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[jhuntin1]

What does the future look like for I-72 to be built across Missouri to either Macon or Cameron? I haven't seen any news since the last of the six counties figured out the local taxes to pay to widen US 36 to freeway grade. All the information I've found is several years old and MoDOT's website is no help.

[NE2]

It would be a waste. Intersections like this aren't hurting anyone.

[Jim]

Agreed.  We took US 36 from Hannibal to Cameron a couple summers ago and there was little if anything that seemed to need any upgrades.  Probably just about as fast and a much more pleasant/less stressful drive than I-70 across Missouri.

[Revive 755]

At the very least the section through Cameron needs to have the stoplight just east of I-35 removed.  Depending upon traffic growth, the I-35 interchange may need to be upgraded at some point.

[codyg1985]

If I-70 is tolled, then I don't see any upgrades happening to US 36 in Missouri. In fact, it may be tolled too, to discourage diversion from I-70.

[adt1982]

If I-70 is tolled, then I don't see any upgrades happening to US 36 in Missouri. In fact, it may be tolled too, to discourage diversion from I-70.

Tolling 36 would be an enormously expensive undertaking.  I don't see that happening.

[3467]

I would normally agree because the cost of the toll would never justify the upgrade to I-72 ...But even though this is now part of the IL 53 Tollway Lake County Illinois did think about building and arterial toll Road ,,,so tolls could show up on an expressway someday
http://www.120now.com/

[Gnutella]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-29, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

One thing that needs to be done regardless is for the highway to be graded properly, especially in Linn County. Linn County widened U.S. 36 before anyplace else in northern Missouri, but all they did was build a new set of lanes alongside the original alignment, so they ended up with the new set of lanes being properly graded and relatively flat while the original alignment followed the lay of the land. The most glaring example of this is between Marceline and the Macon County line, where the westbound lanes are nice and flat, but the eastbound lanes are a roller coaster. There's a similar effect on U.S. 63 in Macon County between Macon and the Randolph County line, though the lay of the land there isn't quite as dissected as it is in eastern Linn County.

Basically, MoDOT needs to eliminate the roller coaster rides on some of their four-lane highways.

[Tom958]

I like "roller coaster" dual highways, as long as they're not too extreme, and as long as the new roadway swaps sides at reasonable intervals. That's as a motorist and a taxpayer: IMO, Georgia has spent way too much money on flattening out highways that could've been left as it. Besides, this looks rather badass, IMO.

[roadman65]

Virginia has been doing this practice for years.  You will find many places where one side is a roller coaster while the other is  a smooth flat ride.  Even where US 301 is frontage road to I-95 between Jarrat and Petersburg you will see its is ver wavy, but before I-95 when there was a NB carriageway where the I-95 southbound lanes are now, it was flat.

Also in Cullman, AL US 278 is also half and half with one side hilly and the other flat as a pancake.

[bugo]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-29, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

One thing that needs to be done regardless is for the highway to be graded properly, especially in Linn County. Linn County widened U.S. 36 before anyplace else in northern Missouri, but all they did was build a new set of lanes alongside the original alignment, so they ended up with the new set of lanes being properly graded and relatively flat while the original alignment followed the lay of the land. The most glaring example of this is between Marceline and the Macon County line, where the westbound lanes are nice and flat, but the eastbound lanes are a roller coaster. There's a similar effect on U.S. 63 in Macon County between Macon and the Randolph County line, though the lay of the land there isn't quite as dissected as it is in eastern Linn County.

Basically, MoDOT needs to eliminate the roller coaster rides on some of their four-lane highways.

That's the classic "Missouri Expressway".

[M86]

It's not going to happen.

[codyg1985]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-29, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

One thing that needs to be done regardless is for the highway to be graded properly, especially in Linn County. Linn County widened U.S. 36 before anyplace else in northern Missouri, but all they did was build a new set of lanes alongside the original alignment, so they ended up with the new set of lanes being properly graded and relatively flat while the original alignment followed the lay of the land. The most glaring example of this is between Marceline and the Macon County line, where the westbound lanes are nice and flat, but the eastbound lanes are a roller coaster. There's a similar effect on U.S. 63 in Macon County between Macon and the Randolph County line, though the lay of the land there isn't quite as dissected as it is in eastern Linn County.

Basically, MoDOT needs to eliminate the roller coaster rides on some of their four-lane highways.

That's the classic "Missouri Expressway".

Or Virginia Twinning, as it is also known.

Alabama also did that along US 72 between Scottsboro and Stevenson. And Mississippi did it along US 72 between Corinth and Burnsville.

[bjrush]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-29, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

One thing that needs to be done regardless is for the highway to be graded properly, especially in Linn County. Linn County widened U.S. 36 before anyplace else in northern Missouri, but all they did was build a new set of lanes alongside the original alignment, so they ended up with the new set of lanes being properly graded and relatively flat while the original alignment followed the lay of the land. The most glaring example of this is between Marceline and the Macon County line, where the westbound lanes are nice and flat, but the eastbound lanes are a roller coaster. There's a similar effect on U.S. 63 in Macon County between Macon and the Randolph County line, though the lay of the land there isn't quite as dissected as it is in eastern Linn County.

Basically, MoDOT needs to eliminate the roller coaster rides on some of their four-lane highways.

So they need to spend billions on roads that are not deficient because you don't like driving on rolling hills?

I hope you never have budgeting authority at a DOT

[kphoger]

At the very least the section through Cameron needs to have the stoplight just east of I-35 removed.  Depending upon traffic growth, the I-35 interchange may need to be upgraded at some point.

Just as long as that doesn't mean the destruction of the Sinclair station.  It's practically a national landmark!

[I-39]

I could see it happening eventually (and it should, to get some of the traffic off of I-70), but not for a while. I think it is in the long-term plans, but there is no specific timetable. The road seems to be sufficient for now as it is. The upgrade to I-72 will probably happen gradually like upgrading U.S 71 to I-49. They'll simply close off access points and build grade-separations when intersections become to dangerous.

Of course, with MoDOT budget woes, don't expect any upgrades anytime soon.

[NE2]

US 71 to I-49 was not all that gradual, once they decided to close the remaining at-grades.

[bugo]

US 71 to I-49 was not all that gradual, once they decided to close the remaining at-grades.

The upgrade happened slowly over the years, one interchange at a time. I remember when the freeway ended at Jasper and you had to go through Carthage.

[NE2]

The upgrade to a good four-lane (which US 36 is now) was gradual. The final conversion to I-49 was all at once.

[bugo]

The upgrade to a good four-lane (which US 36 is now) was gradual. The final conversion to I-49 was all at once.

There were what, 3 or 4 at grades removed after MoDOT announced the designation?

[NE2]

15 new overpasses, plus more at-grades simply closed with frontage road access: http://www.modot.org/southwest/major_projects/I-49/I-49Conversion.htm

[Ned Weasel]

At the very least the section through Cameron needs to have the stoplight just east of I-35 removed.  Depending upon traffic growth, the I-35 interchange may need to be upgraded at some point.

Just as long as that doesn't mean the destruction of the Sinclair station.  It's practically a national landmark!

I've wondered for a while how interchanges in that area would be handled.  I'm pretty sure the rules say it needs to be taken to Fictional Highways, so: https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=14516.msg2041091#msg2041091

[kharvey10]

If I-70 gets that proposed tolling thing to become a reality, there will be more and more trucks using US 36.  The running joke would be how fast 36 is upgraded into I-72 when I-70 in Missouri get tolled.

[Molandfreak]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-229, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

FTFY

[Brandon]

If they ever upgrade U.S. 36 to I-72 in Missouri, then it needs to end at I-229, not I-35. That way, St. Joseph will be served by two Interstates.

FTFY

WTF would be the point?  I've driven US-36 between I-29 and I-229.  It's not exactly interstate-standard, especially at I-229.  It also would take a lot to upgrade properly.