Editing Great River Road (section)

===Eastern route===
;Louisiana
A state alternate route begins in [[Gretna, LA|Gretna]] and crosses the [[Crescent City Connection]] ([[U.S. Route 90 Business (New Orleans, Louisiana)|US 90 Business]]) into [[New Orleans, LA|New Orleans]]. [[Tchoupitoulas Street]] leads along the river to [[Audubon Park (New Orleans)|Audubon Park]]<!--the route in the park is sketchy-->, with [[Magazine Street]], [[Leake Avenue]], and Oak Street continuing from the other side of the park to the city line. In [[Jefferson Parish, LA|Jefferson Parish]], the road becomes River Road (partly [[Louisiana Highway 611-1|LA 611-1]]), from which the Great River Road jogs northwest on Hickory Street<!--not LA 3154 here--> to [[LA 48]]. LA 48 hugs the river to [[Norco, LA|Norco]], where [[US 61 (LA)|US 61]] crosses the [[Bonnet Carre Spillway]] to [[LA 628]], connecting in [[LaPlace, LA|LaPlace]] to [[Louisiana Highway 636-3|LA 636-3]]<!--no, it doesn't use LA 44 between the two in here--> and [[LA 44]]. Another river-hugging highway, LA 44 leads to [[Burnside, LA|Burnside]], where [[LA 942]] continues to [[Darrow, LA|Darrow]]; the route then follows [[LA 75]], [[LA 991]], and [[Louisiana Highway 327|LA 327]] around the curves of the river to [[Baton Rouge, LA|Baton Rouge]]. Through that city, the Great River Road uses [[LA 30]], Government Street, River Road (partly [[U.S. Route 61 Business (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)|US 61 Business]]), State Capitol Drive, Third Street, Spanish Town Road, Fifth Street, and Capitol Access Road ([[Louisiana Highway 3045|LA 3045]]) to [[I-110 (LA)|I-110]]. At the [[Airline Highway]] interchange on I-110, the National Route comes over the [[Huey P. Long Bridge (Baton Rouge)|Huey P. Long Bridge]] ([[US 190 (LA)|US 190]]) and turns north to follow I-110 and [[US 61 (LA)|US 61]] into Mississippi.<ref name=LA/>

In January 1811, there was a rebellion of several hundred enslaved and free black people referred to as the [[1811 German Coast uprising]], beginning in St. John the Baptist Parish and continuing on a {{convert|26|mi|km|adj=on}} route through lower Louisiana toward New Orleans. A Louisiana militia countered the rebellion, the largest revolt of enslaved persons in United States history. Afterward, there were trials on the plantations and executions of the majority involved in the revolt. The heads of many of those executed were placed on spikes along the Great River Road.<ref>{{cite magazine |last = Scheinman |first = Ted |url = https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/scenes-from-reenactment-slave-uprising-180973755/ |title = Scenes from a reenactment of a slave uprising |date = January 2020 |magazine = Smithsonian Magazine |access-date = January 7, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last = Conrad |first = Glenn R. |title = The German Coast: Abstracts of the Civil Records of St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes, 1804–1812 |year = 1981 |publisher = Center for Louisiana Studies }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last = Johnson |first = Rheta Grimsley |title = At Destrehan, a brutal truth is remembered |date = January 20, 2013 |work = The Town Talk |location = Alexandria, Louisiana }}</ref>

Some sources show the Great River Road continuing south from New Orleans along the east bank on [[LA 46]] and [[LA 39]] to [[Pointe à la Hache, LA|Pointe à la Hache]] or even further down to Venice.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bergeron |first=Judy |date=2024-02-16 |title=How long is River Road? Where does it begin and end in Louisiana? Here's what we found. |url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/where-does-river-road-begin-and-end-in-louisiana-curious-louisiana/article_f453931a-c9e6-11ee-818e-2b4c0285d185.html |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Advocate |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Great River Road: Visiting New Orleans, Louisiana |url=https://www.roadtripusa.com/the-great-river-road/louisiana/new-orleans/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=ROAD TRIP USA |language=en-US}}</ref>

;Mississippi
In [[Mississippi]], much of the Great River Road follows [[US 61 (MS)|US 61]]. Between [[Onward, MS|Onward]] and west of [[Lula, MS|Lula]], it runs nearer to the river on [[Mississippi Highway 1|MS 1]]. The routing in the vicinity of Lula is not marked; the only state-maintained road connecting to US 61 is [[US 49 (MS)|US 49]].<!--and there's reassurance northbound after Dundee Road--><!--does it leave US 61 anywhere else? not Vicksburg--><ref name=Goog/> Historically, the National Route turned off MS 1 at [[Greenville, MS|Greenville]] and followed [[US 82 (MS)|US 82]] to the [[Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge]] (replaced by the [[Greenville Bridge]] in 2010).<!--did it use MS 454?-->

;Tennessee
The Great River Road enters [[Tennessee]] on [[US 61 (TN)|US 61]], following that highway along 3rd Street into [[Downtown Memphis]]. The National Route historically crossed the [[Memphis & Arkansas Bridge]], meeting 3rd Street at Crump Boulevard. The route follows a number of city streets along the riverfront: G.E. Patterson Avenue, Main Street, [[Beale Street]], Riverside Drive, Jefferson Avenue, Front Street (passing the [[Memphis Pyramid|Pyramid]]), the [[A.W. Willis Bridge]], Island Drive, Mud Island Drive, Second Street, and Whitney Avenue, joining [[US 51 (TN)|US 51]] in northern Memphis. It soon turns off on [[SR 388 (TN)|SR 388]], and then follows a sequence of local roads past [[Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park]]: Locke Cuba Road, Bluff Road, Riverbluff Road, Herring Hill Road (which is partly unpaved), Pryor Road, and Richardson Landing Road. At [[Richardsons, Tennessee|Richardsons]] the route turns east with [[SR 59 (TN)|SR 59]] to [[Covington, TN|Covington]], then runs north on [[US 51 (TN)|US 51]].<ref name=Goog/>

After crossing the [[Hatchie River]] on its westernmost bridge, the Great River Road again leaves US 51 at [[Henning, TN|Henning]], looping west on [[SR 87 (TN)|SR 87]], north on partly unpaved Crutcher Lake Road (past [[Fort Pillow State Park]]) and Four Mile Lane, and east on [[SR 19 (TN)|SR 19]] to rejoin US 51 at [[Ripley, TN|Ripley]].<!--why doesn't it follow one of the local roads west of US 51 in this area?--> It leaves US 51 for the last time at [[Halls, TN|Halls]], following [[Tennessee State Route 88|SR 88]] west to near [[Hales Point, Tennessee|Hales Point]], turning north on [[SR 181 (TN)|SR 181]] atop a levee to [[SR 79 (TN)|SR 79]] near [[Cottonwood Grove, Tennessee|Cottonwood Grove]]. The route continues north, slightly east of the levee, along Hoecake Road, Robison Bayou Road, Bingham Road, Mooring Road, and [[SR 21 (TN)|SR 21]] into [[Tiptonville, TN|Tiptonville]].<ref name=Goog/> The Great River Road ends its Tennessee stretch by following [[SR 78 (TN)|SR 78]] to the state line.{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}

;Kentucky
The Great River Road's National Route enters [[Kentucky]] from Tennessee on [[Kentucky Route 94|KY 94]] and runs northeast and east through [[Hickman, KY|Hickman]]. At [[Cayce, KY|Cayce]] it turns north to follow [[Kentucky Route 239|KY 239]], continuing on [[Kentucky Route 123|KY 123]] from west of [[Clinton, KY|Clinton]] through [[Columbus, KY|Columbus]] to the [[Bardwell, KY|Bardwell]] area. There two routes are signed, one following KY 123 to Bardwell and the other bypassing the city to the west on [[Kentucky Route 1203|KY 1203]].<!--older photos on KY 123 show KY 1203 as "Alternate National Route" - is it still signed as such at that end?--> The last leg in Kentucky takes [[US 51 (KY)|US 51]] to [[Cairo Ohio River Bridge|the bridge]] across the [[Ohio River]] to [[Cairo, Illinois]].<ref name=Goog>[[Google Street View]] photos, accessed June 2014</ref>

Signs are present for an alternate route<!--"Alternate National Route" on some assemblies--> that runs inland through [[Fulton, KY|Fulton]], [[Clinton, KY|Clinton]], and [[Arlington, KY|Arlington]] along [[Kentucky Route 125|KY 125]],{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} [[Kentucky Route 166|KY 166]], [[Kentucky Route 1648|KY 1648]], [[US 51 (KY)|US 51]], and [[KY 80]]. It leaves the main route at Hickman{{citation needed|date=June 2014}} and ends north of Columbus.<ref name=Goog/><!--I can't find any signs west of Fulton-->

;Illinois
Portions of the Great River Road in [[Illinois]] are signed as the National Route, while other portions lack this banner. National Route signs continue to Mississippi River bridges, with the unbannered alternate routes spurring from these before the crossings. A number of spurs are also signed to parks and other points of interest off the main route.<ref name=Goog/>

The initial segment in Illinois is part of the National Route, entering from Kentucky at [[Cairo, IL|Cairo]] and leaving at [[Chester, IL|Chester]]. It follows [[US 51 (IL)|US 51]] off the [[Cairo Ohio River Bridge]] through Cairo, and then [[Illinois Route 3|IL 3]] paralleling the river to near Chester. Before entering Chester city limits, the route turns west onto a signed truck bypass that runs closer to the river. It ends by turning southwest onto the [[Chester Bridge]] ([[IL 150]]) to Missouri.<ref name=Goog/>

[[File:IllinoisGreatRiverRoad north of Alton 20091122.jpg|thumb|left|[[Illinois Route 100]] {{convert|14|mi|km|abbr=on}} upstream of [[Alton, Illinois|Alton]]]]
The first section of unbannered route stretches from Chester to near [[Fall Creek, IL|Fall Creek]]. It begins at the approach to the Chester Bridge, following IL 150 and the remainder of the truck bypass back to IL 3, which carries the Great River Road all the way to [[East St. Louis, IL|East St. Louis]]. But instead of continuing along IL 3 through the riverside industrial areas, the route turns east on [[I-55 (IL)|I-55]] / [[I-70 (IL)|I-70]], north on [[IL 111]], and back west on [[I-270 (IL)|I-270]] to rejoin IL 3 in [[Granite City, IL|Granite City]].<!--why is it signed as a spur at the exit from I-270 to IL 3?--> It soon leaves IL 3 for the last time to follow [[IL 143]] into downtown [[Alton, IL|Alton]] and then a short piece of [[US 67 (IL)|US 67]] to reach [[IL 100]], which runs directly along the river for a significant distance before turning inland at [[Grafton, IL|Grafton]]. Rather than cross the [[Illinois River]] on the [[Brussels Ferry]], the Great River Road remains with IL 100 alongside the Illinois River, first on the east side to the [[Hardin Bridge]] and then on the west side to [[Kampsville, IL|Kampsville]]. There it turns west to rejoin the Mississippi River, following [[IL 96]] to north of [[Hull, IL|Hull]] and former [[IL 57]] to the [[I-172 (IL)|I-172]] interchange near Fall Creek.<ref name=Goog/>

The National Route reenters Illinois on the [[Mark Twain Memorial Bridge]] ([[I-72 (IL)|I-72]]) from [[Hannibal, Missouri]] and follows I-172 north to the IL 57 interchange, where the unbannered route from Chester ends. It follows extant IL 57 into [[Quincy, IL|Quincy]] and then [[US 24 (IL)|US 24]] and [[IL 96]] to a point east of [[Warsaw, IL|Warsaw]], turning west onto that city's Main Street and leaving to the northeast on 6th Street. A short jog east on [[US 136 (IL)|US 136]] in [[Hamilton, IL|Hamilton]] returns the Great River Road to IL 96, which it follows, mostly right along the river, through [[Nauvoo, IL|Nauvoo]] to [[Niota, IL|Niota]]. The National Route turns northwest there on [[Illinois Route 9|IL 9]] to the [[Fort Madison Bridge]] into [[Fort Madison, Iowa]].<ref name=Goog/>

IL 96 continues to carry the unbannered route beyond Niota to [[Lomax, IL|Lomax]], where IL 96 turns inland and the Great River Road follows Carman Road to [[US 34 (IL)|US 34]] near [[Gulfport, IL|Gulfport]]. After following US 34 east to near [[Gladstone, IL|Gladstone]], it again turns north onto [[IL 164]] through [[Oquawka, IL|Oquawka]], turning north just east of that village onto a county road that becomes 10th Street in [[Keithsburg, IL|Keithsburg]]. Main Street leads west to 4th Street and another county road, ending up on [[Illinois Route 17|IL 17]] west of [[Joy, IL|Joy]]. Finally, after 2.5 miles (4&nbsp;km) of travel west on IL 17 to a point north of [[New Boston, IL|New Boston]], a third north–south county road (designated as CR A in [[Rock Island County, IL|Rock Island County]]) takes Great River Road traffic to [[IL 92]] opposite [[Muscatine, Iowa]].<ref name=Goog/>

The National Route reenters from Muscatine, following IL 92 east through the [[Quad Cities]] except for a detour onto County Road TT east of [[Illinois City, IL|Illinois City]]. On the [[East Moline, IL|East Moline]]-[[Silvis, IL|Silvis]] border, the Great River Road turns back north along [[IL 84]], which stays near the river most of the way to a point southeast of [[Galena, IL|Galena]]. [[US 20 (IL)|US 20]] carries the route through Galena to [[East Dubuque, IL|East Dubuque]], where the National Route crosses the river one last time into [[Dubuque, Iowa]] on the [[Julien Dubuque Bridge]]. No route is signed on the Illinois side of the Mississippi north of East Dubuque, although [[Wisconsin Highway 35]] has Great River Road markers all the way to the state line (at [[IL 35]]).<ref name=Goog/>

;Wisconsin
[[File:Wisconsin Highway 35.jpg|thumb|[[WIS 35]] south of La Crosse looking south]]
[[WIS 35]], which hugs [[Wisconsin]]'s western border, carries most of the Great River Road in that state from its entrance near [[East Dubuque, Illinois]]. The longest separation from WIS 35 is between [[Tennyson, WI|Tennyson]] and a point south of [[Bridgeport, WI|Bridgeport]], where WIS 35 heads inland through [[Lancaster, WI|Lancaster]] and the Great River Road follows [[WIS 133]] to [[Cassville, WI|Cassville]], County VV and County A to [[Bagley, WI|Bagley]], and County X and County C to return to WIS 35. The historic National Route entered Wisconsin on the [[Black Hawk Bridge]] ([[WIS 82]]), turning north on WIS 35 near [[De Soto, WI|De Soto]]. [[US 61 (WI)|US 61]] and [[US 53 (WI)|US 53]] take the route through downtown [[La Crosse, WI|La Crosse]], which WIS 35 bypasses to the east, and it follows [[Wisconsin Highway 35 Business (Holmen)|WIS 35 Business]] in [[Holmen, WI|Holmen]]. Finally, at [[Prescott, WI|Prescott]], the Great River Road turns west on [[US 10 (WI)|US 10]] across the [[St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota)|St. Croix River]] on the [[Prescott Drawbridge]] into Minnesota.<ref name=Goog/>

;Minnesota
On entering [[Minnesota]], the east-side alignment of the Great River Road (here signed as the National Route) follows [[US 10 (MN)|US 10]] west and [[US 61 (MN)|US 61]] south across the Mississippi on the [[Hastings Bridge]] into [[Hastings, MN|Hastings]], where it joins with the west-side alignment<!--at what intersection? signage appears to be missing-->.<ref name=Goog/>

The two sides of the Great River Road combine at the south end of the [[Hastings Bridge]] ([[US 61 (MN)|US 61]]) in [[Hastings, Minnesota]], with a single route (marked as the National Route) continuing to the headwaters at [[Lake Itasca]]. The route leaves Hastings to the west by following County 42, which begins along 2nd Street, west to the junction with [[MN 55]]. MN 55 turns north as it merges with [[US 52 (MN)|US 52]], and the Great River Road soon splits onto County 56 (former [[MN 56]]) into [[South St. Paul, MN|South St. Paul]]. There it follows [[I-494 (MN)|I-494]] east across the Mississippi on the [[Wakota Bridge]] and again turns north on [[US 10 (MN)|US 10]] / [[US 61 (MN)|US 61]], soon entering [[St. Paul, MN|St. Paul]]. [[Shepard Road/Warner Road]] (mostly County 36 and 37) takes the route west along the St. Paul riverfront to [[I-35E (MN)|I-35E]], where it turns back south and recrosses the Mississippi on the [[Lexington Bridge (Mississippi River)|Lexington Bridge]]. [[Minnesota State Highway 13|MN 13]] takes it to [[Mendota, MN|Mendota]], at which point it crosses the [[Minnesota River]] near its mouth on the [[Mendota Bridge]] ([[MN 55]]) and passes [[Fort Snelling]]. After MN 55 enters [[Minneapolis, MN|Minneapolis]], the Great River Road turns east on 46th Street (County 46), south on Minnehaha Avenue, and east on Godfrey Parkway to reach the south end of the West River Parkway, a segment of the [[Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway]].<!--signage is horrible in this area--> This scenic drive parallels the west bank of the Mississippi through downtown Minneapolis, becoming West River Road at the [[Plymouth Avenue Bridge]] and ending at the [[Broadway Avenue Bridge]] (County 66). After crossing the Mississippi again, the Great River Road turns north on Marshall Street (County 23) and East River Road (County 1), then turns back west to cross the Mississippi one last time in the Twin Cities area on the [[I-694 Bridge]]. From there to [[Champlin, MN|Champlin]] (opposite [[Anoka, MN|Anoka]]), it sticks to the old pre-freeway route of [[US 169 (MN)|US 169]] as much as possible, taking [[MN 252]] north to Brookdale Drive and jogging east to West River Road, which leads to County 12 into Champlin.<ref name=Goog/><ref name=MN>{{cite web |author= Staff |publisher= Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission |url= http://www.mnmississippiriver.com/about.cfm |title= Driving Directions for the Great River Road |access-date= June 20, 2014 |archive-date= August 27, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140827022228/http://www.mnmississippiriver.com/about.cfm |url-status= dead }} (see regional links at the top)</ref>

County 12 continues along the Mississippi, becoming County 42 in [[Wright County, MN|Wright County]]. The route jogs north on [[MN 101]] and then turns west on County 39 along the river to [[Monticello, MN|Monticello]]. There it picks up former [[MN 152]] (which has been supplanted by [[I-94 (MN)|I-94]]), now known as County 75 to [[St. Cloud, MN|St. Cloud]]. Through that city, the Great River Road follows Clearwater Road and 9th Avenue, crossing the Mississippi into [[Sauk Rapids, MN|Sauk Rapids]] on the [[Sauk Rapids Regional Bridge]].<!--the directions still refer to the old bridge here--> County 33 (Benton Drive) leads to [[Sartell, MN|Sartell]] and another river crossing, the [[Sartell Bridge]] (County 29 / County 133), from which it uses the short County 78 to reach County 1. This road and its continuations in [[Morrison County, MN|Morrison County]] - County 21, 25, and 52 - follow the west bank of the Mississippi to [[Little Falls, MN|Little Falls]], where it jogs east on [[MN 27]] to County 213, which ends at [[MN 115]] at the [[Camp Ripley]] entrance. The [[Camp Ripley Bridge]] takes MN 115 east to its terminus at [[MN 371]], which the Great River Road follows north to [[Baxter, MN|Baxter]], [[Minnesota Highway 371 Bridge|crossing the Mississippi]] at the south city limits.<ref name=Goog/><ref name=MN/>

As of 2010, the route through Baxter left MN 371 at College Drive, heading east back over the Mississippi on the [[College Drive Bridge]] into [[Brainerd, MN|Brainerd]]. There it turned north on East River Road, east on Laurel Street, north on 6th Street ([[MN 371 Business]]), east on [[MN 210]], and north on 8th Avenue (County 3).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ci.brainerd.mn.us/citycouncil/packets/2010/20100315_SPW.pdf |publisher= City of Brainerd |author= Safety and Public Works |title= Committee Agenda |date= March 15, 2010 |page= 16 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> However, the left turn from College Drive onto East River Road is no longer permitted due to a reconstruction project.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ci.brainerd.mn.us/engineering/collegedrive/ |publisher= City of Brainerd |author= Engineering Department |title= College Drive Construction |access-date= June 21, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141125213501/http://www.ci.brainerd.mn.us/engineering/collegedrive/ |archive-date= November 25, 2014 |url-status= dead }}</ref><!--so how does it go? the Goog last visited the area in 2009-->

The Great River Road leaves Brainerd to the north on County 3 (former [[MN 25]]), crossing the Mississippi again at the city limits. North of [[Merrifield, MN|Merrifield]] it turns east on County 19, which leads to County 11 and then [[MN 6]] south across the Mississippi and into [[Crosby, MN|Crosby]]. [[MN 210]] leads east to [[Aitkin, MN|Aitkin]], where the route turns back to the north on County 1 and crosses the river yet again, then follows the unpaved County 21 and County 10 (separated by a bit of [[US 169 (MN)|US 169]]) to [[Palisade, MN|Palisade]]. County 10 continues as a paved road<!--aerials confirm that it's all paved--> from that city, north across [[MN 200]] near [[Jacobson, MN|Jacobson]] and northwest to [[Grand Rapids, MN|Grand Rapids]] (becoming County 3 in [[Itasca County, MN|Itasca County]]). The Great River Road does not cross the river in the Grand Rapids area, turning south on 7th Avenue, west on 10th Street and County 23, north on County 76, and west on County 63. At [[MN 6]] the route jogs south to County 28, where it turns west and soon enters [[Cass County, MN|Cass County]] as County 65. Several more turns—north on County 74, west on County 3, and north to remain on County 3—take it to another Mississippi crossing onto County 18, from which it turns west on [[US 2 (MN)|US 2]] into [[Ball Club, MN|Ball Club]]. County 39 and a bit of [[MN 46]] lead to County 9, which runs southwest across the river at the [[Lake Winnibigoshish]] outlet and back to US 2, where it turns west to and beyond [[Bena, MN|Bena]].<ref name=Goog/><ref name=MN/>

From Bena to [[Bemidji, MN|Bemidji]], the Great River Road follows a large number of county roads that approximate the winding course of the Mississippi. These are, in order, 91, 54, 91, 10, 39 (bridge across the Mississippi near the [[Cass Lake (Minnesota)|Cass Lake]] outlet), 12, 33 (bridge between [[Allens Bay]] and [[Andrusia Lake]]), 8 (bridge between Andrusia Lake and [[Wolf Lake (Beltrami County, Minnesota)|Wolf Lake]]), 27, and 12 (yet another bridge). The route turns west onto 1st Street to reach [[MN 197]], which crosses the river again into downtown Bemidji, where it turns west on 5th Street. That road continues west and south as County 7 (with yet another bridge), County 3, and County 10, from which the Great River Road again turns west on County 9, which becomes County 40 in [[Clearwater County, MN|Clearwater County]] and crosses the river yet again. Turning south on County 2, the route crosses the Mississippi River one last time before it crosses [[MN 200]] and enters [[Itasca State Park]] on County 122.<!--exactly where is the end?--><ref name=Goog/><ref name=MN/>