Interstate 72 West - AARoads

West

The Mark Twain Memorial Bridge crosses the Mississippi River into Hannibal, Missouri between Cardiff Hill and Riverview Park. 04/13/13

The Mark Twain Memorial Bridge was dedicated on September 16, 2000 while the former 1936 bridge permanently closed. It was subsequently demolished as part of a $1.89 million contract. The $58 million project building the new span for U.S. 36 commenced in June 1996.^1,2 04/13/13

I-72/U.S. 36-Route 110 (CKC) enter the city of Hannibal west across Bridge Street and a BNSF Railroad line. 04/13/13

The Missouri welcome sign stands along Interstate 72 west by Riverview Park and just ahead of Exit 157. 04/13/13

U.S. 36 Business formerly accompanied Route 79 along Mark Twain Avenue and 3rd Street south to Downtown Hannibal where it turned west along Broadway Street. Route 79 parallels the Mississippi River southeast to the Pike County city of Louisiana. 04/13/13

Missouri Route 79 south is part of the Great River Road system. U.S. 61 continues the system northward to La Grange and Canton. 04/13/13

Interstate 72 concludes at an unnumbered exit for U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue) one mile west of Route 79. 04/13/13

The final confirming marker for Interstate 72 west precedes the Central Avenue underpass. 04/13/13

U.S. 61 is part of the Avenue of the Saints Corridor, a four lane highway stretching south to St. Louis and north to Missouri Route 27 near Wayland. 04/13/13

The Missouri Welcome Center located along U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue) permanently closed in September 2020. The facility was one of three statewide shuttered following a vote by the state Tourism Commission to revise their budget due to funding cuts.³ 04/13/13

U.S. 61 constitutes a five lane, commercial boulevard along McMasters Avenue through part of Hannibal. The Avenue of the Saints expands to a divided highway both north to Palmyra and south to New London. 04/13/13

A single point interchange joins I-72/U.S. 36-Route 110 (CKC) with U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue). U.S. 61 Business formerly overlapped with the freeway west from Route 79 to the exchange as well. 04/13/13

U.S. 61 travels south from Hannibal to Wentzville and the western suburbs of St. Louis. Heading north, U.S. 61 follows the Mississippi River to Keokuk and the Quad Cities in Iowa. 04/13/13

An end sign for Interstate 72 stands above the overpass taking U.S. 36/Route 110 (CKC) above U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue). 04/13/13

U.S. 36 continues west out of Hannibal as a freeway to U.S. 24. 05/07/10

Sources:

"Both Twain bridges carried traffic for a time - New, old structures were open concurrently for 20 minutes."Hannibal Courier-Post (MO), September 18, 2000.
"Bridge was joint project of 2 states, speakers say." Hannibal Courier-Post (MO), September 18, 2000.
"State looking for business tenant for former welcome center in Hannibal." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), October 16, 2021.

Photo Credits:

05/07/10, 04/13/13 by AARoads

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Page Updated 11-07-2023.