Interstate 64 in Missouri

Infobox road
state=MO
route=64
type=I
alternate_name=
maint=

---

length_mi=30
length_round=
length_ref=
length_notes=
established=
direction_a=West
direction_b=East
starting_terminus=Jct|state=MO|I|70
junction=Jct|state=MO|I|270
Jct|state=MO|I|170
Jct|state=MO|I|55
direction_b=East
ending_terminus=Jct|state=MO|I|70
cities=
previous_type=US
previous_route=63
next_type=MO
next_route=64

Interstate 64 runs a short distance in the St. Louis area of the U.S. state of Missouri. The entire route overlaps U.S. Route 40. Because of the road's short distance, it is not uncommon for locals to refer to the stretch of highway as "Highway 40" rather than "I-64".

Route description

Immediately following the split of Interstate 55 and Interstate 70 in Downtown Saint Louis, Interstate 64 travels through the downtown area in a double decker configuration (Eastbound lanes lower level, and Westbound lanes upper level). In this area the expressway comes within fifty feet of the New Busch Stadium. Leaving Downtown, the expressway travels near Saint Louis University and through the Central West End of the city. In the Western Portion of Saint Louis, this highway skirts the Southern Edge of Forest Park. In this area, one would find both the St. Louis Science Center and St. Louis Zoo both immediately off the expressway.

West of Forest Park, I-64 exits the main city and enters Saint Louis County in the City of Richmond Heights. Through here, the expressway passes through older neighborhoods, and, due to its outdated design has narrow shoulders and substandard exit and entrance ramps. However, major construction in this area is underway to update the expressway to a more modern design [http://www.thenewi64.org I-64 Construction] . On the Western end of Richmond Heights, I-64 intersects Interstate 170 near the Saint Louis Galleria. This area is very congested as there is a lot of shopping and businesses around here with ongoing construction to upgrade this interchange and improve traffic flow in this area. Continuing West, I-64 travels through affluent areas such as Ladue and Town and Country. Currently, Interstate 64 between I-170 and I-270 is closed for a complete rebuilding of the 70 year old highway in this area, and this will remain this way through the rest of 2008.

In Town and Country, I-64 intersects with Interstate 270 in a flyover interchange built in the early 1990s. West of I-270, the expressway continues into West Saint Louis County through the city of Chesterfield. After traveling through the growing Chesterfield Valley, the expressway crosses the Daniel Boone Bridge and enters Saint Charles County. From here, I-64 continues past a recently rebuilt interchange with Route 94 and temporarily ends just west of Route K in O'Fallon. By 2009, Interstate 64 will be extended along an upgraded US 40 for 9 miles to end at Interstate 70 in Wentzville.

Future

The Missouri Department of Transportation is currently rebuilding the stretch of I-64 from Spoede Road to Kingshighway Boulevard. The project includes new pavement on the highway, rebuilding approximately 25 bridges, reconfiguring several interchanges, and a new freeway-to-freeway interchange at Interstate 170. Portions of the project will require closing major stretches of I-64 in 2008 and 2009.

Exit list

The west end of the freeway is at exit 9; only the interchanges are listed along the surface US 40 west of there.

References

External links

* [http://www.thenewi64.org/ Missouri Department of Transportation: The New I-64]