Interstate 44 in Missouri: Difference between revisions

I-44 next goes north of [[Pacific, Missouri|Pacific]] before moving into [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]]. I-44 then bisects [[Eureka, Missouri|Eureka]] before serving as the southern boundary of [[Route 66 State Park]] (the former site of [[Times Beach, Missouri|Times Beach]], known for its [[Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds|dioxin]] contamination and its eventual demolition and [[Superfund]] cleanup{{cn|date=July 2019}}). I-44 then runs across unincorporated land before entering [[Fenton, Missouri|Fenton]] and meeting an interchange with [[Interstate 270 (Missouri)|I-270]] in [[Sunset Hills, Missouri|Sunset Hills]]. I-44 then goes through [[Crestwood, Missouri|Crestwood]], [[Kirkwood, Missouri|Kirkwood]], [[Oakland, Missouri|Oakland]], [[Webster Groves, Missouri|Webster Groves]], and [[Shrewsbury, Missouri|Shrewsbury]] before entering the city of [[St. Louis]]. I-44 runs on a due east course through St. Louis until it meets [[Interstate 55 in Missouri|I-55]] south of downtown. The two highways run concurrently for about {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} until I-55 turns east at an interchange with [[Interstate 64 in Missouri|I-64]] to cross the [[Mississippi River]] on the [[Poplar Street Bridge]]. I-44 then continues north through [[Downtown St. Louis]] on the former route of [[Interstate 70 in Missouri|I-70]] to its junction with that highway at the [[Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge]]; drivers wishing to access eastbound I-70 must cross the Poplar Street Bridge via I-55 and I-64.

 

{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}

I-44 follows the general route of, and completely replaced, historic [[U.S. Route 66 in Missouri|US 66]] from [[Halltown, Missouri|Halltown]] (exit 58, the junction with a cutoff section of US 66 since renumbered as [[Missouri Route 96|Route 96]]) to downtown St. Louis. From rural [[Joplin, Missouri|Joplin]] at exit 15 to [[Mount Vernon, Missouri|Mount Vernon]] at exit 49, it largely follows a [[decommissioned highway|decommissioned]] section of [[U.S. Route 166|US 166]].

 

Originally, the eastern terminus of I-44 was at the intersection with [[Interstate 55 in Missouri|I-55]], [[Interstate 64 in Missouri|I-64]], [[Interstate 70 in Missouri|I-70]], and [[U.S. Route 40 in Missouri|US 40]], by the [[Poplar Street Bridge]]. This was changed when the [[Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge]] opened on February 9, 2014, rerouting I-70 over the river along a more northern alignment. I-44 now takes the old I-70 alignment through the below-grade section of roadway in St. Louis, extending the Interstate for about {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} to its new eastern terminus at a directional interchange with I-70 near Cass Avenue;<ref name="signing plans"> {{cite web|date=June 8, 2010|title=Traffic Control Sheets|url=http://www.newriverbridge.org/documents/plans/J6U1086_plans/Roadway/157-262_SIGNING_J6U1086.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514005806/http://www.newriverbridge.org/documents/plans/J6U1086%20plans/Roadway/157-262_SIGNING_J6U1086.pdf|archive-date=May 14, 2016|access-date=February 23, 2022|publisher=Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission}}</ref> the eastbound lanes of I-44 join the westbound lanes of I-70, and the westbound lanes of I-44 branch off the eastbound lanes of I-70.<ref name="signing plans"/>

 

==Exit list==