Nevada State Route 278

State Route 278 marker
State Route 278
Eureka–Carlin Road
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length87.572 mi[1] (140.933 km)
Existed1976–present
HistoryPart of SR 20 by 1929, changed to SR 51 by 1965; Became SR 278 in 1976
Major junctions
South end US 50 near Eureka
North end I-80 in Carlin
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNevada
CountiesEureka, Elko
Highway system
  • Nevada State Highway System
← SR 267→ SR 289

State Route 278 (SR 278) is a state highway in Nevada. It runs from U.S. Route 50 (US 50) near Eureka north to Interstate 80 (I-80) in Carlin.

Route description

View north along State Route 278 at the southern end, near Eureka, September 2014

State Route 278 begins at a junction with US 50, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north-northwest of Eureka in southern Eureka County. The highway heads north-northwest from there, passing by the Eureka Airport and going through Diamond Valley. After about 15 miles (24 km), SR 278 curves westward to run between the Whistler and Sulphur Springs Ranges, turning north and cresting Garden Pass to enter Garden Valley.[2][3]

SR 278 continues heading northward, eventually entering Pine Valley. After several miles, the highway shifts slightly more eastward as it approaches the Cortez Mountains and the Pinon Range.[2][4] The route follows a creek northwestward, then curves to follow the path of the Humboldt River and Union Pacific Railroad northeastward. The route enters Elko County and soon after enters the city of Carlin. State Route 278 ends on the western edge of Carlin at West Carlin interchange on I-80 (exit 279).[2][5]

History

SR 278 originated as State Route 20 and was later renumbered State Route 51

A route approximating the alignment of Eureka–Carlin Road appeared on state highway maps as a narrow, unimproved roadway as early as 1927.[6] By 1929, this road had been designated as State Route 20, and was shown to parallel the Eureka and Palisade Railroad connecting Eureka to State Route 1/US 40 (today's I-80) further west of Carlin via Palisade.[7] SR 20 was mostly upgraded to a gravel road by 1946.[8] Except for the portion between Palisade and US 40, the road was completely paved by 1956—a road connecting just south of Palisade directly to Carlin (approximating today's alignment of the northernmost reaches of SR 278) was also paved by this time.[9] The Eureka–Carlin road portion of SR 20 was renumbered as part of State Route 51 by 1965.[10]

The Eureka–Carlin road remained unchanged for several years after being renumbered to SR 51. However, the Nevada Department of Transportation began renumbering its state highways in the mid 1970s. On July 1, 1976, the road was renumbered again, to State Route 278, the designation it carries today.[11] The number change was first seen on official state highway maps in 1978.[12] The route has remain substantially unchanged since then.

Major intersections

Note: Mileposts in Nevada reset at county lines; the start and end mileposts for each county are given in the county column


CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
Eureka
0.000–82.603		​0.0000.000Home Stake Road southDirt road continues beyond southern terminus

 US 50 west (Lincoln Highway) – Austin, Fallon, Carson City

 US 50 east (Lincoln Highway) – Eureka, Ely, Delta (Utah)		Southern terminus
Elko
0.000–4.969		Carlin

 I-80 BL east / SR 221 east (Chestnut Street)
4.9697.997
 I-80 west – Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, Reno

 I-80 east – Elko, Wells, Salt Lake City (Utah)		Northern terminus;
Diamond interchange, I-80 Exit 279
James Creek Road northDirt road continues beyond northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (January 2017). "State Maintained Highways of Nevada: Descriptions and Maps". Retrieved 2017-04-17.
  2. ^ a b c "Overview of SR 278" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  3. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (2015). Quadrangle 5-5 – General Highway Map: Eureka County (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Location Division, Cartography Section. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  4. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (2015). Quadrangle 4-5 – General Highway Map: Eureka County (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Location Division, Cartography Section. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  5. ^ Nevada Department of Transportation (1992). Quadrangle 3-5 (Provisional) – General Highway Map: Eureka and Elko Counties (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Location Division, Cartography Section. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  6. ^ S.C. Durkee (1927). Highway Map of the State of Nevada (Map). Nevada Department of Highways. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  7. ^ S.C. Durkee (1929). Highway Map State of Nevada (Map). Nevada Department of Highways. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  8. ^ Official Road Map of the State of Nevada (Map). Nevada Department of Highways. 1946. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  9. ^ Official Highway Map of Nevada (Map). Nevada Department of Highways. 1956. § C5, D5. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  10. ^ Official Highway Map of Nevada (Map) (1965–1966 ed.). Nevada Department of Highways. 1965. § C5, D5. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  11. ^ Nevada's State Maintained Highways: Descriptions, Index and Maps. Nevada Department of Transportation. January 2001.
  12. ^ Official Highway Map of Nevada (Map) (1978–1979 ed.). Nevada Department of Highways. 1978. § B4, C4. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
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