Interstate 72 East - AARoads

East

Interstate 72 begins along U.S. 36/Route 110 (CKC) at the SPUI with U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue), one mile ahead of Exit 157 for Route 79 (Mark Twain Avenue) south. 05/07/10

A shield assembly marking the beginning of Interstate 72 was formerly posted along the entrance ramp from U.S. 61 (McMasters Avenue) to U.S. 36/Route 110 (CKC) eastbound. 05/07/10

The first confirming marker for Interstate 72 east. 04/13/13

Missouri Route 79 begins at the diamond interchange (Exit 157) joining I-72/U.S. 36-Route 110 (CKC) with Harrison Hill Road north and Mark Twain Avenue south. 04/13/13

Route 79 is part of the Great River Road system for the Mississippi River. 04/13/13

Measuring 87.95 miles in length, Route 79 parallels the Mississippi River southeast to U.S. 54 at Louisiana and Interstate 270 in the St. Louis suburb of Saint Peters. 04/13/13

I-72/U.S. 36-Route 110 (CKC) lower to the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge between Riverview Park and Cardiff Hill in Hannibal. 04/13/13

Replacing a bridge built in 1936 further down river, the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge is a steel truss through deck span¹ built between November 12, 1996² and September 16, 2000.³ 04/13/13

Exit 1 to Illinois Route 106 lies beyond the east end of the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge. IL 106 follows the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 36 from East Hannibal to Winchester. 04/13/13

Measuring 4,490 feet in length, the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge spans the Mississippi River at a height of 74 feet.² 04/13/13

Accommodating four lanes with six foot wide inside shoulders and ten foot wide outside shoulders, the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge deck is 85 feet wide.² 05/07/10

The 640-foot truss span on the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge is 89 feet wide. Bicycles are also permitted across the bridge.² 04/13/13

The Mark Twain Memorial Bridge cost $58 million to build. Costing $1.89 million, demolition of the previous span commenced on October 2, 2000.³ 04/13/13

I-72/U.S. 36 and the Chicago Kansas City Expressway (MSR 110) east enter Pike County, Illinois midway across the Mississippi River. 04/13/13

Sources:

Mark Twain Memorial Bridge - I-72 Mississippi River Crossing At Hannibal. John A. Weeks III.
"A few lights, some paint here and there - New Mark Twain Memorial Bridge is nearly complete." Hannibal Courier-Post (MO), April 24, 2000.
"Both Twain bridges carried traffic for a time - New, old structures were open concurrently for 20 minutes." Hannibal Courier-Post (MO), September 18, 2000.

Photo Credits:

05/07/10, 04/13/13 by AARoads

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Page Updated 11-07-2023.