Route 7 is a state highway with its northern terminus at U.S. Route 24 in northeast Independence and its southern terminus at Interstate 44 southeast of Richland (near the town of Laquey which it doesn't quite reach). The section between Harrisonville (at a junction with Interstate 49/U.S. Route 71) and Clinton (at a junction with Route 13) provides an important link for traffic between Springfield and Kansas City.

Route 7 marker
Route 7
Map
Route information
Maintained by MoDOT
Length186.476 mi[1] (300.104 km)
Major junctions
South end I-44 / Route P North of Laquey
Major intersections
North end US 24 in northeast Independence
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
Highway system
Route 6 Route 8

Route description

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The route begins at Interstate 44, exit 150, as a two-lane highway. It then heads northwest into Richland, intersecting with Route 133. From there, it continues northwest to a concurrency with Route 5, starting three miles south of Camdenton. In Camdenton, it crosses U.S. 54, and continues northwest, crossing the Lake of the Ozarks. After crossing the lake, Route 5 enters Greenville, and the highway diverges north, and Route 7 heads west, pass through Climax Springs and Edwards then continues west to another concurrency with US 65. The combined route crosses Harry S. Truman Reservoir and the Osage River and then enters Warsaw, where the concurrency ends; Route 7 heads west and crosses more arms of the Truman Reservoir. At Clinton, it intersects Route 13 and Route 52, and then becomes a four-lane highway, running northwest to Interstate 49/US 71 in Harrisonville. The four-lane expressway portion is part of the Springfield-Kansas City expressway. After a brief concurrency with I-49/U.S. 71, Route 7 heads north as a two-lane highway, crossing Route 58 in Pleasant Hill, Route 150, and US 50. In Blue Springs, it crosses US 40 and I-70. Continuing north, Route 7 is the eastern terminus of Route 78, before itself terminating at US 24 in Independence.

History

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Missouri Route 7 links the Kansas City area to the Ozarks, however it was not always called Route 7. Starting in 1926-27 it connected US 71 to US 50 only, by 1937 it had been extended to US 40. The section that runs east from US 71 - US 65 (1935), to US 54, and later on to US 66 (1953) was once called State Route 35. This was changed to Route 7 in 1959. In the early 1970s with the creation of Truman Lake, the Osage River Bridge was bypassed with a new mile long span. [2]

Business route

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Route 7 Business
LocationPleasant Hill
Length0.83 mi (1,340 m)

A one-mile business route of MO 7 exists in Pleasant Hill.

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
PulaskiLiberty Township0.0000.000  
 
I-44 / Route P east – Springfield, Rolla
I-44 exit 150
Richland7.82912.600 
 
Route 133 north – Swedeborg
Southern terminus of Route 133 overlap
8.96714.431 
 
 
 
Route 133 south to I-44 – Hazelgreen, Business District
Northern terminus of Route 133 overlap
CamdenOsage Township31.39050.517 
 
 
 
 
Route 5 south / Route 5 Bus. north – Camdenton, Lebanon
Interchange; southern terminus of Route 5 overlap
Camdenton33.67354.191  US 54 – Camdenton, Nevada, Osage BeachInterchange
36.13958.160 
 
 
Route 5 Bus. south / Pier 31 Road – Camdenton
Interchange
Greenview41.57366.905 
 
Route 5 north – Hurricane Deck, Sunrise Beach
Northern terminus of Route 5 overlap
BentonDell Junction72.700116.999 
 
US 65 south – Fristoe, Springfield
Southern terminus of US 65 overlap
Tom Township77.575124.845 
 
Route 83 south – White Branch
Interchange
Warsaw78.344126.082WarsawInterchange; no northbound entrance
79.195127.452 
 
US 65 north – Sedalia
Interchange; northern terminus of US 65 overlap
HenryClinton107.485172.980 
 
 
 
 
 
Route 13 south / Route 18 west / Route 52 west – Clinton, Springfield
Eastern terminus of Route 18; southern terminus of Route 13/52 overlap
108.927175.301 
 
Route 52 east – Windsor
Interchange; northern terminus of Route 52 overlap
109.825176.746 
 
 
 
 
Route 13 north / Route 13 Bus. south – Clinton, Warrensburg
Northern terminus of Route 13 overlap
Bogard Township124.325200.082   Route K / Route B – UrichInterchange
CassCreighton128.733207.176  Route B – CreightonInterchange
IndexCamp Branch
township line
137.498221.282    Route F / Route Z / Route N – Garden City, BlairstownInterchange
Harrisonville146.750236.171 
 
 
 
I-49 south / US 71 south – Joplin, Nevada
Southern terminus of I-49/US 71 overlap; Route 7 south follows exit 157
147.997238.178 
 
Route 2 east (Commercial Street)
Southern terminus of Route 2 overlap; I-49 exit 158
148.979239.758 
 
 
 
 
 
I-49 north / US 71 north / Route 2 west – Kansas City, Freeman
Northern terminus of I-49/US 71/Route 2 overlap; Route 7 north follows exit 159
Pleasant Hill160.992259.092  Route 58Interchange
Jackson166.498267.953 
 
Route 150 west – Greenwood
Southern terminus of Route 150 overlap
166.998268.757 
 
Route 150 east – Lone Jack
Northern terminus of Route 150 overlap
169.004271.986  US 50 – Kansas City, WarrensburgInterchange
Blue Springs177.238285.237  US 40 – Independence, Kansas City, Grain Valley
178.690287.574  I-70 – Kansas City, ColumbiaI-70 exit 20
Independence184.002296.123 
 
Route 78 west / Lake City-Buckner Road – Independence, Lake City
Traffic circle; eastern terminus of Route 78
186.476300.104   US 24 / Lewis and Clark Trail – Independence, BucknerInterchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b Missouri Department of Transportation (March 22, 2015). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  2. ^ "Missouri Highway Map Archive 1918 - 2019 | Missouri Department of Transportation".
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