Interstate 72

Interstate 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.

Contents [showhide]

1 Length 1 Major Cities Along the Route 2 Intersections with other Interstates 3 Noteable Bridges Along the Route 4 Spur Routes 5 Notes 6 Reference

Length

Miles	km	state
4	6	Missouri
182	295	Illinois
186	301	Total

Major Cities Along the Route

• Hannibal, Missouri
• Springfield, Illinois
• Decatur, Illinois
• Champaign, Illinois

Intersections with other Interstates

• Interstate 55 in Springfield, Illinois (multiplex 6 miles)
• Interstate 57 in Champaign, Illinois

Noteable Bridges Along the Route

• Valley City Eagle Bridges (Valley City, Illinois) - 2 2-lane bridges (one bridge each direction) over the Illinois River
• Mark Twain Memorial Bridge (Hannibal, Missouri) - 1 4-lane bridge (2 lanes each direction) over the Mississippi River, river bottoms, and the Sny Levee.

Spur Routes

• Spur into Quincy, Illinois, I-172

Notes

• 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 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.

• 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 St. Joseph, Missouri.

• Many highway mavens want to extend I-72 westward across Missouri and Kansas into Colorado. This would create an alternate route to Interstates 70 and 80. In addition, it would relieve traffic congestion on I-70 between Denver and St. Louis, and it would help relieve the traffic on I-80 between Omaha and Chicago, too.

• Likewise, an eastward extension is also envisioned for I-72. It would go across Indiana (multiplexing with Interstate 74 for some time), loop around Columbus, Ohio and end in Pittsburgh.

• In August 1957, Caltrans proposed I-72 for what is now I-580, but AASHO denied the request. The number I-5W was eventually approved on November 10, 1958.[1] (http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i505.html#505ca)[2] (http://web.archive.org/web/20040205035850/http://nwindianahwys.homestead.com/CALI.html)

Reference

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

Template:Ed divPrimary Interstate Highways							Missing image Interstate_blank.png Interstate Highway marker
4	5	8	10	12	15	16	17
19	20	22	24	25	26	27	29
30	35	37	39	40	43	44	45
49	55	57	59	64	65	66	68
69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76 (W)
76 (E)	77	78	79	80	81	82	83
84 (W)	84 (E)	85	86 (W)	86 (E)	87	88 (W)	88 (E)
89	90	91	93	94	95	96	97
99	238	H-1	H-2	H-3
Unsigned Interstate Highways
A-1	A-2	A-3	A-4	PRI-1	PRI-2	PRI-3
Lists Two-digit Interstates - Three-digit Interstates Gaps in Interstates - Intrastate Interstates Interstate standards - Proposed Interstates