Business Loop I-44 - Joplin

Business Loop I-44Missouri Route 66Missouri Route 43

The Joplin Business loop is the western most Business route for Interstate 44 in both Missouri and overall. The 11.89 mile route begins at Exit 6 where Missouri 86 ends at Hearnes Boulevard. Joining Missouri 43 north from I-44, the business loop follows Hearnes Boulevard to Main Street (north from 32nd Street) along a commercialized boulevard to Downtown Joplin. It is along this stretch (28th to 20th Streets) that the May 21, 2011 EF5 tornado crossed Main Street, leveling the majority of homes and businesses in a swath as wide as one mile from the western end of Joplin east to Interstate 44 near Interstate 49 south and Missouri 249 north.1

Once in the Joplin central business district, Business Loop I-44 parts ways with Missouri 43 (Main Street) to combine with Missouri 66 east along 7th Street. Missouri 66 is Historic U.S. 66 leading west to Galena, Kansas and Historic U.S. 66 Bypass east from Main Street to Range Line Road. Business Loop I-44 follows MO 66 east to intersect the 2012-designated Business Loop I-49 (Range Line Road) by Northpark Mall and Missouri 249, a 6.17 mile freeway leading south to Interstates 44 and 49 and north to Missouri 171 & Business Loop I-49. The business loop ends at a wye interchange formed between Cimarron Road (frontage road) and I-44 at Scotland.

References:

  1. 2011 Joplin tornado @ Wikipedia.org.
  2. "Viaduct Opening Set for Saturday." Joplin Globe, May 29, 1929.

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Page Updated Tuesday October 29, 2013.