The Road North

When  I drove north out of Lewiston, I did not take the main highway, U.S. Highway 95, which is a four lane, divided highway. Instead, I took the original routing of highway 95, which is now known as "Old Spiral Highway." The name says it all. This highway is only eight miles long and it has 64 curves on it! It climbs about 2,100 feet in only eight miles! This was the original routing of highway 95, but now it is a county-maintained road. It is is phenomenal condition, however. In fact, it is actually smoother than a good portion of the current, four lane highway. When the two roads meet eight tortuous miles north of Lewiston, the old highway is actually smoother and in better condition, at least it was in 2006 when I was there. This original alignment of U.S. Highway 95 opened to traffic in 1917.
  The Old Spiral Highway is popular with road enthusiasts. It sees alot of motorcycle traffic and alot of bicycles. The day I drove the Old Spiral Highway, I went uphill, leaving Lewiston. When I inquired about the road in Lewiston, I was told that it is better to go uphill because when people go downhill, there is a tendency to have smoking brakes or even brakes that give out, when they arrive in Lewiston. Old Spiral Highway is a narrow road with very little in the way of shoulders. The so called shoulders are only a few inches wide on each side of the road. Driving the Old Spiral Highway affords spectacular views of the Lewiston/Clarkston/Asotin area.
  The old highway junctions with the new highway less than one mile from the Washington border. After turning left onto highway 95, I almost immediately came upon a rather confusing interchange with U.S. Highway 195. Highway 95's grassy median strip widens here and the off ramp to highway 195 runs through the median. U.S. Highway 195 is only in Idaho for about 100 yards, so IDOT's responsibility for the highway is negligible. After highway 95 turns to the north at this interchange, it is about one mile to a smaller intersection. The highway that veers off to the left here enters Washington after about 1/4 mile. It is a very short federal highway called U.S. Highway 195 Spur. It runs for 0.6, or 6/10, of a mile and junctions with highway 195 in Washington. From there it is another 0.6 mile back to the Idaho border. This is also an original routing of U.S. Highway 95. Previously, highway 95 was only in Washington for 1.2 miles, but when it was built rebuilt as a four lane, divided highway, it was rerouted a short distance to the east, completely bypassing the state of Washington. Previously, U.S. Highway 95 angled to the southwest and entered Washington. Then, a short distance into Washington, it curved to the east and re-entered Idaho along the path that is now U.S. Highway 195. I drove this little loop that is in two states.
  From the junction of highways 95 and 195, it is only 20 miles to Moscow. No, not the city in Russia, but the town in Idaho. In my next few installments of this blog, I will talk about Moscow, Idaho. It is another town that I really like.