State Route 153 (SR 153, named the Methow Valley Highway) is a 30.78-mile (49.54 km) long state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, serving as part of the Cascade Loop in Okanogan County. The Methow Valley Highway begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 97 (US 97) in Pateros at the confluence of the Methow River and the Columbia River. SR 153 travels northwest, parallel to the Methow River, to end at SR 20 south of Twisp. The highway was first established in 1897 as the Methow-Barron Road and was designated as various highways, including State Road 12 from 1905 to 1919, the Roosevelt Highway from 1919 to 1923, and Primary State Highway 16 (PSH 16) until the 1964 highway renumbering, when it became SR 153.
 State Route 153 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methow Valley Highway | ||||
 SR 153 is highlighted in red. | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of US 97 | ||||
| Maintained by WSDOT | ||||
| Length | 30.78 mi[1] (49.54 km) | |||
| Existed | 1964[2]–present | |||
| Tourist routes |  Cascade Loop Scenic Byway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 97 in Pateros | |||
| North end |  SR 20 near Twisp | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Washington | |||
| Counties | Okanogan | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
edit
SR 153, part of the Cascade Loop,[3] begins at an intersection with US 97 south of the confluence of the Methow River into the Columbia River in Pateros. The highway dips south before leaving Pateros into farmland and serving Alta Lake State Park to the south near the Chelan National Forest. SR 153 crosses the Methow River twice heading west towards the Sawtooth Ridge and turns north to the communities of Methow and Carlton. The highway continues northwest, ending at an intersection with SR 20 southeast of Twisp and Twisp Municipal Airport.[4]
Every year the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume. This is expressed in terms of annual average daily traffic (AADT), which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year. In 2011, WSDOT calculated that between 1,400 and 2,500 vehicles per day used the highway, mostly at the northern terminus near Twisp.[5]
History
editSR 153 follows the route of the unpaved Methow-Barron Road, which was established in 1897 and later became State Road 12 in 1905.[6][7][8] State Route 12 was named as part of the Roosevelt Highway in 1919 and became the secondary Methow Valley Highway in 1923.[9][10] The Methow Valley Highway was later made into a primary state highway in 1925 and became Primary State Highway 16 (PSH 16) during the creation of the Primary and secondary state highways in 1937.[11][12] PSH 16 was extended westward and became the North Cross State Highway in 1961,[13] before the establishment of SR 153 during the 1964 highway renumbering.[2][14]
Major intersections
editThe entire highway is in Okanogan County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pateros | 0.00 | 0.00 | US 97 – Okanogan, Chelan, Wenatchee | Southern terminus | |
| | 30.78 | 49.54 | SR 20 – Twisp, Burlington, Okanogan | Northern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b Strategic Planning Division (March 5, 2012). State Highway Log Planning Report 2011, SR 2 to SR 971 (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. pp. 1080–1082. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ a b "47.17.295: State route No. 153". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. 1970. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ Washington State Highways 2006-2007: Scenic Byways (PDF) (Map). 1:842,000. Washington State Department of Transportation. 2006. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ "State Route 153" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ Staff (2011). "2011 Annual Traffic Report" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. pp. 144–145. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (March 11, 1897). "Chapter CXV: Providing For a State Road". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1897 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 338–341. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
An Act to provide for the establishment and maintenance of a state road along the bank of the Columbia river from the town of Wenatchee, in Kittitas county, thence northerly on the west bank of said Columbia river via the bridge of said Wenatchee river (the same formerly being a ferry) to the mouth of the Methow river; thence along the west bank of the Methow river to the mouth of the Twisp river, in the county of Okanogan.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (March 13, 1905). "Chapter 151". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1905 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 311–312. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
State Road No. 12, or the Methow-Barron road: This road shall begin in the county road on the south side of and near the mouth of the Methow river, and shall follow as nearly as practicable the present surveyed line for such road, to a point opposite the town of Twisp; thence by the most practicable route to the town of Winthrop; thence up the south fork of the Methow river valley and over the summit of the Cascade Mountains, by the most practicable route, to Barron, in Whatcom county, Washington.
- ^ Washington: Methow Quadrangle (JPG) (Map). 1:125,000. United States Geological Survey. March 1901. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (March 4, 1919). "Chapter 79: Roosevelt Highway". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1919 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 156. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
Section 1. That state road No. 11, as established combination by section 17 of chapter 164 of the Laws of 1915, roads nos. from Marble Mount in Skagit county to Barron in 11 and 12. i Whatcom county, and state road No. 12, as established by section 18 of chapter 164 of the Laws of 1915, from Barron by way of Mazama, Winthrop, Twisp, Carlton and Methow, to a connection with state road No. 10 at Pateros in Okanogan county, shall constitute, and hereby is established as, a secondary state highway to be known as "Roosevelt Highway."
- ^ Washington State Legislature (March 19, 1923). "Chapter 185: Primary and Secondary State Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1923 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 631. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
SEC. 15. A secondary state highway, to be known as the Methow Valley Highway, is established as follows: Beginning at Pateros in Okanogan County; thence by way of Methow, Carlton, Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama to Barron in Whatcom County.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (February 18, 1925). "Chapter 26". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1925 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 57. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
SEC. 2. That section 15, Chapter 185 of the Laws of 1923 be and the same is hereby amended to read as follows: Section 15. A primary state highway, to be known as the Methow Valley Highway, is established as follows: Beginning at Pateros in Okanogan County; thence by way of Methow, Carlton, Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama to Barron in Whatcom County.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (March 17, 1937). "Chapter 190: Establishment of Primary State Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1937 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 941. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
SEC. 16. A primary state highway to be known as Primary State Highway No. 16, or the Methow Valley Highway, is hereby established according to description as follows: Beginning in the vicinity of Pateros on Primary State Highway No. 10, thence in a northerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Twisp to Barron.
- ^ Washington State Legislature (July 1, 1961). "Chapter 13: Public Highways". Session Laws of the State of Washington (1961 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. p. 520. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
47.16.160 No. 16 Methow Valley highway. (Effective July 1, 1961.) A primary state highway to be known as primary state highway No. 16, or the Methow Valley highway, is hereby established according to description as follows: Beginning in the vicinity of Pateros on primary state highway No. 10, thence in a northerly direction by the most feasible route by way of Twisp to Mazama; also beginning at a point in the vicinity south of Twisp on primary state highway No. 16, thence in an easterly direction by the most feasible route to a junction with primary state highway No. 10 in the vicinity south of Okanogan; also, beginning at a wye connection with primary state highway No. 16, southwest of Okanogan, thence southwesterly to a junction with primary state highway No. 10 in the vicinity of Malott: Provided, That until such times as primary state highway No. 16 from southwest of Okanogan to the vicinity of Malott is actually constructed on the location adopted by the highway commission, no existing county roads shall be maintained or improved by the highway commission as a temporary route of said primary state highway No. 16.
- ^ Prahl, C. G. (December 1, 1965). "Identification of State Highways" (PDF). Washington State Highway Commission, Department of Highways. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
