Editing Interstate 55 (section)

==Route description==
{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="fhwa"/>}}
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Louisiana|LA]]
|65.81
|105.91
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Mississippi|MS]]
|290.41
|467.37
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Tennessee|TN]]
|12.28
|19.76
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Arkansas|AR]]
|72.22
|116.22
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Missouri|MO]]
|210.45
|338.69
|-
|[[Interstate 55 in Illinois|IL]]
|293.80
|472.72
|-
|Total
|964.25
|1,551.81
|}

===Louisiana===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Louisiana}}
In [[Louisiana]], I-55 runs nearly {{convert|66|mi|km}} from south to north, from [[Interstate 10|I-10]] near [[Laplace, Louisiana|Laplace]] ({{convert|25|mi|km}} west of [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]]) to the [[Mississippi]] state line near [[Kentwood, Louisiana|Kentwood]]. Approximately a third of the distance consists of the [[Manchac Swamp Bridge]], a nearly {{convert|23|mi|km|adj=on}} [[causeway]], often cited as the third-longest viaduct in the world.

===Mississippi===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Mississippi}}
In [[Mississippi]], I-55 runs {{convert|290.5|mi|km}} from the [[Louisiana]] border near [[Osyka, Mississippi|Osyka]] to [[Southaven, Mississippi|Southaven]] on the [[Tennessee]] border, just south of [[Memphis, Tennessee]]. Noteworthy cities and towns that I-55 passes through or close by to are [[Brookhaven, Mississippi|Brookhaven]], [[McComb, Mississippi|McComb]], [[Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson]], and [[Grenada, MS|Grenada]]. This highway parallels [[U.S. Route 51|US&nbsp;51]] in its path roughly through the center of Mississippi. The {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} from Hernando to the Tennessee state line coincide with the newer [[Interstate 69|I-69]].

The Mississippi section of I-55 is defined in the Mississippi Code §&nbsp;65-3-3.

===Tennessee===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Tennessee}}
I-55 in Tennessee lies entirely within the city of [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], passing through the southern and western parts of the city and providing a bypass of downtown for motorists who do not want to take [[Interstate 240 (Tennessee)|I-240]] and [[Interstate 40|I-40]] through downtown to cross the Mississippi River. The western portion of this highway, which passes through an industrialized section of the city, contains numerous low-clearance bridges and also a very tight 270-degree cloverleaf turn northbound at Crump Boulevard. The [[Tennessee Department of Transportation]] (TDOT) currently has an interchange improvement project for this portion. Heavy truck traffic heading to and from Arkansas in this area is hence directed to detour via I-240 and I-40.

For the Tennessee stretch of the Interstate, the usual national freeway [[speed limit]] of {{convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} is reduced to {{convert|65|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name=memphisvisitorsguide>{{cite web |title = Getting Around |url = http://memphis.cityvisitorsguide.com/gettingaround.htm |work = City Visitors Guide |access-date = August 24, 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102542/http://memphis.cityvisitorsguide.com/gettingaround.htm |archive-date = March 4, 2016 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

===Arkansas===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Arkansas}}
[[File:I40I55WestMemphis.JPG|thumb|left|I-55 splits from I-40 here in [[West Memphis, Arkansas|West Memphis]] and heads north toward [[Jonesboro, Arkansas|Jonesboro]] and the Missouri border.]]

I-55 enters Arkansas from Tennessee as it crosses the Mississippi River on the [[Memphis & Arkansas Bridge]]. It overlaps I-40 for approximately {{convert|2.8|mi|km}} in [[West Memphis, Arkansas|West Memphis]]. After separating from I-40, I-55 turns northward and runs with US&nbsp;61, [[U.S. Route 63|US&nbsp;63]], and US&nbsp;64 until US&nbsp;64 exits in through [[Marion, Arkansas|Marion]].<ref name="cri">{{Cite map |publisher = [[Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department]] |title = General Highway Map, Crittenden County, Arkansas |url = http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/CrittendenCounty.pdf |author = Planning and Research Division |format = PDF |date = January 2, 2007 |scale = 1:62500 |access-date = April 26, 2012 |archive-date = February 26, 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120226223642/http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/counties/county%20PDFs/CrittendenCounty.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> I-55/US&nbsp;61/US&nbsp;63 continues north through [[Crittenden County, Arkansas|Crittenden County]] through rural farms of the [[Arkansas delta]], including an interchange with [[Interstate 555|I-555]]/US&nbsp;63 in [[Turrell, Arkansas|Turrell]]. I-55 passes through [[Blytheville, Arkansas|Blytheville]], where it has a junction with [[Arkansas Highway 18|Highway&nbsp;18]] (AR&nbsp;18) before entering Missouri.<ref name="mis">{{Cite map |publisher = Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title = General Highway Map, Mississippi County, Arkansas |url = http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/MississippiCounty.pdf |author = Planning and Research Division |format = PDF |date = January 11, 2010 |scale = 1:62500 |access-date = April 26, 2012 |archive-date = January 15, 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210115013658/http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/MississippiCounty.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref> I-55 parallels [[U.S. Route 61|US&nbsp;61]] in its path through Arkansas, which it continues to do after crossing into Missouri.

===Missouri===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Missouri}}
[[File:Toisign1.png|thumb|right|x240px|I-44/I-55/I-64/I-70 on one highway sign in downtown St. Louis]]
In Missouri, I-55 runs from the southeastern part of the state, at the Arkansas border, to [[St. Louis]]. In the southern part of the state, I-55 meets [[Interstate 57|I-57]] in [[Sikeston, Missouri|Sikeston]]. Then I-55 goes north to St. Louis, where [[Interstate 44|I-44]] merges in with I-55, and then [[Interstate 64|I-64]] (on the [[Poplar Street Bridge]]), when crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois.

Among the cities and towns served by I-55 in Missouri are Sikeston, [[Cape Girardeau, Missouri|Cape Girardeau]], and St. Louis.

As noted above, I-55 parallels US&nbsp;61 for most of its course through Missouri, from the Arkansas border to the southern portion of [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]].

===Illinois===
{{Main|Interstate 55 in Illinois}}
[[File:Northern_Terminus_of_Interstate_55.jpg|right|thumb|Northern terminus at US&nbsp;41 (Lake Shore Drive) in Chicago]]
Through Illinois, I-55 largely follows the 1940 alignment of the former [[U.S. Route 66|US&nbsp;66]], now Historic US&nbsp;66 (Illinois Route&nbsp;66 Scenic Byway). It runs from the Poplar Street Bridge in [[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis]] to [[U.S. Route 41|US&nbsp;41]] in Chicago, passing around the state capital of [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]] and the metro area of [[Bloomington, Illinois|Bloomington]]–[[Normal, Illinois|Normal]].

Within Illinois, I-55 goes by several names. Near the [[Interstate 270 (Illinois–Missouri)|I-270]]/[[Interstate 70|I-70]] split, it is referred to as the Paul Simon Freeway after former US Senator [[Paul Simon (politician)|Paul Simon]], who began his political career in this region. Further north, between the St. Louis area and Springfield, I-55 is named the Vince Demuzio Expressway for former Illinois State Senator [[Vince Demuzio]]. Finally, in the Chicago area between the [[Interstate 80|I-80]] interchange near Joliet and I-55's eastern terminus at US&nbsp;41 ([[Lake Shore Drive]]) in [[Chicago]], the expressway is referred to as the '''Adlai E. Stevenson Expressway''' (previously called the '''Southwest Expressway''') in honor of former Illinois governor [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai E. Stevenson II]], who was a two-time Democratic nominee for President of the United States and also the US Ambassador to the [[United Nations]] under Presidents [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. In July&nbsp;2018, the stretch of I-55 from [[Interstate 294|I-294]] to milemarker&nbsp;202 near Pontiac was renamed as '''Barack Obama Presidential Expressway''', after former President [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nprillinois.org/post/illinois-highway-be-named-after-barack-obama|title=Illinois Highway To Be Named After Barack Obama|last=Mackey|first=Brian|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref>

When the stretch of I-55 through Illinois was being planned during the 1960s, the state's governor, [[Otto Kerner Jr.]], made an effort to have it routed close to the larger city of [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]] instead of the straighter route through the Bloomington–Normal area. This ultimately failed plan was ridiculed in the press as the so-called "Kerner Curve". The need for a freeway connection between Springfield and Peoria was later filled by the spur route [[Interstate 155 (Illinois)|I-155]]. This also connects with nearby [[Lincoln, Illinois|Lincoln]] and [[Morton, Illinois|Morton]] and forms a triangle between the three population centers in [[Central Illinois]].<ref name="js_20000101">{{cite news |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:PJSB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB6E83A6403BFAB&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title = Despite dead-end for I-55's Kerner Curve, I-74 changed area forever |date = January 1, 2000 |access-date = February 17, 2008 |work = [[Peoria Journal-Star]] |via = [[NewsBank]] }}</ref>