Avenue of the Saints

Avenue of the Saints
High Priority Corridor 2
Route information
Length: 563 mi (906 km)
Existed: 1991 – present
Component
highways:
Major junctions
South end: I-64 near St. Louis, Mo.
 
North end: I-94 at St. Paul, Minn.
Location
States:
Highway system

Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act

Iowa 26Iowa 27Iowa 28
Route 25Route 27Route 28

The Avenue of the Saints is a 563-mile-long (906 km) highway in the Midwestern United States that connects St. Paul, Minnesota and St. Louis, Missouri.

Route description

Missouri

The southern end of the Avenue of the Saints is at exit 28A of Interstate 64 (I-64) /U.S. Route 40 (US 40), which is also the southern end of its concurrency with US 61. The Avenue of the Saints heads west, to Chesterfield, crossing I-270. Here, the Avenue of the Saints turns northwest, crosses the Missouri River via the Daniel Boone Bridge. In Wentzville, the route interchanges with I-70. The western end of I-64 and the northern end of the concurrency with US 40 is here. The Avenue of the Saints continues north as just US 61, intersects with the western end of I-72 in Hannibal, reaches the northern terminus of its concurrency with US 61, then crosses the Des Moines River into Iowa.

The Avenue of the Saints is co-signed with Missouri Route 27 to the Iowa state line.

Iowa

In Iowa, the Avenue of the Saints is a 282-mile-long (454 km)[1] highway, which begins in Lee County 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.

The route runs north from the Missouri state line as just Iowa Highway 27 for about ten miles (16 km), then is co-signed with US 218 until just south of Cedar Rapids, crossing I-80 in Iowa City. This is also the location of the southern end of its concurrency with I-380, and this concurrency terminates in Waterloo. Near Floyd, US 218 splits off, just after the route starts a concurrency with US 18, running west to its intersection with I-35, where the route turns north again and runs into Minnesota.

In 2001, the Iowa Department of Transportation designated the Avenue of the Saints as Iowa 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 394, US 218, I-380, US 20, Iowa 58, US 218 (again), US 18 and I-35.

As with many rural expressways in Iowa, the Avenue of the Saints has exit numbers in that state. The exit numbers correspond to the underlying U.S. Highway or Interstate Highway US 218, I-380, US 20, US 18 and I-35. The section along Iowa 58 in Cedar Falls has no exit numbers, and the separate section south of Donnellson has one numbered exit—the northbound one to US 218 south—based on Iowa 27's mileage.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, the Avenue of the Saints is co-signed with I-35 and I-35E for the entirety of its length in that state. The route runs straight north, crosses I-90 in Albert Lea, and runs to its northern end in St. Paul, shortly after crossing the Mississippi River via the Lexington Bridge.

History

The Avenue of the Saints was the concept of businessman Ernest Hayes of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, who in the 1980s envisioned a four-lane highway between St. Paul and St. Louis. It was named by Gary Smith, who at the time was Executive Director of the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission. Smith and Hayes convened a group of area business and political leaders, who organized an effort to convince the Iowa Department of Transportation to study the idea, which they did in 1988. Several politicians endorsed the idea, including then-mayor Tom Vilsack of Mount Pleasant, Senator Chuck 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 US 52 and US 63 from St. Paul through Rochester, Minnesota, to Waterloo, Iowa. The third rejected route would have followed US 61 from St. Paul through La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Dubuque, Iowa, to Davenport, Iowa, and US 67 from Davenport, crossing the Mississippi River through western Illinois to Alton, Illinois, and crossing the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers to St. Louis.

In 1990 the FHWA chose its route for the Avenue of the Saints: the signed highway would follow the existing 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 I-35, I-380, and I-64; US 20 around Waterloo; US 218 from I-80 to Iowa 22 near Riverside, Iowa; and two segments of US 61 in Missouri (from La Grange to New London and from Bowling Green to St. Louis). As a cost-saving measure, the government decided to build the Avenue of the Saints to expressway standards—with intersections at rural roads—rather than to full freeway standards. 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 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 stand-alone highway south of the split with US 218. A new four-lane bridge across the Des Moines River was opened at the end of 2004, replacing 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, Missouri opened on the same day; it was numbered by Missouri as 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 on May 23, 2006.

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 St. Paul to suburban St. Louis.

Future construction

Ongoing construction projects and future proposals along the Avenue of the Saints include:

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1][3]kmExit[1][3]DestinationsNotes
St. LouisFrontenac I-64 east / US 40 eastContinuation beyond interchange; south end of I-64 and US 40 overlaps
0.0000.00028A US 61 south / US 67 (Lindbergh Boulevard)Avenue of the Saints begins; south end of US 61 overlap
0.5220.84027Spoede Road
Town and Country2.0603.31526Ballas Road
2.403–
2.390
3.867–
3.846
25 I-270 Tulsa, Chicago, Memphis
4.0816.56824Mason Road
5.0368.10523Maryville Centre RoadNo eastbound exit
5.7199.20422 Route 141 (Woods Mill Road)
Chesterfield6.83611.00121Timberlake Manor Parkway
7.95112.79620Chesterfield ParkwayWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
8.42713.56219B Route 340 (Olive Boulevard, Clarkson Road)
9.04714.56019AChesterfield Parkway
11.11917.89417Boone's Crossing
11.91319.17216Long RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
13.61821.91614Spirit of Saint Louis BoulevardWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
14.51223.355Chesterfield Airport RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
Missouri River15.80325.432Daniel Boone Bridge
St. CharlesWeldon Spring16.33826.29311Research Park CircleNo westbound entrance
17.53428.21810 Route 94 St. CharlesWestbound exit via exit 9
O'Fallon18.27329.4089 Route K O'Fallon
21.99835.4026 Route DD (WingHaven Boulevard)
24.03438.6794 Route N
Lake St. Louis25.22940.6022Lake St. Louis Boulevard
Wentzville26.83443.1851CProspect Road
28.26745.4911A-B I-64 ends / I-70 / US 40 west Kansas City, St. CharlesNorth end of I-64 and US 40 overlaps; I-70 exits 210A-B
28.66246.127Pitman AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
29.50547.484 Route A (Wentzville Parkway) Wentzville
LincolnMoscow Mills37.02359.583 Route U (Crossroads Boulevard)
39.70963.905 Route C Moscow Mills
Troy42.55768.489Old Cap au Gris RoadNorthbound exit and entrance only
43.22169.557 Route 47 Troy, Winfield
PikeEolia61.09998.329 Route D / Route FF Eolia
Bowling Green72.799117.159
US 61 Bus. / Route 161 Bowling Green, Ashley
75.100120.862 US 54 Louisiana, Mexico
76.285122.769
US 61 Bus. / Route UU Bowling Green
Frankford86.668139.479 Route B / Route C / Route ZZ Frankford
RallsNew London93.648150.712
US 61 Bus. / Route 19 Center, New London
95.430153.580
US 61 Bus.
MarionHannibal103.463166.508
US 36 Bus. east / Route MM
South end of US 36 Bus. overlap
104.113167.554
I-72 east / US 36 / Route 110 / US 36 Bus. ends – Downtown Hannibal, Monroe City, Springfield
North end of US 36 Bus. overlap; I-72 begins at interchange
105.126169.184 Route 168 west / Route W
Barkley111.689179.746 US 24 west Monroe CitySouth end of US 24 overlap
Palmyra113.413182.521
US 61 Bus. Palmyra
116.251187.088
US 61 Bus. / Route 168 Palmyra
123.855199.325 Route 6 west Edina, Taylor
Taylor124.922–
125.199
201.042–
201.488
US 24 east Quincy, Ill.North end of US 24 overlap
LewisLa Grange130.588210.161
US 61 Bus. / Route B La Grange, Wakonda State Park
133.105214.212
US 61 Bus. / Route C La Grange
Canton138.464222.836
US 61 Bus. / Route P Canton
139.205224.029 Route 16 to Route 81 Canton, Monticello
142.220228.881
US 61 Bus.
Clark155.658250.507 US 61 north / Route 27 begins KeokukNorth end of US 61 overlap; south end of Route 27 overlap
Wayland158.397254.915 US 136 Wayland, Kahoka
Des Moines River165.784
0.000
266.803
0.000
Missouri–Iowa state line
LeeCharleston Township10.39516.72910
18
US 218 south KeokukSouth end of US 218 overlap; exit numbers follow US 218
Donnellson12.32219.83019 Iowa 2 Donnellson, Fort Madison
Marion Township22.40936.064 Iowa 16
HenryMount Pleasant33.31253.61040255th Street, Old Thresher's Grounds – Mount Pleasant
34.99856.32442
US 34 east / Iowa 163 east / US 34 Business / US 218 Business Mount Pleasant, Burlington
South end of US 34 and Iowa 163 overlaps; signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west)
38.87262.55845 US 34 west / Iowa 163 west Mount Pleasant, OttumwaNorth end of US 34 and Iowa 163 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance only
38.87262.55845
US 218 Business (Iowa 438) to US 34 west Mount Pleasant, Ottumwa
Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
Olds37.09659.700 Iowa 78
WashingtonOregon Township59.23095.32166 Iowa 92 Washington, Columbus Junction
62.609100.75970 CR G36
Riverside72.721117.03380 Iowa 22 Kalona, Lone Tree
JohnsonLiberty Township77.448124.64085Hills
West Lucas Township81.622131.35889 CR F50 (Riverside Drive) Iowa City Municipal Airport
Iowa City83.232133.94991 Iowa 1 Iowa City, Kalona
85.475137.55993 CR F46 (Melrose Avenue) University Heights
Coralville88.847142.9850 I-80 / I-380 begins Iowa City, Davenport, Des MoinesSouth end of I-380 overlap; signed as exits 0A (eastbound) and 0B (westbound); no exit numbers northbound
North Liberty92.893149.4974 CR F28 North Liberty
Jefferson Township99.705160.46010 CR F12 Swisher, Shueyville
LinnCedar Rapids102.663165.22013Ely, The Eastern Iowa Airport
105.176169.26416 US 30 / US 151 / US 218 north Mt. Vernon, TamaNorth end of US 218 overlap; northbound exits signed 16A (east) and 16B (west)
106.432171.2861733rd Avenue SW – Hawkeye Downs
107.176172.48318Wilson Avenue SW
108.262174.23119A
To US 151 Business / Diagonal Drive / 5th Avenue SW – Downtown Cedar Rapids
Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
108.594174.76519B-C
US 151 Business (1st Avenue W) / 1st Street W Veterans Memorial Stadium, Kingston Stadium
No southbound entrance, northbound exit signed as exit 19C
109.008175.43120A
To US 151 Business / 1st Street East – Downtown Cedar Rapids
Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
109.501176.22520B 7th Street E U.S. Cellular CenterAccess to Mercy Medical Center and St. Luke's Hospital
110.412177.69121H Avenue, J Avenue
11.19518.01722Coldstream–29th Street, Glass Road – 32nd Street
112.220180.6012342nd StreetSouthbound exit from exit 24
112.728–
113.208
181.418–
182.191
24 Iowa 100 (Collins Road) / Blairs Ferry RoadSigned as exits 24A (Iowa 100) and 24B (Blairs Ferry Road) northbound
Hiawatha114.119183.65725Boyson Road
Monroe Township117.696189.41328 CR E34 Toddville, Robins
Center Point124.673200.64235 CR W36 Center Point
BentonUrbana130.716210.36741Urbana
132.374213.03543 Iowa 150 Vinton, Independence
BuchananJefferson Township138.803223.38249Brandon
144.197232.06355 CR V65 Jesup
Black HawkFox Township151.071243.12562 CR D38 Gilbertville
Poyner Township153.862247.61765 US 20 east DubuqueSouth end of US 20 overlap
155.298249.92866Raymond, Gilbertville
Evansdale157.206252.99968Evansdale Drive Elk Run Heights
159.474256.64970River Forest Road
Waterloo160.282257.94971
232
I-380 north / US 218 Waterloo, La Porte CityNorth end of I-380 overlap;
northbound signed as exits 71A (north) and 71B (south);
southbound signed as exits 232A (south) and 232B (north)
162.064260.817230 Iowa 21 (Hawkeye Road) Dysart
163.572263.244229Ansborough Avenue
165.104265.709227 US 63 (Sergeant Road) Hudson
Hudson167.164269.024225 US 20 west / Iowa 58 south Cedar FallsNorth end of US 20 overlap; south end of Iowa 58 overlap
Cedar Falls170.862274.976University Avenue (Iowa 934)
171.468–
171.658
275.951–
276.257
18th Street, Waterloo RoadAccess to Sartori Memorial Hospital
172.945278.328 US 218 south / Iowa 57 west / Iowa 58 ends Waterloo, Waterloo Regional AirportNorth end of Iowa 58 overlap; south end of US 218 overlap.
174.597280.987189Lone Tree Road
BremerWaverly184.363296.703198
US 218 Business (Iowa 116) Waverly
Access to Waverly Health Center
188.635303.579203 Iowa 3 Waverly, Shell Rock
190.676306.863205
US 218 Business Waverly, Waverly Municipal Airport
Plainfield197.890318.473212 Iowa 188 Plainfield
ChickasawNashua205.194330.228220 Iowa 346 east / CR B60 west Nashua
FloydCharles City214.416345.069218
US 18 east / US 218 Business / CR T64 Charles City, New Hampton
South end of US 18 overlap
217.992350.824214 Iowa 14 Charles City, Greene
220.116354.242212
US 218 Business / CR B35 Charles City
Floyd222.552358.163 US 218 north FloydNorth end of US 218 overlap
Rock Grove Township237.250381.817195 CR S70 Nora Springs
Cerro GordoPortland Township242.387390.084190 CR S56 (California Avenue)
Mason City246.439396.605186
US 18 Business / US 65 Downtown Mason City, Rockwell
Lake Township249.449401.449183 CR S36 (Eisenhower Avenue)
253.900408.612178
190
I-35 south Des MoinesSouth end of I-35 overlap
Clear Lake256.349412.554193 I-35 Business Loop north / CR B35 Clear Lake, Mason City
257.219413.954194 US 18 west / I-35 Business Loop south / Iowa 122 Mason City, Clear LakeNorth end of US 18 overlap, access to Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa
Lincoln Township260.910419.894197 CR B20
WorthDanville Township266.831429.423203 Iowa 9 Manly, Forest City
Brookfield Township271.845437.492208 CR A38 Joice, Kensett
Hartland Township277.865447.180214 CR 105 Lake Mills, NorthwoodFormer Iowa 105
 281.689
0.000
453.335
0.000
Iowa–Minnesota state line; Iowa 27 ends
FreebornFreeman Township2.492–
2.522
4.010–
4.059
2 CR 5
5.2768.4915 CR 13 Twin Lakes, Glenville
Albert Lea7.987–
7.995
12.854–
12.867
8 I-35 Bus. north / US 65 Albert Lea, Glenville
11.49818.50411 CR 46 Albert Lea
12.560–
12.654
20.213–
20.365
12 I-35 Bus. south / US 65 south Albert LeaSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Bancroft Township13.24721.31913 I-90 – La Crosse, Sioux FallsSigned as exits 13A (east) and 13B (west)
Clarks Grove18.74530.16718 MN 251 east Clarks Grove, Hollandale
Geneva Township22.96336.95522 CR 35 Hartland, Geneva
SteeleSummit Township26.64042.87326 MN 30 New Richland, Blooming Prairie
Somerset Township32.81752.81432 CR 4 Hope
Owatonna39.98164.34340 US 14 east / US 218 south Owatonna, Rochester, AustinSouth end of US 14 overlap
41.76667.21641Bridge Street
42.50968.41242 US 14 west / CR 45 east Waseca, OwatonnaNorth end of US 14 overlap; signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west)
43.524–
43.548
70.045–
70.084
43 CR 34 (26th Street)
45.520–
45.544
73.257–
73.296
45 CR 9 Clinton Falls
Medford48.05777.34048 CR 12 / CR 23 Medford
RiceFaribault55.59089.46355FaribaultNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
56.91891.60156 MN 60 Waterville, Faribault
59.10795.12359 MN 21 Le Center, Faribault
Forest Township66.696107.33766 CR 1 Montgomery, Dundas
Webster Township69.679112.13769 MN 19 Northfield, New Prague
ScottNew Market Township76.841123.66476 CR 2 Elko New Market
DakotaLakeville81.842131.71281 CR 70 Farmington, Lakeville
84.340135.73284 CR 60 (185th Street West)
85.509137.61385 CR 5 / CR 50
86.636139.42786 CR 46
Burnsville87.824141.33987Crystal Lake RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
88.268142.05488A I-35W north MinneapolisNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
I-35 ends / I-35E begins St. PaulNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
88.794–
88.848
142.900–
142.987
88B CR 42
Apple Valley90.615–
90.659
145.831–
145.902
90 CR 11
Eagan92.629–
92.649
149.072–
149.104
92 MN 77 (Cedar Avenue) Zoo
93.772150.91193 CR 32 (Cliff Road)
94.906152.73694 CR 30 (Diffley Road)
97.123156.30497A CR 31 (Pilot Knob Road)
97.433156.80397B CR 28 (Yankee Doodle Road)Northbound exit is via exit 97A
98.559158.61598 CR 26 (Lone Oak Road)
Mendota Heights99.667–
99.684
160.398–
160.426
99 I-494Signed as exits 99A (east) and 99B (west)
101.169–
101.183
162.816–
162.838
101 MN 110Signed as exits 101A (east) and 101B (west) southbound
102.590165.103102 MN 13 (Sibley Highway)
Mississippi River102.630–
102.896
165.167–
165.595
Lexington Bridge
RamseySaint Paul103.346–
103.364
166.319–
166.348
103AShepard RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
103.688–
103.692
166.870–
166.876
103B MN 5 (West 7th Street)
104.464168.119104ARandolph Avenue (CR 38)
104.599–
104.639
168.336–
168.400
104BAyd Mill RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
105.014–
105.038
169.004–
169.042
104CVictoria StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
105.562169.886105St. Clair AvenueSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
106.281–
106.444
171.043–
171.305
106AGrand AvenueNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
106.980172.168106BKellogg BoulevardNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
107.450172.924106C11th Street State CapitolNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
107.497–
107.614
173.000–
173.188
107 I-94 / US 10 east / US 52 south / 10th Street, Wacouta Street MinneapolisSigned as exits 107A (east) and 107B (west)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 3 "2009 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa" (PDF). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2009. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  2. Staff. "Hannibal Bypass Maps". Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Missouri Department of Transportation (May 16, 2012). Flex Map Viewer (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved May 16, 2012.

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