What Are Mile Markers?

Highways and Interstates
What is interesting about highways or interstates is that usually, there will be some sort of a small green sign that has a number on it which will occur every mile. It is probably the most helpful if you are traveling to the end of that highway, or if you are traveling to a new state. It gets even better than that when you are traveling south or west. 

End of the Road Sign
End of the Road Sign

If you notice the highways, you can see that there are exit numbers and they either count up or count down depending on the direction that you are going. The numbers relate to the mile marker that is at that spot. The reason for that specific number comes from how far you are from the end of the road or the state from the south or west side. If you know the mile marker number at the point where it goes to another state or where it ends, the cool trick can work any direction. 

Do the math!
The cool trick is that you know how far it is from that end point to where you are, thanks to the number on the green sign. The engineers building the road have already done that math for you. It just gives you a better idea of how far you have to go if you are traveling to that endpoint and why the number on the mile marker sign is that specific number.

Are we there yet?
Also, mostly on interstates, you might notice that there are smaller, white signs on the side of the road that appear a lot more frequently. They represent every tenth of a mile. You know this because after ten of those white signs, the next green mile marker sign pops up indicating that you have traveled one mile from the last one of those same signs you saw. Another fun fact, on some interstates, most likely in urban areas, there will be some signs in the middle of the road on a mini barrier that indicate you have travel every fifth of a mile, possibly with the interstate you are on with the direction you are going. After five of them, there will be yet again an indicator that says you have traveled yet another mile along the long highway.

Thank you to those who have read this fun article over mile markers and what they are all about. This was written for anyone who was curious about this topic and took the time to read a little bit about them. Now you probably know a lot more about them than you did before!