Route 291

Missouri Route 291 constitutes a 49.39 mile long loop around the Kansas City area. Running north from I-49/U.S. 71 at Harrisonville, Route 291 passes through rural areas of northern Cass County to the city of Lake Winnebago. Crossing into Jackson County, the state highway expands to a four lane expressway north into Lee's Summit.

Missouri Route 291 dog legs east alongside U.S. 50 for 0.26 miles between a hybrid DDI and roundabout at Jefferson Street and a diamond interchange at Hamblen Road. Replacing an interchange built in 1969, the Route 50 and Route 291 Divergabout was constructed from May 2017 and a ribbon cutting ceremony held on May 11, 2018. The $16.02 million project was funded by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), Surface Transportation Program (STP), and the City of Lee's Summit.¹

North from U.S. 50, Route 291 follows a controlled access arterial east of Downtown Lee's Summit to Interstate 470 by Lee's Summit Municipal Airport (LXT). Route 291 and I-470 overlap 6.663 miles north to a cloverleaf interchange with Interstate 70 by Independence Center mall in the city of Independence. Route 291 extends north along a freeway to E 39th Street and a bridge spanning the KCS Railroad before transitioning into an at-grade arterial.

A diamond interchange joins Route 291 with U.S. 24 in Independence, where the state highway upgrades to a controlled access expressway north into Sugar Creek. Spanning the Missouri River across a pair of truss bridges, Route 291 enters the village of River Bend ahead of Route 210. Continuing into Liberty, Route 291 turns west onto a five lane commercial boulevard. Passing south and west of the city center, the arterial leads into a heavily developed retail area along Kansas Street.

Route 291 parallels I-35/U.S. 69-Route 110 (Chicago Kansas City Expressway) north before curving across the freeway at a diamond interchange (Exit 17). Following Cookingham Drive, the state highway runs between a number of subdivisions in northeastern Kansas City. Route 291 concludes at a folded diamond interchange (Exit 45) with Interstate 435. Cookingham Drive west paralleling the Kansas City Beltway was formerly part of an extended Route 291.

North

Missouri Route 291 extends north from I-470 as a freeway a short distance to 39th Street.

06/18/15

The folded diamond interchange with 39th Street sandwiches between big box retail anchored by Independence Center mall.

06/18/15

Traffic loops away from Route 291 north to 39th Street. 39th Street forms an arterial route west to Lee's Summit Road and east to Little Blue Parkway.

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A right in right out connection follows for 34th Terrace to a small office park as Route 291 transitions into an expressway.

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Route 291 climbs 60 feet in elevation to intersect 32nd Street beyond this reassurance marker.

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32nd Street spurs west to an apartment complex and east to a pair of medical offices as a disconnected road from the adjacent road network. Route 291 north continues as a controlled access arterial from here.

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South

Route 291 angles southeast along a commercial strip from I-35 to Kansas Street in the city of Liberty.

10/07/21

Kansas Street intersects Route 291 west from Downtown Liberty. Expanding to a controlled access arterial, Kansas Street west continues to I-35, where it becomes Route 152 in the Shoal Creek area of Kansas City.

10/07/21

Route 291 curves southeast from 32nd Street toward a commercial area surrounding Independence Center mall. Through traffic to I-470 is advised to move left to avoid merging traffic at forthcoming 39th Street.

06/18/15

An interchange sequence sign marks the transition of Route 291 into a freeway. The state route combines with I-470 ahead of U.S. 40.

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39th Street parallels I-70 east to Centerpoint Medical Center and Little Blue Parkway and west from Crossroads Shopping Center to U.S. 40 at the Kansas City line.

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