U.S. Route 54 in Missouri

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U.S. Route 54

US 54 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MoDOT
Length271.508 mi[1] (436.950 km)
Existed1927[2]–present
Major junctions
West end US-54 at the Kansas state line
Major intersections
East end US 54 at the Illinois state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CountiesVernon, Cedar, St. Clair, Hickory, Camden, Miller, Cole, Callaway, Audrain, Ralls, Pike
Highway system
Route 53 I-55

U.S. Route 54 (US 54) in Missouri is a west-east highway that starts from the Kansas state line in Nevada to the Illinois state line in Louisiana.

Route description

US 54 shortly after entering from Kansas

In Missouri, US 54 runs from the southwest portion of the state to the northeast. It is a major conduit through the Ozarks and is the primary access road to Pomme de Terre Lake and Lake of the Ozarks.

After entering the state from neighboring Kansas, the route moves eastward through many rural towns and communities. It passes through Nevada, where it serves as the main access road to the town's business market. In Nevada, the route intersects with I-49 and US 71 as exits 102A and 102B on I-49/US 71. Here, it also passes by the Nevada Municipal Airport. Moving eastward, the route continues through El Dorado Springs, Collins, Weaubleau, and Wheatland where Lucas Oil Speedway is located. It passes through Hermitage and Preston, where it intersects with US 65 at a four way stop. It then passes through Macks Creek.

A sign designating the Lake of the Ozarks area, seen from US 54 westbound

The route continues eastward and begins to enter the areas surrounding the Lake of the Ozarks, a popular tourist destination and lake. It first crosses over the lake's Niangua Branch near Ha Ha Tonka State Park. It then passes through Camdenton. In Camdenton, the road intersects with MO 5 and MO 7 at an interchange. These routes provide access to Lebanon and I-44. After leaving Camdenton, the route becomes a four-lane divided highway and remains that way to Mexico. US 54 then passes through Linn Creek and enters Osage Beach. The route continues on a new expressway path initially built in 2010 and 2011. It crosses Lake of the Ozarks a second time on the Grand Glaize Bridge. The route then briefly enters Lake Ozark and Lakeland, although access to these towns is only provided by exits from the highway. The route then leaves the Lake of the Ozarks area before bypassing Eldon.

US 54 then goes through Jefferson City, where it crosses US 50 and crosses the Missouri River via the Jefferson City Bridge and briefly overlaps US 63. Just north of the bridge, it splits then leaves the Ozark Plateau before passing through Fulton, crossing I-70 and US 40 at Kingdom City, passes through Auxvasse, then bypassing Mexico where it turns into a two-lane highway. US 54 then turns right and continues on. At a roundabout, US 54 picks up a concurrency with Route 19 and then passes through Laddonia. North of Laddonia, US 54 splits from Route 19 before passing just north of Vandalia, bypasses Bowling Green crossing US 61, and ultimately crossing the Mississippi River via the Champ Clark Bridge into Illinois at Louisiana.

US 54 is a part of the National Highway System, a system of highways important to the nation's defense, economy, and mobility.[3]

History

US 54 was originally formed in Missouri after changing from US 26, however the routing went from Cedar County to Polk County, then Dallas County, then into Camden County. In 1932, the highway was rerouted into Saint Clair County and then Hickory County, and paved over.[2]

In Macks Creeks, a well known speed trap existed on US 54 upon entering the town until 1995 when a law named Macks Creek Law was passed.[4]

In the Lake of the Ozarks area, US 54 be rerouted onto a new 4 lane highway in 2010 and another part of US 54 was rerouted in 2011 in the Lake of the Ozarks area.[5][6] The old US 54 was renamed "Osage Beach Parkway."

The original Champ Clark Bridge opened in 1928. In 2019, a replacement bridge opened and the old one was torn down.

Junction list

All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
VernonCoal Township0.0000.000
US-54 west – Fort Scott
Continuation into Kansas
1.8072.908 Route T – Swart
Deerfield5.8079.345 Route H – Richards
Deerfield Township9.80515.780 Route 43 – Moundville, Bronaugh
Nevada14.07122.645 Route BB / Route W
14.56223.435
I-49 BL north (Osage Boulevard)
Western end of Loop 49 overlap
15.05624.230
I-49 BL south (Austin Boulevard)
Eastern end of Loop 49 overlap
15.864–
15.883
25.531–
25.561
I-49 / US 71 – Joplin, Kansas CityI-49 exit 102A
Walker Township21.78235.055 Route C – Walker
Clear Creek Township27.43944.159 Route K – Nevada
27.65044.498 Route AA – Schell City
CedarBox Township31.17350.168 Route HH – Virgil City
El Dorado Springs33.67354.191 Route 82 – Osceola
34.21555.064 Route 32 – Stockton
Cedar Township40.83265.713 Route 39 / Route DD – Stockton
St. ClairRoscoe Township45.89973.867 Route K
Washington Township50.08280.599 Route V – Vista
51.68783.182 Route J – Stockton
53.83286.634 Route PP – Stockton
Collins56.57891.053 Route 13 – Humansville, Osceola
56.75691.340
Route 13 Bus.
59.46695.701 Route MM
HickoryWeaubleau61.24698.566 Route 123 – Humansville
Weaubleau Township62.857101.159 Route H
Montgomery Township65.101104.770 Route AA
67.333108.362 Route 83 – WarsawWestern end of Route 83 concurrency
Wheatland71.367114.854 Route 83 / Route B – BolivarEastern end of Route 83 concurrency
Hermitage76.298122.790 Route 254 – Galmey
Center Township77.488124.705 Route U – Cross Timbers
Preston82.203132.293 Route D
82.697133.088 US 65 – Urbana, Cross Timbers
Stark Township85.157137.047 Route F
CamdenBranch93.976151.240 Route 73 – Tunas, Buffalo
Macks Creek97.224156.467 Route O / Route W
97.326156.631 Route N – Climax Springs
Russell Township101.301163.028 Route J / Route U
104.956168.910 Route AA
Niangua Township107.780173.455 Route DAccess to Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Camdenton110.243177.419
Route 5 Bus.
110.934–
110.954
178.531–
178.563
Route 5 / Route 7 – Sunrise Beach, LebanonInterchange
Linn Creek112.745181.445 Route V – Hugo
Osage Township114.074183.584 Route A – RichlandJ-turn intersection
116.148186.922 Route YInterchange
Osage Beach118.900191.351 Route KKWest end of freeway; access to Grand Glaize-Osage Beach Airport
119.607192.489  Nichols RoadAccess to Lake Regional Hospital
120.807194.420Case RoadAccess to Lake of the Ozarks State Park
121.571195.650Business 54 (Jefferies Road to Osage Beach Parkway)No westbound entrance
121.819196.049Grand Glaize Bridge over the Lake of the Ozarks
122.675197.426Business 54 (Passover Road to Osage Beach Parkway)Southern terminus of US 54 Business
124.283200.014 Route 42 / Business 54 (Osage Beach Parkway)Western terminus of Route 42; access to Lake of the Ozarks State Park
124.487200.342Creek Cove LaneRight-in/right-out interchange; westbound exit and entrance only
MillerLake Ozark126.211203.117 Route 242 (Bagnell Dam Boulevard)

To Route 5 – Sunrise Beach
East end of freeway
129.045207.678 Route W – Bagnell Dam, Lake Ozarkinterchange replacing an intersection opened April 21, 2021[7][8]
Franklin Township130.059209.310 Route V – Bagnell
136.583219.809

US 54 Bus. north / Route 52 – Eldon, Tuscumbia
Interchange
Eldon139.738224.887 Route 87 / Route M – EldonInterchange; Access to Saline Valley Conservation Area
140.901226.758
US 54 Bus. – Eldon
Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
142.277228.973 Route FF – Mount Pleasant
145.180233.645 Route MM
Saline Township148.289238.648 Route AA – Russellville
ColeClark Township149.156240.043 Route 17 – Eugene, Fort Leonard WoodInterchange
Brazito155.930250.945 Route E – Wardsville, Henley
157.906254.125 Route D – Lohman
163.155262.573 Route CC
Jefferson City165.064265.645 Route 179 / Route B – WardsvilleWest end of freeway; access to SSM St. Mary’s Health Center
166.231267.523 Route C (Southwest Boulevard) / Ellis Boulevard
167.231269.132 Stadium Boulevard / Tanner Bridge Road / Jefferson StreetAccess to Lincoln University and Capital Region Medical Center
167.271269.197 Madison StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to Business District and Capital Region Medical Center
168.188270.672
US 50 Bus. (Missouri Boulevard)
Access to the Missouri State Capitol
168.444271.084
US 50 / US 63 south – St. Louis, Sedalia
Western end of US 63 concurrency
168.534271.229McCarty StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
168.726271.538Main StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; access to the Missouri State Capitol
ColeCallaway
county line
168.821–
168.950
271.691–
271.899
Jefferson City Bridge over the Missouri River
Callaway169.582272.916 Route WAccess to Jefferson City Memorial Airport
170.036273.646
US 63 north / Route 94 – Columbia, Mokane
Eastern end of US 63 concurrency
Summit Township170.965275.141Summit DriveEastbound exit and westbound entrance
Holts Summit173.995280.018Center Street
175.215281.981 Route OO / Route AA – Holts Summit
Cedar Township178.492287.255 Route AE / Route TT
New Bloomfield180.184289.978 Route J (Redwood Drive) / CR 436 – GuthrieEast end of freeway
East Fulton Township184.830297.455 Route BB – Dixie
Fulton189.020304.198
Route H / US 54 Bus. – Fulton
Interchange
190.944307.295 Route F – Millersburg, FultonInterchange; access to Historic Downtown Fulton, Westminster College, Fulton Medical Center, the National Churchill Museum, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area
193.017310.631 Route HHInterchange; access to William Woods University
194.510313.034
US 54 Bus. – Fulton
Interchange; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Kingdom City198.277–
198.290
319.096–
319.117
I-70 / US 40 – Columbia, St. LouisI-70 exit 148; future Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI)[9]
198.616319.641 Route FF
203.729327.870 Route T
Auxvasse204.819329.624 Route B (Harrison Street) / Route E – Montgomery City, HattonInterchange
AudrainSalt River Township208.453335.473 Route HH
Mexico211.877340.983



US 54 Bus. / Route 15 north / Route 22 west to Route D – Mexico
Interchange
Vandiver216.380348.230

US 54 Bus. south – Mexico
Access to the Missouri Military Academy
216.992349.215 Route JJ
Linn Township220.6299355.0694 Route A – Benton City
222.683358.374 Route B – Rush Hill
226.672–
226.756
364.793–
364.928
Route 19 / Route BB – Martinsburg, Wellsville, Montgomery CityWestern end of Route 19 concurrency; roundabout
Laddonia231.805373.054 Route K / Route KK
Prairie Township234.853377.959 Route 19 / Route J – Perry, New LondonEastern end of Route 19 concurrency; roundabout
Farber238.477383.792 Route AA
238.648384.067 Route PP
Vandalia243.167391.339 Route P – Center
243.805392.366 Route F / Route W
RallsNo major intersections
PikeSpencer Township248.664400.186 Route 154 – Perry, Paris
Curryville252.279406.004 Route E / Route M
254.816410.087 Route U
Bowling Green258.291415.679
US 54 Bus. – Bowling Green
259.630417.834
US 61 Bus.
260.144–
260.161
418.661–
418.689

US 61 (Avenue of the Saints) – Hannibal, St. Louis
Tarrants261,171420,314
US 54 Bus. – Bowling Green
Buffalo Township267.574430.619 Route UU – Bowling Green
268.122431.501 Route NN
Louisiana271.194436.444
Route 79 / Great River Road north – Hannibal
Western end of Route 79/Great River Road concurrency
271.444436.847
Route 79 / Great River Road south – Clarksville
Eastern end of Route 79/Great River Road concurrency
Mississippi River271.508436.950Champ Clark Bridge; MissouriIllinois line

US 54 east – Pittsfield
Continuation into Illinois
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Missouri Department of Transportation (April 29, 2020). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Hwy 54 History | Discover More on Route 54". Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  3. ^ "National Highway System Maps | Missouri Department of Transportation". www.modot.org. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
  4. ^ "St. Louis Post-Dispatch 09 Oct 2014, page Page A006". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  5. ^ Transportation, Missouri Department of. "New routes to open tonight on Highway 54 Expressway". LakeExpo.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  6. ^ Dabbs/LakeExpo.com, Janet. "New 54 and 242: So what happens next?". LakeExpo.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  7. ^ "New Route 54 interchange in Lake Ozark opens Wednesday, April 21". OzarkFirst.com. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  8. ^ "2020 Miller County Route 54/Osage Hills Road Interchange". Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  9. ^ "I-70/Route 54 Kingdom City Interchange | Missouri Department of Transportation". www.modot.org. Retrieved 2023-06-19.

External links

U.S. Route 54
Previous state:
Kansas
Missouri Next state:
Illinois