U.S. Route 71
U.S. Route 71 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 71 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 1,532 mi[citation needed](2,466 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926[citation needed]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 190inKrotz Springs, LA | |||
| North end |    Highway 71toHighway 11/TCHatFort Frances, ON | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| States | Louisiana,Texas,Arkansas,Missouri,Iowa,Minnesota | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
U.S. Route 71orU.S. Highway 71(US 71) is a major north–southUnited States highwaythat extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in thecentral United States.This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroachingInterstate highways.Currently, the highway's northern terminus is inInternational Falls, Minnesotaat theCanada–USborder, at the southern end of theFort Frances-International Falls International BridgetoFort Frances, Ontario.U.S. Route 53also ends here. On the other side of the bridge,Trans-Canada Highway(Ontario Highway 11) is an east–west route whileOntario Highway 71is a north–south route. US 71's southern terminus is betweenPort BarreandKrotz Springs, Louisianaat an intersection withU.S. Route 190.[1]For the entirety south ofKansas City, Missouri,US 71 runs parallel and concurrent with the existing and futureInterstate 49.North of Kansas City, US 71 runs halfway betweenInterstate 29andInterstate 35,which they split in the city at an interchange withInterstate 70.
Route description[edit]
Louisiana[edit]
The southern terminus of US 71 is located inLouisiana,beginning betweenPort BarreandKrotz Springs,at an intersection withU.S. 190.The highway follows a northwesterly course through Louisiana, passing through the communities ofAlexandria,Montgomery,Coushatta,andShreveport.From its southern terminus to Shreveport, US 71 has largely been superseded byInterstate 49- which is eventually planned to roughly follow the US 71 alignment as far north asKansas City,Missouri.After Shreveport, US 71 follows a northerly course, crossing intoArkansasjust north ofIda,Louisiana.
Arkansas and Texas[edit]
US 71 travels approximately 300 miles (480 km) in Arkansas, entering the state approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north ofIda, Louisiana.
The route enters Arkansas near theRed River,and runs north through the communities ofDoddridgeandFouke.[2]Most motorists can now bypass US 71 from Doddridge to Texarkana viaInterstate 49.After approximately 30 miles (48 km) of paralleling I-49, the route turns west, passes the historicAveritt Houseand entersTexarkana.
Inside the loop, Highway 71 becomes East Street, passing the Texarkana Country Club and Hobo Jungle Park before becoming Hickory Street in downtown Texarkana. The street is four-lane undivided, passing theBottoms HouseandJ. K. Wadley Housebefore meetingUS 67/US 82.US 71 forms a short, two-block concurrency with US 67/US 82 before turning north along Hazel Street.[c 1]This minor city street runs northwest to intersectState Line Avenue;at this point, the northbound lanes are in Arkansas, while the southbound lanes are inTexas.[2]While on State Line Avenue, US 71 intersectsLoop 14beforeU.S. Route 59joins US 71 atInterstate 30.
FromArkansas Highway 296north of Texarkana to the Red River, US 71 runsconcurrentwith US 59 as an expressway. Except for the northbound lanes (which return to the Arkansas side just before the Red River), this section of 3.39 miles (5.46 km) is entirely in Texas.[c 2]
The highways re-enter Arkansas (specificallyLittle River County) completely at the Red River. US 59/US 71 serve as an eastern terminus forHighway 380upon enteringOgden.Although US 59/US 71 bypass the community as a four-lane highway, the route formerly served Ogden as Grand Street, which as of 2011 retains original 1926 US 71 paving for some of its length.[3]Further north the routes pass underHighway 32,which skirts the southern part ofAshdown.Serving Little River'scounty seatas Constitution Avenue, the routes become a five-lane road with center turn lane which passes within two blocks of theLittle River County Courthouse.The routes intersectHighway 32BandHighway 108before exiting town due north toWilton.[4]Following theKansas City Southern Railroadtracks, US 59/US 71 enters Wilton, where it passes theS. S. P. Mills and Son Building,Highway 234,and theTexarkana and Fort Smith Railway Depot.[5]Just north of town aformer alignmentcomes into view briefly before theMills Cemeteryand theSevier Countyline.
Once across theLittle River,US 59/US 71 passesanother former alignment,crosses throughPond Creek National Wildlife Refuge,and runs east ofBen Lomondbefore enteringLockesburg.[6]A junction in Lockesburg joins US 59/US 71 withUS 371,withHighway 24running west from the junction. 5 miles (8 km) north of LockesburgUS 70joins US 59/US 71/US 371, and the concurrent routes turn west toDe Queen.Upon entering De Queen, US 59/US 71 turns north, US 70 continues west,US 70 Business/Highway 41(US 70B/AR 41) runs south, and US 371 terminates at the junction.[7]US 59/US 71 continue throughGillhamandGrannisto serve as the western terminus ofUS 278inWickes.Junctions withHighway 246andHighway 4precede the route enteringMena,the county seat ofPolk County.[8]
In Mena, US 59/US 71 has a brief overlap withHighway 8,during which the routes pass two NRHP listings, theKansas City-Southern Depotand theMena Commercial Historic District.[9]US 59/US 71/AR 8 also has an overlap withHighway 88,although the western end of the overlap serves as the eastern terminus of theTalimena Scenic DriveNational Scenic Bywaydesignation. After Highway 8 and Highway 88 have left the route US 59/US 71 run north to a junction withUS 270inAcorn.At a fork in the road, US 59 splits ontoUS 270west, and US 270 east begins a concurrency with US 71 northbound intoOuachita National Forest.[8]US 71/US 270 continue intoScott CountytoY City,where the concurrency ends and US 270 turns east. US 71 runs north through the forest toWaldron,a town the mainline route bypasses to the west whileUS 71Bruns through downtown Waldron. While skirting Waldron, US 71 has a junction withHighway 272nearWaldron Municipal Airportas well as junctions withHighway 248,Highway 80,andHighway 28.[10]This section of US 71 from north of Mena through Fayetteville (following the original sections bypassing the new Interstate 540 has been designated a scenic byway and the Boston Mountains Scenic Loop.
North of Waldron, US 71 passes throughMansfieldandGreenwoodbefore intersecting withInterstate 540on the south end ofFort Smith.US 71 overlaps I-540 for approximately 12 miles (19 km) until it reachesInterstate 40,then follows I-40 6 miles (10 km) toAlma.
US 71 passes throughMountainburg,Winslow,West ForkandGreenlandon its way toFayetteville.At Fayetteville, US 71 continues north to the missouri state line just north ofBentonville,as well asU.S. Route 62.
North of Bentonville US 71 continues another 12 miles (19 km) passing throughBella Vistato theMissouristate line.
Missouri[edit]
In Missouri, US 71 is signed as part of the new section ofInterstate 49fromPinevilleto the southeast side of the Kansas City metro area. The I-49 designation went into effect in December 2012.
On August 15, 2007, the final section of US 71 south of Kansas City to be converted to a 4-lane divided expressway was opened inMcDonald County,between the cities ofLanaganandJane.[11]In Kansas City, I-49/US 71 is one of the components of theGrandview Triangleinterchange. There is a 2-mile (3.2 km) section near Swope Park that has three at-grade intersections. Ample right of way exists on the corridor to upgrade to a freeway, though there are no plans to do so in the near future.[12]From downtown Kansas City, US 71 overlaps withInterstate 29to north ofSaint Joseph.From there, US 71 continues as an expressway toMaryvillebefore angling towards Iowa just north ofClearmont.In 2002, US 71 was four laned from Interstate 29, northwest of St. Joseph to Maryville. From there, until it entersIowaatBraddyville,it continues to be the only remaining rural two lane section of this highway north of Kansas City.
US 71 overlapsInterstate 70on the east side of downtown Kansas City'sfreeway loop.US 71 then overlapsInterstate 35andInterstate 29for a segment which crosses theMissouri Rivervia theChristopher S. Bond Bridgein Kansas City. It then continues concurrent with Interstate 29 after separating from Interstate 35 north of the Missouri River to just north ofSt. Joseph, Missouriwhere it diverges.
An alternative in the design ofInterstate 29called for it to follow US 71 on a more populated route throughMaryville, MissouriandClarinda, Iowa.However the interstate was to be routed along the more direct route toOmaha, Nebraska/Council Bluffs, Iowaand more sparsely populated Missouri River bottoms.
During theGreat Flood of 1993,when the Missouri River flooded, I-29 traffic was detoured along US 71 through Maryville and Clarinda.
The four-lane segment betweenSavannahto Maryville was completed in 2002. It is a two-lane highway north of Maryville to the Iowa state line. The long delay in bringing a four-lane highway to Maryville even as most of the highway from Savannah south to the Arkansas line has been a four lanes for some time was a source of considerable irritation for Maryville andNorthwest Missouri State University.
OutlawsBonnie and Clydeengaged in a shootout with law enforcement officers in 1933 beside the highway at theRed Crown Tourist Courtjust southeast ofPlatte County, Missouri.The tourist court (which burned down) was just east of the main exit for I-29 Northbound at the old junction with US 71 Bypass nowMissouri Route 291.
Iowa[edit]
US 71 passes through a rural section of western Iowa. It enters the state atBraddyvilleand junctionsInterstate 80nearBrayton,northeast ofAtlantic.North of I-80, US 71 passes throughCarroll,where it intersectsU.S. Route 30,and intersects and overlapsU.S. Route 20atSac CityandU.S. Route 18throughSpencer.The highway crosses theIowa Great LakeswhereWest OkobojiandEast Okoboji Lakemeet before exiting the state.
US 71 formerly enteredStorm Lakeconcurrently withIowa Highway 7but was moved to a new alignment east of Storm Lake in 1996 to lessen travel time between Carroll and Spencer, the two largest communities on US 71 in Iowa. A business route of US 71 follows the highway's former alignment through Storm Lake.
A business route for US 71 also passes throughClarindaon a former alignment of US 71.
Minnesota[edit]
As is the case in Iowa, US 71 in Minnesota is largely a rural highway. It crossesInterstate 90atJackson,passes throughWindom,and intersectsU.S. Route 14atSanborn.It passes throughRedwood FallsandWillmarbefore its junction withInterstate 94/U.S. Highway 52atSauk Centre.AroundWillmar,US 71 is built to freeway standards. From there, US 71 passes throughLong Prairie,Wadena,andPark Rapidsbefore touchingItasca State Park,the source of theMississippi River.It then crosses the Mississippi and is a major route for northern Minnesota as it goes aroundBemidji(the "first city on the Mississippi" ) and angles northeast to its terminus at the Canada–US border inInternational Falls.The route between Bemidji and International Falls parallels theBlue Ox Trail,formerly theNorthern Pacific Railway.On theOntarioside,Highway 71links the bridge toOntario Highway 71inFort Frances,which continues north and terminates atOntario Highway 17just east ofKenora.
The Minnesota section of US 71 is defined as Routes 4 and 141 in Minnesota Statutes §§ 161.114(2) and 161.115(72).,[13][14]
History[edit]
The original southern terminus of US 71 was inBaton Rouge,Louisiana at the Baton Rouge-Port AllenMississippi River ferry. This was also the original western terminus of US 190 which continued east from the ferry landing through Baton Rouge, shortly intersectingUS 61.US 71 was routed along theJefferson Highway(pre-1955 State Route 1) from Baton Rouge north toClarence(nearNatchitoches). From Clarence to Shreveport, a more direct route was chosen than that followed by the Jefferson Highway, and US 71 continued north into Arkansas rather than west into Texas.
The current route of US 71 in Louisiana follows or closely parallels the 1926 alignment north ofLebeau.Between Port Allen and Lebeau, US 71 originally followed present-dayLA 76toRosedale,LA 77toRavenswood,andLA 10to Lebeau, crossing theAtchafalaya Riverby ferry atMelville.In 1935, US 190 was extended west onto a newly built section of State Route 7 (the Evangeline Highway) with a bridge across the Atchafalaya River at Krotz Springs. The following year, US 71 was moved onto this route, branching northward to Lebeau from its current southern terminus west of Krotz Springs and bypassing the ferry crossing at Melville. In 1940, US 71 and 190 were moved onto the newMississippi River Bridgeat Baton Rouge, bypassing the ferry crossing there. US 71 was cut back to its current southern terminus west of Krotz Springs in 1951.
In northwest Arkansas, the 1926 alignment of US 71 followedHighway 102fromBentonvilletoCenterton,then north onHighway 102 BusinesstoHighway 72southeast ofHiwasse.From there, it followed Arkansas 72 toGravette,where it turned north onHighway 59to theMissouristate line. In the 1930s, US 71 was rerouted along Arkansas 72 between Bentonville and Gravette, then north on Arkansas 59. This alignment lasted until the early 1960s when it was realigned alongHighway 100between Bentonville and the Missouri state line. In Missouri, the new US 71 replacedRoute 88,which had been defined in 1922, while the old US 71 becameRoute 59.
Highway 71 has a brief concurrency withHighway 237before crossing overThe LoopInterstate 49instead of (futureInterstate 130)[15]in the southeast part of town.
Future[edit]
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A large section of US 71 through Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana is being upgraded toInterstate standardsas an extension of Interstate 49 fromShreveport, LouisianatoKansas City, Missouri.It will also connect toNew Orleanswith "Future I-49" signage being posted, but with no construction, as of 2017, being started.
Major intersections[edit]
- Louisiana
- US 190west ofKrotz Springs
US 167southeast ofLecompte.The highways travel concurrently toAlexandria.
I-49/US 167in Alexandria
US 165in Alexandria. The highways travel concurrently toPineville.- I-49in Alexandria
- US 167inTioga.The highways travel concurrently to southeast ofCreola.
US 84inClarence.The highways travel concurrently toCoushatta.
US 371in Coushatta. The highways travel concurrently to the Coushatta–Edgefieldline.
I-20inBossier City.The highways travel concurrently toShreveport.
US 79/US 80in Shreveport
I-220in Shreveport- I-49southeast ofHosston
- Arkansas
- I-49south-southeast ofDoddridge
- I-49south ofFouke
- I-49inTexarkana
US 67/US 82in Texarkana. The highways travel concurrently to theTexasstate line at the Texarkana-Texarkanacity line.
I-30/US 59on the Texas state line on the Texarkana–Texarkana, Texas city line. US 59/US 71 travels concurrently toAcorn.- Texas
Future I-369north of Texarkana- I-49north of Texarkana
- Arkansas
- US 371inLockesburg.The highways travel concurrently toDe Queen.
US 70/US 371north-northwest of Lockesburg. The highways travel concurrently to De Queen.
Future I-49east of De Queen
US 278inWickes
US 59/US 270in Acorn. US 71/US 270 travels concurrently toY City.- Future I-49west-southwest of Y City
- Future I-49inMansfield
- Future I-49north ofHuntington
- Future I-49southeast ofFort Smith
I-540in Fort Smith. The highways travel concurrently toVan Buren.
US 64in Van Buren
I-40in Van Buren. The highways travel concurrently toAlma.- I-49in Alma
- I-49inFayetteville.The highways travel concurrently toBentonville.
US 62in Fayetteville. The highways travel concurrently to Bentonville.
US 412inSpringdale- Missouri
- I-49south ofPineville.The highways travel concurrently toKansas City.
US 60inNeosho
I-44south-southwest ofDuenweg.The highways travel concurrently toFidelity.
US 160inLamar
US 54inNevada
I-49/I-435/I-470/US 50in Kansas City. I-470/US 50/US 71 travels concurrently, but on different lanes, through Kansas City.
US 56in Kansas City
I-70/I-670/US 40in Kansas City. I-70/US 40/US 71 travels concurrently through Kansas City.
I-29/I-35/I-70/US 24/US 40in Kansas City. I-29/US 71 travels concurrently to east ofAmazonia.I-35/US 71 travels concurrently through Kansas City.
US 69on theGladstone–Kansas City city line
US 169on the Gladstone–Kansas City city line
I-635in Kansas City- I-435in Kansas City. The highways travel concurrently toPlatte City.
I-229south-southeast ofSt. Joseph- US 169in St. Joseph
US 36in St. Joseph- US 169in St. Joseph
- US 59north-northeast ofCountry Club.The highways travel concurrently to northwest ofSavannah.
US 136inMaryville.The highways travel concurrently to east-southeast ofBurlington Junction.- Iowa
US 34north ofVillisca
US 6inAtlantic.The highways travel concurrently to north-northeast ofLorah.
I-80/US 6north-northeast of Lorah
US 30inCarroll
US 20northeast ofSac Cityand north ofEarly.The highways travel concurrently between these intersections.
US 18inSpencer.The highways travel concurrently through Spencer.- Minnesota
I-90inJackson
US 14north ofSanborn
US 212inOlivia.The highways travel concurrently through Olivia.
US 12inWillmar
I-94/US 52inSauk Centre
US 10inWadena
US 2inBemidji.The highways travel concurrently through Bemidji.
US 53inInternational Falls.The highways travel concurrently to theCanada–United States borderatFort Frances, Ontario.- Central Avenue/Church Street at the Canada–United States border at Fort Frances, Ontario
See also[edit]
Related U.S. Routes[edit]
Auxiliary and suffixed routes[edit]
Auxiliary routes of U.S. Route 71
Notes[edit]
- ^Although it is signed that US 71 isconcurrentwith US 67/US 82 untilState Line Avenue,the Miller County Route and Section Map[2]indicates that US 71 runs along Hazel Street, and a brief connector designated US 71Y (Section3Y) connects US 67/US 82 to US 71 at Hazel Street along State Line Avenue.
- ^Map note: 3.39 mi. exception to Texas portion of US 71[2]
References[edit]
- ^"End of US highway 71".usends.com.
- ^abcdRoute and Section Map(PDF)(Map) (Miller County ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.RetrievedJune 14,2011.
- ^Map Adopted by Arkansas State Legislature as State Highway System – 1929(Map) (Little River County ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.RetrievedJuly 1,2011.
- ^Route and Section Map(PDF)(Map) (Little River County ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.RetrievedJuly 1,2011.
- ^General Highway Map(PDF)(Map) (Little River County ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.RetrievedJuly 1,2011.
- ^Route and Section Map(PDF)(Map) (Sevier County ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.RetrievedMarch 18,2012.
- ^General Highway Map, Sevier County, Arkansas(PDF)(Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. April 11, 2000.RetrievedMarch 18,2012.
- ^abGeneral Highway Map, Polk County, Arkansas(PDF)(Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. December 22, 2000. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 13, 2012.RetrievedMarch 18,2012.
- ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.July 9, 2010.
- ^General Highway Map, Scott County, Arkansas(PDF)(Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. November 1999.RetrievedJuly 22,2012.
- ^"Last Stretch of Highway 71 to Open in McDonald County", Joplin Globe, August 14, 2007
- ^Jackson County Construction projects beginning or continuing in 2006.Missouri Department of Transportation.Last accessed November 22, 2006.
- ^"§161.114".Minnesota Statutes. November 2, 1920.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^"§161.115".Minnesota Statues.RetrievedDecember 26,2017.
- ^"Interstate 130 route to be designated in Arkansas".Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. January 2001. Archived fromthe originalon December 13, 2013.
- ^Rand McNally (2014).The Road Atlas(Walmart ed.). Chicago: Rand McNally. pp. 10, 38, 44, 54–55, 58, 100.ISBN978-0-528-00771-2.
External links[edit]
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
← LA 70 | LA | → LA 72 | ||
← SH 70 | TX | → SH 71 | ||
← US 70 | AR | → AR 72 | ||
| ←I-70 | MO | → I-72 | ||
← Iowa 70 | IA | → I-74 | ||
← MN 70 | MN | → MN 72 | ||
Routes initalicsare no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system. |
