Interstate 72

Interstate 72 (abbreviated I-72) is an interstate highway in the midwestern United States. Its western terminus is in Hannibal, Missouri at an intersection with U.S. Highway 61; its eastern terminus is at Interstate 57 in Champaign, Illinois.

Bolded cities are officially-designated control cities for signs.

90 Degrees Longitude: 1/4 of the way West Around the World - Sign at IL Mile Marker 78
Valley City Eagle Bridges (Valley City, Illinois) - 2 2-lane bridges (one bridge each direction) over the Illinois River at IL Mile Marker 42
Mark Twain Memorial Bridge (Hannibal, Missouri) - 1 4-lane bridge (2 lanes each direction) over the Mississippi River, river bottoms, and the Sny Levee.

The concept of I-72 across Missouri was to create the Kansas City - Chicago Expressway, a rural 4-lane route between Kansas City, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois. This would reduce the amount of through traffic in the St. Louis, Des Moines, and Quad Cities metropolitan areas.

The Missouri portion of this route is designated as part of High Priority Corridor 61.

The first (and only) exit west of the Mississippi River in Hannibal, Missouri is Exit 157 (MO 79). Based on this mile marker, the future western terminus of I-72 would be at Cameron, Missouri at the intersection with I-35.

On August 3, 2005, residents of Macon County, Missouri, Marion County, Missouri, Monroe County, Missouri, Shelby County, Missouri, and Ralls County, Missouri approved Proposition 36B, which excludes Ralls County, Missouri from the Transportation Development District and allows for the construction of a 4-lane US 36 to be constructed without Ralls County, Missouri's participation. The Proposition passed 66 percent to 34 percent and passed by a majority in all 5 counties. Road construction to complete the 52 miles between Hannibal and Macon will begin in 2007, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2010. This means US 36 will be a 4-lane expressway across Missouri in 2011.

I-72 continues west of Hannibal, Missouri as US 36. In 2004, US 36 was upgraded to a 4-lane expressway between US 61 and US 24 (7 miles). Also, an interchange with MO 15 was installed in Shelbina, Missouri. Four miles east of Macon, Missouri, US 36 resumes 4-lane expressway status to just east of New Cambria, Missouri. At the Linn County, Missouri line, US 36 is now 4-lane (completed in 2004) the rest of the way into Saint Joseph, Missouri.

2005 Rand McNally "The Road Atlas 2005" - newest feature- interstate mileage by state

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