8 of the longest highways in the United States

Get to know the longest highways in the United States, which connect up to 14 states due to their great length.

The United States is a vast country, so vast that it has approximately 4 million miles of public roads and 8.3 million miles of lanes, according to the National Highway System. To allow efficient vehicle traffic throughout this extensive territory, the roads are designed to connect with each other. However, some stand out for their length, far surpassing the national average for roads in the United States.

The first highway system in the United States was established in 1956 when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act. Missouri was the first state to receive funding to build interstate highways. Since then, the country’s road system has steadily grown, now including some of the longest highways in the world.

The Longest Highways in the United States

1. Route 20

Route 20 is the longest highway in the United States, stretching 3,365 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon, crossing 12 states. It is notable for passing through Yellowstone National Park and picturesque towns in the Northeast. The longest segment is in Wyoming, spanning 525 miles.

2. Route 6

U.S. Route 6, established in 1926, was the longest highway in the country until 1964, when it was shortened by 250 miles. It currently runs 3,205 miles from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Bishop, California, crossing 14 states. The route traverses from beaches in Cape Cod to the Sierra Nevada mountains, offering beautiful and varied landscapes.

3. Route 30

At 3,073 miles long, this highway includes sections of the historic Lincoln Highway, the first road built in the United States in 1913. It currently connects Atlantic City, New Jersey with Astoria, Oregon, passing through 11 states. Route 30 remains an active coast-to-coast highway within the U.S. Numbered Highway System.

4. Interstate 90

I-90 is the longest interstate highway in the United States, spanning 3,020 miles connecting Seattle, Washington with Boston, Massachusetts. This interstate is part of the system created by the 1956 Federal Highway Act. Along its length, it passes iconic places such as Mount Rushmore, Devil’s Tower, and several national parks.

5. Route 50

Route 50 is known by its nickname: the “Loneliest Road in America,” a title given by Life magazine in 1986 due to its remote and desert stretches. It is 3,019 miles long, crossing 12 states from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. Although it runs through inhospitable areas, it is recognized for its historical importance in transportation.

6. Interstate 80

I-80 is a transcontinental highway that runs 2,901 miles from San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey, crossing 11 states. This interstate reaches its highest point in Wyoming at 8,640 feet above sea level and is famous for curious phenomena such as the “Highway to Heaven” and paranormal legends in Iowa.

7. Route 60

Route 60 is one of the original U.S. highways, predating the interstate system, extending 2,655 miles from Virginia to Arizona, crossing nine states in total. It offers a journey from the coasts of Virginia Beach to the desert landscapes of Arizona. Originally, the famous Route 66 was going to be named Route 60.

8. Interstate 40

I-40, created by the 1956 Federal Highway Act and officially numbered in 1957, replaced part of the historic Route 66, which was dismantled in 1985. It runs through eight states from California to North Carolina, with its longest stretch in Tennessee (455 miles). It is a key and popular route of the interstate system, with a length of 2,559 miles.