Avenue of the Saints
Encyclopedia
The Avenue of the Saints is a 563 miles (906.1 km) highway in the Midwestern United States
that connects St. Paul, Minnesota
, and St. Louis
, Missouri
.
where Missouri Route 27 crosses the Des Moines River
and ends at the Minnesota
state line in Worth County
, concurrent with Interstate 35. Construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor in Iowa was completed on May 23, 2006.
In 2001, the Iowa Department of Transportation designated the Avenue of the Saints as Iowa Highway 27. Prior to its creation, motorists wanting to travel the Avenue through Iowa had to follow a lengthy list of directions: (heading north from Missouri) Iowa Highway 394, U.S. Route 218
, Interstate 380
, U.S. Route 20
, Iowa Highway 58
, US 218 (again), U.S. Route 18
and Interstate 35.
businessman Ernest Hayes, who envisioned a four-lane highway between St. Paul and St. Louis in the 1980s. The Iowa
Department of Transportation decided to study the idea in 1988. Several politicians endorsed the idea, including Mount Pleasant mayor (and future Iowa governor) Tom Vilsack
, Senator
Charles Grassley of Iowa, and Congressmen
David Nagle and Fred Grandy
of Iowa and Dick Gephardt
of Missouri.
By the end of 1989, four possible routes for the Avenue of the Saints were under consideration by the Federal Highway Administration
. Two of the rejected routes would have followed U.S. Route 52
and U.S. Route 63
from St. Paul through Rochester, Minnesota
, to Waterloo, Iowa
. Another rejected route would have followed U.S. Route 61
from St. Paul through La Crosse, Wisconsin
, and Dubuque, Iowa
, to Davenport, Iowa
, and U.S. Route 67
from Davenport to St. Louis.
In 1990 the FHWA chose its route for the Avenue of the Saints: it would follow Interstate 35
from St. Paul to a point south of Clear Lake, Iowa
; U.S. Route 18
to Charles City, Iowa
; U.S. Route 218
to Cedar Falls, Iowa
; Iowa Highway 58 and U.S. Route 20
around Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa
; Interstate 380
from Waterloo through Cedar Rapids
to Interstate 80
near Coralville, Iowa
and Iowa City, Iowa
; U.S. 218 to Donnellson, Iowa
; Iowa Highway 394 and Route B to Wayland, Missouri
; and U.S. 61 and Interstate 64
from Wayland to St. Louis.
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
of 1991 made the Avenue of the Saints an official "high-priority corridor," and signs were put along the route by the end of the year. At that time the only four-lane segments were Interstates 35, 380, and 64; U.S. 20 around Waterloo; U.S. 218 from I-80 to Iowa Highway 22 near Riverside
, Iowa
; and two segments of U.S. 61 in Missouri (from La Grange
to New London
and from Bowling Green
to St. Louis). The decision had also been made to build the Avenue of the Saints to expressway standards—with intersections at rural roads—rather than to full freeway standards as a cost-saving measure. Freeway segments would be built around cities that needed to be bypassed.
After the routing was approved, both Iowa and Missouri began constructing new four-lane segments. Iowa opened bypasses around Waverly
(1998), Mason City
(1999), Charles City (2000), Mount Pleasant (2001), and Donnellson (2004). A four-lane link between I-35 and I-380 was completed with the opening of a segment near Nashua
in November 2003. Missouri completed four-lane segments from New London to Bowling Green in November 2000 and from Canton
to La Grange in 2003.
In 2001 the Iowa Department of Transportation gave the Avenue of the Saints its own highway number: Iowa Highway 27. The number was added as an additional number to the existing routes; however, after the Donnellson bypass opened in 2004, Iowa 394 was decommissioned
and Iowa 27 is now a standalone highway south of the split with U.S. 218.
On December 8, 2004, a new four-lane bridge across the Des Moines River
opened; this replaced an existing toll bridge
operated by the Wayland Special Road District. A new four-lane road between the bridge and U.S. 61 south of Wayland also opened that day. This road was numbered Route 27 to match Iowa's number for the Avenue of the Saints.
In June 2005, a four-lane segment from the end of the Mount Pleasant bypass to the junction with Iowa Highway 16 east of Houghton
was opened to four lanes of traffic. The segment of Iowa 27 between the split with U.S. 218 and the Des Moines River bridge opened to four lanes on August 25, 2005. The last remaining segment in Iowa was opened to traffic May 23, 2006.
The only portions of the road which do not bypass major towns are Waterloo, Iowa; Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Hannibal, Missouri.
A "festival" was held from June 16–18 amongst towns along the corridor to celebrate the completion of Iowa's segment.
in Iowa, the Avenue of the Saints has exit number
s in that state. The exit numbers correspond to the underlying U.S. Highway or Interstate Highway – U.S. 218, I-380
, U.S. 20, U.S. 18 and I-35. The section along Iowa Highway 58
in Cedar Falls has no exit numbers, and the separate section south of Donnellson has one numbered exit—the northbound one to U.S. 218 south—based on Iowa 27's mileage.
Ongoing construction projects and future proposals along the Avenue of the Saints include:
s.
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
that connects St. Paul, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Missouri
Within Missouri, the Avenue of the Saints is Interstate 64, U.S. Route 61, and Missouri Route 27.Iowa
In Iowa, the Avenue of the Saints is a 282 miles (453.8 km) highway, which begins in Lee CountyLee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
where Missouri Route 27 crosses the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
and ends at the Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
state line in Worth County
Worth County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 7,598 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,548 housing units, of which 3,172 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, concurrent with Interstate 35. Construction of the Avenue of the Saints corridor in Iowa was completed on May 23, 2006.
In 2001, the Iowa Department of Transportation designated the Avenue of the Saints as Iowa Highway 27. Prior to its creation, motorists wanting to travel the Avenue through Iowa had to follow a lengthy list of directions: (heading north from Missouri) Iowa Highway 394, U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends away at...
, Interstate 380
Interstate 380 (Iowa)
Interstate 380 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway located in eastern Iowa. The route extends from Interstate 80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the second- and fifth-largest cities in the state, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. ...
, U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
, Iowa Highway 58
Iowa Highway 58
Iowa Highway 58 is a state highway that runs from north to south in northeast Iowa. A portion of the highway is overlapped by the Avenue of the Saints. Iowa 58 begins at U.S. Route 63 in Hudson and ends at an interchange with U.S. Route 218 and Iowa Highway 57...
, US 218 (again), U.S. Route 18
U.S. Route 18
U.S. Route 18 is an east–west U.S. highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus is in Orin, Wyoming at an interchange with Interstate 25. Its eastern terminus of US 18 is in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, US 18 runs concurrent with other U.S...
and Interstate 35.
History
The Avenue of the Saints was the idea of Mount Pleasant, IowaMount Pleasant, Iowa
Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
businessman Ernest Hayes, who envisioned a four-lane highway between St. Paul and St. Louis in the 1980s. The Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
Department of Transportation decided to study the idea in 1988. Several politicians endorsed the idea, including Mount Pleasant mayor (and future Iowa governor) Tom Vilsack
Tom Vilsack
Thomas James "Tom" Vilsack is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and presently the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He served as the 40th Governor of the state of Iowa. He was first elected in 1998 and re-elected to a second four-year term in 2002...
, Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Charles Grassley of Iowa, and Congressmen
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
David Nagle and Fred Grandy
Fred Grandy
Fredrick Lawrence "Fred" Grandy is a former actor best known for his role as 'Gopher' on the sitcom The Love Boat and who later became a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Iowa...
of Iowa and Dick Gephardt
Dick Gephardt
Richard Andrew "Dick" Gephardt is a lobbyist and former prominent American politician of the Democratic Party. Gephardt served as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from January 3, 1977, until January 3, 2005, serving as House Majority Leader from 1989 to 1995, and as Minority Leader from 1995 to...
of Missouri.
By the end of 1989, four possible routes for the Avenue of the Saints were under consideration by the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
. Two of the rejected routes would have followed U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52
U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...
and U.S. Route 63
U.S. Route 63
U.S. Route 63 is a long north–south United States highway primarily in the Midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at Interstate 20 in Ruston, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 2 in Benoit, Wisconsin, about east of Duluth, Minnesota. It is not related to U.S...
from St. Paul through Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, to Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
. Another rejected route would have followed U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
from St. Paul through La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
, and Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, to Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, and U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern...
from Davenport to St. Louis.
In 1990 the FHWA chose its route for the Avenue of the Saints: it would follow Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
from St. Paul to a point south of Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,161 at the 2000 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related businesses. Clear Lake is also a major stop on Interstate...
; U.S. Route 18
U.S. Route 18
U.S. Route 18 is an east–west U.S. highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus is in Orin, Wyoming at an interchange with Interstate 25. Its eastern terminus of US 18 is in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, US 18 runs concurrent with other U.S...
to Charles City, Iowa
Charles City, Iowa
Charles City is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2010 census a decrease of 160, or 2%, from 7,812 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Floyd County. Charles City is a significant commercial and transportation center for the area, located on U.S...
; U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends away at...
to Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
; Iowa Highway 58 and U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
around Cedar Falls and Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
; Interstate 380
Interstate 380 (Iowa)
Interstate 380 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway located in eastern Iowa. The route extends from Interstate 80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the second- and fifth-largest cities in the state, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. ...
from Waterloo through Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
to Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
near Coralville, Iowa
Coralville, Iowa
Coralville is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Iowa City and part of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
; U.S. 218 to Donnellson, Iowa
Donnellson, Iowa
Donnellson is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 963 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Donnellson is located at ....
; Iowa Highway 394 and Route B to Wayland, Missouri
Wayland, Missouri
Wayland is a city in Clark County, Missouri, United States. The population was 425 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Wayland is located at ....
; and U.S. 61 and Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
from Wayland to St. Louis.
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act
The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 is a United States federal law that posed a major change to transportation planning and policy, as the first U.S. federal legislation on the subject in the post-Interstate Highway System era...
of 1991 made the Avenue of the Saints an official "high-priority corridor," and signs were put along the route by the end of the year. At that time the only four-lane segments were Interstates 35, 380, and 64; U.S. 20 around Waterloo; U.S. 218 from I-80 to Iowa Highway 22 near Riverside
Riverside, Iowa
Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa, United States, along the English River on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 928 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Highland Community School District.Riverside proclaimed...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
; and two segments of U.S. 61 in Missouri (from La Grange
La Grange, Missouri
La Grange is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,000 at the 2000 census. Since the 2000 census the population has been dwindling. It is part of the Quincy, IL–MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Police Scandal:...
to New London
New London, Missouri
New London is a city in Ralls County, Missouri, United States located at the intersection of US Route 61 and Missouri Route 19. The population was 1,001 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ralls County....
and from Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Missouri
Bowling Green is a city in Pike County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,260 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.Ameren's Peno Creek Power Plant, a combustion turbine generator power plant, is located in Bowling Green....
to St. Louis). The decision had also been made to build the Avenue of the Saints to expressway standards—with intersections at rural roads—rather than to full freeway standards as a cost-saving measure. Freeway segments would be built around cities that needed to be bypassed.
After the routing was approved, both Iowa and Missouri began constructing new four-lane segments. Iowa opened bypasses around Waverly
Waverly, Iowa
Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,874 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bremer County and is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(1998), Mason City
Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
(1999), Charles City (2000), Mount Pleasant (2001), and Donnellson (2004). A four-lane link between I-35 and I-380 was completed with the opening of a segment near Nashua
Nashua, Iowa
Nashua is a city in Chickasaw and Floyd counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 1,663 an increase of 45, or 2.8%, from 1,618 reported at the 2000 census...
in November 2003. Missouri completed four-lane segments from New London to Bowling Green in November 2000 and from Canton
Canton, Missouri
Canton is a city in Lewis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,557 at the 2000 census. Canton is the site of Culver-Stockton College, a small liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church...
to La Grange in 2003.
In 2001 the Iowa Department of Transportation gave the Avenue of the Saints its own highway number: Iowa Highway 27. The number was added as an additional number to the existing routes; however, after the Donnellson bypass opened in 2004, Iowa 394 was decommissioned
Decommissioned highway
A decommissioned highway is a highway that has been removed from service, shut down or has had its authorization as a federal or state highway removed. Decommissioning can include the complete or partial demolition or abandonment of an old highway structure because the old roadway has lost its...
and Iowa 27 is now a standalone highway south of the split with U.S. 218.
Present status
On July 25, 2008, the final nine miles (14 km) of highway between the Lewis/Clark county line and Wayland, Missouri was open to four-lane traffic. A ceremony was held at the intersection of US 61 and Route 27 to commemorate the completion of the four-lane highway in Missouri. The Avenue of the Saints is now complete from suburban St. Louis to St. Paul (see Future construction below).On December 8, 2004, a new four-lane bridge across the Des Moines River
Des Moines River
The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States...
opened; this replaced an existing toll bridge
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
operated by the Wayland Special Road District. A new four-lane road between the bridge and U.S. 61 south of Wayland also opened that day. This road was numbered Route 27 to match Iowa's number for the Avenue of the Saints.
In June 2005, a four-lane segment from the end of the Mount Pleasant bypass to the junction with Iowa Highway 16 east of Houghton
Houghton, Iowa
Houghton is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 130 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Houghton is located at ....
was opened to four lanes of traffic. The segment of Iowa 27 between the split with U.S. 218 and the Des Moines River bridge opened to four lanes on August 25, 2005. The last remaining segment in Iowa was opened to traffic May 23, 2006.
The only portions of the road which do not bypass major towns are Waterloo, Iowa; Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Hannibal, Missouri.
A "festival" was held from June 16–18 amongst towns along the corridor to celebrate the completion of Iowa's segment.
Exit numbers
As with many rural expresswaysLimited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
in Iowa, the Avenue of the Saints has exit number
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
s in that state. The exit numbers correspond to the underlying U.S. Highway or Interstate Highway – U.S. 218, I-380
Interstate 380 (Iowa)
Interstate 380 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway located in eastern Iowa. The route extends from Interstate 80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the second- and fifth-largest cities in the state, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. ...
, U.S. 20, U.S. 18 and I-35. The section along Iowa Highway 58
Iowa Highway 58
Iowa Highway 58 is a state highway that runs from north to south in northeast Iowa. A portion of the highway is overlapped by the Avenue of the Saints. Iowa 58 begins at U.S. Route 63 in Hudson and ends at an interchange with U.S. Route 218 and Iowa Highway 57...
in Cedar Falls has no exit numbers, and the separate section south of Donnellson has one numbered exit—the northbound one to U.S. 218 south—based on Iowa 27's mileage.
Future construction
On July 25, 2008, the Avenue of the Saints was completed with the opening of the final nine-mile (14 km) segment from the Lewis County line to Wayland in Clark County, Missouri.Ongoing construction projects and future proposals along the Avenue of the Saints include:
- The upgrading of US 61 to interstate standards from I-70 in Wentzville to Route 47 in Troy, Missouri. In 2007, an interchange was installed at Route C in Moscow Mills, Missouri. Proposals include installing interchanges at Route U in Moscow Mills and South Lincoln Drive just south of Troy.
- MoDOT has published initial maps for the Hannibal Expressway, a bypass around Hannibal, MO (http://www.modot.org/northeast/HannibalBypassMapOptions.htm). According to the maps, the Hannibal Expressway would depart from US 61 south of Hannibal, travel in a northwesterly direction toward the Rocket Junction where it would intersect with US 36/I-72 and US 24 West. The Hannibal Expressway would then travel along the current US 24 East alignment and re-connect with US 61 four miles (6 km) north of the Rocket Junction. The "Hannibal Expressway" project is presently unfunded. Presently, there are seven stoplights along US 61 in Hannibal: Red Devil Rd./Warren Barrett Dr., Market St. (Business 61), Hwy MM (Business 36), West Ely Rd., I-72/US 36, Stardust Dr./Pirate Pride, and MO 168.
Exit list
Note: much of the road is not a freeway; there are many at-grade intersectionAt-grade intersection
An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting...
s.
Missouri |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Location | Mile | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| St. Charles | O'Fallon O'Fallon, Missouri O'Fallon is a suburban city along Interstate 70 between Lake St. Louis and St. Peters in Saint Charles County, Missouri. It is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census population of 79,329, it is the seventh largest city in the state and the largest in St. Charles... |
Continuation beyond south end. | |||
| 9 | |||||
| Lake St. Louis Lake St. Louis, Missouri The City of Lake St. Louis is a planned community situated around two lakes between Interstate 70 and Interstate 64 in western St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,545 as of the 2010 US Census. Lake St. Louis is a suburb of St... |
Lake Saint Louis Boulevard | ||||
| Wentzville Wentzville, Missouri Wentzville is a city located in western St. Charles County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 29,070. The city's major employer is General Motors which has a full size van assembly plant located there. As the site of the county fairgrounds,... |
,  Lambert Airport, Kansas City |
North end of I 64/US 40 overlap. | |||
| Pitman Avenue | northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| Lincoln Lincoln County, Missouri As of the census of 2000, there were 38,944 people, 13,851 households, and 10,554 families residing in the county. The population density was 62 people per square mile . There were 15,511 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile... |
|||||
| Old Cap au Gris Road | northbound exit and entrance | ||||
| Pike Pike County, Missouri As of the census of 2010, there were 18,516 people, 6,451 households, and 4,476 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 7,493 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile... |
|||||
| Ralls | |||||
| Marion | , Springfield | I-72's western terminus is at this intersection | |||
| South end of US 24 overlap. | |||||
| – Quincy, Ill. Quincy, Illinois Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a... |
North end of US 24 overlap. | ||||
| Lewis | , Wakonda State Park Wakonda State Park Wakonda State Park is a state park in the US state of Missouri consisting of near La Grange in Lewis County.-History:Wakonda, an Osage Indian word meaning something consecrated or spiritual, was established by the Missouri State Park Board in 1960 on 273 acres transferred from the Missouri Highway... |
||||
| Clark Clark County, Missouri Clark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 7,139. Its county seat is Kahoka. The county was organized in 1836 and named after William Clark, leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and later a Governor of Missouri Territory.Clark County is part... |
US 61 joins southbound and leaves northbound. Route 27 begins northbound and ends southbound. |
||||
| Des Moines River Des Moines River The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States... |
|||||
Iowa |
|||||
| County | Location | Mile | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Des Moines River Des Moines River The Des Moines River is a tributary river of the Mississippi River, approximately long to its farther headwaters, in the upper Midwestern United States... |
0.000 | ||||
| Lee Lee County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Charleston Township | 10.395 | 10 18 |
South end of US 218 overlap | |
| Donnellson Donnellson, Iowa Donnellson is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 963 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Donnellson is located at .... |
12.322 | 19 | |||
| Marion Township | 22.409 | ||||
| Henry Henry County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,145 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,280 housing units, of which 7,666 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant, Iowa Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :... |
33.312 | 40 | 255th Street, Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant, Iowa Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :... – Old Thresher's Grounds |
|
| 34.998 | 42A | South end of US 34/Iowa 163 overlap | |||
| 42B | |||||
| 38.872 | 45 | North end of US 34/Iowa 163 overlap. | |||
| 39.387 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance only | ||||
| Olds Olds, Iowa Olds is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olds is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.... |
47.096 | ||||
| Washington | Oregon Township | 59.230 | 66 | ||
| 62.609 | 70 | ||||
| Riverside Riverside, Iowa Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa, United States, along the English River on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 928 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Highland Community School District.Riverside proclaimed... |
72.721 | 80 | |||
| Johnson Johnson County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Liberty Township | 77.671 | 85 | Hills Hills, Iowa Hills is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 679 at the 2000 census... |
|
| West Lucas Township | 81.845 | 89 | – Iowa City Municipal AirportIowa City Municipal Airport Iowa City Municipal Airport is a general aviation airport located in the southwest portion of the city of Iowa City in Johnson County, Iowa, USA. It is located at , along the Iowa River... |
||
| Iowa City Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa... |
83.455 | 91 | |||
| 85.698 | 93 | ||||
| Coralville Coralville, Iowa Coralville is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Iowa City and part of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
89.071 | 0 | South end of I-380 overlap. Southbound exits signed as 0A (east) and 0B (west). |
||
See .svg.png) Interstate 380Interstate 380 (Iowa) Interstate 380 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway located in eastern Iowa. The route extends from Interstate 80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the second- and fifth-largest cities in the state, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. ... for exit list. |
|||||
| Black Hawk Black Hawk County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 131,090 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,887 housing units, of which 52,470 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Waterloo Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two... |
162.285 | 71A 232B |
North end of I-380 overlap. | |
| 71B 232A |
|||||
| 163.793 | 230 | ||||
| 165.325 | Ansborough Avenue | ||||
| 167.000 | 227 | ||||
| Hudson Hudson, Iowa Hudson is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,117 at the 2000 census. Hudson has grown in recent years as a suburb of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. It is part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.... |
168.476 | 225 | North end of US 20 overlap. South end of IA 58 overlap. | ||
| Cedar Falls Cedar Falls, Iowa Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census... |
172.174 | University Avenue (Iowa 934) | |||
| 172.780 | 18th Street; Waterloo Road | ||||
| 174.257 | – Waterloo Regional Airport Waterloo Regional Airport - External links :*, official site*... |
North end of IA 58 overlap. South end of US 218 overlap. | |||
| East terminus of IA 57. | |||||
| 175.909 | 189 | Lone Tree Road | |||
| Bremer | Waverly Waverly, Iowa Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,874 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bremer County and is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.... |
185.446 | 198 | ||
| 189.947 | 203 | ||||
| 191.988 | 205 | – Waverly Municipal Airport |
|||
| Plainfield Plainfield, Iowa Plainfield is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 436 at the 2010 census a decrease of 2, or 0.5%, from 438 at the 2000 census... |
199.202 | 212 | |||
| Chickasaw Chickasaw County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 12,439 in the county, with a population density of . There were 5,679 housing units, of which 5,204 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Nashua Nashua, Iowa Nashua is a city in Chickasaw and Floyd counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 1,663 an increase of 45, or 2.8%, from 1,618 reported at the 2000 census... |
206.506 | 220 | ||
| Floyd Floyd County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,303 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,526 housing units, of which 6,886 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Charles City Charles City, Iowa Charles City is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2010 census a decrease of 160, or 2%, from 7,812 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Floyd County. Charles City is a significant commercial and transportation center for the area, located on U.S... |
215.728 | 218 | South end of US 18 overlap. | |
| 219.304 | 214 | ||||
| 221.428 | 212 | ||||
| Floyd Floyd, Iowa Floyd is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 361 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Floyd is located at on the Cedar River.... |
223.845 | North end of US 218 overlap. At-grade intersection. | |||
| Rock Grove Township Rock Grove Township, Floyd County, Iowa Rock Grove Township is one of twelve townships in Floyd County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,849.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Rock Grove Township covers an area of 39.92 square miles ; of this, 39.89 square miles is land and 0.03 square miles... |
238.542 | 195 | |||
| Cerro Gordo Cerro Gordo County, Iowa -2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 44,151 in the county, with a population density of . There were 22,163 housing units, of which 19,350 were occupied.-2000 census:... |
Portland Township Portland Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Portland Township is one of sixteen townships in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 331.-Geography:Portland Township covers an area of and contains a very small part of the city of Nora Springs . The county seat, Mason City, borders the township to the... |
243.679 | 190 | ||
| Mason City Mason City, Iowa Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties.... |
247.731 | 186 | |||
| Lake Township Lake Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Lake Township is one of sixteen townships in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 345.-Geography:Lake Township covers an area of and contains no incorporated settlements. According to the USGS, it contains one cemetery, Memorial Park... |
250.741 | 183 | – Mason City Municipal Airport Mason City Municipal Airport Mason City Municipal Airport is a public airport located in the northern part of Lake Township, five miles west of the central business district of Mason City and just northeast of Clear Lake, both cities in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, USA. The airport covers and has two runways... |
||
| 255.192 | 178 | , Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States... |
South end of I-35 overlap. | ||
See .svg.png) Interstate 35 in IowaInterstate 35 in Iowa In the U.S. state of Iowa, Interstate 35 runs north–south through the Des Moines area, parallel to US 65 and US 69. Segments of the Interstate Highway overlap with Interstate 80 and Iowa Highway 27, Iowa's designation for the Avenue of the Saints.... for exit list. begins southbound and ends northbound at Minnesota state line. |
|||||
Minnesota |
|||||
| County | Location | Mile | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
See .svg.png) Interstate 35 in MinnesotaInterstate 35 in Minnesota In the U.S. state of Minnesota, Interstate 35 is a highway in southeast, east-central, and northeast Minnesota. The route runs north–south from the Iowa state line through the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul; where it splits into Interstates 35E and 35W; and ends in the city of... for exit list. |
|||||