Commentary on Missouri highways

Missouri’s highway system consists of numbered highways (mostly arterial through highways) and lettered secondary highways. Of the numbered highways of 1 or 2 digits, here are some quick facts.

• Longest numbered highway (not a US route): MO 5 from the Arkansas state line south of Gainesville to the Iowa state line north of Unionville. Cities served include Gainesville, Ava, Mansfield, Lebanon, Camdenton, Versailles, Boonville, Fayette, Marceline, Brookfield, Milan and Unionville. Length: 351 miles.
• Shortest 2-digit state route: MO 85 between Evona and Albany, 4 miles.

2-digit state highways that are spurs (do not connect to another state, Federal or Interstate highway at both ends):

• MO 12 from I-435 in Kansas City to Noland Road in Independence.
• MO 58 from Route D west of Belton to US 50 west of Warrensburg.
• MO 85 from Evona to Albany.
• MO 98 from Boonville to Overton.

State route numbers below 100 not currently in use:

• 4 (re-designated as US 136 in northern MO)
• 26 (re-designated as US 136 between Wayland and Alexandria, NE MO)
• 88 (former route in Springfield removed from state highway system)
• 93 (I have not seen evidence of any existence)

An additional note: Rand McNally road atlas shows the road between MO 5 at Hurricane Deck to Business US 54 at Lake Ozark as MO 42. Currently, the west end of MO 42 is at Highway 54 in Osage Beach. The roads in the area in question are marked as routes F, TT and MM. According to a web site on the Lake of the Ozarks highway plan, a proposal of a new extension of MO 42 is in the works.

 Missouri State Road Renumbering Idea

This will eliminate 2-digit spur routes and leave remaining spur routes as 3-digit routes.

Western terminus is I-435, Kansas City. Current eastern terminus as signed is Noland Road in Independence. MODOT’s current highway map shows it ending at MO 291, where it should.

Current extent of the highway is from Boonville to Overton. Access from I-70 is at MO 179 about a mile west of Overton. Recommendation: make the portion from I-70 to Boonville an extension of MO 179 and make the rest into Overton a spur route Spur 179.

Currently, MO 33 has its northern terminus at Maysville. MO 85 is a 4-mile spur route between Evona and Albany. Proposal is to extend MO 33 north to Albany. In conjunction with this is to extend MO 48 east from King City to US 69 near Pattonsburg. Original map courtesy MODOT.

Existing western terminus is SR D west of Belton at a T intersection. Proposal to follow D north to MO 150. Original map courtesy Rand McNally. MODOT’s map does not show this area in the inset.

This will be a new numbered route. Currently, it is 54 miles from Milan to Princeton following numbered routes and 38 miles from Milan to Brookfield. The current placement of the Missouri highway system ensures a numbered highway in each county seat. The following proposed route reduces the distance from Princeton to Milan to 34 miles and Milan to Brookfield to 33 miles. The 236 number is chosen as a link between US 36 and US 136. Original map courtesy MODOT.

This is to correct a situation in Adair County in which MO 149 takes a circuitous route along MO 6 before continuing south toward MO 11. Proposal is to swap MO 149 and SR K routings, which will make MO 149 about 8 miles shorter. Original map courtesy MODOT.