There are a number of special routes of U.S. Route 2. These special routes connect U.S. Route 2 to downtown areas, bypass city centers or provide alternate routes around an area.
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Williston, North Dakota
U.S. Route 2 Business in Williston, North Dakota is a route that goes into the downtown area of Williston. This was formerly also signed as U.S. Route 85 Business.
Minot, North Dakota
US 2 BUS in Minot begins at U.S. Routes 2 and 52. US Route 2 is a bypass of the downtown area while US 2 BUS goes through the downtown area. It intersects U.S. Route 83 and a connector leading to US 52 before returning to US 2 east of downtown Minot.
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Business U.S. Route 2 begins at U.S. Route 2 near US 2's intersection with U.S. Route 81 Business. US 2 BUS continues to the southeast, passing through the town square of Grand Forks and intersecting ND 297. US 2 BUS then enters Minnesota before terminating at U.S. Route 2 in East Grand Forks.
Ironwood, Michigan
U.S. Route 2 Business or BUS US 2 is a 1.27 mile (2.04 km) business route running through Ironwood, Michigan to the Wisconsin state line on the Montreal River. The western terminus of Business US 2 is at the Wisconsin state line between Hurley and Ironwood on Silver Street. The eastern terminus is at the intersection with US 2 at the corner of Cloverland Drive and Douglas Street north of downtown.
It was originally a "bi-state" business connection before WisDOT decommissioned BUS US 2 in Hurley westward along STH-77 and northward along US 51 in 2002. Silver Street in Hurley remains an unsigned state highway for the two blocks from the Michigan state line to US 51 as a result.
Montpelier, Vermont
U.S. Route 2 Business is a 0.687-mile (1.106 km) bannered route of U.S. Route 2 located in Montpelier, Vermont. The route is co-extensive with State Street and the lower half of Main Street. The road begins when US 2 turns right to bypass downtown Montpelier. By following Business 2, one will pass by the majority of the State Offices, including the Vermont State House. However, this road is barely signed as being "Business 2," and is even less referred to as such.
Orono-Old Town, Maine
U.S. Route 2A (also known as U.S. Route 2 Alternate) in Orono, Maine and Old Town, Maine is a 5-mile (8 km) alternate route of U.S. Route 2 in the U.S. state of Maine. The southernmost terminus of the route is at US 2 in Orono. The northern terminus is at SR 43 and US 2 in Old Town. US 2A connects US 2 to the University of Maine.
Aroostook County, Maine
The southern terminus of this 44 mile (71 km) segment is at US 2 in Macwahoc Plantation. The northern terminus is at US 2 and US 1 in Houlton.
Unlike US 2, which runs north from Macwahoc Plantation and parallels Interstate 95 from Sherman to Houlton, US 2A veers to the south and east to serve an isolated area of the state. It is also the Haynesville Woods road made famous by country music singer Dick Curless in his song A Tombstone Every Mile.
Truck route
U.S. Route 2 Truck (US 2 Truck) is a 7.0-mile-long (11.3 km) truck route used to divert heavy truck traffic around the town of St. Johnsbury in the U.S. state of Vermont. It begins at the interchange of Interstate 91 (I-91) and US 2 in St. Johnsbury. It travels to the south-southeast, concurrent with I-91, in the southern part of the city. The two routes have an interchange with US 5. Then, they cross over the Passumpsic River and leave the city limits of St. Johnsbury. They reach an interchange with I-93. At this interchange, US 2 Truck ends its concurrency with I-91, and begins one with I-93 to the northeast. I-93/US 2 Truck travel concurrently for one exit, an interchange with Vermont Route 18 (VT 18). At this interchange, US 2 Truck ends its concurrency with I-93, and begins a brief one with VT 18. The two highways have an intersection with US 2 on the northeastern edge of the city limits of St. Johnsbury. At this intersection, both US 2 Truck and VT 18 terminate.
Navigating a semi-trailer truck through downtown St. Johnsbury via US 2 is tricky at best and dangerous at worst, with several sharp turns on narrow, downtown streets with one very steep grade involved on Eastern Avenue. The truck route was designated in an attempt to alleviate the truck traffic in the congested downtown area, which includes the campus of St. Johnsbury Academy, a private secondary school. "St. Johnsbury officials still hope to persuade the state to increase weight limits on Interstates in an effort to keep 18-wheelers away from St. Johnsbury Academy. Selectmen contend heavy trucks passing through the Academy campus present a danger to students, and a nuisance for drivers."
Since the truck route utilizes two Interstate Highways, the maximum weight limit allowed was the same as the Interstates in Vermont, which was 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg). This posed a problem for local trucks loaded with logs and wood chips. Their weight typically exceeds Interstate limits, but is still within the limits for state and U.S. highways. This created a situation where the most dangerous and difficult-to-handle trucks were forced to use the main US 2 route through downtown St. Johnsbury. Signs at the junctions of Truck Route 2 and US 2 warned commercial drivers that the weight limits were limited to those on the Interstate Highway System. Federal legislation authored by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) included Vermont in a pilot program to allow Interstate weight limits to be increased for a period of one year, with evaluation of the program to follow. Vermont's state legislature quickly authored a measure to allow the heavier limits, which was signed into law by the governor on January 13, 2010.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Caledonia County.