Odd vs. even: What gives?

ATLANTA – Interstate 75 is a north-south route, while Interstate 20 is runs east-west. Most people know that’s the case because they’re either familiar with the roads or they know that highways with odd number designations run north-south while even number roads run east-west.

What you may not have known is that this wasn’t always the case. It wasn’t until the 1920s – once the automobile revolution was in full swing – that officials decided to start using standard signs and the odd-even road designations for the nation’s 3 million miles of roads.

Today, there are 4 million miles of roads, including 47,000 miles of interstate highways, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And because of the decision to move to the odd-even highway designations along with standard signs, one made 84 years ago this week, it’s easier to traverse the country and see all that it has to offer.

Avatar photo
About Todd DeFeo 1651 Articles
Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and Railfanning.org.