eastern end of I-82 concurrency; western end of I-182 concurrency; exit 102 on I-82 eastbound, unnumbered exit on I-182 westbound
Richland276.55445.063Queensgate DriveSigned as exits 3A (south) and 3B (north) westbound
277.45446.514
 SR 240 west / Wellsian Way – Vantage		Western end of SR 240 concurrency
278.57448.315
 SR 240 east (George Washington Way) – Kennewick		Eastern end of SR 240 concurrency; signed as exits 5A (south) and 5B (north)
Columbia River279.66450.07Interstate 182 Bridge
FranklinPasco280.93452.117Broadmoor Boulevard
282.95455.369Road 68
285.86460.0512A
 US 395 south – Kennewick, Pendleton		Western end of US 395 concurrency
286.30460.7612BNorth 20th Avenue – Columbia Basin College
287.38462.4913North 4th Avenue – Pasco City Center
287.99463.4714

 US 395 north / SR 397 south (Oregon Avenue) – Spokane, Finley		Eastern end of US 395 concurrency; signed as exits 14A (south) and 14B (north)
288.81464.79
 I-182 ends		Eastern end of I-182 concurrency
289.53465.95East Lewis Street – Kahlotus
290.24467.10Eastern end of freeway
Walla WallaBurbank292.48470.70
 SR 124 east – Prescott, Waitsburg		Interchange
​304.64490.27
 US 730 west – Umatilla, Pendleton
​Old Highway 12 – TouchetInterchange
​Lower Dry Creek RoadInterchange
Walla Walla332.48535.07
 SR 125 to OR 11 (via SR 125 Spur) – Prescott, Pendleton		Interchange
333.70537.042nd Avenue – Walla Walla City CenterInterchange
334.04537.59Rees AvenueNo access across US 12
336.92542.22Port of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Regional AirportInterchange
338.06544.05Isaacs AvenueInterchange
Waitsburg354.29570.17
 SR 124 west – Prescott
Columbia​369.37594.44Turner RoadFormer SR 126 east
​378.92609.81
 SR 261 north
Garfield​387.50623.62
 SR 127 north – Colfax, Spokane
​394.78635.34Marengo RoadFormer SR 126 west
Pomeroy400.64644.7715th StreetFormer SR 128 east
AsotinClarkston429.24690.79

 SR 128 east to SR 193 – North Lewiston
430.62693.02
 SR 129 south – Asotin
430.68693.111st Street – Port of Clarkston
Snake River430.81693.32Washington–Idaho state line (Lewiston–Clarkston Bridge)

 US 12 east – Lewiston		Continuation into Idaho
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Staff (2006). State Highway Log (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 10, 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  2. ^ Google (August 1, 2022). "U.S. Route 12 in Washington" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  3. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 108. § H4. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  4. ^ Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Sequim, Aberdeen, Hoquiam (Map). GM Johnson. 2006. § C32. ISBN 0-528-95736-8.
  5. ^ The Thomas Guide Pacific Northwest Road Atlas (Map) (7th ed.). Rand McNally. 2006. p. 117. § B1. ISBN 0-528-85869-6.
  6. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 108. § I6. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  7. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 108. § J6. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  8. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 108. § J7. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  9. ^ a b U.S. National Park Service. "Mount Rainier National Park: Directions". Retrieved March 20, 2008.
  10. ^ a b The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 108. § I9. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  11. ^ Staff (2007). "WSDOT: Mountain Passes". Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  12. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 109. § J12, M20. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  13. ^ The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 109. § K15. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  14. ^ a b The Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 2008. p. 109. § K15, J20. ISBN 0-528-93961-0.
  15. ^ The Thomas Guide Pacific Northwest Road Atlas (Map) (7th ed.). Rand McNally. 2006. p. 344–345. ISBN 0-528-85869-6.
  16. ^ "A Highway Gain". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. December 31, 1967. p. 4.
  17. ^ a b c Washington State Legislature (1905). "An act providing for the survey establishment and repair of certain State highways, and making an appropriation therefor.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1905 chapter 7, p. 21.: "(5) For the building of a State wagon road in Yakima and Lewis Counties, as follows, to-wit: Beginning at a point in the center of the public highway running from the town of Napavine to Klickitat prairie in Lewis County, Washington, at the point nearest to the south-east corner of Section 10 in Township 12, north of Range 1, east of Willamette meridian, and running thence by way of Klickitat prairie and Riffe Postoffice in a generally easterly course up the Cowlitz river and its tributaries to the summit of the Cascade mountains at the Cowlitz pass, thence easterly towards the town of North Yakima to a point in Yakima County, intersecting with a public highway leading to the town of North Yakima, said road to be known and designated as the Cowlitz Pass State road, the sum of $26,000."
  18. ^ a b Staff. Forty Years with the Washington Department of Highways (PDF) (Report). Washington Department of Transportation. pp. 1–2, 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2008. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
  19. ^ Washington State Legislature (1897). "An act providing for the survey and establishment of a state road, creating a commission, defining their duties and making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1897 chapter 116, p. 342.
  20. ^ Washington State Legislature (1907). "An act providing for the establishment, construction and maintenance of state roads and making appropriations for state roads heretofore established.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1907 chapter 151, p. 310.: "State Road No. 5, or the Cowlitz-Natches road: This road shall begin at a point in the center of the public highway running from the town of Napavine to Klickitat prairie in Lewis county, Washington, at the point nearest to the southeast corner of section 10, in township 12, north of range 1 east W. M., and shall run thence over the present surveyed line on such state road, by the way of Klicitat[sic] prairie and Riffe postoffice up the Cowlitz river and its tributaries, and over the summit of the Cascade mountains at the Carlton pass; thence over such surveyed line for said road down Bumping river and the Natches river to a point which bears south 73 degrees and 24 minutes east and is 2,356 feet (718 m) distant from the corner of sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, in township 15, north range 16, east W. M., in Yakima county, Washington."
  21. ^ Washington State Legislature (1909). "An act providing for the survey of certain proposed state roads, and state road extensions, by the State Highway Commissioner, and a report on the feasibility of the same.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1909 chapter 51, p. 95.: "2nd. Extension over the most feasible route of State Road No. 5 westerly through the city of Chehalis to the cities of South Bend in Pacific county and Aberdeen in Chehalis county, and easterly to the city of Pullman in Whitman county." "3rd. Extension over the most feasible route of State Road No. 8 westerly to the city of Vancouver and easterly to the city of Walla Walla and thence to the eastern boundary of Asotin county." "6th. A road beginning at a point on the proposed extension of State Road No. 7 in the vicinity of Cle Elum in Kittitas county, leading thence as nearly as practicable along the Yakima valley to an intersection with the proposed extension of State Road No. 8 in Benton county."
  22. ^ Road Map of Washington Showing Main Traveled Roads (Map). State Highway Board. 1912. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  23. ^ Map of the State of Washington Showing State Roads: Located and Proposed (Map). State Highway Board. 1909. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  24. ^ a b Washington State Legislature (1913). "An act relating to public highways, classifying the same and naming and fixing the routes of certain state roads.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1913 chapter 65, p. 221-223.
  25. ^ Washington State Legislature (1915). "An act relating to public highways, classifying the same, and naming and fixing the routes of certain state roads; amending sections 5878-2 and 5901 Remington & Ballinger's Annotated Codes and Statutes of Washington, and adding new sections to be known as sections 5878-2a, 5878-2b, 5878-2c, 5878-2d, 5878-2e, 5878-2f, 5878-2g, 5901a, 5901b, 5901c, 5901d, 5901e, 5901f, 5901g, 5901h, 5901i, 5901j, 5901k, 5901-L and declaring an emergency.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1915 chapter 164, p. 491.
  26. ^ State of Washington Showing State Highways Authorized by Legislative Acts of 1915 (Map). State Highway Board. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  27. ^ Auto Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 1926. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  28. ^ Washington State Legislature (1923). "An act relating to, classifying, naming and fixing the routes of certain state highways, amending Section 6796, and repealing Sections 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6795, 6797, 6798, 6799, 6800, 6801, 6802, 6803, 6804, 6805, 6806, 6808, 6809, 6811, 6812, 6813 and 6816 of Remington's Compiled Statutes.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1923 chapter 185, p. 628-629.: "A primary state highway, to be known as State Road No. 5 or the National Park Highway System, is established as follows: Beginning at the City of Tacoma; thence by the most feasible route in a southeasterly direction through Elbe and Ashford to the Rainier National Park gate; also from a junction in the City of Elbe; thence in a southerly direction through Morton, Kosmos; thence in a westerly direction through Nesika, Riffe and Ethel to a junction with State Road No. 1 or the Pacific Highway at or in the vicinity of Jackson Prairie; also, from a junction at or near Kosmos in Lewis County in a northeasterly direction through Lewis in Lewis County through Sheepskull Gap; thence in a northwesterly direction through Enumclaw, Auburn, Kent to a connection with State Road No. 2 in the vicinity of Renton; also from a junction at Sheepskull Gap in a southeasterly direction to Yakima."
  29. ^ Washington State Legislature (1925). "An act relating to and establishing, classifying, naming and fixing the routes of certain state highways, and amending sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 14 and 15, Chapter 185 of the Laws of 1923, and Section 6810 of Remington's Compiled Statutes, and declaring that this act shall take effect immediately.". Session Laws of the State of Washington. Olympia, WA: State of Washington. 1925 chapter 26, p. 58-59.
  30. ^ a b Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: United States Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  31. ^ "Chapter 8: The Park Under Construction". Mount Rainier: Administrative History. National Park Service. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
  32. ^ Highway Map: State of Washington (Map). Department of Highways. June 12, 1931. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  33. ^ "Chapter 11: The Impact of the New Deal". Mount Rainier: Administrative History. National Park Service. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
  34. ^ "White Pass Road Formal Dedication on August 12". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. July 18, 1951. p. 7.
  35. ^ a b c Weingroff, Richard F. (May 7, 2005). "U.S. 12 Michigan to Washington". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
  36. ^ U.S. Route Numbering Committee (December 2, 1962). "U.S. Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Executive Committee at Its Meeting" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 12. Retrieved April 2, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  37. ^ Staff (December 1, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Highway Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 17, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2008.
  38. ^ "Route 410 Renamed Highway 12". Tri-City Herald. December 31, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved July 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "All-Weather Plan Picked By Highway Commission". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. April 23, 1967. p. 5.
  40. ^ "Highway 410 is now U.S. No. 12". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. December 28, 1967. p. 1.
  41. ^ "U-B Action Line". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. September 29, 1968. p. 1.
  42. ^ Staff (1970). Annual Traffic Report (PDF) (Report). Washington State Highway Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 25, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
  43. ^ Jenkins, Sarah (February 24, 1985). "WW's 'Berlin Wall'". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. p. E4.
  44. ^ "New numbers for old roads". Tri-City Herald. April 12, 1985. p. B1.
  45. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (October 27, 2006). "Annual Meeting Minutes, Special Committee on US Route Numbering" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  46. ^ Richard, Terry (October 22, 2009). "White Pass gets byway designation, as well as biggest on-going ski area project in Northwest". The Oregonian. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  47. ^ Smith, Katie (May 26, 2023). "New stretch of US 12 north of Lowden and Touchet set to open Friday afternoon". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  48. ^ Joshi, Pratik (July 9, 2010). "Officials mark latest Highway 12 milestone". Tri-City Herald. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  49. ^ LeValley, Chloe (May 29, 2021). "Current phase of U.S. Highway 12 project nears 25% completion west of Walla Walla". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  50. ^ "Season premiere: New segment of US 12 near Walla Walla opened Friday, June 2" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  51. ^ Smith, Kate (June 2, 2023). "New stretch of US 12 between Walla Walla, Tri-Cities to open this afternoon". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  52. ^ "Four-laning US Highway 12: Phase 7 – Nine Mile Hill to Frenchtown Vicinity" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. March 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  53. ^ Dinman, Emry (July 1, 2022). "Phase 7 of U.S. Highway 12 project 70% done in Walla Walla County". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. Retrieved March 15, 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to U.S. Route 12 in Washington (state).
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lewis and Clark Trail.


U.S. Route 12
Previous state:
Terminus 		Washington Next state:
Idaho
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