# Mile markers and hiway distance signs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593 "2003-12-29T16:09:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![SkyCowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SkyCowboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyCowboy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/41 "2004-01-01T17:02:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Otto \* > \*\*Two separate but related questions which popped into my head driving to and from Iowa for Xmas. > > 1. Those little green mile markers…from where are they measuring? > > 2. Highway signs that list how many miles from a city one is…from what point in the city are they measured? \*\* Otto, The little green signs (mile markers) on Interstate highways show the distance from state border to state border. For example, along I-94 in Wisconsin, the mile markers show the distance from where I-94 crosses from Minnesota into Wisconsin at Hudson, to where it goes into Illinois just south of Kenosha. (347 miles.) The first exit on I-94 going eastbound into Wisconsin is Exit 2, the last exit before crossing into Illinois is Exit 347. (Wisconsin, as does most states also now labels the exits with the number of the nearest mile post. Makes things easier for state police, ambulance drivers, truckers, etc. If you are at mile marker 25 headed to exit 134, you instantly know you have 109 miles to travel before getting there.) Distances are usually measured from a readily identificable and commonly known point that is not likely to change over the years. Traditionally that has been the main downtown US Post Office in each city or town. Best, and Happy New Year, Sky ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/42 "2004-01-02T16:38:46Z")
BTW, (in the U.S.) the convention on mile markers is that Mile 0 is at the southern or western terminus (either the road or the end of the highway). Since roads curve, sometimes you’ll get a funny situation in which a, say, even-numbered interstate (therefore one that’s primarily east-west) that has bent north-south for a brief stretch will clip the side of a state so that Mile 0 is on the northern state line – but actually this is because the “western” end of the E-W road happens to enter the state from the north – it’s still technically the western terminus. –Cliffy ---
**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:** [January 2, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/43 "2004-01-02T19:47:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duke \* > \*\*Just for fun, [here’s a “non-conventional” sign](http://www-personal.umich.edu/~aleskiw/roadgeek/Gallery1.htm) from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan which gives the distance to Florida. (It’s the second picture from the bottom.) \*\* Dammit, Duke I was going to post that too. That would be from Copper Harbor, MI, the start of US-41 to Miami, the end of 41. Also, road signs to Duluth measure to Lake Ave & Superior St. in case anyone cares. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/44 "2004-01-02T20:07:27Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Yeticus Rex \* \*\*Living about 30 miles from Barstow, CA, there is a sign with the mileage from the beginning of I-40 to the terminus in Wilmington, NC which is ~2735 miles, and it gets stolen on a regular basis. Last time I checked, Wilmington had a similar milage sign to Barstow. ---
**Author:** ![Sonyadora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sonyadora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonyadora)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/45 "2004-01-02T20:21:31Z")
> [@](#): > > At the eastern end of US 50 in Ocean City, MD, there’s a sign that says “Sacramento, CA 3073.” And as you get on I-80 in Sacramento, the sign gives the distance to Ocean City, MD. The signs on I-5 aren’t as ridiculous, since most people on that route between LA and SF are not interested in any location in the Central Valley. ---
**Author:** ![silk1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@silk1976](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silk1976)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593/46 "2004-01-03T05:15:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Etherman \* > \*\*I could have sworn I saw a documentary on Boston’s big dig that showed, as they opened part of (I think) the I-90 westbound (or maybe leaving Logan airport), they had a sign giving distance to Seattle, since you could now drive non-stop interstate highway Boston \<-\> Seattle. \*\* Hmm… I live in Boston and fly a lot for work, so I’m fairly familiar with the tunnel you are speaking of. I don’t recall seeing a sign that gave distance to Seattle. But then again, since I live here I dont tend to read signs all that much 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mile-markers-and-hiway-distance-signs/221593.md?page=2)