# U.S. Route 65 in Missouri

U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south U.S. highway that runs from Clayton, Louisiana to Albert Lea, Minnesota. In Missouri, the highway enters the state from Arkansas, just south of Branson. The highway exits the state into Iowa near South Lineville.

## Route description

US 65 enters Missouri between the towns of Omaha, Arkansas and Ridgedale, Missouri. The road is a four-lane expressway, traveling through both Branson and Hollister towards Springfield. Through the Branson area, it is a freeway. North of Branson, the highway intersections with both westbound Route 76 formally part of Route 465 (a freeway spur) and U.S. Route 160. From Branson to Highlandville, U.S. 160 is the old alignment of U.S. 65 (until the 1960s).
Just south of Route EE at the Highlandville exit, U.S. 65 returns to freeway status. The freeway is called "Schoolcraft Freeway" in Springfield, named in honor of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. Also in Springfield, the highway has junctions with U.S. Route 60 (also known as James River Freeway) and Interstate 44 (I-44). The I-44 interchange includes a flyover ramp connecting northbound U.S. 65 with westbound I-44. U.S. 65 became a six-lane divided freeway in Springfield between Interstate 44 and MO CC And MO J it's currently being upgraded from 4 lanes to 6 lanes Between MO CC and MO J to BUS 65 and MO F in Ozark. It was the first six-lane highway in Southwest Missouri. North of Springfield, it returns to a four-lane expressway highway.
From Springfield to Buffalo, U.S. 65 is a four four-lane highway. US 65 passes through Fair Grove before entering Buffalo.
Through Buffalo, the highway now becomes two lanes with a center left-turn lane, intersecting Route 32, then up to Route 73.
From Buffalo to Preston, entering Hickory County, U.S. 65 remains a two-lane highway and has a four-way intersection with U.S. Route 54. Continuing north, after passing through several towns, U.S. 65 then shares a concurrency with Route 7 before entering Warsaw, where the highway crosses over the western end of the Lake of the Ozarks and again becomes a four-lane highway at the intersection where it separates from Route 7. After leaving Warsaw, U.S. 65 passes through Lincoln then has a brief concurrency with Route 52.
At Sedalia (where it is called Limit Avenue), it has an intersection with U.S. Route 50 (known locally as Broadway Blvd). At Marshall Junction, north of Sedalia in Saline County, U.S. 65 intersects with both Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40. In Marshall (where it is called Lexington, Ave), U.S. 65 returns to two-lanes and stays so all the way up to Iowa. At Waverly, the highway becomes concurrent with U.S. Route 24 (which continues to Carrollton). Also in Waverly, U.S. 65 and U.S. 24 both cross the Missouri River on the Waverly Bridge. Further north, the road crosses U.S. Route 36 at Chillicothe and U.S. Route 136 at Princeton. The highway leaves Missouri at South Lineville and enters Iowa.
The entirely of US 65 in Missouri is part of the National Highway System.

## History

From 1922 to 1926, US 65 in Missouri was known as Route 3. US 65 originally followed Route 248 and US 160 between Branson and Springfield. Route 3 was originally planned on a shorter route between Springfield and Preston, with Route 71 on the longer alignment via Buffalo, but Route 3 was quickly shifted east, absorbing Route 71.
Various improvements from Springfield to Buffalo has been made over the years. In September 2010, US 65 becomes four lanes from Springfield to just south of Buffalo. In September 2011, U.S. 65 became a six-lane divided freeway in Springfield between Interstate 44 and U.S. 60. It was the first six-lane highway in Southwest Missouri.

## Major intersections

All exits are unnumbered.
| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Taney | Oliver Township | 0.000 | 0.000 | US 65 south – Harrison | Continuation into Arkansas |
| Taney | Oliver Township | 2.807 | 4.517 | Route 86 – Blue Eye | |
| Taney | Oliver Township | 5.570 | 8.964 | Route 265 | |
| Taney | Hollister | 8.850 | 14.243 | US 65 Bus. / CR 165 – Hollister | South end of freeway; southern terminus of US 65 Bus./CR 165; former Route 165. Access to Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals Lake, Historic Downtown Hollister, and College of the Ozarks, Table Rock State Park, and Table Rock Lake. |
| Taney | Lake Taneycomo | | | Bridge | Bridge |
| Taney | Branson | 11.447 | 18.422 | Route 76 / US 65 Bus. (Main Street) / 76 Country Boulevard | South end of Route 76 overlap; northern terminus of US 65 Bus.; 76 Country Blvd. is former Route 76 west. Access to Silver Dollar City, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theater, Lake Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake, and Historic Downtown Branson. |
| Taney | Branson | 12.407 | 19.967 | Route 248 / Red Route / CR 165 (Shepherd of the Hills Expressway) / Branson Landing Boulevard | Diverging diamond interchange; eastern terminus of Route 248; northern terminus of CR 165. Access to Cox Medical Center - Branson. |
| Taney | Branson | 13.250 | 21.324 | Branson Hills Parkway / Bee Creek Road | |
| Taney | Branson Township | 16.142 | 25.978 | Route 76 (Ozark Mountain Highroad) / Route F | North end of Route 76 overlap; Ozark Mountain Highroad is former Route 465. Access to Silver Dollar City, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theater, and Table Rock Lake. |
| Taney | Jasper Township | 18.756 | 30.185 | US 160 – Reeds Spring, Forsyth | North end of freeway. Access to Lake Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lake. |
| Taney | Jasper Township | 21.698 | 34.920 | Route 176 east – Rockaway Beach | Southern end of Route 176 overlap |
| Taney | Jasper Township | 22.597 | 36.366 | Route 176 west | Northern end of Route 176 overlap |
| Christian | North Galloway Township | 32.741 | 52.692 | Route EE – Highlandville | South end of freeway |
| Christian | Ozark | 37.001 | 59.547 | US 65 Bus. / Route F (South Street) – Sparta | |
| Christian | Ozark | 38.295 | 61.630 | Route 14 / US 65 Bus. (Jackson Street) – Nixa | Access to Wilson's Creek National Battlefield |
| Christian | Ozark | 41.513 | 66.809 | Route J / Route CC – Fremont Hills | |
| Greene | Springfield | 43.622 | 70.203 | Evans Road | Access to Missouri Veterans Cemetery |
| Greene | Springfield | 45.541 | 73.291 | US 60 / US 65 Bus. (James River Freeway) – Cabool | Access to the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and Springfield-Branson National Airport |
| Greene | Springfield | 47.711 | 76.783 | Battlefield Street | Access to Battlefield Mall |
| Greene | Springfield | 49.249 | 79.259 | Route D (Sunshine Street) | Access to Mercy Hospital and Bass Pro Shops |
| Greene | Springfield | 51.274 | 82.518 | US 65 Bus. (Chestnut Expressway) | Diverging diamond interchange Access to Downtown Springfield, Missouri State University, Drury University, and Ozarks Technical Community College |
| Greene | Springfield | 52.284 | 84.143 | Route YY (Division Street) | Access to Evangel University and Cox College |
| Greene | Springfield | 53.292 | 85.765 | Route 744 (Kearney Street) | Former US 66. Access to Southwest Regional Conservation Office, MoDot Southwest District Office, and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop D Headquarters. |
| Greene | Springfield | 54.079 | 87.032 | I-44 – Joplin, St. Louis | Separate exits southbound; serves Springfield-Branson National Airport exits 82A-B |
| Greene | North Campbell Township | 54.809 | 88.207 | County Road No. 102 | North end of freeway; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Greene | Fair Grove | 64.869 | 104.397 | Route 125 / Route CC – Fair Grove | Interchange |
| Dallas | Sheridan Township | 70.052 | 112.738 | Route 215 / Route O – Olive, Pleasant Hope | Michigan left U-turn intersections |
| Dallas | Jackson Township | 74.162 | 119.352 | Route 38 / Route TT – Marshfield | Michigan left U-turn intersections |
| Dallas | Buffalo | 83.153 | 133.822 | Route 32 (Dallas Street) – Lebanon, Bolivar | |
| Dallas | Buffalo | 85.026 | 136.836 | Route 73 north – Tunas | |
| Dallas | Louisburg | 91.671 | 147.530 | Route 64 – Pittsburg, Bennett Springs | Access to Pomme de Terre Lake and Bennett Spring State Park |
| Dallas | ​ | 99.136 | 159.544 | Route NN – Nemo | Access to Pomme de Terre State Park |
| Hickory | Preston | 105.306 | 169.474 | US 54 – Hermitage, Macks Creek | Access to Lake of the Ozarks and Pomme de Terre Lake |
| Benton | Fristoe Township | 124.044 | 199.629 | Route 7 – Edwards | Southern end of Route 7 overlap |
| Benton | White Branch | 128.063 | 206.097 | Route 83 south – White Branch | South end of expressway |
| Benton | Lake of the Ozarks | | | Bridge over the Osage River arm | Bridge over the Osage River arm |
| Benton | Warsaw | 129.688 | 208.713 | Warsaw | No direct northbound entrance |
| Benton | Warsaw | 130.249 | 209.615 | Route 7 north – Warsaw, Clinton | Northern end of Route 7 overlap. Access to Harry S Truman State Park. |
| Benton | Warsaw | 131.327 | 211.350 | Truman Dam Access Road | North end of expressway. Access to Lost Valley Fish Hatchery and Truman Dam Visitor Center. |
| Benton | Williams Township | 146.378 | 235.573 | Route 52 east – Cole Camp | Interchange; southern end of Route 52 overlap |
| Benton–Pettis county line | Williams–Flat Creek township line | 151.426 | 243.697 | Route 52 west – Windsor | Northern end of Route 52 overlap |
| Pettis | Sedalia | 163.315 | 262.830 | US 50 (Broadway Blvd) – La Monte, Whiteman Air Force Base | Access to Bothwell Hospital |
| Pettis | Sedalia | 163.912 | 263.791 | Route 765 east – Business District | Interchange; clockwise terminus of Route 765; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Pettis | Cedar Township | 165.752 | 266.752 | Route 765 south – Business District | Counterclockwise terminus of Route 765; no direct southbound entrance |
| Saline | Marshall Junction | 181.887 | 292.719 | I-70 / US 40 east – St. Louis | Cloverleaf interchange; I-70 exits 78A-B |
| Saline | Marshall Junction | 181.887 | 292.719 | I-70 / US 40 west – Kansas City | Cloverleaf interchange; I-70 exits 78A-B |
| Saline | Marshall | 190.141 | 306.002 | US 65 Bus. north | |
| Saline | Marshall | 193.242 | 310.993 | Route 20 (W. Arrow St.) – Blackburn, Marshall | |
| Saline | Marshall | 194.015 | 312.237 | US 65 Bus. south / Route 240 east / Lewis and Clark Trail / Santa Fe National Historic Trail to Route 41 – Slater | |
| Saline | Grand Pass Township | 204.818 | 329.623 | Route 127 south – Mount Leonard, Sweet Springs | |
| Lafayette | Waverly | 211.213 | 339.914 | US 24 west / Lewis and Clark Trail / Santa Fe National Historic Trail – Waverly | Southern end of US 24 overlap |
| Missouri River | Missouri River | | | New Waverly Bridge (replaced old Waverly Bridge in 2004) | New Waverly Bridge (replaced old Waverly Bridge in 2004) |
| Carroll | Carrollton | 220.839 | 355.406 | US 65 Bus. north / Route 10 west / Lewis and Clark Trail – Carrollton, Richmond | |
| Carroll | Carrollton | 222.526 | 358.121 | US 24 east / US 65 Bus. south / Lewis and Clark Trail – Carrollton, Moberly | Northern end of US 24 overlap |
| Livingston | Chillicothe | 253.257 | 407.578 | US 36 / Route 110 (CKC) – Brookfield, Hamilton US 36 Bus. begins | Interchange with the CKC; southern end of US 36 Bus. overlap |
| Livingston | Chillicothe | 253.359 | 407.742 | US 36 Bus. east | Northern end of US 36 Bus. overlap |
| Livingston | Chillicothe | 256.428 | 412.681 | Route 190 west | |
| Grundy | Trenton | 276.310 | 444.678 | Route 6 – Trenton, Milan | |
| Grundy | Trenton | 277.384 | 446.406 | Route AA (28th Street) | |
| Mercer | Princeton | 299.403 | 481.842 | US 136 east – Unionville | Southern end of US 136 overlap |
| Mercer | Princeton | 299.731 | 482.370 | US 136 west – Bethany | Northern end of US 136 overlap |
| Mercer | South Lineville | 313.114 | 503.908 | US 65 north – Lineville | Continuation into Iowa |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access ||||||