U.S. Route 87

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File:Raton, NM, from U.S. Hwys. 64 and 87 IMG 4962.JPG

Raton, New Mexico, as it appears from U.S. Route 87, which becomes Interstate 25

File:U.S. Hwy 87 in Big Spring, TX IMG 1425.JPG

Route 87 as it approaches Big Spring, Texas, from the south. The Veterans Administration Hospital is shown in the background.

File:Loma, Montana USA 05.JPG

Route 87 in background, looking north from Loma, Montana.

U.S. Highway 87 (US 87) is a north–south United States highway (though it is signed east–west in New Mexico) that runs for from northern Montana to southern Texas, making it the longest north–south road to not have a "1" in its number and the third longest north–south road in the country, behind U.S. 41 and U.S. 1. Most of the portion from Billings, Montana to Raton, New Mexico is co-signed along Interstates 90 and 25. It is also co-signed along the majority of I-27 in Texas and future plans call for the interstate to be extended along the US 87 corridor. As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is in Havre, Montana, at US 2 and its southern terminus is in Port Lavaca, Texas, at SH 238.

Route description

Texas

In Texas, US 87 is a north–south highway that begins near the Gulf Coast in Port Lavaca, Texas, and heads north through San Antonio, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Dalhart to the New Mexico state line near Texline.

New Mexico

Template:Attached KML US 87 continues in a northwesterly direction in New Mexico and is signed by NMDOT primarily as an east–west route. It merges with US-64 (and thus the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway) in Clayton, shortly after entering New Mexico. It continues to the northwest until Des Moines, when it takes a more westerly approach to Raton. In Raton, it separates from US 64 and merges with Interstate 25 and US 85, with which it remains concurrent through Raton Pass and into Colorado, though it is unsigned on much of the concurrency.

Colorado

US 87 remains concurrent with I-25 throughout the state of Colorado, which is a rare occurrence for a US highway to have a concurrency with an Interstate in its entirety within state boundaries. It is unsigned through the entire state.

Wyoming

Template:Attached KML US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 25 northward until exit 160 east of Glenrock where it joins US Route 20/US Route 26 from Glenrock to Casper. In Casper it splits from US-20/26 and rejoins I-25 at exit 186. It then remains concurrent with Interstate 25 northward until its terminus with Interstate 90. It then follows I-90 west to exit 44 where it runs up to Sheridan. A portion of US-87 has been washed out for several years along this stretch and "temporary" detour signs are posted directing US-87 traffic along Wyoming Highway 193 through Story. In Sheridan US-87 rejoins Interstate 90 into Montana.

Montana

US 87 remains concurrent with Interstate 90 westward until Billings, where it breaks off and heads north. Between Crow Agency and Billings, US 87 and I-90 are merged with US 212. It intersects with (and briefly merges with) US 12 in Roundup and continues north with a slight bend to the northwest until, at Grass Range it takes a sharp turn to the west at an intersection with Montana State Highway 200. US 87 remains concurrent with Montana State Highway 200 until Great Falls. In Lewistown, it merges with US 191 and remains heading generally west. Some out of Lewistown, it breaks with US 191 and merges with Montana State Highway 3, heading generally northwest and merging briefly with US 89 before breaking with all three in Great Falls. US 87 heads northeast then east to Fort Benton and then generally northeast to its terminus with US 2 about west of Havre.

History

US 87 originally ran northwest out of Great Falls, Montana, towards the eastern border of Glacier National Park. US 87 ran to the Canadian Border at the Piegan Border Crossing. This was changed in 1934, when US Route 89 was diverted to US 87's routing to Glacier Park. US 87 ended in Great Falls until circa 1945 when it was extended to its current northern terminus in Havre, Montana.

U.S. Route 185 was formed in 1926 and extended from US 85 in Cheyenne north to Orin. It became part of a southern extension and realignment of US 87 in 1936.

Future

On March 15, 2022, a bill was signed by President Joe Biden that added the extension of I-27 from its termini in Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas, northward to Raton, New Mexico, and southward to Laredo, Texas, respectively to the Interstate Highway System utilizing the US 87 corridor. The interstate's northern terminus would be at I-25. A bill introduced in 2023 would explicitly designate the extension as I-27 with two auxiliary routes numbered I-227 and I-327. I-227 is proposed to be routed via SH 158 from Sterling City to Midland and SH 349 from Midland to Lamesa; I-327 would utilize US 287 from Dumas to the Oklahoma border. However, after legislation passed through the U.S. Senate in August 2023, I-227 and I-327 were respectively redesignated as I-27W and I-27N, with I-27E replacing the proposed I-27 between Sterling City and Lamesa.

Major intersections

Texas

in Port Lavaca

in Victoria

in Victoria

in Cuero. The highways travel concurrently to southwest of Cuero.

in San Antonio

in San Antonio. I-10/US 87 travels concurrently to Comfort. US 87/US 90 travels concurrently through San Antonio.

in San Antonio

in San Antonio. I-35/US 87 travels concurrently through San Antonio.

on the Balcones Heights–San Antonio city line

in Fredericksburg. The highways travel concurrently through Fredericksburg.

northwest of Mason. The highways travel concurrently to Brady.

in Brady. The highways travel concurrently to Brady.

northwest of Brady

in Eden

in San Angelo. The highways travel concurrently through San Angelo.

in San Angelo

in Big Spring

south of Los Ybanez. The highways travel concurrently to Lamesa.

in Tahoka

in Lubbock. The highways travel concurrently to south of Kress.

in Lubbock

in Lubbock

in Lubbock

in Plainview

north-northwest of Tulia. The highways travel concurrently to south-southeast of Happy.

in Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo.

north of Canyon. The highways travel concurrently to Amarillo.

in Amarillo. US 87/US 287 travels concurrently through Amarillo.

in Amarillo

in Amarillo. The highways travel concurrently to Dumas.

in Hartley. The highways travel concurrently to Dalhart.

in Dalhart

New Mexico

in Clayton. US 64/US 87 travels concurrently to Raton.

in Raton. I-25/US 87 travels concurrently to southeast of Glenrock, Wyoming. US 85/US 87 travels concurrently to Fountain, Colorado.

Colorado

in Trinidad. The highways travel concurrently to Walsenburg.

in Pueblo. The highways travel concurrently through Pueblo.

in Fountain.

in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently through Colorado Springs.

in Colorado Springs. The highways travel concurrently to Castle Rock.

in Denver

in Denver

in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.

in Denver. The highways travel concurrently through Denver.

in Denver

in Denver

southeast of Twin Lakes

on the Twin Lakes–Sherrelwood–Welby line

in Loveland

Wyoming

south-southwest of Cheyenne

southwest of Cheyenne

in Cheyenne. The highways travel concurrently to Ranchettes.

west-southwest of Dwyer Junction. The highways travel concurrently to the Casper–Hartrandt city line.

in Orin. US 20/US 87 travels concurrently to the Casper–Hartrandt city line.

in Casper. The highways travel concurrently to north-northeast of Buffalo.

in Buffalo

north-northeast of Buffalo. I-90/US 87 travels concurrently to Lockwood.

in Sheridan. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Ranchester.

Montana

in Crow Agency. The highways travel concurrently to Lockwood.

in Lockwood

north of Klein. The highways travel concurrently to Roundup.

in Lewistown. The highways travel concurrently to west-northwest of Moore.

south-southeast of Armington. The highways travel concurrently to Great Falls.

northeast of Herron

See also

Related routes

• U.S. Highway 187 (decommissioned)
• U.S. Highway 287

Bannered and suffixed routes

• U.S. Route 87 Business in Cheyenne, Wyoming
• U.S. Route 87 Business in Wheatland, Wyoming
• U.S. Route 87 Business in Casper, Wyoming
• U.S. Route 87 Business in Buffalo, Wyoming
• U.S. Route 87 Business in Sheridan, Wyoming
• U.S. Route 87 Bypass in Great Falls, Montana

External links

• Endpoints of U.S. Highway 87

Browse numbered routes