U.S. Route 6 in Iowa
Grand Army of the Republic Highway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by Iowa DOT | ||||
Length | 322.454 mi[1] (518.939 km) | |||
Existed | June 8, 1931[2]–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | I-480 / US 6 at Omaha, NE | |||
East end | I-74 / US 6 at Moline, IL | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Iowa | |||
Counties | ||||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Highway 6 (US 6) is an east–west
At
Dating back to 1910, the route US 6 follows was originally the Great White Way and River-to-River Road. Both were
Route description
US 6 is a cross-state route that connects Council Bluffs and Davenport by way of Des Moines and Iowa City. The route parallels I-80 for most of its length; however, nearly one-third of the route
Western Iowa
US 6 crosses the Missouri River via the Grenville Dodge Memorial Bridge, named after
As I-80 and US 6 approach
Central Iowa
At De Soto, US 6 turns to the north, overlapping US 169 for five miles (8.0 km) to Adel. East of Adel, US 6 is a four-lane
At Newton, US 6 splits away from I-80 at the Iowa 14 interchange. US 6 overlaps Iowa 14 for one-third mile (540 m). It turns off of Iowa 14 and enters the western side of Newton where it passes the Jasper County courthouse located in the downtown area. Between Newton and Grinnell, the route has more hills and curves. The highway crosses the North Skunk River near Kellogg. At Grinnell, it intersects Iowa 146 southwest of the Grinnell College campus. East of Grinnell, the route straightens out and is overlapped by US 63 for two miles (3.2 km) and by Iowa 21 for four miles (6.4 km).[1] Near Victor, US 6 takes a northeasterly course through Ladora toward Marengo. At Marengo, it intersects the eastern end of Iowa 212. Five miles (8.0 km) east of Marengo is the western end of Iowa 20. Here, US 6 forms the southern leg of the Amana Colonies Trail. Three miles (4.8 km) later, it is joined by US 151 for two miles (3.2 km). US 6 heads to the southeast toward Tiffin and passes underneath I-380 but does not have direct access.[4]
Eastern Iowa
At Coralville, US 6 passes underneath I-80, but one-half mile (800 m) to the east, Coral Ridge Avenue provides direct access to I-80. Entering Iowa City, the highway passes the campus of the
As I-80 and US 6 approach the
History
Before the U.S. Numbered Highway System came into being in 1926, roads in Iowa were maintained and promoted by local organizations which sought to drive traffic into their communities. Two such organizations created virtually parallel routes connecting Council Bluffs and Davenport via Des Moines. The routes, the southern Great White Way and northern River-to-River Road, eventually merged into the Whiteway-7-Highway. The new route followed the Great White Way from Council Bluffs to Des Moines and the River-to-River Road from Des Moines to Davenport.[13] In 1926, the Whiteway-7-Highway became US 32, which itself became US 6 in 1931.[2] For a time, US 6 was the busiest highway in the state.[14] After I-80 was built near US 6, portions of the U.S. Highway were moved onto the Interstate Highway. Interest in the original US 6 corridor has grown in the 21st century by people who seek to drive traffic back into their communities.
Great White Way/White Pole Road
Location | Council Bluffs–Davenport |
---|---|
Length | 340 mi[13] (550 km) |
Existed | July 30, 1914–September 21, 1922[13] |
The Great White Way was formed in 1910 by the White Pole
In 2002, a group of residents from Adair, Casey, Menlo, Stuart, and Dexter formed a new group to promote the White Pole Road. Their intention was to bring visitors to their towns by diverting some traffic from the nearby I-80 / US 6 corridor to the south and onto the historic road. Poles were painted white up to nine feet (2.7 m) high line along the 26-mile (42 km) drive. White Pole Road logo signs in each town give a short history of the town and their founders.[18]
River-to-River Road
Location | Council Bluffs–Davenport |
---|---|
Length | 316 mi[13] (509 km) |
Existed | April 16, 1918[13]–November 11, 1926 |
The River-to-River Road (RRR) was also created in 1910 and also connected Council Bluffs and Davenport via Des Moines. This route, however, traveled a more northern route than the Great White Way. The route passed through Neola, Elk Horn, Guthrie Center, Adel, Des Moines, Newton, Marengo, Iowa City, and Wilton.[15] The route's origins trace back to the 1909–1910 winter season which brought, on average, 11 inches (28 cm) of snow more than the previous year, which was followed by an unusually dry spring.[19] Coupled with the advent of the Ford Model T, many Iowans complained about the lack of good roads in the state.[20] Governor Beryl F. Carroll convened a Good Roads convention on March 8–9, 1910, to discuss the condition of roads in his state. It was then that the route of the RRR was decided among the convention delegates. Further influencing the RRR corridor was an announcement from the American Automobile Association that the annual Glidden Tour would pass through Iowa. Governor Carroll arranged for farmers who lived along the route to drag all 380 miles (610 km) of the road on the Saturday prior to the tour's arrival at precisely 9:00 am.[21] Work was finished in one hour.[22]
When the highway commission started accepting registered routes, the RRR association planned to register their route as soon as possible. But miscommunication between association members and with the highway commission delayed the actual registration for years.[23] The route became official on April 16, 1918.[13] When the primary highway system was created, the RRR was assigned Primary Road No. 7.[17]
Whiteway-7-Highway
Whiteway-7-Highway | |
---|---|
Location | Chicago, Illinois–Omaha, Nebraska |
Existed | September 21, 1922[13]–November 11, 1926[2] |
The Whiteway-7-Highway was registered by the Whiteway-7-Highway Association filing an application in 1922 with the Iowa State Highway Commission. The commission was concerned with the Whiteway-7-Highway's similarity to the Great White Way's name and route markings. The Great White Way was marked with a six-foot-wide (1.8 m) stripe, while the Whiteway-7-Highway would be marked with a four-foot (1.2 m) stripe with a black circle containing a white seven. Another concern with the new route was since its name contained the number seven, the route would be assigned along Primary Road Nos. 2 and 7. On September 25, 1922, the highway commission gave the Great White Way from Des Moines to Council Bluffs, which would become part of the Whiteway-7-Highway, the number 7 and gave the RRR's western half number 2.[24] Eight months later, the Iowa State Highway Commission reversed course and restored Primary Road Nos. 2 and 7 to their original roadways. Although disappointed, the Whiteway-7-Highway Association responded by removing the number from their name. On November 27, 1925, the route officially became the Whiteway Highway.[25]
U.S. Numbered Highways
Location | Council Bluffs–Davenport |
---|---|
Length | 322 mi[26] (518 km) |
Existed | November 11, 1926–June 8, 1931[2] |
On November 11, 1926, members of the
When the last segment of highway between Adel and Des Moines was paved in 1931, US 6 became the fourth paved road to cross the state.[28] In the early 1940s, US 6 was the most heavily traveled route in the state. The state highway commission recorded that, on average, over 1,900 vehicles used the road per day at any rural point.[14] That compares to nearly 3,000 vehicles using US 6 daily in 2012.[29]
On April 29, 1947, the
Abandoned sections
Since the 1970s, portions of US 6 have been moved permanently onto I-80. The first section, between US 71 and Adair, was rerouted in 1972. The abandoned section became an extended Iowa 83 and CR G30 in Adair County.[37] In 1980, three lengthy sections were moved onto the Interstate: 26 miles (42 km) in western Iowa between Adair and Dexter,[38] 25 miles (40 km) in central Iowa between Altoona and Newton,[39] and 20 miles (32 km) in eastern Iowa between Wilton and Davenport.[40] All three sections were originally kept as state highways, but, in 1991, when Iowa DOT first showed the new state highways' designations on the state highway map, the central section already had been turned over to Polk and Jasper counties. The western segment was numbered Iowa 925 and the eastern segment Iowa 927.[41]
On July 1, 2003, 15 miles (24 km) between Dexter and Adel were turned over to Dallas County.[42] US 6, which had previously split away from I-80 at the Dexter exit, was continued along I-80 to the US 169 interchange at De Soto, and then along US 169 to Adel. The former segments, Iowa 925 and Iowa 927, were turned over to their respective counties as well.[43][44]
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit[4] | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Missouri River | 0.000 | 0.000 | I-480 west / US 6 west (Gerald R. Ford Expressway) – Omaha | Continuation into Nebraska | ||
Grenville Dodge Memorial Bridge; Nebraska–Iowa state line | ||||||
Pottawattamie | Council Bluffs | 0.138 | 0.222 | 0 | Riverfront / W Broadway | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit number follows I-480 |
0.178– 0.761 | 0.286– 1.225 | 53B | I-480 ends / I-29 north – Sioux City | Eastern end of I-480 overlap; western end of I-29 overlap; exit numbers follow I-29 | ||
1.172 | 1.886 | 53A | 9th Avenue / Harrah's Boulevard – Casino | |||
1.997 | 3.214 | 52 | Nebraska Avenue – Riverboat Casino, Dog Track-Casino | |||
2.269 | 3.652 | 51 | I-80 Express east – Des Moines I-80 Local begins / I-80 west – Omaha | Eastern end of I-80 Local overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
3.707 | 5.966 | 50 | S. 24th Street – Council Bluffs, Mid-America Center | |||
5.188 | 8.349 | 49 | South Expressway – Council Bluffs, Business District, Lake Manawa | Former Iowa 192 north | ||
5.368– 6.202 | 8.639– 9.981 | 48 4 | I-29 south / I-80 Local ends – Kansas City I-80 Express west – Omaha | Eastern end of I-29 and I-80 Local overlaps; western end of I-80 overlap; signed as exit 4 eastbound; I-29 north exits 48A-B | ||
7.013 | 11.286 | 5 | Madison Avenue – Council Bluffs | |||
10.424 | 16.776 | 8 | I-80 east – Des Moines, Council Bluffs | Eastern end of I-80 overlap | ||
Belknap Township | 30.366 | 48.869 | US 59 south – Shenandoah | Western end of US 59 overlap | ||
Oakland | 32.772 | 52.741 | US 59 north – Avoca | Eastern end of US 59 overlap | ||
Cass | Cass Township | 45.621 | 73.420 | Iowa 48 south – Griswold | ||
48.421 | 77.926 | CR G43 / CR M56 – Lewis | Former Iowa 414 | |||
Atlantic | 55.97 | 90.07 | Iowa 83 west (Poplar Street) | Western end of Iowa 83 overlap | ||
57.545 | 92.610 | US 71 south – Villisca | Western end of US 71 overlap | |||
Grove Township | 59.545 | 95.828 | Iowa 83 east – Anita | Eastern end of Iowa 83 overlap | ||
US 71 north – Audubon, Council Bluffs | Eastern end of US 71 overlap; western end of I-80 overlap; exit numbers follow I-80 | |||||
Benton Township | 69.920 | 112.525 | 64 | CR N28 – Wiota | ||
Grant Township | 75.652 | 121.750 | 70 | Iowa 148 south – Anita, Exira | ||
Adair | Adair | 80.662 | 129.813 | 75 | CR G30 | Former US 6 |
81.654 | 131.409 | 76 | CR N54 – Adair | Former Iowa 925 | ||
Casey | 88.087 | 141.762 | 83 | CR N77 (Antique Country Drive) – Casey | ||
Jefferson Township | 91.585 | 147.392 | 86 | Iowa 25 – Guthrie Center, Greenfield | ||
93.573 | 150.591 | 88 | CR P20 – Menlo | |||
Stuart | 98.578 | 158.646 | 93 | CR P28 – Stuart, Panora | ||
Adair–Madison county line | Lincoln–Penn township line | 102.568 | 165.067 | 97 | CR P48 – Dexter | |
Former US 6 | ||||||
Iowa 232 | ||||||
111.747 | 179.839 | 106 | CR P58 / CR F90 | Former Iowa 90 | ||
Eastern end of I-80 overlap; western end of US 169 overlap | ||||||
US 169 north – Fort Dodge | Eastern end of US 169 overlap | |||||
Polk | Clive–Urbandale city line | 133.170 | 214.316 | I-35 / I-80 | I-80 exit 125 | |
Des Moines | 136.957 | 220.411 | Iowa 28 south (63rd Street) | Western end of Iowa 28 overlap | ||
137.268 | 220.911 | Hickman Road east | Former City US 6 | |||
138.273 | 222.529 | Iowa 28 north (Merle Hay Road) | Eastern end of Iowa 28 overlap | |||
142.355 | 229.098 | Iowa 415 north (2nd Avenue) | ||||
143.337 | 230.679 | US 69 (E. 14th Street) | ||||
144.649 | 232.790 | I-235 | I-235 exit 12 | |||
146.067 | 235.072 | Hubbell Avenue south | Former City US 6 | |||
148.009 | 238.197 | E. Broadway Avenue (Historic US 6 east) | ||||
US 65 – Indianola | Interchange | |||||
Western end of I-80 overlap | ||||||
Iowa 945 | ||||||
Mitchellville | 156.444 | 251.772 | 149 | Mitchellville | ||
Jasper | Colfax | 162.799 | 262.000 | 155 | Iowa 117 – Mingo, Colfax | |
Sherman Township | 166.465 | 267.899 | 159 | Historic US 6 / CR F48 – Baxter | ||
Newton | 171.902 | 276.649 | 165 | I-80 east / Iowa 14 south – Monroe, Davenport | Eastern end of I-80 overlap; western end of Iowa 14 overlap | |
173.318 | 278.928 | Iowa 14 north / Historic US 6 west – Marshalltown | Eastern end of Iowa 14 overlap | |||
Kellogg Township | 182.342 | 293.451 | Iowa 224 to I-80 – Kellogg | |||
Poweshiek | Grinnell | 192.649 | 310.039 | Iowa 146 (West Street) | ||
Malcom Township | 199.722 | 321.421 | US 63 north / Historic US 6 east – Tama | Western end of US 63 overlap | ||
201.762 | 324.704 | US 63 south – Malcom, Montezuma | Eastern end of US 63 overlap | |||
Iowa 398 | ||||||
Warren Township | 211.773 | 340.816 | Iowa 21 south – Deep River | Western end of Iowa 21 overlap | ||
Iowa 419 | ||||||
Iowa | Hartford Township | 216.006 | 347.628 | Iowa 21 north – Belle Plaine | Eastern end of Iowa 21 overlap | |
217.917 | 350.703 | Historic US 6 west | ||||
Marengo | 227.117 | 365.509 | Iowa 212 west – Marengo | |||
Washington Township | 230.792 | 371.424 | CR V77 to I-80 – Williamsburg | Former Iowa 149 | ||
Amana Colonies | 232.877 | 374.779 | Iowa 220 east (Amana Colonies Trail) | |||
235.928 | 379.689 | US 151 south to I-80 | Western end of US 151 overlap | |||
237.869 | 382.813 | US 151 north (Amana Colonies Trail) – Cedar Rapids | Eastern end of US 151 overlap | |||
Iowa 109 | ||||||
Coralville | 252.924 | 407.042 | Coral Ridge Avenue (Iowa 965) to I-80 | |||
Iowa City | 257.225 | 413.964 | Iowa 1 north (W. Burlington Street) | Western end of Iowa 1 overlap | ||
257.971 | 415.164 | Iowa 1 south – Kalona | Eastern end of Iowa 1 overlap | |||
Muscatine | West Liberty | 274.736 | 442.145 | Iowa 70 south | ||
Moscow–Wilton township line | 286.319 | 460.786 | Iowa 38 south | Western end of Iowa 38 overlap | ||
Cedar | Wilton | 287.956 | 463.420 | Historic US 6 east | ||
Sugar Creek Township | 291.054 | 468.406 | 271 | I-80 west / Iowa 38 north – Des Moines | Eastern end of Iowa 38 overlap; western end of I-80 overlap | |
Farmington Township | 297.276 | 478.419 | 277 | Bennett, Durant | Exit numbers follow I-80 | |
Scott | Cleona Township | 300.458 | 483.540 | 280 | CR Y30 – New Liberty, Stockton | |
Plain View | ||||||
Davenport | 309.861– 310.614 | 498.673– 499.885 | 290 | I-80 east / US 61 north – Chicago I-280 begins | Eastern end of I-80 overlap; western end of I-280 / US 61 overlap | |
311.122 | 500.702 | 1 | CR F58 west – Walcott | Eastern end of I-280 / US 61 overlap; exit number follows I-280 | ||
314.084 | 505.469 | Hickory Grove Road | Former Iowa 350 | |||
317.032 | 510.214 | Northwest Boulevard | Former Iowa 130 | |||
317.410 | 510.822 | US 61 Bus. south (Welcome Way) | One-way street | |||
317.554 | 511.054 | US 61 Bus. north (Brady Street) | One-way street | |||
319.763 | 514.609 | Kimberly Road south | Former US 6 | |||
Davenport–Bettendorf city line | 319.962 | 514.929 | 2 | I-74 west / Spruce Hills Drive | Western end of I-74 overlap; exit numbers follow I-74 | |
Bettendorf | 320.957 | 516.530 | 3 | Middle Road | ||
321.998 | 518.206 | 4 | US 67 (Grant Street, State Street) / Kimberly Road | |||
Mississippi River | 322.454 | 518.939 | I-74 Bridge; Iowa–Illinois state line | |||
I-74 east / US 6 east – Peoria | Continuation into Illinois | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
References
- ^ ESRI shapefile). Ames: Iowa Department of Transportation. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Weingroff, Richard F. "U.S. 6 – The Grand Army of the Republic Highway". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ Staff (February 8, 2010). "What Are the Legal Speed Limits?" (PDF). Iowa Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 2013. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (June 1932). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. § L7–M9. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- ^ a b Iowa State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 1980. § D3. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 1981. § D3. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- American Forces Press Service. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Map (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 2003. § E3. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ Quad Cities Interstate Speed Limits (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. July 1, 2005. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
- ^ "Application for Recognition of a Business Route on U.S. Route 61" (PDF). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. April 12, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ "US Route Numbering Report to the Standing Committee on Highways" (PDF). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. May 20, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Iowa Department of Transportation. "Iowa Registered Routes". Retrieved September 26, 2010.
- ^ a b Staff (May 5, 1941). "Highway No. 6 found to be Iowa's most-traveled road". Des Moines Tribune.
- ^ a b Iowa Registered Highway Routes 1914–1925 (PDF) (Map). Iowa Department of Transportation. 1986. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Rand McNally & Company (1926). Junior Road Map: Western Iowa (Map). Chicago: Rand McNally & Company. Retrieved September 26, 2010 – via Broer Map Library.
- ^ Perry, Tom (September 8, 2007). "White Pole Road exudes Americana". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ^ Iowa Department of Agriculture (1911). 1910 Iowa Year Book of Agriculture. Vol. 11. Des Moines, Iowa: Emory H. English. pp. 6–12. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
- ^ Adolphus, David (January 2011). "Iowa's River to River Road". Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
- ^ The Class Journal Company (July 7, 1910). "Built 380 Miles of Road in One Hour". The Automobile. The Class Journal Company. p. 37. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
- ^ Bruce, Robert (October 1910). Touring in Central West. American Automobile Association. pp. 426–427. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
{{cite book}}
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ignored (help) - ^ Iowa Department of Transportation. "History of the River To River Road". Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ a b Miller, Bryce (August 4, 2002). "Iowa's Forgotten Highway". The Des Moines Register. p. 4F.
- ^ Iowa Department of Transportation. "Whiteway-7". Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ "Iowa Primary Roads Soon to Be Renumbered and Remarked to Conform to U.S. System of Interstate Highways". Service Bulletin. Iowa State Highway Commission: 3. October–December 1925.
- ^ Staff (January 3, 1937). "Extension for Highway No. 6". The Des Moines Register.
- ^ Clifton, C.C. (November 15, 1931). "Four Paved Roads Now Cross Iowa". The Des Moines Register.
- ^ 2011 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa (PDF) (Report). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- ^ "G.A.R. Highway". Acts and resolutions passed at the 52nd session of the General Assembly of the state of Iowa. Iowa General Assembly. 1947. pp. 187–188. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Staff (September 29, 1947). "Make No. 6 Highway of the G.A.R.". The Des Moines Register.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1957). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1959). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1962). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1966). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1967). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ^ Iowa State Highway Commission (1973). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa State Highway Commission. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- ^ Google (September 29, 2010). "Overview of Iowa 925" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- ^ Google (September 29, 2010). "Overview of Iowa 926" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- ^ Google (September 29, 2010). "Overview of Iowa 927" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- ^ Iowa Department of Transportation (1991). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ Petroski, William (July 1, 2003). "Road Transfer Draws Worry". The Des Moines Register. p. B1.
- ^ Iowa Department of Transportation (2003). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
- ^ Iowa Department of Transportation (2004). State of Iowa Transportation Map (PDF) (Map). Ames: Iowa Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
External links
- Historic U.S. 6 Iowa Association
- Iowa division of the U.S. Route 6 Tour Association
- The White Pole Road
- River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6