U.S. Route 65 in Missouri

U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south U.S. highway that runs from Clayton, Louisiana to Albert Lea, Minnesota. In Missouri, the highway enters the state from Arkansas, just south of Branson. The highway exits the state into Iowa near South Lineville.

U.S. Route 65 marker
U.S. Route 65
Map
US 65 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MoDOT
Length313.114 mi[1] (503.908 km)
Major junctions
South end US 65 at the Arkansas state line
Major intersections
North end US 65 at the Iowa state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CountiesTaney, Christian, Greene, Dallas, Hickory, Benton, Pettis, Saline, Lafayette, Carroll, Livingston, Grundy, Mercer
Highway system
Route 64 US 66

Route description

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US 65 enters Missouri between the towns of Omaha, Arkansas and Ridgedale, Missouri. The road is a four-lane expressway, traveling through both Branson and Hollister towards Springfield. Through the Branson area, it is a freeway. North of Branson, the highway intersections with both westbound Route 76 formally part of Route 465 (a freeway spur) and U.S. Route 160. All the way to Highlandville, U.S. 160 is the old alignment of U.S. 65 (until the 1960s).

 
US 65 in Springfield

Just south of Route EE at the Highlandville exit, U.S. 65 returns to freeway status. The freeway is called "Schoolcraft Freeway" in Springfield, named in honor of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. Also in Springfield, the highway has junctions with U.S. Route 60 (also known as James River Freeway) and Interstate 44 (I-44). The I-44 interchange includes a flyover ramp connecting northbound U.S. 65 with westbound I-44. U.S. 65 became a six-lane divided freeway in Springfield between Interstate 44 and U.S. 60. It was the first six-lane highway in Southwest Missouri.[2] North of Springfield, it returns to a four-lane expressway highway.

From Springfield to Buffalo, U.S. 65 is a four four-lane highway. US 65 passes through Fair Grove before entering Buffalo.

Through Buffalo, the highway now becomes two lanes with a center left-turn lane, intersecting Route 32, then up to Route 73.

From Buffalo to Preston, entering Hickory County, U.S. 65 remains a two-lane highway and has a four-way intersection with U.S. Route 54. Continuing north, after passing through several towns, U.S. 65 then shares a concurrency with Route 7 before entering Warsaw, where the highway crosses over the western end of the Lake of the Ozarks and again becomes a four-lane highway at the intersection where it separates from Route 7. After leaving Warsaw, U.S. 65 passes through Lincoln then has a brief concurrency with Route 52.

 
US 65 at its junction with US 50 in Sedalia
 
US 65 southbound from US 36 in Chillicothe

At Sedalia (where it is called Limit Avenue), it has an intersection with U.S. Route 50 (known locally as Broadway Blvd). At Marshall Junction, north of Sedalia in Saline County, U.S. 65 intersects with both Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40. In Marshall (where it is called Lexington, Ave), U.S. 65 returns to two-lanes and stays so all the way up to Iowa. At Waverly, the highway becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 24 (which continues to Carrollton). Also in Waverly, U.S. 65 and U.S. 24 both cross the Missouri River on the Waverly Bridge. Further north, the road crosses U.S. Route 36 at Chillicothe and U.S. Route 136 at Princeton. The highway leaves Missouri at South Lineville and enters Iowa.

The entirely of US 65 in Missouri is part of the National Highway System.[3]

History

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From 1922 to 1926, US 65 in Missouri was known as Route 3. US 65 originally followed Route 248 and US 160 between Branson and Springfield. Route 3 was originally planned on a shorter route between Springfield and Preston, with Route 71 on the longer alignment via Buffalo, but Route 3 was quickly shifted east, absorbing Route 71.

Various improvements from Springfield to Buffalo has been made over the years. In September 2010, US 65 becomes four lanes from Springfield to just south of Buffalo.[4] In September 2011, U.S. 65 became a six-lane divided freeway in Springfield between Interstate 44 and U.S. 60. It was the first six-lane highway in Southwest Missouri.[2]

Major intersections

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All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
TaneyOliver Township0.0000.000 
 
US 65 south – Harrison
Continuation into Arkansas
2.8074.517  Route 86 – Blue Eye
5.5708.964  Route 265
Hollister8.85014.243 
 
  US 65 Bus. / CR 165 – Hollister
South end of freeway; southern terminus of US 65 Bus./CR 165; former Route 165. Access to Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Lake, Historic Downtown Hollister, and College of the Ozarks, Table Rock State Park, and Table Rock Lake.
Lake TaneycomoBridge
Branson11.44718.422  
 
Route 76 / US 65 Bus. (Main Street) / 76 Country Boulevard
South end of Route 76 overlap; northern terminus of US 65 Bus.; 76 Country Blvd. is former Route 76 west. Access to Silver Dollar City, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theater, Lake Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake, and Historic Downtown Branson.
12.40719.967     Route 248 / Red Route / CR 165 (Shepherd of the Hills Expressway) / Branson Landing BoulevardDiverging diamond interchange;[5] eastern terminus of Route 248; northern terminus of CR 165. Access to Cox Medical Center - Branson.
13.25021.324Branson Hills Parkway / Bee Creek Road
Branson Township16.14225.978   Route 76 (Ozark Mountain Highroad) / Route FNorth end of Route 76 overlap; Ozark Mountain Highroad is former Route 465. Access to Silver Dollar City, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theater, and Table Rock Lake.
Jasper Township18.75630.185  US 160 – Reeds Spring, ForsythNorth end of freeway. Access to Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake.
21.69834.920 
 
Route 176 east – Rockaway Beach
Southern end of Route 176 overlap
22.59736.366 
 
Route 176 west
Northern end of Route 176 overlap
ChristianNorth Galloway Township32.74152.692  Route EE – HighlandvilleSouth end of freeway
Ozark37.00159.547 
 
  US 65 Bus. / Route F (South Street) – Sparta
38.29561.630  
 
Route 14 / US 65 Bus. (Jackson Street) – Nixa
Access to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
41.51366.809   Route J / Route CC – Fremont Hills
GreeneSpringfield43.62270.203Evans RoadAccess to Missouri Veterans Cemetery
45.54173.291  
 
  US 60 / US 65 Bus. (James River Freeway) – Cabool
Access to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and Springfield-Branson National Airport
47.71176.783Battlefield StreetAccess to Battlefield Mall
49.24979.259   Route D (Sunshine Street)Access to Mercy Hospital and Bass Pro Shops
51.27482.518 
 
US 65 Bus. (Chestnut Expressway)
Diverging diamond interchange[6]
Access to Downtown Springfield, Missouri State University, Drury University, and Ozarks Technical Community College
52.28484.143  Route YY (Division Street)Access to Evangel University and Cox College
53.29285.765  Route 744 (Kearney Street)Former US 66. Access to Southwest Regional Conservation Office, MoDot Southwest District Office, and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters.
54.07987.032   I-44 – Joplin, St. LouisSeparate exits southbound; serves Springfield-Branson National Airport exits 82A-B
North Campbell Township54.80988.207County Road No. 102North end of freeway; northbound exit and southbound entrance
Fair Grove64.869104.397   Route 125 / Route CC – Fair GroveInterchange
DallasSheridan Township70.052112.738   Route 215 / Route O – Olive, Pleasant HopeMichigan left U-turn intersections
Jackson Township74.162119.352   Route 38 / Route TT – Marshfield
Buffalo83.153133.822  Route 32 (Dallas Street) – Lebanon, Bolivar
85.026136.836 
 
Route 73 north – Tunas
Louisburg91.671147.530  Route 64 – Pittsburg, Bennett SpringsAccess to Pomme de Terre Lake and Bennett Spring State Park
99.136159.544  Route NN – NemoAccess to Pomme de Terre State Park
HickoryPreston105.306169.474  US 54 – Hermitage, Macks CreekAccess to Lake of the Ozarks and Pomme de Terre Lake
BentonFristoe Township124.044199.629  Route 7 – EdwardsSouthern end of Route 7 overlap
White Branch128.063206.097 
 
Route 83 south – White Branch
South end of expressway
Lake of the OzarksBridge over the Osage River arm
Warsaw129.688208.713WarsawNo direct northbound entrance
130.249209.615 
 
Route 7 north – Warsaw, Clinton
Northern end of Route 7 overlap. Access to Harry S Truman State Park.
131.327211.350Truman Dam Access RoadNorth end of expressway. Access to Lost Valley Fish Hatchery and Truman Dam Visitor Center.
Williams Township146.378235.573 
 
Route 52 east – Cole Camp
Interchange; southern end of Route 52 overlap
BentonPettis
county line
WilliamsFlat Creek
township line
151.426243.697 
 
Route 52 west – Windsor
Northern end of Route 52 overlap
PettisSedalia163.315262.830   US 50 (Broadway Blvd) – La Monte, Whiteman Air Force BaseAccess to Bothwell Hospital
163.912263.791 
 
Route 765 east – Business District
Interchange; clockwise terminus of Route 765; northbound exit and southbound entrance
Cedar Township165.752266.752 
 
Route 765 south – Business District
Counterclockwise terminus of Route 765; no direct southbound entrance
SalineMarshall Junction181.887292.719  
 
I-70 / US 40 east – St. Louis
Cloverleaf interchange; I-70 exits 78A-B
  
 
I-70 / US 40 west – Kansas City
Marshall190.141306.002 
 
 
US 65 Bus. north
193.242310.993  Route 20 (W. Arrow St.) – Blackburn, Marshall
194.015312.237 
 
 
 
 
  
 
US 65 Bus. south / Route 240 east / Lewis and Clark Trail / Santa Fe National Historic Trail to Route 41 – Slater
Grand Pass Township204.818329.623 
 
Route 127 south – Mount Leonard, Sweet Springs
LafayetteWaverly211.213339.914 
 
  US 24 west / Lewis and Clark Trail / Santa Fe National Historic Trail – Waverly
Southern end of US 24 overlap
Missouri RiverNew Waverly Bridge (replaced old Waverly Bridge in 2004)
CarrollCarrollton220.839355.406 
 
 
 
 
  US 65 Bus. north / Route 10 west / Lewis and Clark Trail – Carrollton, Richmond
222.526358.121 
 
 
 
 
  US 24 east / US 65 Bus. south / Lewis and Clark Trail – Carrollton, Moberly
Northern end of US 24 overlap
LivingstonChillicothe253.257407.578  
 
US 36 / Route 110 (CKC) – Brookfield, Hamilton
 
 
 
US 36 Bus. begins
Interchange with the CKC; southern end of US 36 Bus. overlap
253.359407.742 
 
 
US 36 Bus. east
Northern end of US 36 Bus. overlap
256.428412.681 
 
Route 190 west
GrundyTrenton276.310444.678 
 
 
  US 65 Bus. north / Route 6 – Trenton, Milan
277.384446.406 
 
 
  US 65 Bus. south (28th Street) / Route AA
MercerPrinceton299.403481.842 
 
US 136 east – Unionville
Southern end of US 136 overlap
299.731482.370 
 
US 136 west – Bethany
Northern end of US 136 overlap
South Lineville313.114503.908 
 
US 65 north – Lineville
Continuation into Iowa
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Missouri Department of Transportation (December 29, 2014). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "MoDOT Southwest District News Release". Modot.org. 2011-08-31. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  3. ^ "National Highway System Maps | Missouri Department of Transportation". www.modot.org. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  4. ^ "U.S. 65 four-lane dedication Sept. 28". Buffalo Reflex. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
  5. ^ Southwest District Office (November 20, 2011). "Route 248/Route 65 Diverging Diamond Interchange In Branson OPEN to Traffic Sunday Evening, Nov. 20" (Press release). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  6. ^ Southwest District (November 10, 2012). "Chestnut Expressway/Route 65 Interchange" (Press release). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
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  U.S. Route 65
Previous state:
Arkansas
Missouri Next state:
Iowa