Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway was an early coast-to-coast highway in the United States. The route crossed the nation from New York City to Los Angeles, and was in direct competition with the Lincoln Highway and the National Old Trails Road. Its route markers were marked PP-OO.
History It started as a boosterism campaign in Colorado Springs, and depended upon cities and towns along the route to participate with monetary contributions and road improvements. It was formalized March 18, 1914, at a meeting in St. Joseph, Missouri, with state and federal highway officials. The highway was completed in 1924.
The route originally was to be from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, but the existence of the good National Old Trails Road in the east made New York City a natural terminus, and competition with the Lincoln Highway and the ease of the southern route to California determined the change to Los Angeles.
Colorado route The route through Colorado took two different paths from Colorado Springs to Grand Junction. The first went through Manitou, Buena Vista, Leadville, and Glenwood Springs and the second went through Canon City, Salida, Montrose, and Delta.
Route East to West: New York: New York City New Jersey: Trenton Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Harrisburg Hollidaysburg Blairsville Washington Ohio: primarily State route 7, State route 151, U.S. Route 22, U.S. Route 250, U.S. Route 36, State route 751, U.S. Route 36, State route 571 Coshocton Bellefontaine Indiana: primarily what became State Road 32 and what became U.S. Route 136 Anderson Illinois: Danville Decatur Springfield Missouri: primarily State Route MM, and what became U.S. Route 36 Hannibal Chillicothe St Joseph Kansas: primarily what became U.S. Route 36 and U.S. Route 24 Marysville Colby Colorado: Limon Colorado Springs First route through Glenwood Springs Second route through Montrose Grand Junction Utah: Price Beaver St. George Shivwits Arizona: primarily what became old U.S. Route 91, now a county road Beaver Dam, Arizona Littlefield, Arizona Nevada: Las Vegas California: Barstow San Bernardino Pasadena Los Angeles
References
External links "Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway" US Dep't of Transportation "Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway map archives" US Dep't of Transportation Rick Martin's "Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway" website