U.S. Route 60 (US 60) is a part of the
United States Numbered Highway System
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
that runs from
Brenda, Arizona
Brenda is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in La Paz County, Arizona, United States. It is located approximately east of Quartzsite and northeast of Interstate 10 on U.S. Route 60. Its population was 466 as of the ...
, east to
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
. In the state of
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, US 60 is a main east–west highway that runs through the southern part of the state, from the
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
border to the
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
border.
Route description
US 60 enters Missouri from Oklahoma south of
Seneca
Seneca may refer to:
People and language
* Seneca (name), a list of people with either the given name or surname
* Seneca people, one of the six Iroquois tribes of North America
** Seneca language, the language of the Seneca people
Places Extrat ...
and south of
I-44
Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fa ...
. It is a two-lane highway. It intersects
Route 43 at a roundabout south of Seneca. Next, US 60 intersects
I-49
Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from Interstate 220 (Louisiana), I-220 in S ...
exit 24 which is concurrent with
US 71
U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...
in
Neosho. US 60 shares a concurrency with
Route 59.
Route 86 has a brief concurrency with US 60 and Route 59. US 60 will turn east and leave Route 59 at an interchange before passing through
Granby. In
Monett
Monett is the most-populous city in the Barry County, Missouri, Barry and Lawrence County, Missouri, Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The city is located in the Ozark Mountains, Ozarks, just south of Interstate 44 in Missouri, Inte ...
, US 60 intersects
Route 37. After leaving Monett, US 60 from there to
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
has alternate passing lanes. US 60 bypasses
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
to the south. Then, it passes through
Marionville and enters the
Springfield metropolitan area and picks up a concurrency with
Route 413 before entering
Billings
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metrop ...
. In
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
, US 60 becomes a four-lane
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
and remains a four lane for until it reaches Charleston. US 60 enters
Springfield
Springfield may refer to:
* Springfield (toponym), the place name in general
Places and locations Australia
* Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)
* Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council)
* Springfield, Queenslan ...
and the concurrency with Route 413 ends. US 60 merges onto the
James River Freeway
James River Freeway is a freeway located largely on the south side of Springfield, Missouri. Its western terminus is at Interstate 44 (I-44) north of Brookline and its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 65 (US 65) in southeastern Springfie ...
where it has a brief
concurrency with
US 160
U.S. Route 160 (US 160) is a 1,465 mile (2,358 km) long east–west United States highway in the Midwestern and Western United States. The western terminus of the route is at US 89 five miles (8 km) west of Tuba City, Arizo ...
and
Route 13. US 60 intersects
US 65
U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of In ...
known as the "Schoolcraft Freeway" before leaving Springfield and the James River Freeway ends.
Between Springfield and Willow Springs, US 60 passes through various communities that are accessible by exits. US 60 also parallels the
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
tracks. US 60 intersects
Route 125 at a stoplight. It passes through
Rogersville and
Fordland before leaving Springfield metropolitan area US 60 passes through
Seymour. US 60 has a brief
concurrency with
Route 5 in
Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market tow ...
. US 60 passes through
Mountain Grove. US 60 passes through
Norwood and
Cabool. Then, US 60 picks up a concurrency with
US 63
U.S. Route 63 (US 63) is a , north–south United States Highway primarily in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern and Southern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at Interstate 20 (I-20) in Ruston, Louisiana; the northe ...
east of Cabool. US 60 passes through
Willow Springs where US 63 departs from US 60 at a freeway-to-freeway interchange east of Willow Springs. At this point, US 60 no longer parallel the BNSF railway tracks.
US 60 passes through
Mountain View where the divided highway briefly ends. While passing through Mountain View, US 60 has left turn lanes and has a concurrency with
Route 17. After leaving Mountain View, US 60 goes back to a divided highway. US 60 passes through
Birch Tree
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 30 ...
where it intersects
Route 99. Then it passes through
Winona where it has a concurrency with
Route 19. US 60 passes through
Chicopee,
Van Buren and
Ellsinore. Next, US 60 has a concurrency with
US 67
U.S. Route 67 is a major north–south U.S. highway which extends for 1,560 miles (2,511 km) in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues so ...
until it enters
Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff is a medium city in Butler County in Southeast Missouri, United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. The population was 16,225 at the 2020 census. The Poplar B ...
as it leaves the
Ozark Plateau
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant porti ...
.
In
Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff is a medium city in Butler County in Southeast Missouri, United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. The population was 16,225 at the 2020 census. The Poplar B ...
, US 60 will separate from US 67 at a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
. After leaving Poplar Bluff, US 60 intersects
Route 51 north of
Fisk. Next, US 60 passes through
Dexter
Dexter may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Dexter, the main character of the American animated series ''Dexter's Laboratory'' that aired from 1996 to 2003
* Dexter, a fictional character in the British Diary of a Bad Man#Main, web series ''Diar ...
then intersects
Route 114 east of
Morehouse. US 60 bypasses Morehouse US 60 then enters
Sikeston
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way ...
where it intersects
US 61
U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...
before intersecting
I-55
Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...
exit 66 and
I-57
Interstate 57 (I-57) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central Railroad for much of its route. It runs from Sikeston, Missouri, at I-55 to Chicago, Illinois, at I-94. I-57 essen ...
exit 1 at a cloverleaf interchange. I-57 begins here and US 60 picks up a concurrency with I-57. In
Charleston, US 60 will leave I-57 at exit 12 and has a concurrency with
US 62
U.S. Route 62 or U.S. Highway 62 (US 62) runs from the Mexican border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York, near the Canadian border. It is the only east-west United States Numbered Highway that connects Mexico and Canada ...
and
Route 77. At this point, US 60 becomes a two-lane highway. US 60 and 62 passes through
Wilson City where Route 77 departs from US 60 and US 62. US 60 will leave Missouri crossing
Cairo Mississippi River Bridge along with US 62 into Illinois.
History
Before the U.S. Highway system was created, US 60 was
Route 16.
On May 17, 1946,
William Jefferson Blythe, Jr., the biological father of
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
, died on US 60 in a car accident after he was tossed out of his vehicle and drowned in a ditch.
![US_60_in_Mountain_Grove,_MO_(facing_west)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/US_60_in_Mountain_Grove%2C_MO_%28facing_west%29.jpg)
There have been several improvements on US 60. The
Missouri Department of Transportation
The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT, ) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Missouri under the guidance of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. MoDOT designs, ...
(MoDOT) completed the process of upgrading of US 60 from
Willow Springs to
Van Buren to a four-lane highway (two lanes in each direction) on July 9, 2010, marking the completion of a four-lane highway from
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
to
Charleston, a total of approximately .
East of US 60 and
US 65
U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of In ...
interchange in
Springfield
Springfield may refer to:
* Springfield (toponym), the place name in general
Places and locations Australia
* Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)
* Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council)
* Springfield, Queenslan ...
, there used to be railroad crossings over the BNSF Railway tracks that have been replaced with overpasses over the railroad tracks. That project included redesigning the US 60 and US 65 interchange. It was completed in 2012.
In 2016, US 60 through
Rogersville was converted into a freeway. Between Springfield and Rogersville, the junction of
Route NN/
J was converted into an interchange.
Future
The junction of US 60 and
Route 125 west of Rogersville is currently a at-grade intersection with a
stoplight
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic.
Traffic lights ...
. There are plans to convert it into an interchange.
US 60 from
Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff is a medium city in Butler County in Southeast Missouri, United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. The population was 16,225 at the 2020 census. The Poplar B ...
to
Sikeston
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way ...
is planned to be upgraded to
I-57
Interstate 57 (I-57) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central Railroad for much of its route. It runs from Sikeston, Missouri, at I-55 to Chicago, Illinois, at I-94. I-57 essen ...
. I-57 currently ends at
I-55
Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The h ...
in Sikeston. I-57 will then continue south following
US 67
U.S. Route 67 is a major north–south U.S. highway which extends for 1,560 miles (2,511 km) in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues so ...
down to
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
.
Major intersections
See also
*
References
External links
{{state detail page browse, type=US, route=60, state=Missouri, statebefore=Oklahoma, stateafter=Illinois
Missouri
60
Transportation in Newton County, Missouri
Transportation in Barry County, Missouri
Transportation in Lawrence County, Missouri
Transportation in Christian County, Missouri
Transportation in Greene County, Missouri
Transportation in Webster County, Missouri
Transportation in Wright County, Missouri
Transportation in Texas County, Missouri
Transportation in Howell County, Missouri
Transportation in Shannon County, Missouri
Transportation in Carter County, Missouri
Transportation in Butler County, Missouri
Transportation in Stoddard County, Missouri
Transportation in New Madrid County, Missouri
Transportation in Scott County, Missouri
Transportation in Mississippi County, Missouri