Interstate 55

**The article "Interstate 55" is a *WORK IN PROGRESS!*.**
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## Interstate

**Interstate 55** is a north-south highway running from Chicago, Illinois to New Orleans, Louisiana. It also serves the communities of Joliet, IL, Bloomington, IL, Springfield, IL, St Louis, MO, Memphis, TN, and Jackson, MS.

## Route Description

### Illinois

I-55 begins at Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, then passes south of downtown. Shortly after it meets I-90 (Dan Ryan Expressway), then moves west away from Chicago. It passes IL 50 (to Midway Airport), and meets US 45 and I-294 near Hodgkins, then continues southwest, passing IL 83 and I-355 along the way, then I-55 makes a sharp turn to the south after Exit 261. It then passes US 52 and US 30, then meets I-80 west of Joliet. I-55 then continues southwest, passing through many small cities throughout rural northern Illinois. In Bloomington, it forms a partial loop around the city, passing I-39 and beginning a small concurrency with I-74. I-74 and I-55 form the western loop around Bloomington, then I-74 splits off towards Champaign, and I-55 splits off towards Springfield. I-55 then forms a partial loop around the city of Lincoln, meeting I-155 in Lincoln, Then forms another partial loop around Springfield, holding a small concurrency with I-72 around the city. Then I-55 meets I-270 and US 40 near Troy, I-255 near Collinsville, I-70 and I-64 near East Saint Louis, then crosses the Mississippi River into Saint Louis.

### Missouri

After entering Missouri (which has a great view of the Arch) I-55 meets I-64 and US 40, and I-44. I-55 begins a short concurrency with I-44 through Saint Louis, then splits off south of Downtown. I-55 parallels the Mississippi River for quite a while, paralleling US 61 along the way. It passes Cape Giradeau and Sikeston, then meets I-57, US 60, and Future 57. It later meets US 412 and I-155 in Hayti, then passes into Arkansas.

### Arkansas

I-55 continues to parallel US 61 and the Mississippi River through Arkansas, meeting I-555 in Turell, then meeting an intersection with I-40 north of West Memphis. I-55 holds a very small concurrency with I-40 through West Memphis, then splits off, meets US 70, and enters Tennessee.

### Tennessee

After crossing the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge, I-55 meets a cloverleaf, where I-55 leaves I-55. I-55 makes a very sharp turn to the south, forming a southern loop around Memphis. It then meets I-69 and I-240, and I-55 makes another turn to the south passing Memphis Airport. I-55 and I-69 then enters Mississippi near Southaven, MS

### Mississippi

I-55 and I-69 enter Mississippi in Southaven. I-55 then splits off with I-69 at the junction with I-269 near Hernando. I-55 then continues straight south, passing Hernando, Senatobia (MS 4), Batesville (US 278), Grenada (MS 8), Winona (US 82), Canton (MS 22, MS 16), Ridgeland (I-220, Natchez Trace Parkway), and passes through Jackson, passing MS 25 and Downtown Jackson, then begins a short concurrency with I-20, then splits off from I-20, and heads south. I-55 passes Byram, Crystal Springs (MS 27), Hazlehurst (MS 28), Brookhaven (US 84), and McComb (US 98, MS 48), then enters Louisiana.

### Louisiana

I-55 continues south through Louisiana, passing Kentwood (LA 38), Fluker (LA 10), Amite City (LA 16), Hammond (US 190, I-12), and Ponchatoula (LA 22), then crosses between Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. After passing the lakes, it meets I-10, then ends. You can also get off and take US 51 into LaPlace, meeting US 61.

## Auxiliary Routes

### Illinois

 I-255
 I-355