View source for U.S. Route 65

{{Short description|Numbered U.S. Highway in the United States}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox road
|country=USA
|type=US
|route=65
|map={{maplink-road|frame-height=290|from=U.S. Route 65.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=US&nbsp;65 highlighted in red
|length_mi=966
|length_ref=<ref name="2009 Log">{{cite web |url=http://sp.route.transportation.org/Pages/U.S.RouteNumberDatabase(Dec2009).aspx |title=U.S. Route Number Database |date=December 2009 |publisher=[[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]] |access-date=10 February 2017}}</ref>
|established=1926<ref name="AASHO 1926">{{cite map |author1=Bureau of Public Roads |author-link=Bureau of Public Roads |author2=American Association of State Highway Officials |author2-link=American Association of State Highway Officials |date=11 November 1926 |title=United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_System_of_Highways_Adopted_for_Uniform_Marking_by_the_American_Association_of_State_Highway_Officials.jpg |scale=1:7,000,000 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]] |oclc=32889555 |access-date=12 September 2017 |via=[[Wikimedia Commons]] |name-list-style=amp}}</ref>
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=LA|US|425|LA|15}} at [[Clayton, Louisiana|Clayton, LA]]
|junction={{plainlist|
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|20}} at [[Tallulah, Louisiana|Tallulah, LA]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|30}} at [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock, AR]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|40}} at [[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock, AR]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|44}} at [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield, MO]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|70|US|40}} near [[Marshall, Missouri|Marshall, MO]]
*{{Jct|country=USA|I|80|US|6}} at [[Altoona, Iowa|Altoona, IA]]
}}
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b={{Jct|country=USA|I|35}} at [[Albert Lea, Minnesota|Albert Lea, MN]]
|states=[[Louisiana]], [[Arkansas]], [[Missouri]], [[Iowa]], [[Minnesota]]
|previous_type=US
|previous_route=64
|next_type=US
|next_route=66
}}
'''U.S. Route 65''' ('''US 65''') is a north–south [[United States highway]] in the southern and midwestern [[United States]]. The southern terminus of the route is at [[U.S. Route 425]] and [[Louisiana Highway 15]] in [[Clayton, Louisiana]]. The northern terminus is at [[Interstate 35]] just south of [[Interstate 90]] in [[Albert Lea, Minnesota]].<ref name="termini">{{cite web|url=http://usends.com/65.html|title=Endpoints of US highways|publisher=USEnds.com|access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref> Parts of its modern route in Iowa and historic route in Minnesota follow the old [[Jefferson Highway]].

==Route description==

===Louisiana===
{{main|U.S. Route 65 in Louisiana}}
U.S. 65 begins in Clayton, Louisiana and proceeds northward to [[Waterproof, Louisiana|Waterproof]], [[St. Joseph, Louisiana|St. Joseph]], and [[Newellton, Louisiana|Newellton]], all in [[Tensas Parish, Louisiana|Tensas Parish]]. At Newellton, it intersects [[Louisiana Highway 4]], coming from the west. In [[Tallulah, Louisiana|Tallulah]], it intersects [[Interstate 20 in Louisiana|Interstate 20]], and approximately 30 miles north of this intersection it enters [[Arkansas]].

===Arkansas===
{{main article|U.S. Route 65 in Arkansas}}
[[File:City of Clinton, Arkansas.jpg|left|thumb|250px|US 65 south of [[Clinton, Arkansas|Clinton]].]]
US 65 enters the southeast corner of Arkansas just north of Gassoway, Louisiana.  It is designated as part of Arkansas' Great River Road from this point north through Lake Village, McGehee, and Dumas.  The Great River Road continues east onto US 165, while US 65 continues northwest to Pine Bluff.

US 65 originally entered Pine Bluff traveling northwest along Harding Avenue, turning north along Ohio Street, then west through downtown along 5th and 6th Avenues, where northbound traffic used 5th and southbound traffic used 6th, before converging onto 6th Avenue west of downtown. The highway then turned north along Blake Street and followed Dollarway Road, now designated [[Arkansas Highway 365]], northwest into White Hall.

US 65 was later relocated to a bypass corridor on the north side of Pine Bluff, dubbed the Downtown Expressway.  With the completion of the Interstate 530 bypass on the south side of Pine Bluff, US 65 was rerouted along Interstate 530, and the Downtown Expressway was resigned US 65 Business.

The original US 65 between Pine Bluff and Conway is now signed Arkansas Highway 365.
[[File:Highway 65 in Searcy County, AR 002.jpg|thumb|right|Highway 65 between Leslie and Harrison]]
US 65 originally entered Little Rock via what was then Confederate Boulevard (now Springer Boulevard), turning west onto Roosevelt Road, then routing northbound traffic onto Scott Street (with southbound traffic using Main Street one block to the west), and crossing the Arkansas River concurrently with US 67, US 167, and US 70 along the Main Street Bridge to Main Street in North Little Rock.  The highway in Little Rock was eventually relocated five blocks west of Main Street to Broadway, where it crossed the Arkansas River via the Broadway Bridge.  It was finally relocated east along Interstate 30.
[[File:US 65 outside Grady, Arkansas.jpg|thumb|left|US 65 runs south near Grady]]
US 65 originally entered North Little Rock via the Main Street Bridge and continued with northbound traffic along Main Street (with southbound traffic using Maple Street one block to the west), converging onto Main Street, and diverging from US 67 and US 70 by turning west onto 18th Street.  The highway then turned northwest along the east side of the railroad, along what is now Percy Machin Drive, and paralleled the railroad into Conway.  US 65 was later relocated west, following the Broadway Bridge to a west turn on Broadway, proceeding under a rail overpass to then turn north on Pike Avenue.  As US 65 progressed into North Little Rock's Levy neighborhood, its alignment shifted east of the railroad along Pike Avenue, turning northwest along Parkway Drive to converge with its original route near the city's Amboy neighborhood.  Later, the Levy-to-Amboy segment was relocated again along the west side of the railroad via MacArthur Drive, eventually converging with its original route.  US 65 was finally relocated east, through downtown along Interstate 30, then following Interstate 40 to Conway.

US 65 originally entered Conway via Harkrider Street, along what is now signed as Arkansas Highway 365, where it briefly joined with US 64 (Oak Street), running north through downtown.  The highway was eventually relocated along Interstate 40, where it joins its original route on the north side of town via the city's Skyline Drive.

US 65 continues north through Greenbrier, Clinton, and Marshall before crossing the Buffalo River near Tyler Bend.  South of Harrison, the highway joins briefly with US 62/412 heading northwest through Harrison before diverging from US 62/412 at Bear Creek Springs and continuing as a four-lane expressway into Missouri.

===Missouri===
{{main|U.S. Route 65 in Missouri}}
[[File:US 65 at Sunshine.jpg|thumb|U.S. Route 65 in [[Springfield, Missouri]].]]
US 65 enters Missouri between [[Omaha, Arkansas]] and [[Ridgedale, Missouri]].  The four-lane expressway continues through Hollister and Branson toward the Springfield metro area. Through the Branson area, US 65 is built as a [[freeway]].  North of Branson is an interchange with the Ozark Mountain Highroad (a freeway spur) and [[U.S. Route 160 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 160]].  US 160 to [[Highlandville, Missouri|Highlandville]] is the old alignment of US 65 (until the 1960s).

Just north of Route EE (Highlandville exit), US 65 returns to freeway status. The freeway is called the "Schoolcraft Freeway" in [[Springfield, MO|Springfield]], in honor of [[Henry Rowe Schoolcraft]].  In Springfield are junctions with [[U.S. Route 60 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 60]] and [[Interstate 44 (Missouri)|Interstate 44]].  The interchange with I-44 includes a flyover ramp connecting NB 65 with WB 44. Construction is underway to rebuild the interchange at US 60 ([[James River Freeway]]). In September 2011, US 65 became a six-lane divided freeway in Springfield between Interstate 44 and US 60. It is the first six-lane highway to appear in Southwest Missouri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.modot.org/southwest/news_and_information/District8Release.shtml?action=displaySSI&newsId=118799 |title=MoDOT Southwest District News Release |publisher=Modot.org |date=2011-08-31 |access-date=2013-01-26}}</ref> North of Springfield, it returns to a four-lane, non-interstate highway.

Through the town of Buffalo, the highway becomes two lanes with a center lane for left turns. This part of the highway has also seen upgrades in recent years, such as rumble stripes and extending the middle turn lane to just outside the northern part of the city. From Buffalo to [[Preston, Missouri|Preston]], US 65 is two-lane highway, having an intersection with U.S. Route 54 at Preston (a four-way stop). At [[Warsaw, Missouri|Warsaw]] the highway crosses over the western end of the [[Lake of the Ozarks]] and becomes a four lane, non-interstate highway again at the intersection with [[Missouri highway 7|Missouri Route 7]].

At [[Sedalia, Missouri|Sedalia]] is an intersection with [[U.S. Route 50 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 50]], at [[Marshall Junction, Missouri|Marshall Junction]] is an interchange with [[Interstate 70 (Missouri)|Interstate 70]] and [[U.S. Route 40 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 40]].  In [[Marshall, MO|Marshall]], the four-lane ends, and US 65 is a two-lane highway all the way to Iowa.  At [[Waverly, Missouri|Waverly]] is the beginning of a concurrency with [[U.S. Route 24 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 24]] (which will continue to [[Carrollton, Missouri|Carrollton]]).  Also in Waverly, US 65 and US 24 cross the [[Missouri River]] via the [[Waverly Bridge (Missouri)|Waverly Bridge]].  Further north, the road crosses [[U.S. Route 36 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 36]] at [[Chillicothe, Missouri|Chillicothe]] and [[U.S. Route 136 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 136]] at [[Princeton, Missouri|Princeton]].  The highway leaves Missouri at [[South Lineville, Missouri|South Lineville]] and enters Iowa.

===Iowa===
[[File:US 65 at Des Moines River.jpg|thumb|400px|US 65 crosses the Des Moines River south of Pleasant Hill]]
U.S. 65 enters Iowa at [[Lineville, Iowa|Lineville]].  North of [[Liberty Center, Iowa|Liberty Center]], it junctions [[U.S. Route 69]].  The two highways run together to the junction of [[Iowa Highway 5]] just south of the [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]] city limits. U.S. 65 forms the eastern side of the [[Des Moines Bypass|beltway around Des Moines]].  The highway runs concurrently with [[Interstate 80]] for one mile (1.6&nbsp;km), before exiting as an expressway running from southwest to northeast.  This is part of the expressway connecting Des Moines and [[Marshalltown, Iowa|Marshalltown]].  At the junction of [[Iowa Highway 330]] northeast of [[Bondurant, Iowa|Bondurant]], U.S. 65 becomes a two-lane road again.  (The expressway continues along Iowa 330.) U.S. 65 junctions [[U.S. Route 30]] at the [[Reed/Niland Corner]] located in [[Colo, Iowa|Colo]] and [[U.S. Route 20]] south of [[Iowa Falls, Iowa|Iowa Falls]].  It intersects [[U.S. Route 18]] south of [[Mason City, Iowa|Mason City]], then goes north through downtown Mason City before leaving the state north of [[Northwood, Iowa|Northwood]].

===Minnesota===
{{main|U.S. Route 65 in Minnesota}}
U.S. 65 enters the state at [[Gordonsville, Minnesota|Gordonsville]] in [[Freeborn County, Minnesota|Freeborn County]]. Its first Minnesota junction with Interstate 35 is just southeast of [[Albert Lea, Minnesota|Albert Lea]]. The highway enters the city proper, reaching downtown before returning to end at Interstate 35. Its total length in Minnesota is {{convert|14|mi|km}}.
<ref name="riner">[http://www.steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r51-75.htm The Minnesota Highways Page: Details of Routes 51-75.] Accessed 12 February 2007.</ref>

U.S. 65 is one of three Minnesota U.S.-signed highways to carry the same number as an existing state marked highway within the state, the others being Highways [[U.S. Route 61|61]] and [[U.S. Route 169|169]].

The Minnesota section of U.S. 65 is defined as part of Route 1 in Minnesota Statutes § 161.114(2).<ref>[https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/161.114 2018 Minnesota Statutes]</ref>

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2025}}
At its creation in 1926, U.S. 65 ran from [[St. Paul, Minnesota]] to [[Vidalia, Louisiana]]. In the 1930s the road briefly was signed to Swan River, Minnesota.

Its current endpoints were established in 1980 when a segment paralleling [[Interstate 35]] was dropped in Minnesota.

Until 2005, US 65 ended at [[U.S. Route 61]] in [[Natchez, Mississippi]]. US 65 formerly extended to [[New Orleans (LA)|New Orleans]], along the same route as US 61 from Natchez to New Orleans.

From 1926 to 1934, the original U.S. 65 from [[Faribault, Minnesota]] to [[Saint Paul, Minnesota|Saint Paul]], followed what today is [[Minnesota State Highway 3|Minnesota Highway 3]].  After 1934, U.S. 65 was realigned to follow the present day route of [[Interstate 35|I-35]]/[[Interstate 35W (Minnesota)|I-35W]] from Faribault to [[Minneapolis, Minnesota|Minneapolis]].  The section of U.S. 65 from [[Burnsville, Minnesota|Burnsville]] to Minneapolis originally followed [[Lyndale Avenue]].  Even after the completion of I-35/35W, the U.S. 65 designation ran to Minneapolis until 1980. In 1980, U.S. 65 in Minnesota merged with Interstate 35 until it separates in downtown Minneapolis leaving the city in the Central Avenue corridor.  Beginning at Washington Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, [[Minnesota State Highway 65|Minnesota Highway 65]] travels north through [[Cambridge, Minnesota|Cambridge]], [[Mora, Minnesota|Mora]], and [[McGregor, Minnesota|McGregor]] before terminating at an intersection with [[U.S. Route 71|U.S. Highway 71]] in [[Littlefork, Minnesota|Littlefork]] (just south of [[International Falls]]).

===Mississippi===
In 2005, US 65 as a signed route was truncated from its signed southern terminus at [[U.S. Route 61]] in [[Natchez, Mississippi]] to its current terminus at Clayton, Louisiana. As part of the truncation, [[U.S. Route 425]] was extended south to Natchez.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cms.transportation.org/sites/route/docs/Posted_Results_on_SCOH_6-9-05.pdf|title=AASHTO Standing Committee on Highways - Approved Applications|year=2005|access-date=2007-09-28}}</ref>

Legally, the Mississippi section of U.S. 65 is defined in Mississippi Code Annotated § 65-3-3, as follows:  "U.S. 65- Begins at the west end of the Mississippi River Bridge at Natchez, Adams County, and extends in an easterly direction to U.S. 61 and thence continues south jointly with U.S. 61 to the Mississippi-Louisiana state line south of Woodville, Wilkinson County."

===Arkansas===
Through central [[Arkansas]], old 65 (now [[Highway 365 (Arkansas)|Highway 365]]) follows close to [[Interstate 40]] between [[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]] and [[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock]]. In 1999, the 46-mile (74&nbsp;km) section of U.S. 65 between [[Interstate 30]] at Little Rock and [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]] was designated [[Interstate 530]].  The original route from Palarm Creek in Northern Pulaski County turned with the railroad and followed a route which ran through what is now the River Plantation Neighborhood.  It crossed the railroad within this community and followed the railroad from the West Side on what now is called Center Road through Mayflower and onto Conway.  A realignment around 1931 which involved a more direct path from Palarm Creek to Conway resulted in the road being relocated from the West to the East side of the railroad.  As a result, the city of Mayflower Arkansas moved slightly as well to stay on the new route.

===Missouri===
From 1922 to 1926, US 65 in [[Missouri]] was '''Route 3'''. US 65 originally followed [[Route 248 (Missouri)|Route 248]] and [[U.S. Route 160 (Missouri)|U.S. Route 160]] between [[Branson, MO|Branson]] and [[Springfield, MO|Springfield]]. Route 3 was originally planned on a shorter route between Springfield and [[Preston, MO|Preston]], with '''Route 71''' on the longer alignment via [[Buffalo, MO|Buffalo]], but Route 3 was quickly shifted east, absorbing Route 71.

===Iowa===
In 1934, its route in southern Iowa between [[Indianola, Iowa|Indianola]] and [[Leon, Iowa|Leon]] was replaced by [[U.S. Route 69|U.S. 69]] as it took a new route through [[Lucas, Iowa|Lucas]]. In 1939, 65 took a new route running northeast of [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]].

Between 1994 and 2002, a freeway bypass of Des Moines was constructed and U.S. 65 moved to this new route.

==Major intersections==
;Louisiana
: {{jct|state=LA|US|425|LA|15}} in [[Clayton, Louisiana|Clayton]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|20}} in [[Tallulah, Louisiana|Tallulah]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|80}} in Tallulah
;Arkansas
: {{jct|country=USA|US|82|US|278}} south-southeast of [[Lake Village, Arkansas|Lake Village]]. US&nbsp;65/US&nbsp;82 travels concurrently to Lake Village. US&nbsp;65/US&nbsp;278 travels concurrently to [[McGehee, Arkansas|McGehee]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|165}} in [[Dermott, Arkansas|Dermott]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Dumas, Arkansas|Dumas]].
: {{jct|country=USA|Future|69}} north of McGehee
: {{jct|country=USA|US|425}} east of [[Pine Bluff, Arkansas|Pine Bluff]]. The highways share a hidden concurrency to Pine Bluff.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|530|US|63|US|79|US|425}} in Pine Bluff. I-530/US&nbsp;65 travels concurrently to [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]]. US&nbsp;63/US&nbsp;65/US&nbsp;79 travels concurrently through Pine Bluff.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|270}} in [[White Hall, Arkansas|White Hall]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|167}} in [[East End, Arkansas|East End]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[North Little Rock, Arkansas|North Little Rock]].
: {{jct|country=USA|I|30|I|440|dab2=Arkansas|I|530|US|67|US|70}} in Little Rock. I-30/US&nbsp;65/US&nbsp;67/US&nbsp;70 travels concurrently to North Little Rock.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|630}} in Little Rock
: {{jct|country=USA|I|30|I|40|I|57|US|67|US|167}} in North Little Rock. I-40/US&nbsp;65 travels concurrently to [[Conway, Arkansas|Conway]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|64}} in Conway
: {{jct|country=USA|US|62|US|412}} southeast of [[Bellefonte, Arkansas|Bellefonte]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Bear Creek Springs, Arkansas|Bear Creek Springs]].
;Missouri
: {{jct|country=USA|US|160}} northwest of [[Walnut Shade, Missouri|Walnut Shade]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|60}} in [[Springfield, Missouri|Springfield]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|44}} in Springfield
: {{jct|country=USA|US|54}} in [[Preston, Missouri|Preston]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|50}} in [[Sedalia, Missouri|Sedalia]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|70|US|40}} south of [[Marshall, Missouri|Marshall]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|24}} in [[Waverly, Missouri|Waverly]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Carrollton, Missouri|Carrollton]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|36}} in [[Chillicothe, Missouri|Chillicothe]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|136}} in [[Princeton, Missouri|Princeton]]. The highways travel concurrently through Princeton.
;Iowa
: {{jct|country=USA|US|34}} in [[Lucas, Iowa|Lucas]]. The highways travel concurrently through Lucas.
: {{jct|country=USA|US|69}} south of [[Indianola, Iowa|Indianola]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines]].
: {{jct|country=USA|US|6}} west of [[Altoona, Iowa|Altoona]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|80}} in Altoona. The highways travel concurrently through Altoona.
: {{jct|country=USA|I|80|US|6}} in Altoona
: {{jct|country=USA|US|30}} in [[Colo, Iowa|Colo]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|20}} west-northwest of [[Owasa, Iowa|Owasa]]
: {{jct|country=USA|US|18}} south of [[Mason City, Iowa|Mason City]]
;Minnesota
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35}} southeast of [[Albert Lea, Minnesota|Albert Lea]]
: {{jct|country=USA|I|35}} in Albert Lea
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 10, 38-39, 44, 55, 59|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|1920s|U.S. roads}}
* [[Special routes of U.S. Route 65]]
* [[U.S. Route 165]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* [http://usends.com/65.html Endpoints of U.S. Highway 65]

{{US Highways}}
{{Authority control}}

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{{ar browse|previous_type=US|previous_route=64|route=[[List of Arkansas state highways|AR]]|next_type=AR|next_route=66}}
{{mo browse|previous_type=MO|previous_route=64|route=[[Missouri State Highway System|MO]]|next_type=US|next_route=66}}
{{ia browse|previous_type=IA|previous_route=64|route=[[List of Iowa state highways|IA]]|next_type=US|next_route=67}}
{{mn browse|previous_type=MN|previous_route=64|route=[[List of Minnesota state highways|MN]]|next_type=MN|next_route=65}}
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[[Category:U.S. Route 65| ]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Great River Road|065]]
[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|65]]
[[Category:U.S. Highways in Iowa|65]]
[[Category:U.S. Highways in Mississippi|65]]