Interstate 70 in Missouri

Infobox road
state=MO
type=I
route=70

---

alternate_name=
maint=MoDOT
section=
length_mi=251.66
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table1.cfm|title=Route Log and Finder List - Interstate System - table 1|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|date=2002-10-31|accessdate=2007-07-08]
length_notes=
year_established=1956
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=KS|I|70|US|24|US|40|US|169 in Kansas City, KS
junction=
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=MO|I|44|I|55|I|64|I|70|US|40 in East St. Louis, IL
previous_type=US
previous_route=69
next_type=US
next_route=71
commons=category
customcommons=Interstate 70In the U.S. state of Missouri, Interstate 70 is generally parallel to the Missouri River. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=38.573938,-91.060181&spn=2.890053,5.141602&z=8&om=1|title=I-70 in Missouri|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] 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, [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.107153,-94.600267&spn=0.044823,0.080338&z=14&om=1|title=I-70 at the Kansas line|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] where the east end is concurrent with Interstates 64 and 55, as well as US 40. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=38.620693,-90.18312&spn=0.022565,0.040169&z=15&om=1|title=Poplar Street Bridge map|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08]

Route description

Kansas City

.

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). [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.101658,-94.581106&spn=0.022413,0.040169&z=15&om=1|title=Alphabet Loop|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] ref|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. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.101475,-94.582136&spn=0.011207,0.020084&z=16&om=1|title=A closer look of the Loop|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] 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. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.107752,-94.579582&spn=0.011206,0.020084&z=16&om=1|title=Northern part of the Loop|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] When it does reach the corner, US 24 splits to the east, I-29 ends, and US 71 joins. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.108735,-94.569111&spn=0.011206,0.020084&z=16&om=1|title=Northeastern corner of the Loop|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08]

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. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.101325,-94.571278&spn=0.011207,0.020084&z=16&om=1|title=Eastern part of the Loop|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] Soon after usurpation, I-70 and US 40 turn southeast, and at exit 7A, US 40 departs from I-70. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.083705,-94.534435&spn=0.044838,0.080338&z=14&om=1|title=I-70 between the Loop and US 40|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08] Soon after that, I-70 interchanges with Interstate 435, the beltway around Kansas City. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.061849,-94.483023&spn=0.044852,0.080338&z=14&om=1|title=I-70 at I-435|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-08]

Independence to Wentzville

East of Interstate 435, Interstate 70 continues east through Independence, passing a busy cloverleaf interchange at Interstate 470. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=39.040453,-94.358997&spn=0.044399,0.080338&z=14&om=1|title=I-70 at I-470|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-24] 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. [cite web|url=http://www.terraserverusa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=15&X=1950&Y=21604&W=3&qs=Blue+SpringsMO|title=I-70 at Route 7|work=Microsoft TerraServer|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=1996-02-28|accessdate=2007-07-24] Interstate 70 remains at this width until its intersection with U.S. Route 40 in Wentzville, over 170 miles away.

East of Blue Springs, Interstate 70 takes on a rural character as it leaves Jackson County. The highway remains this way for the next 100 miles, 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. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=38.951399,-92.467461&spn=0.177819,0.32135&z=12&om=1|title=I-70 at the Missouri River near Columbia|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-24] 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 a confusing and very congested interchange with the U.S. Route 63 freeway on the east end of town. [cite web|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&ll=38.962095,-92.293975&spn=0.011112,0.020084&t=h&z=16&om=1|title=I-70 at US 63|work=Google|accessdate=2007-07-24] East of Columbia, Interstate 70 continues through more gently rolling terrain until it reaches Wentzville. It then expands to three lanes each direction to St. Louis.

t. Louis

East of Wentzville, Missouri Interstate 70 passes through the bedroom community of Lake St. Louis, Missouri, 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 50's and the eastbound span completed in the late 70's.

Traffic volume increases as Interstate 70 enters St. Louis County requiring more lanes. There are as many as 13 lanes at one point. The section Interstate 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. [http://www.modot.org/stlouis/news_and_information/documents/2005_Traffic_District06.pdf]

Interstate 270 drains much of the traffic so Interstate 70 continues east through Bridgeton with only 6 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, but what are locally know as the reversible lanes. Two lanes down the middle of freeway are separated from the eastbound and westbound lanes by jersey barriers. During morning rush hour the lanes are given access so eastbound drivers can use them. In the afternoon the eastbound access is blocked and westbound drivers are given access. These lanes have no entrance or exit ramps, except at the very ends. They extend approximately 8 miles from near Union Blvd to just north of downtown.

As Interstate 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. [ [http://www.newriverbridge.org/ The New Mississippi River Bridge Projects ] ]

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. [ [http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/10DA9EE598C17FAD86257345007A63F0?OpenDocument City leaders pitch local control of Arch grounds - St. Louis Post Dispatch - August 29, 2007] ]

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 of the park for the bridge. The request generated enormous controversy and ultimately 2.5 acres was turned over for use for the bridge. [ [http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/jeff/adhi1-7.htm Jefferson National Expansion Administrative History by Sharon A. Brown - nps.gov - Retrieved January 22, 2008] ]

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. [cite web|url=http://www.improvei70.org/1d_facts_main.html|title=The Facts|work=Improve I-70|publisher=Missouri Department of Transportation|accessdate=2007-07-24] 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. [cite web|url=http://www.improvei70.org/1d3_benefits_main.html|title=What are the Benefits?|work=Improve I-70|publisher=Missouri Department of Transportation|accessdate=2007-07-24]

Exit list

Notes

# I-670 in Google Maps also has I-70 on it because I-670 is designated "Alternate I-70".

References