Fastest way to Omaha? Thru St.Louis or Springfield?

skydawg1

All-Conference
Jul 31, 2007
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Where are you leaving from?

If in the JAX metro, go through Little Rock via the MS Delta, NWAR, Kansas City, MO, and boom...you're almost there.
 

RunDog26

Redshirt
Jun 18, 2013
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Leaving from Little Rock Sunday AM. Going thru FayetteNam, up the west side of Mizzou to KC and then to Omaha. It's a pretty decent drive, even though most of Mizzouri is not interstate.
 

MaroonState

Freshman
Aug 23, 2012
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Leaving from Jxn. Thru St.Louis looks longer but is all interstate. Done the delta thru Arkansas thing no thanks.
 

Todd4State

Redshirt
Mar 3, 2008
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I'd go through St. Louis, watch the Cardinals and Rangers and then go to Kansas City and up to Omaha.
 
Aug 5, 2011
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The Springfiled route isn't interstate but still no two lanes, correct?

I don't care if it isn't interstate as long as it isn't two lane. I have made the drive from Tupelo to Springfield and it isn't bad expect portions of Ark that has two lanes. I think there is a KC expressway out of Springfield.
 

RunDog26

Redshirt
Jun 18, 2013
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If I were leaving from Tupelo, I'd go thru St Louis or Little Rock. Not sure why you'd drive thru Springfield MO.
 

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
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I've been both ways... St. Louis is a LOT of interstate... Expect the 260 mile stretch between St. Louis and KC to suck majorly... not much but a couple of Pilots between Columbia and KC.

Springfield is shorter, but more backroads (very few 2 lane highways... most all in Arkansas between Jonesboro and the Mizzou border... 4 lane all the way to KC from there). Don't plan on stopping between Jonesboro and Springfield.

Avoid going through Fayetteville and Joplin... aGAIN, not much between Fayetteville and KC... except Joplin.

The way I'd go (if you don't have kids who need to stop a lot) would be Springfield. Go up through Jonesboro, West Plains, Springfield, and Clinton to KC.
 
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MaroonState

Freshman
Aug 23, 2012
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Now I believe we are going to the Cards game Sunday night then to Omaha Monday. Thanks for all the replies.

Hail State!!
 

1msudawg

Redshirt
Aug 26, 2006
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You don't go through Springfield mo, you go through Joplin. It is all interstate, well Mo calls it interstate 49 but until it is finished in ark it is just a devided highway. Not a bad road. Kc is only about 4 hours from Fayetteville. If you are east of little rock go through St. Louis, they have torn up almost 20 miles of road between Memphis and little rock on I-40. And there is also major construction in Russellville as well.
 

JesterB

Freshman
Mar 3, 2008
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What he said...kinda

I've been both ways... St. Louis is a LOT of interstate... Expect the 260 mile stretch between St. Louis and KC to suck majorly... not much but a couple of Pilots between Columbia and KC.

Springfield is shorter, but more backroads (very few 2 lane highways... most all in Arkansas between Jonesboro and the Mizzou border... 4 lane all the way to KC from there). Don't plan on stopping between Jonesboro and Springfield.

Avoid going through Fayetteville and Joplin... aGAIN, not much between Fayetteville and KC... except Joplin.

The way I'd go (if you don't have kids who need to stop a lot) would be Springfield. Go up through Jonesboro, West Plains, Springfield, and Clinton to KC.



I along with Frankus Del Tankus just went both routes. Tons of 2 lane and a decent amount of construction through Springfield.
Plus, we got caught by a train.
St. Louis is longer but all interstate. I'd go, and am gonna go through St. Louis.

As you were.
 

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
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260 miles and the last 140 or so is pretty barren. If you much prefer to take the interstate, go that way. If you don't mind 4 lane highways (probably <100 miles of 2 lane in arky), go through Springfield. Little rock, Fayetteville, and Joplin are well out of the way.
 
Aug 5, 2011
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Springfield route will be my choice...

We are leaving from Tupelo and are going through Springfield...as I state above, I have driven to Springfield and St. Louis from Tupelo several times but never on to Kansas City/Omaha. I'm taking drt's advice and we are going through Springfield up the KC expressway (Hwy 13) and up to Omaha....I despise interstate 55 from West Memphis to St. Louis.
 

Pookieray

Senior
Oct 14, 2012
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Mileage is shorter through Springfield but it takes the same amount of time to go through StL as is does Sprg. I've driven it many times on my way to hunt in the Dakotas.

However, you will get better fuel mileage by staying on the interstate vs going through the hills towards Sprg. The trip from StL to KC suxs though, lots of traffic and boring. Time wise it's the same no matter which way you go.

Hope this helps.
 

missouridawg

Junior
Oct 6, 2009
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Take it from someone who has driven from Starkville to SE Missouri several times... if you live on the east side of MS, go up 45 through Corinth to Jackon, TN and then cut across to Dyersburg, TN and get to I-55 in Caruthersville, MO.

Once you get to MO, the quickiest route from SE Missouri to Kansas City, MO is to stay on the south side of the state and drive to Springfield, then go north to KC (this will take about 6 hours from Caruthersville to KC, maybe a little more). It will take 7 hours from Caruthersville to KC if you go I-55 to STL then I-70 across.

From KC to Omaha, I've got not help.
 

missouridawg

Junior
Oct 6, 2009
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So why does the stretch between KC and St. Louis suck so much?

It doesn't suck nearly as bad as everyone is saying. There's gas stations almost every 20 miles or so and Columbia is right in between them. You can find just about any type of food in Columbia, as well.
 

drt7891

Redshirt
Dec 6, 2010
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I hated how long that stretch of interstate was (between Memphis and St. Louis, and St. Louis to KC)... and past Columbia, there wasn't much at all... an exit every 15-20 miles and a gas station or two at most (not all). It was pretty barren. Going through Springfield felt, and ended up being a good bit faster. It all depends on whether you can tolerate 2 lane roads in northern Arkansas... some can, some can't. Once you get past Springfield, the drive is a cakewalk.

Also, from Starkville, It's about 100 miles further to go through St. Louis.

You've probably driven those routes a good bit more than me, though. I was offering my opinion since I have been both ways.