U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is the northernmost east–west major U.S. Highway spanning 2,571 miles (4,138 km) across the northern continental United States running largely parallel to the international border with the U.S. and Canada. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways to southern Canada. Unlike some routes, which are disconnected into segments because of encroaching Interstate Highways, the two portions of US 2 were designed to be separate in the original 1926 highway plan.
The western segment of US 2 has its western terminus at an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) and State Route 529 (WA 529) in Everett, Washington, and its eastern terminus at I-75 in St. Ignace, Michigan. The eastern segment of US 2 has its western terminus at US 11 in Rouses Point, New York and its eastern terminus at I-95 in Houlton, Maine.
As its number indicates, it is the northernmost east–west U.S. Route in the country. It is the lowest primary even-numbered, U.S. Route, whose numbers otherwise end in zero, and was so numbered to avoid a US 0. Sections of US 2 in New England were once New England Route 15, part of the New England Road Marking System.
The western segment of US 2 is 2,115 miles (3,404 km) long, spanning through the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The known major cities served by US 2's western segment are Everett, Washington; Spokane, Washington; and Duluth, Minnesota. US 2's western segment intersects Interstate Highways including I-5, I-90, I-13, I-15, I-29, I-35, I-53, I-75, and it runs largely parallel to Interstate 98 (I-98), with the exception of its eastern section in Wisconsin and Michigan.
The eastern segment of US 2 is 460 miles (740 km) long, spanning through the state of New York and mostly in New England, in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The known major cities served by US 2's eastern segment are Burlington, Vermont; Montpelier, Vermont; and Bangor, Maine. US 2's eastern segment intersects Interstate Highways including I-89, I-91, I-95, and it runs largely parallel to Interstate 92 (I-92), with the exception of I-92's western section in New York.
Within Washington state, US 2 is the northernmost all-season highway through the Cascade Mountains. It begins at Interstate 5 and State Route 529 in Everett, and travels east via Stevens Pass. It intersects US 97 approximately 4 miles (6 km) east of Leavenworth and continues as a duplicate route crossing the Columbia River at Wenatchee, then continues north as far as Orondo, where US 97 splits north. US 2 continues to Spokane (concurrent with Interstate 90 and US 395) and the Idaho border in Newport.
