Interstate 70 in Missouri

Interstate 70 Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Maintained by Missouri DOT
Length:	251.66 mi[1] (405.01 km)
Formed:	1956
West end:	I-70 / US-24 / US-40 / US-169 at Kansas state line
Major junctions:	I-29 / I-35 / US 71 in Kansas City I-670 in Kansas City I-435 in Kansas City I-470 in Independence I-270 in Champ I-170 in Berkeley I-55 / I-64 / US 40 in St. Louis
East end:	I-55 / I-64 / I-70 / US 40 at Illinois state line
Missouri Highways < US 69 US 71 > Supplemental

In the U.S. state of Missouri, Interstate 70 is generally parallel to the Missouri River.^[2] This section of the transcontinental Interstate has its western terminus at the Kansas state line on the Lewis and Clark Viaduct, concurrent with U.S. Routes 24, 40, and 169,^[3] where the east end is concurrent with Interstates 64 and 55, as well as US 40.^[4]

Route description

Kansas City

While passing through Kansas City, I-70 is known as the "George Brett Super Highway," named after the former third baseman of the Kansas City Royals who is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Truman Sports Complex, which houses the Royals' and Chiefs' stadiums, is located along I-70 at Interstate 435.

Beginning on the Lewis and Clark Viaduct, I-70 immediately encounters the Alphabet Loop, a small but complex loop of freeways with all of its exits having a number of 2 and a letter suffix that uses the entire alphabet (except I, O, and Z).^[5][1] Interstate 35 becomes concurrent with I-70 as soon as the highway gets into the Loop, and maintain the concurrency until the southeastern corner of the Loop.^[6] Back at the northeastern corner, US 169 splits off to the north, leaving four routes concurrent with each other. There is a large interchange with Route 9 as the Loop reaches the northeastern corner.^[7] When it does reach the corner, US 24 splits to the east, I-29 ends, and US 71 joins.^[8]

After that, the freeway turns south, with interchanges to more roads. At the southeastern end, I-70, US 40, and 71 exit the Loop, where I-70 and US 40 splits east and US 71 continues south. I-670 ends, where I-70 and US 40 usurp the alignment.^[9] Soon after usurpation, I-70 and US 40 turn southeast, and at exit 7A, US 40 departs from I-70.^[10] Soon after that, I-70 interchanges with Interstate 435, the beltway around Kansas City.^[11]

Independence to Wentzville

I-70 in Saline County

East of Interstate 435, I-70 continues east through Independence, Missouri, passing a busy cloverleaf interchange at Interstate 470.^[12] The highway then continues with six lanes to the rapidly growing suburb of Blue Springs, where the roadway narrows to four lanes (two each direction) at Route 7.^[13] I-70 remains at this width until its intersection with U.S. Route 40 in Wentzville, over 170 miles (270 km) away.

East of Blue Springs, I-70 takes on a rural character as it leaves Jackson County. The highway remains this way for the next 100 miles (160 km), going through gently rolling terrain and finally crossing the Missouri River just west of where it reaches the mid size college town of Columbia in the center of the state.^[14] Through Columbia, the highway is lined with restaurants and hotels and can get quite congested during sporting events at the nearby University of Missouri. The highway leaves Columbia after an exit with St. Charles Road on the east end of town.^[15] East of Columbia, I-70 continues through more gently rolling terrain until it reaches Wentzville. It then expands to three lanes each direction to St. Louis.

St. Louis

I-70 west of St. Louis; shown here is rush-hour traffic congestion. As of August 2007 eastbound through this section (on the right side in this picture) is being widened to 4 lanes.

This section requires expansion.

East of Wentzville, Missouri I-70 passes through the bedroom community of Lake St. Louis, then growing cities of O'Fallon, St. Peters and then historic city of St. Charles.

It crosses over the Missouri River one last time on the Blanchette Bridge; actually two bridges, the westbound span built in the late 1950s and the eastbound span completed in the late 1970s.

Traffic volume increases as I-70 enters St. Louis County requiring more lanes. There are as many as 13 lanes at one point. The section I-70 from Fifth Street in St. Charles to Interstate 270 is among the busiest section of highway in the state, with AADT counts approaching 165,000 in 2005.[2]

I-270 drains much of the traffic so I-70 continues east through Bridgeton with only six lanes. It passes on the southern edge of Lambert St. Louis International Airport and through several bedroom communities, including Edmunson, Berkeley, Ferguson and Jennings crossing Interstate 170 in the process.

Finally entering the city of St. Louis, motorists encounter what are signed as the Express Lanes, known by MoDOT as the "reversible lanes"^[16]. Two lanes down the middle of the freeway are separated from the eastbound and westbound lanes by Jersey barriers. Due to changing traffic patterns due to the Interstate 64 reconstruction, the lanes run eastbound all day. MoDOT regularly monitors traffic patterns of this stretch of I-70 and will adjust the express lane traffic patterns accordingly^[16]. These lanes have no entrance or exit ramps, except at the ends. They extend approximately 8 miles (13 km) from near Union Blvd to just north of downtown.

As I-70 enters downtown St. Louis it passes the Edward Jones Dome and the Gateway Arch. Finally it merges with Interstate 64, Interstate 55, and US 40 and crosses the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River to Illinois. Missouri and Illinois have agreed to build a new bridge across the Mississippi River north of the Edward Jones Dome.^[17]

I-70 has been criticized for cutting off Downtown St. Louis from the Mississippi River waterfront particularly at the Gateway Arch. St. Louis is considering a $90 million project to cover the highway by the Arch.^[18]

This is not the first controversy involving I-70 and the Arch. In 1959, builders of the Poplar Bridge asked for the National Park Service to give 25 acres (100,000 m²) of the park for the bridge. The request generated enormous controversy and ultimately 2.5 acres (10,000 m²) was turned over for use for the bridge.^[19]

Future

Reconstruction of I-70

Interstate 70 across central Missouri is one of the oldest stretches of Interstate Highway in the system, as some sections date back as far as the late 1950s.^[20] As a result, the exits often have short, substandard acceleration and deceleration ramps, and the median is relatively narrow, with certain spots of both directions of traffic being separated by no more than a Jersey barrier. Also, a number of overpasses have low clearance, especially railway overpasses. Long-term plans have been identified to expand the highway to between six and eight lanes across the middle of the state.^[21]

Exit list

This section contains a table that is missing mileposts for one or more junctions. Please help by adding the missing mileposts.

County	Location	Mile	#	Destinations	Notes
Jackson	Kansas City		2A	I-35 south  – Wichita	West end of I-35 overlap
			2B	Beardsley Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			2C	US 169 north (Broadway Boulevard) – Downtown Kansas City	East end of US 169 overlap
			2D	Main Street, Delaware Street, Wyandotte Street	Eastbound exit closed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
			2E	Route 9 north (Oak Street)	Westbound exit is via exit 2H
			2F	Oak Street, Grand Avenue, Walnut Street	Westbound exit only; eastbound exit via exit 2E
			2G	I-29 north / I-35 north / US 71 north – St. Joseph, Des Moines	East end of I-35 overlap; west end of US 71 overlap
			2H	US 24 east (Admiral Boulevard)	East end of US 24 overlap
			2J	11th Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			2K	Harrison Street, Troost Avenue	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			2L	I-670 west to I-35 south  – Topeka, Wichita
			2M	US 71 south	East end of US 71 overlap; westbound exit is via exit 3A
			3A	The Paseo	No eastbound exit
			3B	Brooklyn Avenue	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			3C	Prospect Avenue
			4A	Benton Boulevard, Truman Road	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			4B	18th Street
			4C	23rd Street
			5A	27th Street	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			5B	31st Street	Eastbound exit only
			5C	Jackson Avenue	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			6	Van Brunt Boulevard
			7A	US 40 east	East end of US 40 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			7A	31st Street	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			7B	Manchester Trafficway
			8	I-435  – Wichita, Des Moines	Signed as exits 8A (south) and 8B (north)
			9	Blue Ridge Cutoff – Truman Sports Complex
			10	Sterling Avenue	Eastbound exit only; westbound exit is via exit 11
			11	US 40 (Blue Ridge Boulevard)
	Independence
			12	Noland Road	Serves Truman presidential library; Noland Road Bridge closed for road reconstruction at I-70. As of the middle of 2008 Noland off of I-70 is open in all directions
			14	Lee's Summit Road
			15	I-470 south / Route 291 – Lee's Summit, Liberty	Signed as exits 15A (south) and 15B (north)
			17	Little Blue Parkway, 39th Street
			18	Blue Springs, Lake Tapawingo, Fleming Park
	Blue Springs
			20	Route 7 – Blue Springs, Lake Lotawana
			21	Adams Dairy Parkway – Blue Springs
	Grain Valley		24	US 40 west / Route AA west / Route BB north – Grain Valley, Buckner	West end of US 40 overlap
	Oak Grove		28	Route F south / Route H north – Levasy, Oak Grove
Lafayette	Bates City		31	Route D north / Route Z south – Bates City, Napoleon
	Odessa		37A	Outlet Mall	Eastbound exit only; westbound exit is via exit 37
			37B	Route 131 – Odessa, Wellington	Signed as exit 37 westbound
			38	Johnson Drive	Eastbound exit is via exit 37B
			41	Route M south / Route O north – Lexington, Mayview
			45	Route E south / Route H north – Mayview
	Higginsville		49	Route 13 – Higginsville, Warrensburg
			52	Route T north – Aullville
	Concordia		58	Route 23 – Waverly, Concordia
	Emma		62	File:MO-supp-VV.svg Route VV north / Route Y south – Emma
Saline
	Sweet Springs		66	Route 127 – Sweet Springs, Mt. Leonard
			71	Route EE north / Route K south – Houstonia
			74	File:MO-supp-YY.svg Route YY north
			78	US 65 – Sedalia, Marshall	Signed as exits 78A (south) and 78B (north)
			84	Route J
Cooper			89	Route K north / Route M south – Arrow Rock, Blackwater
			98	Route 41 north / Route 135 south – Arrow Rock, Pilot Grove
	Boonville		101	I-70 Bus. east / US 40 east / Route 5 south (Ashley Road) – Boonville, Prairie Home	East end of US 40 overlap
			103	Route B (Main Street) – Boonville, Bunceton
			106	I-70 Bus. west / Route 87 (Bingham Road) – Boonville, Prairie Home
			111	Route 98 / Route 179 south – Overton, Wooldridge
Boone			115	Route BB north / Roby Farm Road – Rocheport
			117	Route J north / Route O south – Huntsdale, Harrisburg
			121	US 40 west / Route 240 west / Route UU south – Fayette	West end of US 40 overlap
	Columbia		124	Route 740 south (Stadium Boulevard) / Route E north – Columbia	Serves University of Missouri
			125	I-70 Bus. east / West Boulevard, Creasy Springs Road – Columbia
			126	Route 163 south (Providence Road) – Columbia
			127	Route 763 (Range Line Road) – Columbia, Moberly
			128	I-70 Bus. west – Columbia	Westbound left exit and eastbound entrance
			128A	US 63 – Jefferson City, Moberly
			131	St. Charles Road, Lake of the Woods Road
			133	Route Z north / Range Line Road – Centralia
Callaway			137	Route DD north / Route J south – Millersburg
			144	Route HH south / Route M north – Hatton
	Kingdom City		148	US 54 – Auxvasse, Mexico, Fulton
			155	Route A north / Route Z south – Bachelor, Calwood
			161	File:MO-supp-YY.svg Route D south / Route YY south – Williamsburg
Montgomery			170	Route 161 north / Route J south – Danville, Montgomery City
	New Florence		175	Route 19 – New Florence, Hermann
	High Hill		179	Route F north – High Hill
	Jonesburg		183	Route E north / Route Y south – Jonesburg
Warren			188	Route A north / Route B south – Truxton
	Truesdale; Warrenton		193	Route 47 – Warrenton, Hawk Point
	Wright City		199	Wildcat Drive
			200	Route F south / Route J north – Wright City Route F; Route J - Wright City	Eastbound exit is via exit 199
St. Charles	Foristell		203	Route T south / Route W north – Foristell
	Wentzville		208	Wentzville Parkway
			209	Route Z south / Church Street – New Melle
			210	US 40 east / US 61 – Chesterfield, St. Louis, Wentzville, Hannibal	East end of US 40 overlap; signed as exits 210A (south) and 210B (north) eastbound; no westbound exit to US 40 east / US 61 south
			212	Route A north / Freymuth Road
	Lake St. Louis		214	Lake St. Louis Boulevard – Lake St. Louis
	O'Fallon		216	Bryan Road
			217	Route K south / Route M north (Main Street) – O'Fallon
			219	T.R. Hughes Road, Belleau Creek Road
	St. Peters		220	Route 79 north / Salt Lick Road – Elsberry, Louisana
			222	Route C north / Mid Rivers Mall Drive – St. Peters
			224	Route 370 east
			225	Cave Springs Road, Harry S. Truman Road
	St. Charles		227	Zumbehl Road
			228	I-70 Bus. east (First Capitol Drive) / Route 94 – St. Charles, Weldon Spring
			229	I-70 Bus. west (Fifth Street) – St. Charles	Signed as exits 229A (south) and 229B (north) westbound
St. Louis	Maryland Heights		231	Earth City Expressway	Signed as exits 231A (south) and 231B (north)
	Champ		232	I-270  – Chicago, Memphis	Signed as exits 232A (south) and 232B (north) westbound
	Bridgeton
			234	Route 180 (St. Charles Rock Road)
			235	US 67 (Lindbergh Boulevard)	Signed as exits 235A (south) and 235B (north)
			235C	Cypress Road, Natural Bridge Road – Airport
	Edmundson		236	Pear Tree Drive, Natural Bridge Road, Airflight Drive, Lambert International Boulevard – Airport
	Berkeley		237	Route 115 east (Natural Bridge Road)	No westbound exit
			238A	Natural Bridge Road – Airport	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			238	I-170	Signed as exits 238B (south) and 238C (north)
			239	Hanley Road	Westbound exit is part of exit 240
	Cool Valley		240	Florissant Road
	Normandy		241A	Bermuda Avenue, Bermuda Road, Stanwood Drive
	Northwoods; Norwood Court		241B	Lucas-Hunt Road
	Pine Lawn		242	Jennings Station Road
St. Louis City			243A	Goodfellow Boulevard	Eastbound exit is part of exit 242
			243B	Route 367 north (Riverview Boulevard)	Westbound exit only
			243C	Bircher Boulevard	Eastbound exit only
			244A	Union Boulevard
			244B	Kingshighway Boulevard	Eastbound exit is via exit 244A
			245A	Bricher Avenue, Bricher Boulevard, Shreve Avenue
			245B	Florissant Avenue, Taylor Avenue
			246A	Carrie Avenue, Broadway – O'Fallon Park
			246B	Adelaide Avenue
			247	Grand Boulevard
			248A	Salisbury Street, McKinley Bridge
			248B	Branch Street	Westbound exit only
			248C	St. Louis Avenue	Eastbound exit and entrance
			249A	Madison Street – Scottrade Center	Westbound exit and entrance
			249A	Tenth Street – Scottrade Center	Eastbound exit only
			249C	Broadway – America's Center, Busch Stadium	Eastbound exit only
			249D	Broadway – Edward Jones Dome	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			250A	Martin Luther King Bridge – East St. Louis, Gateway Arch, Riverfront	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			250B	Memorial Drive, Pine Street – Downtown St. Louis	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
			251B	Memorial Drive – Gateway Arch, Riverfront, America's Center	Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
			251A	I-55 south / I-64 west / US 40 west to I-44 west  – Memphis, St. Louis, Tulsa	West end of I-55 / I-64 / US 40 overlap; signed as exits 40C (south) and no number (west) westbound; no eastbound exit to I-64 west / US 40 west and westbound entrance from I-64 east / US 40 east
			Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River (state line)

Notes

References

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