# U.S. Route 40 in Missouri

U.S. Route 40 (US 40) in the state of Missouri is a U.S. highway that runs from Kansas City to St. Louis. Outside of Greater St. Louis, much of the route either parallels or runs along I-70. East of Wentzville in Greater St. Louis, the route runs along I-64.

## Route description

US 40, along with I-70, US 24, and US 169, enters Kansas City via the Intercity Viaduct. US 169 exits the freeway north to the Buck O'Neil Bridge and I-35 joins with the remaining three routes. At the interchange with I-29 and US 71, I-70, US 24, and US 40 turn south while I-35 turns north. At I-670, I-70, US 24, and US 40 turn east while US 71 continues south toward I-49. In East Side, US 40 leaves I-70 before meeting I-435/US 24. Shortly after I-435, US 40 runs along or parallels the Kansas City–Independence line. Between I-470 and Blue Springs, the two roadways splits. At Grain Valley, US 40 rejoins I-70.
For 77 miles (124 km), US 40 runs along I-70 through rural areas, meeting US 65 at Marshall Junction as well as multiple state highways in different locations. US 40 eventually leaves the freeway to serve downtown Boonville, running concurrently with I-70 Bus. and Route 5 in the process. As the road approaches downtown, I-70 Bus. turns southeast while US 40 and Route 5 turns north, both running along Route 87. After leaving downtown and crossing above the Missouri River, Route 87 and then Route 5 leaves northward from US 40. US 40 parallels the Missouri River before reaching Rocheport; the route then parallels I-70. US 40 reenters the freeway just after Midway.
I-70/US 40 runs north of downtown Columbia. The freeway serves US 63 via a connector road, located east of the US 63 freeway.
US 40 continues to run along I-70 through rural areas between Columbia and Wentzville; the freeway, at one point, meets US 54 in Kingdom City. In Wentzville, at the Greater St. Louis area, US 40 leaves I-70 to enter I-64/US 61. US 40, along with I-64 and US 61, then crosses the Missouri River again, this time via the Daniel Boone Bridge. After crossing the river, the freeway serves the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield. At the Frontenac–Ladue line, US 61 leaves the freeway to enter south along US 67 (Lindbergh Boulevard). Next to the I-170 interchange in Richmond Heights, drivers can get on the Brentwood I-64 station on the Blue Line. Just after entering St. Louis proper, I-64/US 40 pares through the southern part of Forest Park. The freeway then becomes a double-decker twice: from Vandeventer Avenue to Compton Avenue and from 14th Street (near the Gateway Transportation Center) to an interchange with I-44/I-55. I-55 merges with I-64/US 40 near Gateway Arch. The freeway then crosses above the Mississippi River via the Poplar Street Bridge to enter Illinois.

## History

US 40 was formed in 1926. In Missouri, it ran from Kansas City to St. Louis roughly along its current alignment except in the St. Louis area. US 40 originally ran through St. Charles, but was rerouted southward closer to its current alignment in 1941.

### Daniel Boone Expressway

The first section of present-day I-64/US 40 between Skinker Boulevard and Vandeventer Avenue opened in 1937. Originally called the Express Highway, it was then renamed to Red Feather Highway in 1948.
The Daniel Boone Expressway was established in 1938 from the Daniel Boone Bridge above the Missouri River to Lindbergh Boulevard. The expressway later extended eastward to Brentwood Boulevard in the 1940s. In 1959, the expressway was extended east from Brentwood to the Red Feather Highway, of which the latter highway became part of the Daniel Boone Expressway. In 1965, the expressway was extended to a pair of now-demolished connector ramps (part of a now-canceled expressway) east of Jefferson Avenue. The Poplar Street Bridge and the double-decker expressway east of 8th Street opened in 1967, which led to the realignment of US 40 from the Veterans Bridge to the newly-opened freeway bridge. The remaining double-decker section in downtown was finished by 1970.
In 1987, I-64 was extended west from the I-55/I-70/US 40 interchange in East St. Louis, Illinois, to I-270 in Town and Country via US 40 with a possibility of extending further west to I-70 in Wentzville via US 40/US 61. In the early 2000s, I-64 was extended west to Route 94. In the early 2010s, I-64 was extended to I-70 in Wentzville.

#### Reconstruction

The Daniel Boone Bridge originally had only one bridge carrying two lanes of traffic (one in each direction). In 1989, a second bridge was built to carry four lanes of eastbound traffic to accommodate an increasing amount of traffic attributed to population growth. The old bridge was reconfigured to serve three lanes of westbound traffic. However, due to the deterioration and the substandard lane configuration of the old bridge, a new bridge was built from 2013-2015 to the west of the 1989 bridge. The new bridge opened in 2015 for eastbound traffic, whereas the 1989 bridge reversed direction to serve westbound traffic. The 1937 bridge was demolished in 2016.
From 2007 to 2010, MoDOT reconstructed a portion of I-64/US 40 (dubbed "The New I-64" project) from Spoede Road to Kingshighway Boulevard.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Kansas River | Kansas River | 0.000 | 0.000 | | I-70 west / US-24 west / US-40 west / US-169 south / Lewis and Clark Trail – Topeka | Continuation into Kansas |
| Lewis and Clark Viaduct; Kansas–Missouri line |||
| Jackson | Kansas City | 0.886– 1.041 | 1.426– 1.675 | 2A | I-35 south – Wichita | Western end of I-35 / Downtown Loop concurrency |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 0.845 | 1.360 | 2B | Beardsley Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 1.060 | 1.706 | 2C | US 169 north (Broadway Boulevard) | Eastern end of US 169 concurrency. Access to Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Downtown |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 1.303 | 2.097 | 2D | Main Street / Delaware Street / Wyandotte Street | Signed as Main Street only eastbound |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 1.651 | 2.657 | 2E | Route 9 north / Oak Street | Westbound access is via exit 2H |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 1.853– 2.028 | 2.982– 3.264 | 2G | I-29 north / I-35 north / US 71 north / Lewis and Clark Trail – St. Joseph, Des Moines | Eastern end of I-35 concurrency; western end of US 71 concurrency; signed as exit 2G–H eastbound; southern terminus of I-29 |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 1.853– 2.028 | 2.982– 3.264 | 2H | To Route 9 north / Admiral Boulevard US 24 Bus. (Independence Avenue) | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; Substitute exit for Exits 2F and 2E westbound |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.273 | 3.658 | 2J | 11th Street to 10th Street VIA Charlotte Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to University of Missouri-Kansas City Medical School |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.668 | 4.294 | 2K | 12th Street / 11th Street to Charlotte Street / 10th Street / Harrison Street / Troost Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.375– 2.295 | 3.822– 3.693 | 2L | I-670 west to I-35 south – Wichita | I-670 exit 2N |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.375– 2.295 | 3.822– 3.693 | 2M | US 71 south – Joplin | Eastern end of US 71 and Downtown Loop concurrency; I-670 exit 2N; westbound access is via exit 3A; eastern end of the Bruce Watkins Drive Memorial Parkway; access to UMKC Medical School, and Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.375– 2.295 | 3.822– 3.693 | 2P | 13th Street / Charlotte Street | Westbound exit only; access to Downtown Kansas City, UMKC Medical School, and Truman Medical Center-Hospital Hill |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.375– 2.295 | 3.822– 3.693 | | 14th Street / Charlotte Street | Eastbound entrance only |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.375– 2.295 | 3.822– 3.693 | 2Q | Truman Road / Locust Street / Oak Street / Grand Boulevard / Walnut Street / Main Street / Baltimore Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance. Access to Power and Light District and T-Mobile Center. |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 2.944 | 4.738 | 3A | To US 71 south / The Paseo | Westbound exit and entrance and eastbound entrance only. No eastbound exit from I-70 east; no westbound entrance to I-670 west; I-670 exit 3A; access to the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 3.389 | 5.454 | 3B | Brooklyn Avenue | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 3.644 | 5.864 | 3C | Prospect Avenue | Access to Pioneer College |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 4.135 | 6.655 | 4A | Benton Boulevard / Truman Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 4.420 | 7.113 | 4B | 17th Street | Access to American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 4.879 | 7.852 | 4C | 22nd Street | |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 5.447 | 8.766 | 5A | 27th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 5.578 | 8.977 | 5B | Myrtle Avenue to 31st Street | Eastbound exit only |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 5.756 | 9.263 | 5C | Jackson Avenue / Myrtle Avenue to 27th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 6.493 | 10.449 | 6 | Van Brunt Boulevard | Access to Veteran Administration Medical Center |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 7.053 | 11.351 | – | I-70 east / US 24 east / 31st Street west – St. Louis | Eastern end of I-70/US 24 overlap |
| Jackson | Kansas City | 8.713 | 14.022 | | I-435 north / US 24 east – Des Moines | |
| Jackson | Kansas City–Independence line | 11.446 | 18.421 | | I-70 | |
| Jackson | Independence | 16.112 | 25.930 | | I-470 / Route 291 to I-70 – Lee's Summit, Liberty | |
| Jackson | Blue Springs | 21.43 | 34.49 | | Route 7 to I-70 – Pleasant Hill | |
| Jackson | Grain Valley | 25.67 | 41.31 | – | I-70 west – Kansas City | Western end of I-70 overlap |
| Jackson | Oak Grove | 29.426 | 47.357 | 28 | Route F / Route H – Levasy, Oak Grove | |
| Lafayette | Bates City | | | 31 | Route D / Route Z – Bates City, Napoleon | |
| Lafayette | Odessa | | | 37A | Action Road - Outlet Mall | Eastbound exit only |
| Lafayette | Odessa | | | 37B | Route 131 – Odessa, Wellington | Signed as exit 37 westbound |
| Lafayette | Odessa | | | 38 | Johnson Drive | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Lafayette | ​ | | | 41 | Route M / Route O – Lexington, Mayview | |
| Lafayette | ​ | | | 45 | Route H – Mayview | |
| Lafayette | Higginsville | | | 49 | Route 13 – Higginsville, Warrensburg | Access to Wentworth Military Academy and Junior College, Missouri Veterans State Cemetery, Whiteman Air Force Base, the University of Central Missouri, Confederate Memorial State Historic Site, Battle of Lexington State Historic Site, and Maple Leaf Lake Conservation Area |
| Lafayette | ​ | | | 52 | Route T – Aullville | |
| Lafayette | Concordia | | | 58 | Route 23 – Concordia, Waverly, Knob Noster | |
| Saline | Emma | | | 62 | Route VV / Route Y – Emma | |
| Saline | Sweet Springs | | | 66 | Route 127 – Sweet Springs, Mt. Leonard | |
| Saline | ​ | | | 71 | Route EE / Route K – Houstonia | |
| Saline | ​ | | | 74 | Route YY | |
| Saline | ​ | | | 78 | US 65 – Sedalia, Marshall | Signed as exits 78A (south) and 78B (north) |
| Saline | ​ | | | 84 | Route J | |
| Cooper | ​ | | | 89 | Route K / Route M – Arrow Rock, Blackwater | |
| Cooper | ​ | | | 98 | Route 41 / Route 135 – Arrow Rock, Pilot Grove | |
| Cooper | Boonville | | | 101 | I-70 east – Columbia I-70 BL begins / Route 5 south (Ashley Road) – Tipton, Lake of the Ozarks | Eastern end of I-70 overlap; western end of I-70 BL/Route 5 overlap |
| Cooper | Boonville | | | | I-70 BL east / Route 87 south (Main Street) | Western end of Route 87 overlap; eastern end of I-70 BL overlap |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | | | Boonslick Bridge | Boonslick Bridge | Boonslick Bridge |
| Howard | ​ | | | | Route 87 north – Glasgow, Boone's Lick State Historic Site | Eastern end of Route 87 concurrency |
| Howard | ​ | | | | Route 5 north – New Franklin, Central Methodist University, Katy Trail State Park | Eastern end of Route 5 concurrency |
| Howard | ​ | | | | Route 240 Alt. east – Fayette | |
| Howard | ​ | | | | Route 240 west – Fayette, Central Methodist University | Western end of Route 240 concurrency |
| Howard | ​ | | | | Route 240 Spur east – Rocheport | |
| Boone | Midway | | | | I-70 west / Route 240 ends | Western end of I-70 concurrency; eastern terminus of Route 240 |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 124 | Route E / Route 740 (Stadium Boulvard) – Columbia | Access to the University of Missouri, University Hospital, and Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 125 | I-70 BL to West Boulevard | |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 126 | Route 163 (Providence Road) | Access to Downtown |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 127 | Route 763 (Range Line Road) | Access to Columbia College and Stephens College |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 128 | I-70 BL west – Columbia | Westbound exit only as of 2018; eastbound traffic onto I-70 rerouted to I-70 Connector |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 128A | US 63 – Jefferson City, Moberly | Indirect access via I-70 Connector; access to Columbia Regional Airport and the University of Missouri |
| Boone | Columbia | | | 131 | St. Charles Road / Lake of the Woods Road | |
| Boone | ​ | | | 133 | Route Z – Centralia | |
| Callaway | ​ | | | 137 | Route DD / Route J – Millersburg | Access to Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area |
| Callaway | ​ | | | 144 | Route HH / Route M – Hatton | |
| Callaway | Kingdom City | | | 148 | US 54 – Auxvasse, Mexico, Fulton | Access to the Lake of the Ozarks, Mark Twain Lake, and the National Churchill Museum |
| Callaway | ​ | | | 155 | Route A / Route Z – Bachelor, Calwood | |
| Callaway | ​ | | | 161 | Route D / Route YY – Williamsburg | Access to Whetstone Creek Conservation Area |
| Montgomery | ​ | | | 170 | Route 161 / Route J – Danville, Montgomery City | Access to Graham Cave State Park |
| Montgomery | New Florence | | | 175 | Route 19 – New Florence, Hermann | Access to Deutschheim State Historic Site and Mark Twain Lake |
| Montgomery | High Hill | | | 179 | Route F – High Hill | Access to Laborers-AGC Training Center |
| Montgomery | Jonesburg | | | 183 | Route E / Route NN / Route Y – Jonesburg | |
| Warren | ​ | | | 188 | Route A / Route B – Truxton | |
| Warren | Warrenton | | | 192 | Route MM / West Warrenton Boulevard | Roundabouts serve as access points to collector roads that direct to Route MM and Veterans Memorial Parkway; West Warrenton Boulevard serves as the overpass |
| Warren | Truesdale–Warrenton line | | | 193 | Route 47 – Warrenton, Hawk Point | |
| Warren | Wright City | | | 199 | Route H – Wright City | |
| Warren | Wright City | | | 200 | Route F / Route J / Route H – Wright City | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; other half of interchange is via exit 199 |
| St. Charles | Foristell | | | 203 | Route T / Route W – Foristell | |
| St. Charles | Wentzville | | | 206 | David Hoekel Parkway | |
| St. Charles | Wentzville | | | 208 | Wentzville Parkway | Access to SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital — Wentzville |
| St. Charles | Wentzville | | | 209 | Route Z / Church Street | |
| St. Charles | Wentzville | | | | US 61 north (Avenue of the Saints) / I-64 begins / I-70 east – Hannibal, St. Louis | Eastern end of I-70 concurrency; western end of I-64/US 61 concurrency; western terminus of I-64 |
| St. Charles | Lake St. Louis | | | 1C | Prospect Road | |
| St. Charles | Lake St. Louis | | | 2 | Lake Saint Louis Boulevard | |
| St. Charles | Lake St. Louis | | | 4A | Route N | To route N |
| St. Charles | Lake St. Louis | | | 4B | Route 364 – Dardenne Prairie | Exits 1A-B on SR 364; cloverleaf interchange |
| St. Charles | O'Fallon | | | 6 | Route DD (Winghaven Boulevard) | |
| St. Charles | O'Fallon | | | 9 | Route K – O'Fallon | |
| St. Charles | Weldon Spring | | | 10 | Route 94 – St. Charles | Eastbound exit is via exit 9 |
| St. Charles | Weldon Spring | | | 11 | Research Park Circle | No westbound entrance |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | | | Daniel Boone Bridge | Daniel Boone Bridge | Daniel Boone Bridge |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 14 | Chesterfield Airport Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 14 | Spirit of Saint Louis Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 16 | Long Road / Chesterfield Airport Road | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 17 | Boone's Crossing | |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 19A | Chesterfield Parkway West | |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 19B | Route 340 (Olive Boulevard / Clarkson Road) | |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 20 | Chesterfield Parkway East | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Louis | Chesterfield | | | 21 | Timberlake Manor Parkway | |
| St. Louis | Town and Country | | | 22 | Route 141 (Woods Mill Road) | |
| St. Louis | Town and Country | | | 23 | Maryville Centre Drive | No eastbound exit |
| St. Louis | Town and Country | | | 24 | Mason Road | |
| St. Louis | Town and Country | | | 25 | I-270 – Chicago, Memphis | Exit 12 on I-270 |
| St. Louis | Town and Country | | | 26 | Route JJ (Ballas Road) | Access to Mercy Hospital, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, and Covenant Seminary |
| St. Louis | Frontenac | | | 27 | Spoede Road | |
| St. Louis | Frontenac | | | 28A | US 61 south / US 67 (Lindbergh Boulevard) | Eastern terminus of concurrency with US-61; national southern terminus of the Avenue of the Saints |
| St. Louis | Ladue | | | 28B | Clayton Road | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Louis | Ladue | | | 30 | McKnight Road | |
| St. Louis | Richmond Heights | | | 31A | I-170 north – Clayton | Exit 1 on I-170; southern terminus of I-170; access to Lambert–St. Louis Airport |
| St. Louis | Richmond Heights | | | 31B | Brentwood Boulevard / Hanley Road | Roads connected via one way collector road |
| St. Louis | Richmond Heights | | | 32 | Laclede Station Road | Former westbound exit and eastbound entrance; removed 2007 |
| St. Louis | Richmond Heights | | | 33A | Big Bend Boulevard | |
| St. Louis | Richmond Heights | | | 33B | Bellevue Avenue | Eastbound exit; westbound entrance via collector road connected to exit 33A |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 33C | McCausland Avenue | |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 34A | Clayton Road / Skinker Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 34B | Hampton Avenue | Eastbound slip ramp exit to Oakland Avenue eastbound; access to Forest Park and the Saint Louis Zoo |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 36A | Kingshighway Boulevard | Access to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Forest Park, the Missouri Botanical Garden, Ranken Technical College, the St. Louis Science Center, and St. Louis Community College |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 36B | Boyle Avenue / Tower Grove Avenue | Boyle Avenue only westbound |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 36C | Vandeventer Avenue | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to the Missouri Botanical Garden |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 37A | Market Street / Bernard Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 37B | Grand Boulevard | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to Saint Louis University Hospital |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 38A | Forest Park Avenue / Grand Boulevard | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; access to Forest Park, Chaifetz Arena and Washington University |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 38B | Chestnut Street at 20th Street / Market Street at 21st Street | Chestnut Street and 20th Street signed eastbound only; Market Street and 21st Street signed westbound only; portion of never-completed Missouri State Route 755; removed 2020 for construction of St. Louis City stadium |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 38C | Jefferson Avenue | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 39A | 22nd Street | access to St. Louis City stadium and St. Louis Union Station |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 39B | 14th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to the Enterprise Center and the Stifel Theatre |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 39C | 11th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access to Busch Stadium |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 40B | 6th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 40A | 9th Street / Tucker Boulevard | Westbound exit only; access to Busch Stadium |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 40C | I-44 west / I-55 south – Memphis, Tulsa | Western terminus of concurrency with I-55; westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| City of St. Louis | City of St. Louis | | | 40 | I-44 east to I-70 west / Walnut Street – Kansas City | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; former I-70; access to St. Louis Lambert International Airport |
| Mississippi River | Mississippi River | | | Poplar Street Bridge | Poplar Street Bridge | Poplar Street Bridge |
| Mississippi River | Mississippi River | | | – | I-55 north / I-64 east / US 40 east to I-70 east – Illinois | Continuation into Illinois |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||