Take a ride through the southern edge of Springfield, Missouri, as we follow U.S. Route 60 westbound from U.S. 65 to Campbell Avenue—a short but pivotal stretch of highway that skirts the city’s edge while threading together commerce, community, and connection. In just four miles, we encounter an evolving landscape shaped by the pulse of the Queen City of the Ozarks, as pastures give way to parking lots and rural outposts yield to retail corridors.
Our journey begins at the interchange with U.S. 65, a major north-south artery that carries traffic between Branson and Interstate 44. Here, US-60 emerges as a divided highway with controlled access, curving gently west through a patchwork of open fields and low-slung commercial zones. The south side of Springfield remains more sparsely developed than its core, but new subdivisions and chain stores hint at the city’s steady outward expansion. As we pass exits for roadways like National Avenue and Fremont, it’s clear we’re nearing the heart of local life—where weekend traffic surges and weekday commutes thrum with familiar routine.
Reaching Campbell Avenue marks a temporary end to our westward trek on US-60. Campbell itself is one of Springfield’s busiest surface roads, a commercial corridor packed with restaurants, big-box stores, and shopping plazas. It’s a logical pause point—for gas, food, or a bit of retail therapy—and that’s exactly what we do. Springfield offers everything from the iconic Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World to locally loved spots like Aviary Café downtown.
Back on the road, we pick up again west of the city at the junction of Missouri Highway 360, also known as the James River Freeway, where it meets both MO-413 and US-60. This section resumes our trip southwestward on MO-360, hugging Springfield’s outer loop for a brief but brisk four-mile segment to its terminus at Interstate 44. Along the way, the landscape subtly transitions again—from the flat commercial zones near Republic Road to more wooded terrain and industrial land use. Trucks become more common, and the proximity to I-44 makes this a strategic corridor for logistics and trade. It’s not just a bypass—it’s a vital connection between regional routes and cross-country interstates.
As we merge onto I-44, we leave the city limits behind, carrying with us impressions of a place where the rural and urban, the historic and the modern, collide and coalesce. Springfield, once the birthplace of Route 66, remains a gateway of movement and memory. This short journey along US-60 and MO-360 might not be dramatic in mileage, but it’s dense with purpose—a microcosm of what makes American highways more than just roads. They’re ribbons of life and livelihood, always in motion.
🗺️ Route Map
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