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Interstate 155 (Missouri–Tennessee)

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Interstate 155 (I-155) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway that runs 26.77 miles (43.08 km) through the Bootheel of Missouri and the northwestern corner of Tennessee. It begins south of Hayti, Missouri at Interstate 55 (I-55) and passes eastward through Caruthersville, before crossing the Mississippi River on the Caruthersville Bridge into Tennessee. The route then proceeds to Dyersburg, where it terminates at an interchange with U.S. Route 51 (US 51). I-155 is the only piece of surface transportation infrastructure that directly connects Missouri and Tennessee, and is concurrent with US 412 for its entire length.

Interstate 155 marker
Interstate 155
Map
I-155 highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of I-55
Length26.77 mi[1] (43.08 km)
ExistedAugust 18, 1964[2]–present
HistoryCompleted in 1979
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-55 / US 61 / US 412 near Hayti, MO
East end US 51 / US 412 at Dyersburg, TN
Location
CountryUnited States
StatesMissouri, Tennessee
CountiesMO: Pemiscot
TN: Dyer
Highway system
← Route 154MO→ Route 156
← SR 154TN→ SR 155

A proposal for a bridge between Missouri and Tennessee arose in the late 1930s, at which point the two states were two of the last remaining contiguous states not connected by road or rail. After the Interstate Highway System was established in 1956, this proposal began to be incorporated into a larger proposal for a new Interstate Highway linking I-55 in Hayti to I-40 in Jackson, Tennessee. In 1964, the federal government approved the westernmost portion of this freeway, designating it as I-155, but did not approve the entire route to Jackson. Construction on the Caruthersville Bridge began in 1969, and the bridge, along with the Missouri portion of the route, opened in 1976. The last portion of I-155, located in Dyersburg, was completed in 1979.

Route description

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I-155 westbound near its western terminus

Interstate 155 begins at a near-full cloverleaf interchange with I-55 in Pemiscot County, Missouri, on the edge of Hayti, where US 412 continues as a four-lane divided highway to the northwest. Initially traveling in a southeastward direction, the Interstate passes through farmland in a sparsely populated rural area. A few miles later, the highway passes south of Caruthersville where it has an interchange first with a local road, and then with the southern terminus of Route 84 near the Caruthersville Memorial Airport. A few miles later, the highway shifts south-southeast before crossing the Mississippi River on the 1.35-mile (2.17 km) Caruthersville Bridge into Dyer County, Tennessee.

 
I-155 westbound at the Great River Road exit

Upon crossing the river, I-155 veers east-southeast and reaches an interchange with State Route 181 (SR 181), which is part of the Great River Road. Passing through additional farmland, the Interstate crosses the Obion River a few miles later and has an interchange with SR 182 a short distance beyond south of the Lenox community. The highway then ascends out of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain on to the Gulf Coastal Plain and enters a wooded area, where the Tennessee Welcome Center is located, before reaching Dyersburg a few miles later. Traveling along the northern fringes of the city in an eastward direction, the Interstate has an interchange first with SR 78, which also provides access to Tiptonville. A few miles later, the Interstate turns northeast, before reaching a trumpet interchange with US 51, where the I-155 designation ends, and US 412 splits off to the south towards Jackson. The route continues to the northeast as a controlled-access segment of US 51.

History

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Background and planning

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The Caruthersville Bridge from the Tennessee side of the Mississippi River

Prior to the construction of the Caruthersville Bridge, a number of ferries crossed the Mississippi River between the two states. By the late 1930s, Missouri and Tennessee were two of the few remaining bordering states in the country which were not directly connected by road or rail, and a bridge across the river began to be proposed.[3] Caruthersville newspaper The Republican reportedly suggested a bridge be constructed in the area in 1936 or 1937, and by early August 1939, a group of local citizens began promoting the idea.[4][5] That same year, the Pemiscot County court reportedly endorsed the construction of a bridge across the river near Caruthersville, but little action was taken until 1946, when the Caruthersville Chamber of Commerce and Caruthersville Rotary Club began promoting the project.[6] On September 15 of that year, the Caruthersville and Dyersburg hambers of commerce held a meeting and established the "Hands Across the River Committee" to promote the project.[7][8] Three months later, the two chambers hired engineering firm Sverdrup & Parcel to conduct a feasibility study on the project. The study was conducted in the spring of 1947, and found that the traffic volumes on the bridge would not justify the cost of such an undertaking.[6] Nevertheless, proponents of the bridge persisted, and in 1949 successfully lobbied both state legislatures to create a commission to study the bridge project, which held its first meeting on September 14 of that year.[9][10][11] The commission authorized feasibility and traffic studies for three possible sites on August 14, 1951, which took place the following spring, and considered constructing the bridge as a toll bridge.[6] The commission chose the site on November 18, 1952,[12] which was subsequently approved by the Army Corps of Engineers on August 20, 1953.[13] The studies had estimated that tolls would only finance approximately one half of the cost of the bridge, which prompted the commission to recommend seeking federal funding for the project or finance it by issuing bonds. The inability to secure a funding source would ultimately delay the project.[6]

While the Caruthersville Bridge was being planned, the federal government had been planning for a nationwide network of controlled-access highways, which would become the Interstate Highway System. After this system was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, officials in Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois began an effort to improve connectivity between the four states.[6][14] This proposal included a new Interstate Highway between I-55 in Hayti and I-40 in Jackson, Tennessee, incorporating the bridge proposal, as well as a westward extension of I-24 from its allocated terminus in Nashville. On January 7, 1960, Tennessee officials submitted a letter to the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR), predecessor agency to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), for the approval of a 63-mile (101 km) between Hayti and Jackson.[15][16][17] This proposal was echoed by the bridge commission in a meeting with BPR administrator Rex Marion Whitton on May 25, 1961, but was reportedly not considered since the federal government had yet to determine how many miles they would be able to add to the Interstate system.[6][18] On January 30, 1962, Governors John M. Dalton of Missouri and Buford Ellington of Tennessee jointly submitted an application to the BPR for the new Interstate.[19][20] On September 17, 1963, the governors of the four states met with President John F. Kennedy where they reached an agreement on the alignment for the I-24 extension and endorsed the routing for the Hayti-to-Jackson Interstate Highway.[21] On August 18, 1964, the BPR approved the I-24 extension and authorized an Interstate Highway spur route between Hayti and Dyersburg, which was named I-155. However, they did not give approval to the entire proposed route to Jackson.[22][23]

Construction

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Construction of I-155 began with the contract for the Caruthersville Bridge piers, which was announced to have been awarded on March 20, 1969.[24][25] Preliminary work began with construction of an access road to the site in June 1969,[26] and work on the first pier was underway three months later.[27] The contract for the construction of the 1,030-foot (310 m) bridge approach on the Missouri side was awarded in December 1971,[28][29] and the contract for the 2,480-foot (760 m) Tennessee approach was awarded in December 1972.[30] Both projects experienced delays due to flooding and erosion in 1973.[31][32] The contract for grading and construction of bridges for the stretch between the Tennessee approach and SR 182 was awarded in January 1973.[33] This project required the construction of an artificial levee within the Mississippi River flood plain, which proved to be one of the most difficult jobs undertaken by TDOT.[34] This work was completed by the end of 1975, after multiple delays.[35] In Missouri, the contract for construction of the section between I-55 and Routes D and U was let in May 1974,[36] and the adjacent section extending to the Mississippi River approach was awarded two months later.[37] The design work for the section between SR 182 and US 51 was not approved prior to the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and required an environmental impact statement (EIS). A draft EIS was approved by the FHWA on September 30, 1974.[38]

On December 1, 1976, the Caruthersville Bridge was dedicated and opened to traffic in a ceremony by Missouri Governor Kit Bond and Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton.[39][40] The entirety of I-155 in Missouri and the Tennessee section extending to SR 182 were also opened on this day, with the latter section restricted to two lanes to allow for completion of final paving. This paving work was scheduled for completion by October 1, 1977.[41] The first contract for the section between SR 182 and the eastern terminus with US 51/412 was awarded in August 1975,[42] and this section was completed in November 1979, after several delays.[43]

Later history

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While the Interstate Highway between Dyersburg and Jackson was never approved, TDOT continued to explore options to upgrade this stretch of highway, which was then only SR 20. The first major proposal was for a toll road throughout the 1970s; however, this idea was resisted by many state officials and citizens alike. On June 22, 1980, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials established US 412 along I-155 as part of a route between Jackson and Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.[44] On June 14, 1985, the FHWA approved a draft EIS for the upgrade to US 412, which included the possibility of constructing the route as a fully controlled-access highway or a four-lane highway without access control.[45] The upgrade was one of six freeway projects including in Governor Lamar Alexander's Better Roads Program in 1986, referred to as "Bicentennial Parkways", and was referred to in the initial plans as the "Interstate 155 Extension".[46] Unlike all of the other freeway projects, however, the US 412 upgrade was instead constructed as a limited-access four-lane highway with a combination of interchanges and at-grade intersections. This took place between 1989 and 1995.

An extension of Interstate 69 through Tennessee was proposed under the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) as part of a corridor to facilitate trade between Canada and Mexico. This extension was further spearheaded by the enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994.[47] This extension, sometimes considered part of the unofficial NAFTA superhighway, was proposed to interchange with I-155 northwest of Dyersburg, replace the remainder of the route to its eastern terminus, and continue onto the US 51 freeway[48][49] This proposal would reduce the length of I-155 by approximately eight miles (13 km); however, it is unclear whether or not this extension of I-69 will ever be built.[50][51]

Exit list

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StateCountyLocationmi[52][53]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MissouriPemiscot​0.0000.000 
  US 412 west		Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; western terminus; I-55 exit 17B; cloverleaf interchange.
​0.149–
0.206		0.240–
0.332		1   I-55 / US 61 – Memphis, St. LouisSigned as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north); I-55 exit 17A; cloverleaf interchange.
​4.3466.9944   Route D / Route U – Caruthersville
Caruthersville6.76910.8946   Route 84 / Route Y – Caruthersville
Mississippi River10.723
0.0		17.257
0.0		Caruthersville Bridge
TennesseeDyer​2.33.72  SR 181 (Great River Road)
​7.411.97  SR 182 (Lenox Road)
Dyersburg 
  I-69 south – Memphis		Proposed I-69 south; future eastern terminus of I-155[54]
13.020.913  SR 78 – Dyersburg, Tiptonville
15.925.615 
  
  US 51 south / US 412 east – Dyersburg, Jackson		Western end of US 412 concurrency
 
  US 51 north – Union City		Continuation past interchange; eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ Starks, Edward (January 27, 2022). "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of December 31, 2021". Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  2. ^ "It's Interstate 155". The Democrat-Argus. Caruthersville, Missouri. September 25, 1964. p. 11. Retrieved March 27, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Malone, Johnny (November 9, 1967). "1968 Start Seen For Mississippi Span". The Jackson Sun. p. 1, 20. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Can We Get a Bridge?". The Republican. Caruthersville, Missouri. August 3, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Untitled column". The Democrat-Argus. Caruthersville, Missouri. August 22, 1939. p. 2. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Patterson, J. F. (December 1, 1976). "History of Tennessee-Missouri Bridge Commission" (PDF). The Democrat-Argus. Caruthersville, Missouri. p. 2. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via HistoricBridges.org.
  7. ^ "First Steps Are Taken To Secure Bridge Over River". The Republican. Caruthersville, Missouri. September 19, 1946. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ ""Hand Across The River" Committee To Promote Bridge". The Democrat-Argus. Caruthersville, Missouri. September 20, 1946. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Missouri-Tennessee Bridge Commission Held First Meeting Wednesday". The Republican. Caruthersville, Missouri. September 15, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  10. ^ "N. W. Helm Elected President of Tenn-Mo Bridge Commission". The Republican. Caruthersville, Missouri. September 14, 1949. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Browning Appoints Bridge Commission". The Nashville Tennessean. Associated Press. September 10, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Bridge Commission Approves Site". The Jackson Sun. November 18, 1952. p. 8. Retrieved May 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Engineers Approve Site Of Mississippi Bridge". The Nashville Tennessean. Associated Press. August 21, 1953. p. 46. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Kovach, Bill (August 11, 1963). "State Fighting Blocks I-24". The Nashville Tennessean. p. 2B. Retrieved March 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Bridge Near Dyersburg Proposed; Site Recommended By Ellington". Memphis Press-Scimitar. January 7, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "New Road Link Asked By State". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis. January 8, 1960. p. 30. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Tennessee Asks Additional 53 Miles Of Interstate Roads". The Greeneville Sun. Associated Press. January 7, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Mo.-Tenn. Bridge Commission Asks Interstate Road". Daily American Republic. Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Associated Press. May 26, 1961. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "2 Governors Agree On Highway, Bridge". The Nashville Tennessean. January 31, 1962. p. 4. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Missouri Joins With Tennessee In Road Appeal". The Daily Capital News. Jefferson City, Missouri. January 31, 1962. p. 3. Retrieved August 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Laycook, Lois (September 18, 1963). "4 Governors Agree On I-24; Campbell, Paducah On Route". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved March 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Laycook, Lois (August 19, 1964). "U.S. Approves I-24 to Illinois, Bridge in Dyer". The Nashville Tennessean. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved March 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Eisenhower Interstate Highway System, Previous Facts of the Day". Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  24. ^ "Contract For I-55 Bridge at Caruthersville". Weekly Citizen-Democrat. Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Associated Press. March 20, 1969. p. 3. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Contract awarded for work on bridge". Jefferson City Post-Tribune. March 21, 1969. p. 10. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Good Progress on Road Improvements". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. June 18, 1969. p. 1. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Mississippi River Bridge Construction Has Begun". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. August 15, 1969. p. 7. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Bridge Work Continues". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. December 6, 1971. p. 8. Retrieved July 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Final Contract on I-55 Coming". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. December 8, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved July 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Bids Received On Road Jobs". Memphis Press-Scimitar. December 16, 1972. p. 10. Retrieved July 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "River plays havoc with construction". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. May 17, 1973. p. 3. Retrieved July 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Interstate 155 unwinds across Dyer County". The Daily Standard. Sikeston, Missouri. March 20, 1974. p. 9. Retrieved July 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Jackson Firms Bid Low On Area Highway Jobs". The Jackson Sun. January 14, 1973. p. 10. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "New Mississippi River bridge a challenge to build". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. Associated Press. November 29, 1976. p. 11. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Six Bridges Not Completed Near Dyersburg". Memphis Pres-Scimitar. May 23, 1975. p. 11. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Low road bids listed". The Daily Capital News. Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press. April 30, 1974. p. 8. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Open bids on highway projects". The Sedalia Democrat. June 30, 1974. p. 7A. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (1974). Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Interstate 155 From One Mile East of Lenox Road to the Interchange With Proposed Relocated SR 3, Dyer County, Tennessee (report). Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via Google Books.
  39. ^ Williams, Chambers (November 30, 1976). "New Bridge Opens Wednesday". The Jackson Sun. p. 1, 5. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ Williams, Chambers (December 1, 1976). "Two States Joined As Bridge Opens". The Jackson Sun. p. 1. Retrieved May 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "State To Open Bids On Area Road Construction Projects". The Jackson Sun. April 19, 1976. p. 1A. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ "Notice to Contractors of State Highway Construction Bids To Be Received August 8, 1975". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis. July 23, 1975. p. 26. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ Community Relations Division (2006). Map of West Tennessee Interstate Development (Map). Scale not given. Tennessee Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 21, 2006. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  44. ^ Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering (June 22, 1980). "Route Numbering Committee Agenda Showing Action Taken by the Executive Committee" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. p. 1. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Wikisource.
  45. ^ Tennessee Department of Transportation (1985). State Route 20 From I-40 In Jackson To West End Of Dyersburg Bypass, Madison-Crockett-Dyer Counties (report). Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 7, 2024 – via Google Books.
  46. ^ Henry, Douglas; Darnell, Riley; Bragg, John; Robinson, C. Robb (April 1, 1986). 1986 Road Program (PDF) (Report). Tennessee Department of Transportation. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 23, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  47. ^ "Interstate 69 Corridor". Nashville: Tennessee Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  48. ^ Charlier, Tom (October 28, 2016). "I-69 project revived — but not for Memphis". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  49. ^ Reschke, Michael (August 26, 2018). "I-69 from Canada to Mexico — a long way from finished". The Times-Mail. Bedford, Indiana. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  50. ^ "I-69 Decision Made for Northern and Southern Portions of Millington to Dyersburg Section" (Press release). Tennessee Department of Transportation. May 19, 2006. Archived from the original on June 29, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  51. ^ "Interstate 69 Millington to Dyersburg Sheet Index" (PDF). Tennessee Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  52. ^ Missouri Department of Transportation (November 13, 2012). MoDOT HPMAPS (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  53. ^ Long Range Planning Division (2005). Dyer County, Tennessee (PDF) (Map). General Highway Map. Tennessee Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2011. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
  54. ^ "Interstate 69 Millington to Dyersburg Sheet Index" (PDF). Tennessee Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
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