# U.S. Route 2 in Vermont

U.S. Route 2 (US 2) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that is split into two segments. Its eastern segment runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine. In Vermont, US 2 extends 150.518 miles (242.235 km) from the New York state line in Alburgh to the New Hampshire state line in Guildhall. West of Vermont, US 2 continues into New York for another 0.87 miles (1.40 km) to an intersection with US 11 in Rouses Point. US 2 passes through the cities of Burlington and Montpelier as it traverses the state. The highway parallels Interstate 89 (I-89) between these two cities. The Burlington to Montpelier route was first laid out as a toll road in the early 19th century. It was later incorporated into the transcontinental auto trail known as the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway in 1919 before being designated as part of US 2 in 1926.
Although the portion of the road from Alburgh to Burlington follows a north–south alignment, US 2 is continuously signed east (heading south during this portion) and west (heading north) to match its overall alignment, making it the longest east–west signed route in the state. At a nearly 460-mile (740 km) overall length, US 2 is also the longest highway of any designation (Interstate, U.S. Route, or state highway) that enters the state of Vermont.

## Route description

The eastern segment of US 2 begins in New York at an intersection with US 11 just one mile (1.6 km) south of the Canadian border in Rouses Point. From there, it crosses Lake Champlain into Grand Isle County, traversing the length of the county and crossing Lake Champlain over several bridges until it reaches the mainland in Milton and Chittenden County. From there, it travels south to Burlington, where it begins to closely parallel I-89 and the Winooski River all the way to Montpelier and Washington County. In Montpelier, the main route bypasses the downtown area using Memorial Drive, while a business loop using State Street serves downtown. After leaving Montpelier, the road turns northeastward, crossing into Caledonia County and passing through St. Johnsbury. It then passes into rural Essex County and eventually crosses the Connecticut River from Guildhall into Lancaster, New Hampshire.

## History

An improved road between the main settlements of Burlington and Montpelier was first established from old footpaths in 1805, when the 36-mile (58 km) Winooski Turnpike was chartered by the state of Vermont. The old turnpike road utilized the relatively flat banks of the Winooski River to connect the two major towns and opened to traffic several years after the company was chartered. The road ceased operating as a toll road several decades later in 1852, when the road became publicly owned. The route of the old Winooski Turnpike between Burlington and Montpelier was later incorporated into the old Theodore Roosevelt International Highway. This cross-country auto trail, named in honor of recently deceased ex-president and naturalist Theodore Roosevelt, was organized in February 1919 to connect Portland, Maine, with Portland, Oregon. Within Vermont, the auto trail used what is now US 2 from Vermont Route 129 (VT 129) south of Alburgh center to VT 18 east of downtown St. Johnsbury.
Before being designated as US 2, the current alignment was part of several interstate routes of the 1922 New England road marking system. From Danville eastward to the state line, the US 2 alignment was part of Route 15; it was part of Route 18 between Montpelier and Danville; it used Route 14 between Burlington and Montpelier; and it used Route 30 between Alburgh and Burlington. When the plans for the U.S. Highway System were first drawn up in 1925, US 2 began in Alburgh and was routed along the Roosevelt Highway from Alburgh to Montpelier. Both US 2 and the Roosevelt Highway connected Montpelier to St. Johnsbury; however, the Roosevelt Highway used a direct path along former Route 18 while US 2 was initially assigned to then-Route 25 (modern US 302) to Wells River, where it overlapped proposed US 5 north to St. Johnsbury. From St. Johnsbury, the Roosevelt Highway turned southeast toward Portland along modern VT 18 while US 2 continued east along former Route 15 to Bangor. No changes were made to US 2 in the final system plan approved on November 11, 1926. US 2 was relocated onto its modern alignment along the original Roosevelt Highway route between Montpelier and St. Johnsbury in the mid-1930s. The original alignment of US 2 became part of the newly designated US 302.
Initially, Rouses Point, New York, and Alburgh were connected by way of a ferry across the Richelieu River. The ferry ran from the center of Rouses Point to Vermont's Windmill Point, where it connected to VT F-1, an east–west route linking Windmill Point to Alburgh. When US 2 was assigned, it was overlaid on the preexisting VT F-1, following the route and the ferry to the New York state line, where US 2 initially ended. In 1937, a new tolled swing bridge across the Richelieu River opened, carrying an extended US 2 between US 11 in Rouses Point and Alburgh. The swing bridge was replaced with a toll-free permanent bridge on September 22, 1987.

## Major intersections

The short continuation of US 2 into New York is included below.
| State | County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| New York | Clinton | Rouses Point | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 11 to NY 9B / I-87 / A-15 – Rouses Point, Canada, Montreal | Western terminus of US 2; serves Rouses Point station |
| Lake Champlain | Lake Champlain | Lake Champlain | 0.870.000 | 1.400.000 | Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge (New York–Vermont state line) | Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge (New York–Vermont state line) |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | Alburgh | 3.152 | 5.073 | VT 225 north – Noyan, QC | Southern terminus of VT 225 |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | Alburgh | 6.234 | 10.033 | VT 78 east – Swanton | Western terminus of VT 78 |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | Alburgh | 11.633 | 18.721 | VT 129 west – Isle Lamotte | Eastern terminus of VT 129 |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | Grand Isle | 25.609 | 41.214 | VT 314 south – Grand Isle Station, NY State via Ferry | Northern terminus of VT 314 |
| Vermont | Grand Isle | South Hero | 28.504 | 45.873 | VT 314 north – Lake Champlain Islands, NY State via Ferry | Southern terminus of VT 314 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 38.658– 38.921 | 62.214– 62.637 | I-89 – Winooski, Burlington, Georgia, St. Albans, Montreal | Exit 17 on I-89 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 39.011 | 62.782 | US 7 north – Milton | Western end of concurrency with US 7 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 41.901 | 67.433 | VT 2A south – Essex Junction | Northern terminus of VT 2A |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 42.095 | 67.745 | To VT 2A south – Essex Junction | Unsigned VT 127 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 43.542 | 70.074 | VT 127 south (Blakely Road) | Northern terminus of VT 127 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Colchester | 45.286– 45.358 | 72.881– 72.997 | I-89 – St. Albans, Champlain Islands, Burlington | Exit 16 on I-89 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Winooski | 46.369 | 74.624 | VT 15 east (East Allen Street) to I-89 south – Essex Junction | Western terminus of VT 15; Roundabout |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Burlington | 47.672 | 76.721 | US 7 Alt. south (Riverside Avenue at Hyde Street) | Northern terminus of US 7 Alt. |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Burlington | 48.612 | 78.233 | US 7 south (South Willard Street) – Shelburne | Eastern end of concurrency with US 7 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | South Burlington | 49.619– 49.920 | 79.854– 80.338 | I-89 – Montpelier, Winooski, St. Albans | Exit 14 on I-89 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | South Burlington | 50.447 | 81.187 | VT 116 south (Hinesburg Road) | Northern terminus of VT 116 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Williston | 53.777 | 86.546 | VT 2A – Essex Junction, Hinesburg | |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Richmond | 59.201 | 95.275 | VT 117 west – Essex Junction | Eastern terminus of VT 117 |
| Vermont | Chittenden | Richmond | 59.234– 59.399 | 95.328– 95.593 | I-89 – Burlington, Waterbury, Montpelier | Exit 11 on I-89 |
| Vermont | Washington | Waterbury | 74.080 | 119.220 | VT 100 north to I-89 – Stowe, Morrisville | Western end of concurrency with VT 100 |
| Vermont | Washington | Moretown | 75.395 | 121.336 | VT 100 south – Waitsfield, Warren | Eastern end of concurrency with VT 100 |
| Vermont | Washington | Middlesex | 79.819 | 128.456 | VT 100B south – Moretown, Waitsfield, Warren | Northern terminus of VT 100B |
| Vermont | Washington | Montpelier | 85.767 | 138.029 | US 2 Bus. (State Street) | Western terminus of US 2 Bus. |
| Vermont | Washington | Montpelier | 85.942 | 138.310 | Montpelier State Highway (Memorial Drive) to I-89 – Burlington, White River Junction | Exit 8 on I-89 |
| Vermont | Washington | Montpelier | 86.368 | 138.996 | US 2 Bus. / VT 12 – Worcester, Northfield | Eastern terminus of US 2 Bus. |
| Vermont | Washington | Montpelier | 88.092 | 141.770 | US 302 east | Western terminus of US 302; roundabout |
| Vermont | Washington | East Montpelier | 92.781 | 149.317 | VT 14 south – Barre | Western end of concurrency with VT 14 |
| Vermont | Washington | East Montpelier | 92.988 | 149.650 | VT 14 north – North Montpelier, Hardwick | Eastern end of concurrency with VT 14 |
| Vermont | Washington | Plainfield | 95.831 | 154.225 | VT 214 north – North Montpelier | Southern terminus of VT 214 |
| Vermont | Washington | Marshfield | 103.213 | 166.105 | VT 215 north – Lower Cabot, Cabot | Southern terminus of VT 215 |
| Vermont | Washington | Marshfield | 104.350 | 167.935 | VT 232 south – Groton | Northern terminus of VT 232 |
| Vermont | Caledonia | Danville | 112.554 | 181.138 | VT 15 – Walden, Hardwick | Eastern terminus of VT 15 |
| Vermont | Caledonia | Danville | 118.219 | 190.255 | VT 2B east | Western terminus of VT 2B |
| Vermont | Caledonia | St. Johnsbury | 121.625– 122.252 | 195.736– 196.746 | I-91 / US 2 Truck – White River Junction, Newport | Exit 21 on I-91 |
| Vermont | Caledonia | St. Johnsbury | 122.569 | 197.256 | VT 2B west | Eastern terminus of VT 2B |
| Vermont | Caledonia | St. Johnsbury | 123.558 | 198.847 | US 5 south (Railroad Street) | Western end of concurrency with US 5 |
| Vermont | Caledonia | St. Johnsbury | 123.672 | 199.031 | US 5 north (Railroad Street) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 5 |
| Vermont | Caledonia | St. Johnsbury | 126.506 | 203.592 | VT 18 south to I-91 / I-93 – Waterford, Littleton NH | Northern terminus of VT 18 |
| Vermont | Essex | Guildhall | 150.416 | 242.071 | VT 102 north – Guildhall, Bloomfield | Southern terminus of VT 102 |
| Vermont | Essex | Guildhall | 150.518 | 242.235 | US 2 east – Lancaster, Bangor ME | Continuation into New Hampshire |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus |||||||

## Suffixed routes
### Vermont Route 2A

Vermont Route 2A (VT 2A) is a largely 13.853-mile (22.294 km) alternate route of US 2 between St. George and Colchester. It begins at VT 116 in St. George and continues north and west through Williston and Essex Junction before ending at US 2 and US 7 in Colchester. Much of the portion of VT 2A that runs through Williston has been expanded from two to four lanes, particularly the stretch between US 2 and I-89, to accommodate the many restaurants, offices, and stores that have been developed there.

#### Major intersections

The entire route is in Chittenden County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| St. George | 0.000 | 0.000 | VT 116 – Hinesburg, Bristol, South Burlington | |
| Williston | 4.911– 4.994 | 7.903– 8.037 | I-89 – Montpelier, Burlington | Exit 12 on I-89 |
| Williston | 5.703 | 9.178 | US 2 – Burlington International Airport, South Burlington, Williston | |
| Essex Junction | 8.591 | 13.826 | VT 15 (Pearl Street / Main Street) / VT 117 east (Maple Street) – Five Corners, Winooski | Western terminus of VT 117 |
| Essex Junction | 8.740 | 14.066 | Central Street – Essex Junction station | |
| Essex | 10.624 | 17.098 | VT 289 east – Essex Susie Wilson Road to VT 15 west | Exit 7 on VT 289; current western terminus of VT 289 |
| Colchester | 13.626 | 21.929 | To US 2 east / US 7 south (to VT 127) – Malletts Bay, Winooski, Burlington | Unsigned portion of VT 127 |
| Colchester | 13.853 | 22.294 | US 2 west / US 7 north – Colchester, Milton | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |||||

### Vermont Route 2B

Vermont Route 2B (VT 2B) is an alternate route of US 2 between Danville and St. Johnsbury. The route begins across the street from the intersection of US 2 and Jamieson Road in Danville, first running south, then curving east at Parker Road, which began west of there at US 2 near a local restaurant. The rest of the road runs through rural Caledonia County and crosses a bridge over I-91 with no access, just south of exit 21 before finally terminating at US 2 in St. Johnsbury.