Bannered routes of U.S. Route 61
| U.S. Route 61 | |
|---|---|
| Highway system | |
Six bannered routes of U.S. Route 61 exist and are found in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Iowa.
St. Francisville business loop
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| Location: | St. Francisville, Louisiana |
| This section requires expansion. (March 2010) |
Natchez business loop
↑Jump back a sectionVicksburg business loop
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| Location: | Vicksburg, Mississippi |
| This section requires expansion. (March 2010) |
Keokuk business loop
↑Jump back a sectionFort Madison business loop
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| Location: | Fort Madison, Iowa |
| Length: | 9.573 mi[1] (15.406 km) |
| Existed: | 2012–present |
U.S. Route 61 Business was created through Fort Madison, Iowa, along the former routing of US 61. The main route was rerouted around town along a new four-lane bypass in 2012. It begins at the interchange with Iowa Highway 2 (Iowa 2) west of Fort Madison. The two routes run east together into town. Iowa 2 splits away to cross the river near downtown and the route turns north and heads out of town. It ends at another interchange with US 61 northeast of town. The portion of highway north of Iowa 2 is officially known as Iowa 961, but it is not signed as such.
Muscatine business loop
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| Location: | Muscatine, Iowa |
| Existed: | 1984–present |
U.S. Route 61 Business was created in 1984 after U.S. Route 61 was rerouted around Muscatine on a new four-lane bypass. It begins on the southern edge of Muscatine at the intersection of US 61 and Iowa Highway 92. US 61 Bus. and IA 92 continue north through Muscatine's industrial area and into the downtown riverfront. As Iowa 92 leaves US 61 Bus. towards Illinois, Iowa Highway 38 begins. A few blocks later, US 61 Bus./IA 38 are joined by Iowa Highway 22. The three routes continue north for a mile before meeting U.S. Route 61.
The entire route is in Muscatine, Muscatine County.
| Mile | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0.00 | ||||
| 3.76 | 6.05 | North end of IA 92 overlap; south end of IA 38 overlap | |||
| 4.48 | 7.21 | North end of Great River Road overlap; south end of IA 22 overlap | |||
| 5.75 | 9.25 | ||||
Davenport business loop
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| Location: | Davenport, Iowa |
| Existed: | 2010–present |
U.S. Route 61 Business was created in 2010 when U.S. Route 61 was rerouted around Davenport on I-280 and I-80. The route begins on the southwest end of town at the interchange with I-280. From there, it heads towards the Mississippi River along River Drive. For six blocks, US 61 Bus. is overlapped by US 67, which joins from the south at the Centennial Bridge and parts to the north when US 61 Bus. turns off. For the most of the remaining trip through Davenport, the route runs along two one-way streets: Brady Street (northbound) and Harrison Street (southbound). Near 5th Street in downtown Davenport, the Iowa Interstate Railroad crosses over Brady and Harrison streets. The vertical clearance of both bridges is only 11 feet 8 inches (3.56 m), which causes many trucks that attempt to pass beneath the bridge to hit or become stuck. This bridge was a major factor in US 61's realignment. Just south of Kimberly Road, which carries US 6, the southbound lanes of US 61 Bus. turn onto Harrison Street from Welcome Way. North of 53rd Street, the two directions rejoin as one road. The route ends at the I-80 interchange on the northern side of town. The entire route is inventoried as Iowa Highway 461, but it not signed as such.[2]
The entire route is in Scott County.
| Location | Mile[3] | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | ||||
| Davenport | 1.6 | 2.6 | South end of Great River Road overlap | ||
| 5.2 | 8.4 | South end of US 67 overlap | |||
| 5.7 | 9.2 | North end of US 67 and Great River Road overlap | |||
| 8.5 | 13.7 | ||||
| 11.1 | 17.9 | ||||
Maquoketa business loop
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| Location: | Maquoketa, Iowa |
| Existed: | 1998–present |
| This section requires expansion. (March 2010) |
The business route through Maqoketa follows Main Street through the downtown business district, and Iowa Highway 64 along Platt Street. The route is unsigned, aside from a few circle "City Route 61" signs along Main Street.
Although not designated until 1998, Main Street had essentially served as a "Business 61" since at least the mid-1970s, when U.S. 61 was moved to a two-lane bypass around the south and west parts of the city. The two-lane segment was upgraded to four lanes in the summer of 1996, as part of a massive four-lane project of U.S. 61 between Dubuque and De Witt.
References
- ^ "2011 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa" (PDF). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
- ^ Iowa Department of Transportation (March 22, 2011). Highway and Street Map of Davenport, Iowa (Map). http://www.iowadot.gov/maps//msp/citypdf/Davenport_ci.pdf. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
- ^ Google Inc. Google Maps – Bannered routes of U.S. Route 61 (Map). Cartography by Google, Inc. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=140th+St&daddr=W+River+Dr+to:W+River+Dr+to:W+River+Dr+to:N+Brady+St+to:US-61+N&hl=en&sll=41.597649,-90.570881&sspn=0.008232,0.019248&geocode=FbBgeQIdBnKY-g%3BFeNReQIdxuiY-g%3BFTSMeQIdRcqZ-g%3BFUiMeQIdAPOZ-g%3BFQopegIdngma-g%3BFa-0egIdmgKa-g&mra=mi&mrsp=5&sz=16&t=m&z=16. Retrieved {{{accessdate}}}.
