# I-80 mile markers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873 "2008-09-30T16:33:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/1 "2008-09-30T16:33:13Z")
When traveling interstate 80 earlier this month we see mile markers around Lincoln and Omaha are at 2/10th mile increments. Is this just an odometer check thing or what? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/2 "2008-09-30T16:56:59Z")
I don’t have an answer but I did notice that they did something similar on I-70 in Missouri a couple of years ago. Seems like colossal waste of materials and effort to me, but maybe there is a good reason for it. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/3 "2008-09-30T17:31:59Z")
It’s not an odometer check - they’re too close together to be of practical use for that. They’re to more precisely pinpoint one’s location on the highway. This can be very helpful in directing emergency vehicles to the right spot efficiently (e.g. a police car going the other way can take the closest turnaround without fear of turning too soon and missing his desired destination). ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/4 "2008-09-30T17:38:21Z")
They’re like that on Charlotte’s “inner loop,” I-277, which is like 2 miles long. Like **Gary T** said, it’s for getting ambulances, police, wreckers and the like closer to where they need to be quicker. “I’m on 277 between mile marker 1 and 2.” “Yeah? It’s 5:15 p.m.: so is half of Charlotte.” ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/5 "2008-09-30T17:40:02Z")
I just read an article about mile markers- how people are constantly stealing the 66.6 mile marker from somewhere, and the keep putting it back up and it keeps getting stolen, etc, etc… Which really made them seem pretty stupid, why does there HAVE to be a 66.6 mile marker? Why can’t they skip that one and put one at 66.5 or 66.7? ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/6 "2008-09-30T18:20:07Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > I just read an article about mile markers- how people are constantly stealing the 66.6 mile marker from somewhere, and the keep putting it back up and it keeps getting stolen, etc, etc.. Which really made them seem pretty stupid, why does there HAVE to be a 66.6 mile marker? Why can’t they skip that one and put one at 66.5 or 66.7? Because there’s already one at 66.5 and 66.7. There’s one every tenth of a mile. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/7 "2008-09-30T18:58:28Z")
I-81 also has markers every tenth of a mile. I drive a 160 miles each way on it once a week. It might help locate you in event of a breakdown or accident, but sure has a way of making the drive seem a lot longer than it already is. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/8 "2008-09-30T19:07:46Z")
We have them too here in WV going up and down I77, I64 and I79. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/9 "2008-09-30T21:11:21Z")
> [@](#): > > they’re too close together to be of practical use for that. The reason I thought of odometer check was, In Duluth MN there was an Odometer check strip that was in 1/10 mile increments. It had a start check signs, and ran for several miles. I had never seen the 2/10ths signs before. must be something new for the metro areas. At least there was something different in that long Nebraska drive. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/10 "2008-09-30T23:02:04Z")
I-80 and I-380 in Pennsylvania have new-looking signs every tenth of a mile. I didn’t see them on I-81, though. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/11 "2008-09-30T23:27:20Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > I don’t have an answer but I did notice that they did something similar on I-70 in Missouri a couple of years ago. Seems like colossal waste of materials and effort to me, but maybe there is a good reason for it. You didn’t specify, so I thought I’d add that the ones on I-70, in Missouri anyway, are spaced at .2 miles. Only mentioned it because some others are apparently spaced at .1 miles. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/12 "2008-09-30T23:40:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I-80 and I-380 in Pennsylvania have new-looking signs every tenth of a mile. I didn’t see them on I-81, though. In Virginia, I’ve seem 'em between I-66 and the spur heading off to Roanoke. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/13 "2008-10-01T00:07:23Z")
I’ve noticed them on I-65 in southern Indiana in .5m increments. I did a double take the first time I saw them. According to family members, they went up about two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/14 "2008-10-01T00:39:51Z")
Just to throw in a metric perspective: many of the major highways in South Africa have distance markers every 200 metres. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/15 "2008-10-01T01:04:58Z")
Just out of curiosity – why are there odometer check areas? Did there used to be a time where odometers were so inaccurate that these areas were deemed vital to highway traffic? ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/16 "2008-10-01T01:22:21Z")
Try asking in [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=480298). ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/17 "2008-10-01T15:03:08Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > It’s not an odometer check - they’re too close together to be of practical use for that. They’re to more precisely pinpoint one’s location on the highway. This can be very helpful in directing emergency vehicles to the right spot efficiently (e.g. a police car going the other way can take the closest turnaround without fear of turning too soon and missing his desired destination). In addition to what **Gary** said, this can make a difference in what units are sent. It’s also nicer than what we get without them. Typically at least 3 or 4 different locations for any freeway incident- “1 mile west of exit X.” “2 miles east of exit Y.” “Somewhere between exit X & exit Y.” It also helps determine jurisdictions, as well. This is especially important as cell phone 911 calls don’t always go to the correct dispatch center. St. Urho Paramedic ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/18 "2008-10-01T15:17:35Z")
If it’s around a large city there are probably lots of exits and over passes on that section of road. They have always tried to put a mile marker up for every overpass or bridge for identification and quick finding purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/19 "2008-10-01T18:07:17Z")
We saw these in Pennsylvania this summer. No fun on a road trip - usually you can have a quick conversation, fiddle with the radio, look out the window - and 5 miles have gone by! With the .1 increments, it’s just a constant feeling of getting nowhere fast:( ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873/20 "2008-10-01T18:37:09Z")
I’d love to know how much all those signs cost. Gotta be at least $50 each. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-80-mile-markers/465873.md?page=2)