Continuing the drive north from Sikeston to the Quad Cities, clouds dominated the day, and from Springfield northward, snow flakes joined the fray. Generally traveled northward along Interstate 55, with a loop onto the new I-64, I-270, and I-255 around St. Louis. Took Interstate 155 to Interstates 74/474 to the Quad Cities in light snow. Saw a pair of cars dislodged from the road, one of which was wrapped in barbed wire, the other perpendicular to the westbound carriageway within the median…

Southbound Interstate 55 at the loop ramp onto Interstate 57’s northbound beginning. It appears that the I-57 shield may be covering up a square shield?

No Interstate 57 shields were posted between the beginning and Exit 4. We settled for this shot on County Road B.

An older spec Interstate 55 Missouri shield in place on U.S. 60 eastbound at the northbound loop ramp to Interstate 55 at Interstate 57’s northbound beginning.

Business Loop Interstate 55 crosses paths with Interstate 55 with U.S. 61 between Cape Girardeau and Jackson. The loop returns at Exit 105.

Some of the generous rock cuts along Interstate 55 near Exit 170 (U.S. 61).

Interstate 55 expands from four to eight overall lanes ahead of the diamond interchange (Exit 186) with Imperial Main Street through the south St. Louis suburbs.

Interstate 55 north merges with Interstate 44 east at Exit 207C to Truman Parkway. Exit 207C constitutes a directional interchange with the unconstructed Route 755.

Route 755 was a freeway planned to bypass downtown St. Louis between Interstate 55 and 70. The only portions built were the interchange here (Exit 207C) and the one with Interstate 64 (Exit 39A).

Interstate 55 northbound at its merge with Interstates 64 & 70 and U.S. 40 east across the Poplar Street Bridge.

Interstate 70 turns northward at this junction toward the Gateway Arch. A new alignment and span is planned to relocate Interstate 70 to the north, but funding issues are delaying any work on the new Mississippi River Bridge. If completed, Interstate 70 will no longer travel the Poplar Street Bridge and either an extension of Interstate 44 north of a newly designated Interstate 264 will begin here and join Interstate 55 with the new bridge.

A surprisingly empty Poplar Street Bridge eastbound as Interstates 55-64-70 & U.S. 40 span the Mississippi River. Note the lack of shoulders on the eight-lane bridge.

Interstates 55-64-70 & U.S. 40 split into an express/local configuration east from the Poplar Street Bridge through to their merge with Illinois 3. The local lanes see an off-ramp to 4th Street and the East St. Louis business district before merging with the express lanes.

The split of Interstates 55 & 70 east/north with Interstate 64 at Exit 2. Interstate 64 continues to Evansville and Louisville.

Like eastbound, westbound Interstates 55-64-70 also split into a local/express type configuration. The local lanes provide access to Illinois 3 southbound’s split from the freeway.

Interstate 70 departs Interstates 55 & 64 and U.S. 40 at the west end of the Poplar Street Bridge from the right. Therefore drivers bound for I-70 are directed onto the local lanes.

Interstate 64 & U.S. 40 leave the Poplar Street Bridge and travel along side the newly built Busch Stadium. Will they ever rename it InBev or Anheuser-Busch InBev Stadium?

Interstate 64 & U.S. 40 leave their viaduct and lower into the directional interchange with another section of the planned Route 755 freeway. Signed as “Market Street at 21st Street”, Exit 39A links the freeway with parallel Market Street via a four-lane stub freeway.

Interstate 64 & U.S. 40 reaches the Kingshighway Boulevard off-ramp (Exit 36A).

The stretch of freeway between Exit 36A and Interstate 270 was reconstructed between 2008 and 2009 as part of the “New I-64” project. Completed on December 7, 2009, the work focused on a complete rebuilt of the aging freeway by closing entire sections of freeway for the construction. The sign pictured here indicates “completed as promised”, at the gateway to the revised stretch of freeway.

Many of the interchanges along the “New I-64” were upgraded including that of the substandard south end of Interstate 170.

The new interchange facilitates movements between the two freeways with high speed flyovers. Previously motorists encountered a traffic light between the two highways. Additional work focused on the rebuilding of all overpasses, giving them a cosmetic facelift with decorative lettering and fencing.

Emerging from the redesigned stretch of Interstate 64 ahead of Exits 25A/B (Interstate 270).

Interstate 64 recently was extended through to Interstate 70, with the last traffic light along the previous divided highway removed by October 15, 2009.

Interstates 270 and 255 utilize variable speed limits that change depending upon traffic conditions.

Digital speed limit signs are posted periodically along the route, with the speeds set at 60 mph otherwise. This is similar to Interstate 495 in Delaware, Interstate 4 in Orlando, and Interstate 10 across Mobile Bay.

Spanning the Mississippi River along the Jefferson Barracks Bridge between Missouri and Illinois. The steel arch bridges opened in 1983 and 1992 respectively.

Interstate 255 transitions into Illinois 255 at its junction with Interstate 270. The freeway spur resets the exit numbers. The state highway freeway opened in stages between 1998 and August 2008.

Nearing the merge with Interstate 72 east on Interstate 55 at the Illinois Capital city of Springfield. Business Loop Interstate 55 begins and follows 6th Street north from the Interstate merge to Sherman Boulevard (Exit 105) north of town. Interstate 72 saw extension west from its original end at I-55 officially in 1995.

Interstates 55 north & 72 east combine with U.S. 36 east around the city of Springfield. Some industry rises between the freeway and Lake Springfield near the northerly turn ahead of Stevenson Drive (Exit 94).

Snow kicked in in earnest at the split of Interstates 55 and 155 outside Lincoln. Interstate 155 replaced Illinois 121 as the designation for the freeway between Lincoln and Morton outside of Peoria in 1991.

Spanning the Mackinaw River along Interstate 155 north. A truss bridge remains in use along Old IL-121 to the west.

Clearview signage is now in place ahead of the split of Interstates 74 & 474 east of Peoria.

A snowy Shade Lohmann bridge carries Interstate 474 across the Illinois River south of Peoria.

Interstate 74 prepares to merge with Interstate 280 at the bump with Interstate 80.