Re: Why didn't US 71 get a corresponding Interstate route?

On Feb 26, 12:07 pm, markr...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Mark Roberts) wrote:
Looking back through an extensive set of Missouri official road
maps, I noticed that US 71 seemed to be designated as a major
north-south route fairly early on. It was paved as fast as US 40
was paved across Missouri. It bypassed some cities relatively early
on (Neosho is a good example). It had a long alternate route around
Joplin, too -- in a state where alternate routes tended to be just
short routes within urban areas. In the 1960s and 1970s, much of
US 71 was upgraded at least to expressway status.

So it's obviously considered an important route in Missouri.

Then I find myself wondering why US 71 didn't get an Interstate
counterpart early on. Certainly there's Interstate 29, but it
ends at Kansas City and really can be considered a counterpart
to US 71 only between St. Joseph and Kansas City.

What happened? US 71 doesn't serve any major urban areas in Iowa.
Did that hurt its "case"? It does serve major urban areas in
Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana, though. What role did the status
of US 71 in Arkansas play in the decision? Were economic conditions
in southern Missouri and Arkansas a factor? Any answers to these
questions probably amount to speculation, but it's become a point
of curiosity to me. Stipulate Interstate 49 and all that; I'm talking
about history of the 1950s and 1960s here.

--
Mark Roberts - Oakland, CA - NO HTML MAIL
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It might have something to do with the long-delayed freeway in KC that
ended up being the modern Watkins Drive. That may have held up the
Interstate status on US 71 further south. The entire expressway has
signs advising of future access closures (in place since at least the
1970s). It is interesting that on the 1970s request map US 71 was not
even covered, while paralleling US 69 between Overland Park and Baxter
Springs was. AFAIK it's now part of the future I-49 corridor though
MoDOT doesn't mess with future Interstate corridor signage (also true
for I-72 and I-66).

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