U.S. Route 33 (US 33) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs northwest–southeast for 709 miles (1,141 km) from northern Indiana to Richmond, Virginia, passing through Ohio and West Virginia en route. Although most odd-numbered U.S. routes are north–south, US 33 is labeled east–west throughout its route, except in Indiana where it is labeled north–south. It roughly follows a historic trail used by Native Americans from Chesapeake Bay to Lake Michigan.
Part of US 33 was created in conjunction with the Blue and Gray Trail in 1938 in order to promote a direct and scenic route between the Great Lakes and Virginia's historic Tidewater region.[1]
From its terminus at US 20 on the southeast side of Elkhart, US 33 is a winding road that cuts diagonally from northwest to southeast through Northeast Indiana and serves as Main Street or a portion of Main Street in several cities and towns, including Elkhart, Dunlap, and Churubusco. The road is the main overland link between the Fort Wayne and South Bend metropolitan statistical areas.
On the west side of Fort Wayne, US 33 joins US 30 near Interstate 69 (I-69), then follows the Interstate south, intersecting with State Road 14 (SR 14) and US 24 before turning east to follow the I-469 bypass around the southwest side of Fort Wayne. At the intersection with SR 1 south of the Fort Wayne International Airport, I-469/US 33 turns to the northeast until it intersects US 27 at the Fort Wayne suburb of Hessen Cassel, where US 33 splits off to the southeast to follow US 27 as a combined highway toward Decatur.
At Decatur, US 33/US 27 becomes a north–south road before it intersects with US 224 and continues as such until US 33 splits from US 27 south of Decatur and heads east toward the Ohio state line, intersecting SR 101 at Pleasant Mills along the way.
In Ohio, the highway runs at a generally southeast–northwest angle from the west-central to the southeastern part of the state, passing through mostly rural territory except for a significant portion running through downtown Columbus. Most of the route in the state, particularly east of Columbus, is expressway. The highway crosses over the Ravenswood Bridge into West Virginia.
Shortly after entering West Virginia and crossing the Ohio River, US 33 turns south, joining I-77 to Ripley. The route then turns east from I-77, joining US 119 at Spencer, then passing through extremely rural areas of Roane, Calhoun, Gilmer, and Lewis counties.
US 33 then joins WV 28 at Seneca Rocks and continues south in the Potomac River headwaters through scenic forest and farmland landscapes. Turning eastward from WV 28 at Judy Gap, US 33 crosses North Fork Mountain at about 3,600 feet (1,100 m), with a turnout on the western slope offering a scenic view of the Germany Valley below and the more distant Allegheny Front from Spruce Knob to Dolly Sods. US 220 joins US 33 for about half a mile in Franklin. After Franklin, US 33 continues eastward through rural areas, then climbs steeply to cross Shenandoah Mountain at Dry River Gap at about 3,450 feet (1,050 m) into Rockingham County, Virginia.
Virginia
View east along US 33 just after entering Virginia from West Virginia in Rockingham County
The US 33 designation was established January 1, 1938;[1] it and the Blue and Gray Trail were dedicated on May 2 of that year in multiple ceremonies.[2][3] At the time, US 33 extended into the state of Michigan near Niles up to a terminus in St. Joseph, following US 31.
I-69 / US 30 in Fort Wayne. US 30/US 33 travels concurrently through the city.
I-69 east of Roanoke. The highways travel concurrently to Fort Wayne.
I-469 / US 24 / US 27 south-southeast of Fort Wayne. I-469/US 33 travels concurrently to east of Roanoke. US 24/US 33 travels concurrently around the southwestern side of Fort Wayne.
US 224 in Decatur. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
^Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 9, 1986). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved April 9, 2015 – via Wikisource.
^District 10. "US 33 Nelsonville Bypass". Ohio Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2013.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Rand McNally (2014). The Road Atlas (Walmart ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 36, 78, 80–81, 106–107, 112. ISBN978-0-528-00771-2.
US 20 at Elkhart, IN
US 250 / SR 33 at Richmond, VA
_near_Nilhor_Lane_in_Brandywine,_Pendleton_County,_West_Virginia.jpg)
_descending_the_east_side_of_Shenandoah_Mountain_in_northwestern_Rockingham_County,_Virginia.jpg)
