US Route 550 ( US $ 550 ) is a spur of the U.S. Highway. 50 operating from Bernalillo, New Mexico to Montrose, Colorado in the western United States. Part of Silverton to Ouray is often called Highway Million Dollar.
This is one of the roads on Jl Passers Road, one designated New Mexico Scenic Byways.
Video U.S. Route 550
Route description
New Mexico
AS 550 begins north of Albuquerque in Bernalillo and passes through the cities of San Ysidro, Cuba, Bloomfield, and the Aztecs. All Highway 550 in New Mexico has been upgraded to four lines, offering high-speed (70 mph) connections to Farmington, New Mexico and Durango, Colorado to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Colorado
Much of the US 550 in Colorado is a two-lane highway of the mountains. It is one of only two US north-south highways in Colorado that runs west of the Continental Divide. The other route is US 491. Routes northward through the San Juan Mountains.
Million Dollar Highway stretches about 25 miles (40 km) in western Colorado and follows the US 550 route between Silverton and Ouray, Colorado. It is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway. Between Durango and Silverton the Skyway are loosely aligned with Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Although the whole stretch has been called the Million Dollar Highway, it's actually twelve miles (19 km) south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the top of the Red Mountain Pass which gets its highway name. Stretching through this canyon is challenging and potentially dangerous to drive; characterized by steep cliffs, narrow paths, and lack of fences; The Red Mountain Pass climb is characterized by a number of hairpin curves that are used to get elevation, and again, the narrow lanes for traffic - many of which cut directly into the side of the mountains. During this ascent, the remains of the Idarado Mine are visible. The journey north from Silverton to Ouray allows the driver to embrace the inside of the curve; traveling south from Ouray to Silverton perch drivers on the outer edges of a winding highway. Big RVs travel in both directions, which adds to the level of excitement (or danger) for people in cars. This road remains open all year. Summer temperatures can range from 70-90Ã, Â ° F highest at the end of the highway up to 50-70Ã, Â ° F in mountain passes. The snow season starts in October, and snow often closes the road in the winter. Chains may be needed for driving.
In north Durango, the highway passes Trimble Springs, a hot spring that has been open to visitors since the late 19th century. The highway stretches north along the Animas River, under the Cliff of Hermosa. It enters the San Juan National Forest and passes Haviland Lake and Electra Lake. The driver passes through Engineer Mountain and Twilight Peak before crossing the Coal Bank Pass. Next is Molas Pass, which offers a panoramic view of Lake Molas, Animas River Gorge, and Snowdon Peak. The Northbound then passes Silverton city, 9,320 feet (2,841 m), surrounded by 13,000 feet (4000 m) of the summit of Mount Sultan, Kendall Mountain and Storm Peak.
The highway leaves Silverton and proceeds to Mineral Creek Valley before boarding the Red Mountain Pass. The ruins of the Longfellow Mine are visible along the way. The highway then passes a series of steep grades and hairpins changed before reaching Lookout Point, which offers a view of Ouray town.
This part of the route passes through three mountains:
- Bank Credit Card, 10,640 feet (3,240 m) high.
- Molas Path, altitude 10,970 feet (3,340 m).
- Red Mountain Pass, altitude 11.018Ã, ft (3.358 m).
The origin of the name Million Dollar Highway is moot. However, there are several legends, including the cost of a million dollars a mile to build in the 1920s, and that the land contains about a million dollars in gold ore.
There are seventy avalanche roads named that cut the Highway 550 at 23 miles between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.
550 US ends at the corner of Townsend Avenue and San Juan Avenue in Montrose, Colorado at the intersection of its parent route on Highway 50's US Highway.
Maps U.S. Route 550
History
The original part of the Million Dollar Highway is a toll road built by Otto Mears in 1883 to connect Ouray and Ironton. Other tolls are built on the Red Mountain Pass from Ironton to Silverton. In the late 1880s, Otto Mears switched to building a railroad and building the Silverton Railroad north of Silverton through the Red Mountain Pass to reach the lucrative mining district around Red Mountain, ending in Albany just eight miles (13 km) south of Ouray. The remaining eight miles (13 km) is considered too difficult and steep for a railroad track. At one point, a railway carriage was proposed, but never managed to go beyond the planning stage.
In the early 1920s, the original highway was rebuilt at considerable cost and became 550 US today. The Million Dollar Highway was completed in 1924. Today the entire route is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway.
Highway 550 is part of the original 1926 federal highway system. The original highway is extended 110 miles (177 km) from Montrose, Colorado on US Highway 50 to US Highway 450 (now US Highway 160) in Durango, Colorado. In 1934, Highway 550 was extended through Farmington to Shiprock, New Mexico. In 1989, the western tip of Highway 550 was replaced with US Highway 64 between Farmington and Shiprock. In 1999, Highway 550 was reset in Aztec, New Mexico to replace New Mexico State Highway 44 to Bernalillo, New Mexico, where at that time all Highway 550 in New Mexico was upgraded to four lines.
In 2009, 50 US diverted back to the San Juan Avenue bypass to avoid downtown Montrose. As a result, 550 US is extended about a mile to the Northwest to get in touch with the new 50 US alignment.
Large intersection
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Related routes
- US. Route 50
- US. Route 150
- US. Route 250
- US. Route 350
- US. Route 450
- US. Route 650
See also
- Cascade Lodge
References
External links
- Media associated with the U.S. Route. 550 on Wikimedia Commons
- US 550 Highway Endpoint
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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