U.S. Route 54
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 54 is an east–west United States highway that runs northeast-southwest for 1,197 miles (1,926 km) from western Illinois
to El Paso, Texas
. It enters and leaves Texas twice. Union Pacific's Tucumcari Line runs parallel to US-54 from El Paso to Wichita, Kansas
, which comprises about two-thirds of the route.
As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is Griggsville, Illinois
, at Interstate 72
and Illinois Route 107
. Its western terminus is El Paso, near the United States-Mexico border.
|TX
(El Paso)
|20
|32
|-
|NM
|355
|571
|-
|TX
(Panhandle)
|92
|148
|-
|OK
|56
|90
|-
|KS
|380
|612
|-
|MO
|279
|449
|-
|IL
|15
|24
|-
|Total
|1197
|1926
|}
US 54 enters New Mexico
in Chaparral
as part of the El Paso, Texas
Metro area network. It also serves as a military highway to connect Fort Bliss
in El Paso to Holloman Air Force Base
in Alamogordo, New Mexico
. The speed limit is 70 mph on the divided highway section upon entering the state to approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) south of Alamogordo, with a 35 mph zone in Orogrande
. The limit is 60 mph from Alamogordo to Tularosa
and 55 mph north of Tularosa. The highway runs north through the central portion of the state, running concurrently with Interstate 40
from Santa Rosa
for 59 miles (95 km) to Tucumcari
. The highway then exits the state back into Texas
at Nara Visa
. The highway runs for 354 miles (569.7 km) and passes through the major New Mexico cities of Alamogordo, Vaughn
, Santa Rosa and Tucumcari.
at Loop 375 downtown. (US 54/Patriot Freeway) The highway serves as a major freeway for the Metro area's network, running north-south along the city's eastern slope of the Franklin Mountains
range. The highway runs through the city for approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) before reaching the New Mexico
state line. Within the network, it is a military connector for Fort Bliss
and Holloman Air Force Base
.
The highway re-enters the Texas Panhandle
just beyond Nara Visa, New Mexico, and continues northeast for 95 miles (152.9 km) to the Oklahoma border. Major Texas cities along US 54 are El Paso, Dalhart, and Stratford.
from southwest to northeast. It enters at Texhoma
, then continues northeast through Goodwell
before entering Guymon
. In Guymon, it intersects US-412 and begins a concurrency with US-64. It goes northeast through Optima
and Hooker
, where US-64 turns east. After going northeast through Tyrone
, it enters Kansas just before entering Liberal, Kansas.
US-54 is a known drug trafficking route with a drug task force located in Guymon, OK.
, and travels through the cities of Liberal
and Plains
, where it begins a concurrency with US-160 in Meade County
. Just east of the city of Meade
, US-54 splits from US-160 and continues in a northeasterly direction through Meade and Ford
counties before beginning a long concurrency with US-400 in Mullinville
in Kiowa County
.
The highway then travels through the town of Greensburg
and continues as a two-lane road through Pratt
, Cunningham
, and Kingman
. The road becomes a divided highway in eastern Kingman County
. From Kingman to Garden Plain in Sedgwick County
it is a freeway but becomes an at-grade expressway as it passes through Goddard and approaches Wichita.
The freeway resumes as the road crosses the city limits of Wichita near Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
. In Wichita, US-54/400 is known as Kellogg Avenue, and has junctions with Interstate 235
, Interstate 135 and Interstate 35, the Kansas Turnpike
, before a junction with K-96
. The Kellogg Avenue freeway has six lanes and extends 13 miles (21 km) from 111th Street on the west side of Wichita to Cypress just before the I-35/Kansas Turnpike interchange on the east side. Upgrading of Kellogg Avenue from a surface arterial to a freeway has been underway since the mid-1980s, with the latest interchange project opening in late 2009. The road gets its name from Milo Bailey Kellogg, a shopkeeper and Civil War veteran who was the city's first civilian postmaster in 1870.
The concurrency of US-54 and US-400 continues through Augusta
in Butler County
before US-400 heads east toward the Missouri
state line, while US-54 forms a brief concurrency with US-77 through El Dorado
. At El Dorado, US-54 continues its easterly course through rural areas in Greenwood
and Woodson
counties before passing through the cities of Iola
and Fort Scott
, with US-77 heading north to Junction City
. US-54 exits Kansas in Bourbon County
before reaching Nevada, Missouri
.
and Lake of the Ozarks
. After entering the state it passes through Nevada
, El Dorado Springs
, Hermitage
, crossing Lake of the Ozarks the first time just north of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
. It passes through Camdenton
and crosses the lake a second time at the Grand Glaize Bridge
at Osage Beach
before bypassing Eldon
and going through Jefferson City
, where it crosses the Missouri River
at the Jefferson City Bridge
where it briefly overlaps U.S. Route 63. Just north of the bridge it splits, passing through Fulton
, crossing Interstate 70 at Kingdom City
, bypassing Mexico
, passing just north of Vandalia
, and ultimately crossing the Mississippi River
via the Champ Clark Bridge
into Illinois
at Louisiana
.
, U.S. 54 runs from the Champ Clark Bridge
over the Mississippi River
to its terminus at Interstate 72
northeast near Griggsville
. Before the eastern terminus was cut back to I-72, U.S. 54 continued northeast to downtown Chicago
. It is a rural, two-lane surface street for its entire length in Illinois. In the state of Illinois, U.S. 54 is 23.96 miles (38.56 km) long.
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Until the 1970s, US 54 reached Chicago. It was then truncated in favor of U.S. Route 36
, Illinois Route 54
, and U.S. Route 45
.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. It enters and leaves Texas twice. Union Pacific's Tucumcari Line runs parallel to US-54 from El Paso to Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, which comprises about two-thirds of the route.
As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is Griggsville, Illinois
Griggsville, Illinois
Griggsville is a city in Pike County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Griggsville is located at ....
, at Interstate 72
Interstate 72
Interstate 72 is an Interstate Highway in the midwestern United States. Its western terminus is in Hannibal, Missouri, at an intersection with U.S. Route 61; its eastern terminus is at Country Fair Drive in Champaign, Illinois. In 2006, the Illinois General Assembly dedicated all of Interstate 72...
and Illinois Route 107
Illinois Route 107
Illinois Route 107 is a north–south state highway in western Illinois. It runs from the northern terminus of U.S. Route 54 between Pittsfield and Griggsville north to Illinois Route 99 in Mt. Sterling. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
. Its western terminus is El Paso, near the United States-Mexico border.
Route description
|-|TX
U.S. Route 54 in Texas
U.S. Route 54 in Texas is a U.S. Highway that travels through two portions of Texas: one in the far western point, and the other in the far northwest Panhandle.-Route description:...
(El Paso)
|20
|32
|-
|NM
|355
|571
|-
|TX
U.S. Route 54 in Texas
U.S. Route 54 in Texas is a U.S. Highway that travels through two portions of Texas: one in the far western point, and the other in the far northwest Panhandle.-Route description:...
(Panhandle)
|92
|148
|-
|OK
|56
|90
|-
|KS
|380
|612
|-
|MO
|279
|449
|-
|IL
|15
|24
|-
|Total
|1197
|1926
|}
New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in Chaparral
Chaparral, New Mexico
Chaparral is a census-designated place in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 14,631 at the 2010 census. A portion of Chaparral is also in Otero County, New Mexico, United States....
as part of the El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
Metro area network. It also serves as a military highway to connect Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
in El Paso to Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
in Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo, New Mexico
Alamogordo is the county seat of Otero County and a city in south-central New Mexico, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000...
. The speed limit is 70 mph on the divided highway section upon entering the state to approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) south of Alamogordo, with a 35 mph zone in Orogrande
Orogrande, New Mexico
Orogrande is an unincorporated community in Otero County, New Mexico in the United States, located at latitude of 32.37111 and a longitude of -106.08389 in the Jarilla Mountains of the Tularosa Basin on U.S. 54 between El Paso, Texas and Alamogordo, New Mexico...
. The limit is 60 mph from Alamogordo to Tularosa
Tularosa, New Mexico
Tularosa is a village in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It shares its name with the Tularosa Basin, in which the town is located. To the east, Tularosa is flanked by the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The population was 2,864 at the 2000 census...
and 55 mph north of Tularosa. The highway runs north through the central portion of the state, running concurrently with Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
from Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Santa Rosa is a city in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. It lies between Albuquerque and Tucumcari, situated on the Pecos River at the intersection of Interstate 40, U.S. Route 54, and U.S. Route 84...
for 59 miles (95 km) to Tucumcari
Tucumcari, New Mexico
Tucumcari is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was founded.-History:...
. The highway then exits the state back into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
at Nara Visa
Nara Visa, New Mexico
Nara Visa is an unincorporated community in Quay County, New Mexico, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 88430. The population of the ZCTA for 88430 was 112 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. The highway runs for 354 miles (569.7 km) and passes through the major New Mexico cities of Alamogordo, Vaughn
Vaughn, New Mexico
Vaughn is a town in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 539 at the 2000 census.Vaughn is located at an intersection of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroad lines.-History:...
, Santa Rosa and Tucumcari.
Texas
US 54 begins in El PasoEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
at Loop 375 downtown. (US 54/Patriot Freeway) The highway serves as a major freeway for the Metro area's network, running north-south along the city's eastern slope of the Franklin Mountains
Franklin Mountains (Texas)
The Franklin Mountains of Texas are a small range that extend from El Paso, Texas north into New Mexico. The Franklins were formed due to crustal extension related to the Cenozoic Rio Grande rift...
range. The highway runs through the city for approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) before reaching the New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
state line. Within the network, it is a military connector for Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
and Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
.
The highway re-enters the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
just beyond Nara Visa, New Mexico, and continues northeast for 95 miles (152.9 km) to the Oklahoma border. Major Texas cities along US 54 are El Paso, Dalhart, and Stratford.
Oklahoma
US-54 runs through the Oklahoma PanhandleOklahoma Panhandle
The Oklahoma Panhandle is the extreme western region of the state of Oklahoma, comprising Cimarron County, Texas County, and Beaver County. Its name comes from the similarity of shape to the handle of a cooking pan....
from southwest to northeast. It enters at Texhoma
Texhoma, Oklahoma
Texhoma is a town in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 926 at the 2010 census. Founded around the Rock Island Railroad laying tracks through the area, much of the town's local economy is from ranching and livestock...
, then continues northeast through Goodwell
Goodwell, Oklahoma
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,192 people, 407 households, and 221 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,003.8 people per square mile . There were 478 housing units at an average density of 402.5 per square mile...
before entering Guymon
Guymon, Oklahoma
Guymon is a city in and the county seat of Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,442, making it the largest city on the Oklahoma Panhandle. Corporate hog farms and cattle feedlots dominate its economy....
. In Guymon, it intersects US-412 and begins a concurrency with US-64. It goes northeast through Optima
Optima, Oklahoma
Optima is a town in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 356 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Optima is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
and Hooker
Hooker, Oklahoma
Hooker is a city in Texas County, Oklahoma, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,918.-Geography:Hooker is located at...
, where US-64 turns east. After going northeast through Tyrone
Tyrone, Oklahoma
Tyrone is a town in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 762 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Tyrone is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
, it enters Kansas just before entering Liberal, Kansas.
US-54 is a known drug trafficking route with a drug task force located in Guymon, OK.
Kansas
US-54 enters the state from Oklahoma in Seward CountySeward County, Kansas
Seward County is a county of the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 22,952. The largest city and county seat is Liberal...
, and travels through the cities of Liberal
Liberal, Kansas
Liberal is the county seat of Seward County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,525.- History :S.S. Rogers built the first house in what would become Liberal in 1872. Rogers became famous in the region for giving water to weary travelers...
and Plains
Plains, Kansas
Plains is a city in Meade County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,146. It is notable for the width of its main street.-Geography:Plains is located at...
, where it begins a concurrency with US-160 in Meade County
Meade County, Kansas
Meade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. It is named in honor of General George G. Meade. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 4,575...
. Just east of the city of Meade
Meade, Kansas
Meade is a city in and the county seat of Meade County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,721.-History:...
, US-54 splits from US-160 and continues in a northeasterly direction through Meade and Ford
Ford County, Kansas
Ford County is a county located in southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 33,848. The Dodge City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Ford County. Its county seat and most populous city is Dodge City. The county is named in...
counties before beginning a long concurrency with US-400 in Mullinville
Mullinville, Kansas
Mullinville is a city in Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 255.-Geography:Mullinville is located at...
in Kiowa County
Kiowa County, Kansas
Kiowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,553...
.
The highway then travels through the town of Greensburg
Greensburg, Kansas
Greensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 777. Greensburg is also home to the world's largest hand-dug well....
and continues as a two-lane road through Pratt
Pratt, Kansas
Pratt is a city in and the county seat of Pratt County in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,835. Pratt is home to Pratt Community College.-19th century:Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after Caleb S...
, Cunningham
Cunningham, Kansas
Cunningham is a city in Kingman County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 454. The city was named in honor of Col. J. D. Cunningham.-History:...
, and Kingman
Kingman, Kansas
Kingman is a city in and the county seat of Kingman County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,177.-Geography:Kingman is located at...
. The road becomes a divided highway in eastern Kingman County
Kingman County, Kansas
Kingman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 7,858. The largest city and county seat is Kingman.-History:...
. From Kingman to Garden Plain in Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County, Kansas
Sedgwick County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. The county's population was 498,365 for the 2010 census. The largest city and county seat is Wichita. The county was named after General John Sedgwick...
it is a freeway but becomes an at-grade expressway as it passes through Goddard and approaches Wichita.
The freeway resumes as the road crosses the city limits of Wichita near Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is a commercial airport located in southwest Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, USA. It is the busiest airport in the state of Kansas . In 2008, passenger traffic continued to grow despite increased fuel prices and economic troubles, with 1,615,075 passengers...
. In Wichita, US-54/400 is known as Kellogg Avenue, and has junctions with Interstate 235
Interstate 235 (Kansas)
Interstate 235 in Kansas is a 16.52 mile-long north–south bypass spur route of Interstate 35 that travels through the western part of Wichita. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with K-96 and Interstate 135/U.S. Route 81 north of the city, where the freeway continues east as K-254...
, Interstate 135 and Interstate 35, the Kansas Turnpike
Kansas Turnpike
The Kansas Turnpike is a freeway-standard toll road that lies entirely within the U.S. state of Kansas. It runs in a general southwest-northeast direction from the Oklahoma border, and passes through several major Kansas cities, including Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City...
, before a junction with K-96
K-96 (Kansas highway)
K-96 is a state highway in central and southern Kansas. Its western terminus is at the Colorado state line east of Towner, Colorado, where it continues as Colorado State Highway 96; its eastern terminus since 1999 is at U.S. Route 54/U.S. Route 400 east of Wichita.The eastern terminus was once at...
. The Kellogg Avenue freeway has six lanes and extends 13 miles (21 km) from 111th Street on the west side of Wichita to Cypress just before the I-35/Kansas Turnpike interchange on the east side. Upgrading of Kellogg Avenue from a surface arterial to a freeway has been underway since the mid-1980s, with the latest interchange project opening in late 2009. The road gets its name from Milo Bailey Kellogg, a shopkeeper and Civil War veteran who was the city's first civilian postmaster in 1870.
The concurrency of US-54 and US-400 continues through Augusta
Augusta, Kansas
Augusta is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,274.-19th century:The confluence of the Whitewater River and the Walnut River was originally inhabited by Native Americans , who found the land ideal for hunting and fishing. In 1868 C. N...
in Butler County
Butler County, Kansas
Butler County is a county located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 65,880. Its county seat and most populous city is El Dorado. The county is a part of the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area.-19th century:It was named in...
before US-400 heads east toward the 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...
state line, while US-54 forms a brief concurrency with US-77 through El Dorado
El Dorado, Kansas
El Dorado is a city situated along the Walnut River in the central part of Butler County, located in south-central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Butler County...
. At El Dorado, US-54 continues its easterly course through rural areas in Greenwood
Greenwood County, Kansas
Greenwood County is a county located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 6,689...
and Woodson
Woodson County, Kansas
Woodson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,309...
counties before passing through the cities of Iola
Iola, Kansas
Iola is a city situated along the Neosho River in the northwestern part of Allen County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,704. Iola is the county seat of Allen County. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn.-History:The...
and Fort Scott
Fort Scott, Kansas
Fort Scott is a city in and the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, United States, south of Kansas City, on the Marmaton River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,087. It is the home of the Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Fort Scott National...
, with US-77 heading north to Junction City
Junction City, Kansas
Junction City is a city in and the county seat of Geary County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 23,353. Fort Riley, a major U.S. Army post, is nearby...
. US-54 exits Kansas in Bourbon County
Bourbon County, Kansas
Bourbon County is a county located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 15,173...
before reaching Nevada, Missouri
Nevada, Missouri
Nevada is a city in Vernon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,327 at the 2011 census. It is the county seat of Vernon County. Nevada is the home of Cottey College, a junior college for women operated by the P.E.O. Sisterhood....
.
Missouri
In Missouri, US 54 runs from the southwest portion of the state to the northeast. It is a major conduit through the Ozarks and is the primary access road to Pomme de Terre LakePomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake is located in southwest Missouri at the confluence of Lindley Creek and the Pomme de Terre River . The lake is located in southern Hickory and northern Polk counties, about north of Springfield...
and Lake of the Ozarks
Lake of the Ozarks
The Lake of the Ozarks is a large reservoir created by impounding the Osage River in the northern part of the Ozarks in central Missouri. Extents of three smaller tributaries to the Osage, the Niangua River, Grandglaize Creek, and Gravois Creek, are included in the impoundment...
. After entering the state it passes through Nevada
Nevada, Missouri
Nevada is a city in Vernon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,327 at the 2011 census. It is the county seat of Vernon County. Nevada is the home of Cottey College, a junior college for women operated by the P.E.O. Sisterhood....
, El Dorado Springs
El Dorado Springs, Missouri
El Dorado Springs is the largest city in Cedar County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,775 at the 2000 census. The name is commonly shortened to El Dorado or just El Do.-Geography:El Dorado Springs is located at ....
, Hermitage
Hermitage, Missouri
Hermitage is a city in Hickory County, Missouri, United States, on the Pomme de Terre River. The population was 406 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hickory County.-Geography:Hermitage is located at...
, crossing Lake of the Ozarks the first time just north of Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a state park in Missouri, United States, located near Camdenton on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. The area has several caves, sinkholes, and bluffs overlooking the lake. The most notable feature of the park is the stone ruins of a mansion, called "the...
. It passes through Camdenton
Camdenton, Missouri
Camdenton is a city in Camden County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,779 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Camden County. The city is enveloped by the Lower Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks and serves as a popular trade point for visitors to the...
and crosses the lake a second time at the Grand Glaize Bridge
Grand Glaize Bridge
The Grand Glaize Bridge are two girder bridges on U.S. Route 54 over the Grand Glaize Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks between Osage Beach, Missouri and Laguna Beach, Missouri in Camden County, Missouri....
at Osage Beach
Osage Beach, Missouri
Osage Beach is a city in Camden and Miller counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 3,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Osage Beach is located at ....
before bypassing Eldon
Eldon, Missouri
Eldon is a city in Miller County, Missouri, United States. It is thirty miles southwest from Jefferson City. The population was 4,895 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eldon is located at...
and going through Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, where it crosses the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
at the Jefferson City Bridge
Jefferson City Bridge
The Jefferson City Bridge is the name for two through arch bridges over the Missouri River at Jefferson City, Missouri over which U.S. Highway 54 and U.S. Highway 63 pass between Cole County, Missouri and Callaway County, Missouri.-Southbound bridge:...
where it briefly overlaps U.S. Route 63. Just north of the bridge it splits, passing through Fulton
Fulton, Missouri
Fulton is a city in Callaway County, Missouri, the United States of America. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,790 in the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Callaway County...
, crossing Interstate 70 at Kingdom City
Kingdom City, Missouri
Kingdom City is a village in Callaway County, Missouri, United States. It is part of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 128 at the 2010 census. It is at the intersection of Interstate 70 and U.S...
, bypassing Mexico
Mexico, Missouri
Mexico is a city in Audrain County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,543 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Audrain County. The Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Audrain County...
, passing just north of Vandalia
Vandalia, Missouri
Vandalia is a city in Audrain and Ralls Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 2,529 at the 2000 census.Col. Aaron McPike, who founded Vandalia in 1874, called Vandalia "Queen of the Prairie". Vast rolling prairies had underlying coal and refractory types of clay...
, and ultimately crossing the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
via the Champ Clark Bridge
Champ Clark Bridge
The Champ Clark Bridge is a five-span truss bridge over the Mississippi River connecting Louisiana, Missouri with the state of Illinois. It carries U.S. Route 54 northeast to Pittsfield, Illinois, where U.S. 54 terminates....
into Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
at Louisiana
Louisiana, Missouri
Louisiana is a city in Pike County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,863 at the 2000 census, making it the largest city in Pike Couunty. Louisiana is located in northeast Missouri, on the Mississippi River south of Hannibal....
.
Illinois
In the state of IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, U.S. 54 runs from the Champ Clark Bridge
Champ Clark Bridge
The Champ Clark Bridge is a five-span truss bridge over the Mississippi River connecting Louisiana, Missouri with the state of Illinois. It carries U.S. Route 54 northeast to Pittsfield, Illinois, where U.S. 54 terminates....
over the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to its terminus at Interstate 72
Interstate 72
Interstate 72 is an Interstate Highway in the midwestern United States. Its western terminus is in Hannibal, Missouri, at an intersection with U.S. Route 61; its eastern terminus is at Country Fair Drive in Champaign, Illinois. In 2006, the Illinois General Assembly dedicated all of Interstate 72...
northeast near Griggsville
Griggsville, Illinois
Griggsville is a city in Pike County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,258 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Griggsville is located at ....
. Before the eastern terminus was cut back to I-72, U.S. 54 continued northeast to downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. It is a rural, two-lane surface street for its entire length in Illinois. In the state of Illinois, U.S. 54 is 23.96 miles (38.56 km) long.
History
U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville, Ohio. The highway's western terminus is at Deer Ridge Junction, an intersection in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, where it meets U.S. Route 34. Its eastern...
, Illinois Route 54
Illinois Route 54
Illinois Route 54 is an east–west highway in east-central Illinois. It passes through the cities of Clinton , Gibson City, and Onarga. Its western terminus is at Interstate 55 in Springfield. Its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 45 at Onarga, one mile east of Interstate 57...
, and U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
.