U.S. Route 201 (US 201) is part of the nationwide system of United States Numbered Highways. It runs for entirely within the state of Maine and is a spur route of U.S. Route 1. Its southern terminus is in Brunswick at US 1 and Maine State Route 24 Business. Its northern terminus is at the Canada–US border near Jackman (a terminus it shares with Maine State Route 6), where it connects to Quebec Route 173.
Between Solon and its northern terminus, US 201 is known as the Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway.
Route description
thumb|left|250px|U.S. Route 201 in [[Jackman, Maine.]]
thumbnail|right|U.S. Route 201 near [[Bingham, Maine]]
US 201 begins in Brunswick along SR 24 Business (former SR 24) at an interchange with US 1. It follows the Kennebec River from Gardiner, to The Forks, where it winds away from the river and runs up into the north woods mountains. The highway crosses the Appalachian Trail at Caratunk.
North of The Forks, US 201 climbs in elevation over Johnson Mountain and around Coburn Mountain, near Upper Enchanted and Parlin Pond Townships. Before reaching Jackman, the road peaks at the Attean Pond Lookout, a popular rest area, before descending into town. US 201 intersects the northern end of SR 15 in Jackman and is cosigned with SR 6 for the remaining north to the Canadian border. The road continues through parts of Moose River and Dennistown before reaching the Armstrong–Jackman Border Crossing at Sandy Bay Township. US 201 and SR 6 ends as the highway crosses into Quebec, Canada and becomes Route 173.
A former alignment designated US 201A runs through the towns of Madison and Norridgewock. On June 15, 2000, the route was designated a National Scenic Byway.
US 201 used to be New England Interstate Route 20 (NEI 20) in the 1920s. The original 1922 plan had NEI 20 starting in Portland. The southern half was later shifted east to start in Brunswick (the realignment may have been done prior to actual signing of the route.) The southern end of the original NEI 20 is now SR 100 from Portland to Augusta. The Brunswick end of the original NEI 20 intersected with NEI 1 (which is now US 1), which remained the southern terminus of US 201 until the construction of the US 1 freeway, at which point its terminus was moved to its current location on SR 24.
Since its designation in 1926, US 201 has only undergone one major realignment. The original highway used to run through Norridgewock, Anson, and Madison on its way to Solon. In 1954, US 201 was moved to a new eastern alignment which completely bypasses this area and the existing alignment was redesignated US 201A. US 201 has also undergone various other minor route adjustments, but largely maintains its original 1926 routing.