State Route 722 (SR 722) is a 58.139-mile-long (93.566 km) state highway in Churchill County and Lander County in the U.S. state of Nevada. The highway is an old routing of U.S. Route 50 (US 50), and previously the Lincoln Highway. What is now route 722 crosses the Desatoya Mountains via Carroll Summit. The US 50 designation was removed from this alignment in favor of the modern route that traverses the Desatoya Mountains via New Pass Summit, which is 1,100 feet (340 m) lower and with an easier approach on both sides than Carroll Summit.[2]
SR 722 deviates from US 50 near the roadhouse at Middlegate. It then crosses 2 summits, Eastgate at 5,110 feet (1,558 m), and Carroll Summit at 7,492 feet (2,284 m). There is a small settlement at Eastgate. On the west approach to Carroll is an old, unmaintained rest area. The highway then traverses a long desert valley named Smith Creek Valley and another summit, Railroad Pass at 6,431 feet (1,960 m), before entering the Reese River valley where the highway reunites with US 50 just west of Austin.[2]
History
As a dirt road, the routing of the Lincoln Highway across Nevada changed several times. The original route of the Pony Express, from which the Nevada portion of the Lincoln Highway was based, crossed the Desatoya range at Basque Summit, at 7,452 feet (2,271 m). The route used an alignment that is now a dirt road called "Old Overland Road".[2] At one time, the Lincoln Highway was routed on a route similar to the modern US 50 between Middlegate and Austin via New Pass.[3]
The highway now numbered 722 was first constructed in 1924–1925 as part of improvements to the Lincoln Highway. The intent was to shorten the route by 15 miles (24 km).[3] While the route over Carroll Summit and Railroad Pass was shorter and more scenic, efforts began to revert to the New Pass Route as early as the 1930s.[3] The route over New Pass Summit was being paved by 1967 and US 50 was re-routed back over New Pass Summit once finished.[4]
^ abcdNevada Road and Recreation Atlas (Map). 1:250000. Benchmark Maps. 2003. pp. 56–57. ISBN0-929591-81-X.
^ abc Patrick, Kevin J.; Wilson, Robert E. "16-Lincoln highway in Nevada" (PDF). The Lincoln Highway Resource Guide. Indiana, Pennsylvania: Indiana University of Pennsylvania. pp. 214, 219.
^Road Atlas (hosted by Broer Map Library) (Map). H.M. Gousha Company. 1967. p. 45. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nevada State Route 722.
January 06, 2023
nevada, state, route, state, route, mile, long, state, highway, churchill, county, lander, county, state, nevada, highway, routing, route, previously, lincoln, highway, what, route, crosses, desatoya, mountains, carroll, summit, designation, removed, from, thi. State Route 722 SR 722 is a 58 139 mile long 93 566 km state highway in Churchill County and Lander County in the U S state of Nevada The highway is an old routing of U S Route 50 US 50 and previously the Lincoln Highway What is now route 722 crosses the Desatoya Mountains via Carroll Summit The US 50 designation was removed from this alignment in favor of the modern route that traverses the Desatoya Mountains via New Pass Summit which is 1 100 feet 340 m lower and with an easier approach on both sides than Carroll Summit 2 State Route 722Carroll Summit RoadSR 722 highlighted in redRoute informationMaintained by Nevada DOTLength58 139 mi 1 93 566 km Existed1976 presentMajor junctionsWest endUS 50 near MiddlegateEast endUS 50 near AustinLocationCountryUnited StatesStateNevadaHighway systemNevada State Highway SystemInterstate US State Pre 1976 Scenic SR 720 SR 723 Contents 1 Route description 2 History 3 Major intersections 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksRoute description Edit First reassurance sign along westbound SR 722 State Route 722 on the approach to Carroll Summit SR 722 deviates from US 50 near the roadhouse at Middlegate It then crosses 2 summits Eastgate at 5 110 feet 1 558 m and Carroll Summit at 7 492 feet 2 284 m There is a small settlement at Eastgate On the west approach to Carroll is an old unmaintained rest area The highway then traverses a long desert valley named Smith Creek Valley and another summit Railroad Pass at 6 431 feet 1 960 m before entering the Reese River valley where the highway reunites with US 50 just west of Austin 2 History EditAs a dirt road the routing of the Lincoln Highway across Nevada changed several times The original route of the Pony Express from which the Nevada portion of the Lincoln Highway was based crossed the Desatoya range at Basque Summit at 7 452 feet 2 271 m The route used an alignment that is now a dirt road called Old Overland Road 2 At one time the Lincoln Highway was routed on a route similar to the modern US 50 between Middlegate and Austin via New Pass 3 The highway now numbered 722 was first constructed in 1924 1925 as part of improvements to the Lincoln Highway The intent was to shorten the route by 15 miles 24 km 3 While the route over Carroll Summit and Railroad Pass was shorter and more scenic efforts began to revert to the New Pass Route as early as the 1930s 3 The route over New Pass Summit was being paved by 1967 and US 50 was re routed back over New Pass Summit once finished 4 Major intersections EditNote Mileposts in Nevada reset at county lines CountyLocationmi 1 2 kmDestinationsNotesChurchillMiddlegate0 0000 000 US 50 Fallon Austin Ione RoadChurchill Landercounty line16 6160 00026 7410 000Carroll SummitLander 12 00019 312Reese River Agricultural District 41 52366 825 US 50 Austin Fallon1 000 mi 1 609 km 1 000 km 0 621 miSee also EditRoute map KML file edit help Template Attached KML Nevada State Route 722KML is not from Wikidata United States portal U S Roads portalReferences Edit a b Nevada Department of Transportation January 2017 State Maintained Highways of Nevada Descriptions and Maps Retrieved 2017 01 17 a b c d Nevada Road and Recreation Atlas Map 1 250000 Benchmark Maps 2003 pp 56 57 ISBN 0 929591 81 X a b c Patrick Kevin J Wilson Robert E 16 Lincoln highway in Nevada PDF The Lincoln Highway Resource Guide Indiana Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania pp 214 219 Road Atlas hosted by Broer Map Library Map H M Gousha Company 1967 p 45 Retrieved 2008 01 27 External links EditNevada State Route 722 at Atlas Obscura Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nevada State Route 722 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nevada State Route 722 amp oldid 1056316094, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
