U.S. Route 71

U.S. Route 71 is a north-south United States highway. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstate highways.

Termini

As of 2004, the highway's northern terminus is in International Falls, Minnesota at the Canadian border, at the southern end of a toll bridge to Fort Frances, Ontario. U.S. Route 53 also ends here. On the other side of the bridge, Trans-Canada Highway 11 is an east-west route. US 71's southern terminus is between Opelousas and Krotz Springs, Louisiana at an intersection with U.S. Route 190.Endpoints of US highways

Historic termini

Until 1950, US 71 extended down the present-day route of U.S. Route 190 to Port Allen, Louisiana near the state capitol, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Otherwise, the route is largely intact.

Former Alignments in Arkansas

In northwest Arkansas, the 1926 alignment of US 71 followed Arkansas State Highway 102 from Bentonville to Centerton, then north on Arkansas State Highway 102 Business to Arkansas State Highway 72 southeast of Hiwasse. From there, it followed Arkansas 72 to Gravette, where it turned north on Arkansas State Highway 59 to the Missouri State Line. In the 1930's, US 71 was along Arkansas 72 between Bentonville and Gravette, then north on Arkansas 59. This alignment lasted until the early 1960's when it was realigned along Arkansas State Highway 100 between Bentonville and the Missouri State Line.

Northern Missouri

US 71 multiplexes with Interstate 35 just south of the Missouri River in Kansas City. It then continues multiplexed with Interstate 29 from its southern terminus just north of the Missouri River in Kansas City to just north of St. Joseph, Missouri where it breaks off.

An alternative in the design of Interstate 29 called for it to follow US 71 on a more populated route through Maryville, Missouri and Clarinda, Iowa. However the interstate was to be routed along the more direct route to Omaha, Nebraska/Council Bluffs, Iowa and more sparsely populated Missouri River bottoms.

During the Great Flood of 1993 when the Missouri River flooded I-29 traffic was detoured along U.S. 71 through Maryville and Clarinda.

The four-lane segment between Savannah, Missouri to Maryville was completed in 2002. It is a two lane north of Maryville to the Iowa line. The long delay in bringing a four-lane to Maryville even as most of the highway from Savannah south to the Arkansas line has been a four-lane for some time was a source of considerable irritation for Maryville home of Northwest Missouri State University.

US 71 and Interstate 49

A large section of US 71 through Arkansas and Missouri is being upgraded to Interstate standards as a potential extension of Interstate 49 from Shreveport, Louisiana to Kansas City, Missouri. For more, see Interstate 49.

Business and Alternate US 71

Two rather long sections of Business US 71 exist. The Joplin and Northwest Arkansas alignments each run through several cities and total about 30 miles length each. Part of the Joplin section runs several miles as freeway.