Interstate 55, Federal highway from Louisiana to Illinois, United States.
Interstate 55 is a federal highway that stretches 964 miles (1,551 km) through Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois, linking New Orleans to Chicago. It crosses farmland, Gulf Coast wetlands and urban centers like Memphis and St. Louis.
Construction began in 1957 as part of the nationwide Interstate project and replaced portions of old Route 66 in Missouri and Illinois. The final section opened in 1979, creating the continuous link between the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes.
The route follows much of the Mississippi River valley and links regions shaped by different traditions, from jazz in Louisiana to blues in Tennessee. Many places along the way preserve memories of the civil rights movement that traveled through these areas in the 1960s.
Fuel stations and rest areas with food and lodging appear regularly, roughly every 50 miles along the entire route. Traffic can become heavier during morning hours around Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago.
In southern Louisiana the route crosses the Manchac Swamp on a bridge that extends nearly 23 miles (37 km), making it one of the longest bridges in the continent. Drivers here often see water stretching to the horizon on both sides.
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