Special routes of U.S. Route 54

U.S. Route 54 marker

Special routes of U.S. Route 54
Highway system

Several special routes of U.S. Route 54 exist, from Texas to Missouri. In order from southwest to northeast, separated by type, they are as follows.

Texas

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El Paso business loop

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Business plate.svg
Business U.S. Highway 54 marker
Business U.S. Highway 54
LocationEl Paso, Texas
Length12.5 mi[1] (20.1 km)
Existed1990–present

New Mexico

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Tucumcari business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Highway 54 Business marker
Business Loop US 54
LocationTucumcari, New Mexico
Length2.410 mi (3.879 km)

Kansas

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El Dorado Truck Route

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Truck plate.svg
U.S. Highway 54 Truck marker
U.S. Highway 54 Truck
LocationEl Dorado, Kansas
Length0.327 mi[2] (526 m)

U.S. Route 54 Truck (US 54 Truck.) is a truck route of US 54. The route starts at a junction with U.S. 54 heading west 1 block before heading north to rejoin with U.S. 54. The entire route is concurrent with U.S. 77 Truck. The route is commonly used as a bypass for downtown.

Missouri

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Lake Ozark business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationLake Ozark, Missouri
Length5.474 mi[3] (8.810 km)
Existed1969–2021
Route 354 marker
Route 354
LocationLake Ozark, Missouri
Length5.474 mi (8.810 km)
Existed1968–1969

U.S. Route 54 Business (US 54 Bus.) was a business route of US 54. It traveled due west along Missouri Route 242, briefly south along Osage Beach Parkway, and west along Bagnell Dam Boulevard to get to downtown Lake Ozark. It then continued northward along the same street to reconnect to US 54.[4]

Originally, US 54 used to directly serve Lake Ozark.[5] Then, in 1968, US 54 was rerouted onto a newly-opened bypass; Missouri Route 354 briefly took the place of US 54's old alignment.[6] In 1969, Route 354 was replaced with US 54 Bus.[7] The business route designation was eventually removed in 2021.[8]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Lake Ozark.

Countymi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
Miller0.0000.000 US 54 – Camdenton, Jefferson City

Route 242 begins
Interchange; western end of Route 242 overlap
0.3240.521
Route 242 west – Lake Ozark
Eastern end of Route 242 overlap
0.9171.476Old Highway 54Former US 54
Camden2.9624.767

Horseshoe Bend Parkway to US 54 / Route MM

To Route 5 – Sunrise Beach (via toll bridge)
Miller4.187–
4.635
6.738–
7.459
Bagnell Dam over Lake of the Ozarks
5.1908.352 Route WRoundabout
5.3948.681 US 54 – Osage Beach, EldonRoundabout interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Eldon business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationEldon, Missouri
Length5.838 mi[3] (9.395 km)
Existed1975[9]–present

U.S. Route 54 Business (US 54 Bus.) is a business route of US 54. It travels north along Route 52 to directly serve Eldon. It then travels due northeast to reconnect to US 54.[10]

Originally, US 54 directly served Eldon.[11] In 1975, US 54 bypassed Eldon, which resulted in the creation of US 54 Bus.[9]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Eldon, Miller County.

mi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000
US 54 east / Route 52 – Lake of the Ozarks, Jefferson City
Interchange; western end of Route 52 overlap
3.0674.936
Route 52 west (4th Street)
Eastern end of Route 52 overlap
3.5995.792
Route 87 south (E. North Street)
Southern end of Route 87 overlap
4.2076.771
Route 87 north (Manor Drive)
Northern end of Route 87 overlap
5.8389.395 US 54 – Jefferson CityNorthbound exit and southbound entrance only
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Jefferson City alternate route

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Alternate plate 1961.svg
U.S. Route 54 Alternate marker
U.S. Route 54 Alternate
LocationJefferson City, Missouri
Length1 mi (1.6 km)
Existed1957–1964

Fulton business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationFulton, Missouri
Length5.870 mi[3] (9.447 km)
Existed1972[12]–present

U.S. Route 54 Business (US 54 Bus.) is a business route of US 54. It travels due northeast to connect to downtown Fulton. It then travels due north via Market Street, St. Louis Avenue, and Bluff Street before reconnecting to US 54.[13]

Prior to 1972, US 54 used to run straight to Fulton.[14] Since 1972, US 54 bypassed Fulton. This resulted in the creation of US 54 Business.[12]

Mexico business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationMexico, Missouri
Length6.223 mi[3] (10.015 km)
Existed1990–present

In the 1990s, US 54 was rerouted to bypass Mexico.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Mexico, Audrain County.

mi[3]kmDestinationsNotes
0.0000.000 US 54 – Bowling Green, Jefferson City


Route 15 begins / Route 22 begins
Interchange; southern end of Route 15 and Route 22 overlap
3.3245.349

Route 15 north / Route 22 west (Boulevard Street) / S. Clark Street – Mexico
Northern end of Route 15 and 22 overlap
6.22310.015
US 54 west – Jefferson City
Road continues as US 54
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Bowling Green business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationBowling Green, Missouri
Length2.967 mi[3] (4.775 km)
Existed1985–present

A three-mile (4.8 km) business loop exists in Bowling Green, Missouri. It intersects with Business 61. It is also known as Old U.S. Route 54.

Louisiana business loop

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Business plate.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationLouisiana, Missouri
Length3.375 mi[3] (5.432 km)
Existed2003–present

A three-mile business loop exists in Louisiana, Missouri.

Kankakee business loop

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Business plate 1971.svg
U.S. Route 54 Business marker
U.S. Route 54 Business
LocationKankakee, Illinois
Length6 mi (9.7 km)
Existed1959[15]–1969[16]

U.S. Route 54 Business (formerly U.S. Route 54 City) was a business route of US 54. Before 1959, US 54 ran through downtown Kankakee.[17] In 1959, US 54 was rerouted onto a bypass (now part of Interstate 57) which, as a result, created US 54 City. It followed north through Kankakee via US 45/52 and present-day IL 50. It was then changed into US 54 Business in 1960.[18] Originally, the freeway abruptly stopped at North Street which caused US 54 to travel west to its city route.[15] It remained like that until 1962 when a freeway connection between US 54 Business and North Avenue was made.[19] In 1969, US 54 supplanted its business route as the bypass was extended on both ends.[16] Three years later, in 1972, US 54 was significantly truncated, removing a section of US 54 between Griggsville and Chicago.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Overview map of US 54 Business (El Paso, TX)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Overview map of US 54 Truck (El Dorado, KS)" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Missouri Department of Transportation (June 18, 2021). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ^ "Overview of US 54 BUS in Lake Ozark, MO" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  5. ^ 1967 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  6. ^ 1968 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  7. ^ 1969 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  8. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (November 2021). "2021 Annual Meeting Report to the Council on Highways and Streets" (PDF) (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  9. ^ a b 1975 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  10. ^ "Overview of US 54 BUS in Eldon, MO" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  11. ^ 1974 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  12. ^ a b 1972 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  13. ^ "Overview of US 54 BUS in Fulton, MO" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  14. ^ 1971 Missouri Highway Map (Map). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1959). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  16. ^ a b Illinois Division of Highways; Rand McNally (1969). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:772,500]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  17. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1958). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:805,000]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  18. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1960). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  19. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1962). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  20. ^ Illinois Department of Transportation (1972). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:772,500]. Springfield: Illinois Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 30, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.