Interstate 255

Interstate 255 (I-255) is a bypass route of Interstate 55 near St. Louis, Missouri and with Interstate 270, it forms a loop around the city. Even though St. Louis is in Missouri, a majority of the route runs through Illinois. It shares its southern terminus with 270 at the junction with Interstate 55, 270 goes to the west and 255 goes to the east. US 50 joins I-255 at Lemay Ferry Road. It crosses the Mississippi River on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge, enters Illinois, and then turns north. There is a junction with Interstate 64, where US-50 breaks off and goes east, and then further north there is a junction with Interstate 55 again, Interstate 70, and U.S. Route 40, all of which are all co-signed together. The next junction is another one with Interstate 270, and it is the northern terminus of Interstate 255. After that, it becomes Illinois Route 255.

Interstate 255 is 30.82 miles (49.60 km) in length.

History

I-255 route was proposed from I-55/I-244 near Green Park to I-55/70 west of Cahokia Mounds near the intersection with IL 111 when plans surfaced in the 1950s Yellow Book. It was originally designed to be a four lane highway but was changed to six lanes.

Interstate 240 (Tennessee)

Interstate 240 (I-240) is an Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Running 19.27 miles (31.01 km), it loops southward from Interstate 40 in east Memphis, then turning west at TN 385 (Bill Morris Parkway). At I-55, the highway turns north and runs through midtown to end at I-40. The section in East Memphis around Walnut Grove Road is the busiest interstate in Tennessee, with an AADT of just under 200,000 vehicles.

History

I-240 was first planned circa 1955, but it was to have been a 30.8-mile (49.6 km) beltway to completely encircle midtown Memphis, with the exception of the segment between Interstates 40 and 55, which was proposed as Interstate 255. Later, that number was decommissioned in favor of I-240 running in a full loop, with I-40 running from downtown to east Memphis. However, in 1957 citizens collected 10,000 signatures protesting the route, which cut through Overton Park in midtown. The controversy lasted until the 1970s, when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the citizens. This effectively cancelled the Overton Park routing, shifting I-40 onto the northern leg of I-240. Part of the proposed I-40 route was already built from N. Highland St. east to the I-40/240 junction. The road is now called Sam Cooper Boulevard, and is owned by the city.