Editing Great River Road

{{Short description|Highway designation}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox road
|country=USA
|type=NSB
|map=Great River Road map.svg
|name=Great River Road
|marker_image=[[File:GreatRiverRoad.svg|70px|alt=Great River Road marker]]
|length_mi=2069.0
|length_ref=<ref name="FHWA">{{cite web |author= Staff |url= http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2279 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131003101343/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2279 |url-status= dead |archive-date= October 3, 2013 |title= Great River Road |work= America's Byways |publisher= [[Federal Highway Administration]] |access-date= August 28, 2014}}</ref>{{clarify|date=June 2014}}<!--how much of the route is this? the National Route only?-->
|states=[[Minnesota]], [[Wisconsin]], [[Iowa]], [[Illinois]], [[Missouri]], [[Kentucky]], [[Tennessee]], [[Arkansas]], [[Mississippi]], [[Louisiana]]
}}
[[File:GreatRiverRoadWI Signs.jpg|thumb|right|The distinctive route marker displayed along the entire 10-state routing of the Great River Road]]

The '''Great River Road''' is a collection of state and local roads that follow the course of the [[Mississippi River]] through ten states of the [[United States]]. They are [[Minnesota]], [[Wisconsin]], [[Iowa]], [[Illinois]], [[Missouri]], [[Kentucky]],  [[Tennessee]], [[Arkansas]], [[Mississippi]] and [[Louisiana]]. It formerly extended north into [[Canada]], serving the provinces of [[Ontario]] and [[Manitoba]]. The road is designated as both a National Scenic Byway and an All-American Road in several states along the route.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Collection of America's Byways[reg] Designated by U.S. Secretary of Transportation - Designations - National Scenic Byways Program - Planning, Environment, & Real Estate - FHWA|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/scenic_byways/designations/designated_byways.cfm|access-date=2021-08-18|website=[[Federal Highway Administration|Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)]]}}</ref>

The term "Great River Road" refers both to a series of roadways and to a larger region inside the US and in each state, used for tourism and historic purposes. Some states have designated or identified regions of state interest along the road and use the roads to encompass those regions.<ref>{{cite web |author= Staff |url= http://www.mnmississippiriver.com/ |title= Explore Minnesota's Great River Road |publisher= Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission |access-date= April 1, 2012}}</ref>

It is divided into two main sections: the Great River Road and the National Scenic Byway Route. The eponymous segment runs on both sides of the river from Louisiana through the state borders of Kentucky/Illinois and Missouri/Iowa, excepting the full length of the road in Arkansas. A five-state section of the road has been designated a [[National Scenic Byway]], running through Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. In 2021, eight of the 10 state routes were designated All-American Roads by the Federal Highway Administration,<ref name="hecox">{{Cite press release |first = Doug |last = Hecox |date = February 16, 2021 |title = USDOT Announces New America's Byways® Designations |url = https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/usdot-announces-new-americas-bywaysr-designations |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |id= FHWA 03-21 |access-date=2021-08-18}}</ref> highlighting their national significance and one-of-a-kind features.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-16|title=Great River Road receives All-American Road designation|url=https://experiencemississippiriver.com/the-great-river-road-has-been-named-an-all-american-road/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Experience Mississippi River|language=en-US}}</ref>

Developed in 1938, the road took 30 years of planning until it was built. It has a separate commission in each state. These in turn cooperate through the Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC). The 2,340 miles (3,765&nbsp;km) are designated with a green-and-white sign showing a river steamboat inside a pilotwheel with the name of the state or province. The over-all logo reads "Canada to Gulf" where the local name would be, and most MRPC publications denote the route as beginning at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ending in Louisiana.

==Route description==
[[File:GreatRiverRoadWI.jpg|right|thumb|Looking north along the Great River Road in Wisconsin, with Minnesota in the distance on the west side of the Mississippi River]]
The Great River Road is not a single road but a designated route along connected segments of named and numbered highways and streets maintained by state, county, or local jurisdictions.

===National and other routes===
Until the early 1980s, a single Canada-to-Gulf alignment of the Great River Road, serving all ten states, was eligible for special [[Federal-aid highway program|federal funding]]. The states posted "National Route" plates above the markers on this route and marked their own alternate routes across the river, creating two alignments between [[New Orleans, LA|New Orleans]]<!--or farther south? the route defined by Louisiana state law crosses at NO--> and [[Hastings, MN|Hastings]]-[[Point Douglas, MN|Point Douglas]].<ref>{{cite web |author= Staff |publisher= [[Mississippi River Parkway Commission]] |url= http://www.mrpcmembers.com/files/MRPC_2007_info.pdf |title= The Great River Road and the Mississippi River Parkway Commission in Missouri |year= 2007 |access-date= June 20, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080828033148/http://www.mrpcmembers.com/files/MRPC_2007_info.pdf |archive-date= August 28, 2008 |url-status= dead }}</ref> Signs marking the National Route are now used only in Illinois and Minnesota.<ref name=Goog/><!--some older assemblies in Kentucky still have it--> The National Route followed the following segments:<ref>[[Title 23 of the United States Code|23 C.F.R.]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=5CA6AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA300 661 (April 1, 1983)], added by {{USFR|41|52449}} (Nov. 30, 1976)</ref>
*[[Venice, Louisiana|Venice]] to [[Port Allen, Louisiana]] on the west bank
*[[Huey P. Long Bridge (Baton Rouge)|Huey P. Long Bridge]]
*[[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]] to [[Greenville, Mississippi]] on the east bank
*[[Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge]] (replaced by the [[Greenville Bridge]] in 2010)
*[[Lake Village, Arkansas|Lake Village]] to [[West Memphis, Arkansas]] on the west bank
*[[Memphis & Arkansas Bridge]]<!--couldn't have used the I-40 bridge, which opened in 1973-->
*[[Memphis, Tennessee]] through Kentucky to [[Chester, Illinois]] on the east bank
*[[Chester Bridge]]
*[[McBride, Missouri|McBride]]<!--CFR says St. Marys, but that's farther north--> to [[Hannibal, Missouri]] on the west bank
*[[Mark Twain Memorial Bridge (1936)|Mark Twain Memorial Bridge]] (replaced by the modern [[Mark Twain Memorial Bridge]] in 2000)
*[[East Hannibal, Illinois|East Hannibal]] to [[Niota, Illinois]] on the east bank
*[[Fort Madison Toll Bridge]]
*[[Fort Madison, Iowa|Fort Madison]] to [[Muscatine, Iowa]] on the west bank
*[[Muscatine High Bridge]] (replaced by the [[Norbert F. Beckey Bridge]] in 1972)
*[[Illinois City, Illinois|Illinois City]] to [[East Dubuque, Illinois]] on the east bank
*[[Julien Dubuque Bridge]]
*[[Dubuque, Iowa|Dubuque]] to [[Lansing, Iowa]] on the west bank
*[[Black Hawk Bridge]]
*[[De Soto, Wisconsin]] to [[Point Douglas, Minnesota]] on the east bank
*single route from Point Douglas to [[Lake Itasca]]

More recently, much of the Great River Road, including a portion in every state, has been designated a [[National Scenic Byway]].

===Western route===
;Louisiana
Few if any signs are present in [[Louisiana]],<ref name=Goog/> but the route has been defined by state law. It begins at [[Venice, LA|Venice]] on the west bank, following [[LA 23]] into [[Gretna, LA|Gretna]], where the eastern route splits. The western route, historically part of the National Route here, turns west on [[Louisiana Highway 18|LA 18]], which it follows all the way to [[Donaldsonville, LA|Donaldsonville]] except for a detour on [[LA 541]] from [[Harvey, LA|Harvey]] to [[Bridge City, LA|Bridge City]]. A short piece of [[Louisiana Highway 1|LA 1]] connects the Great River Road to [[Louisiana Highway 405|LA 405]], which hugs the river to another junction with LA 1 in [[Plaquemine, LA|Plaquemine]]<!--GRR southbound uses a block of LA 75 to get from LA 1 to LA 405-->. [[Louisiana Highway 988|LA 988]] loops off LA 1 from northern Plaquemine back to yet another junction south of [[Port Allen, LA|Port Allen]], where the route leaves LA 1 again on Oaks Avenue<!--via the obvious connection on Avenue G and Alexander Avenue-->, which becomes [[Louisiana Highway 987-5|LA 987-5]] and turns north along the river on River Road. [[Louisiana Highway 987-4|LA 987-4]] (Court Street) leads back west to Jefferson Avenue, which the Great River Road follows north to [[Louisiana Highway 986|LA 986]] along the river and under the [[Huey P. Long Bridge (Baton Rouge)|Huey P. Long Bridge]] ([[US 190 (LA)|US 190]]),<ref name=LA>{{cite web |url= http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/newWin.asp?doc=207049 |title= §1950.2: Route of the Louisiana Great River Road |work= Louisiana Revised Statutes |author= Staff |publisher= [[Louisiana State Legislature]] |access-date= June 21, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120710142410/http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/newWin.asp?doc=207049 |archive-date= July 10, 2012 |url-status= dead }}</ref> which carries the National Route to the east bank (with access via [[Louisiana Highway 987-1|LA 987-1]]).

A state alternate route begins along LA 986, becoming [[LA 415]] near [[Lobdell, Louisiana|Lobdell]] and continuing along the river to [[Hermitage, LA|Hermitage]]. [[LA 416]] takes the route inland along the [[False River (Louisiana)|False River]], an [[oxbow lake]], to [[Louisiana Highway 1|LA 1]] near [[Knapp, Louisiana|Knapp]]. LA 1 is followed through [[New Roads, LA|New Roads]] to [[Keller, Louisiana|Keller]], where [[Louisiana Highway 15|LA 15]] splits to continue along the river to southwest of [[Vidalia, LA|Vidalia]]. [[LA 131]] leads northeast to Vidalia, from which [[US 425 (LA)|US 425]] and [[US 65 (LA)|US 65]] take the Great River Road to Arkansas.<ref name=LA/>

;Arkansas
[[File:Great River Road Arkansas Phillips County AR 001.jpg|thumb|right|Great River Road sign in Arkansas]]
The Great River Road enters [[Arkansas]] from Louisiana on [[US 65 (AR)|US 65]], which it follows to [[Dumas, AR|Dumas]]. The National Route enters the state on the [[Greenville Bridge]] (originally the [[Benjamin G. Humphreys Bridge]] from 1940 to its replacement in 2010 by the current bridge), following [[US 82 (AR)|US 82]] to join US 65 near [[Lake Village, AR|Lake Village]].<!--the reassurance on US 82 east of US 65 south is from this--> There it turns northeast on [[US 165 (AR)|US 165]], splitting onto [[Highway 1 (Arkansas)|Highway 1]] in [[DeWitt, AR|DeWitt]] until an intersection near [[Turner, Phillips County, Arkansas|Turner]]. The route follows a sequence of minor state highways: [[Arkansas Highway 316|Highway 316]] east, [[Arkansas Highway 318|Highway 318]] south, and [[Highway 20 (Arkansas)|Highway 20]] east to [[Elaine, AR|Elaine]], and [[Arkansas Highway 44|Highway 44]] northeast to [[Helena, AR|Helena]]. It then uses short segments of Highway 20 and [[US 49 (AR)|US 49]] to reach [[U.S. Route 49B (Helena, Arkansas)|US 49B]] into downtown Helena, where it leaves the state highway system, following Columbia, McDonough, and Holly Streets through a residential area. Between Helena and [[Bear Creek Lake (Arkansas)|Bear Creek Lake]], the Great River Road runs along County Road 239, a partially unpaved roadway hugging the east side of [[Crowley's Ridge]] through the [[St. Francis National Forest]].<ref>{{cite web |author= Staff |publisher= [[U.S. Forest Service]] |url= http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm8_042875.pdf |title= Recreation Area Directory: Ozark-St. Francis National Forests |date= 2003 |page= 3}}</ref> [[Arkansas Highway 44|Highway 44]] begins again at Bear Creek Lake and takes the route northwest across Crowley's Ridge into [[Marianna, AR|Marianna]], where it turns north on Poplar Street, west on Chestnut Street, and north on [[US 79 (AR)|US 79]]. At [[Hughes, AR|Hughes]], the Great River Road leaves US 79 and turns east on [[Arkansas Highway 38|Highway 38]], then north on [[Highway 147 (Arkansas)|Highway 147]] around the north shore of [[Horseshoe Lake (Arkansas)|Horseshoe Lake]] and on to [[US 70 (AR)|US 70]] at [[Lehi, Arkansas|Lehi]]. US 70 leads east into [[West Memphis, AR|West Memphis]], where the National Route historically crossed the [[Memphis & Arkansas Bridge]]. The final leg of Arkansas's Great River Road turns north at West Memphis and uses [[Highway 77 (Arkansas)|Highway 77]] and [[US 61 (AR)|US 61]] north into Missouri.<ref name=Goog/>
<!--is there an alternate route from McGehee to Back Gate via 4 and 1? I don't see any signage, but the photos are several years old-->

;Missouri
The Great River Road is marked entirely along state-maintained highways in [[Missouri]], with more than half along [[US 61 (MO)|US 61]]. Although plates for the National Route are not used in the state, it can be identified based on signage in Illinois.<ref name=Goog/>

A state alternate route enters the state from Arkansas and follows US 61, including two overlaps with [[I-55 (MO)|I-55]], all the way to [[Perryville, MO|Perryville]]. The National Route crosses the Mississippi from Illinois on the [[Chester Bridge]], following [[Route 51 (Missouri)|Route 51]] south to Perryville and then turning north along US 61. At exit 170 south of [[Festus, MO|Festus]], the Great River Road joins I-55, following that highway into [[St. Louis, MO|St. Louis]] and using [[I-44 (MO)|I-44]] and [[I-70 (MO)|I-70]] to exit 220 on the [[St. Peters, MO|St. Peters]]-[[O'Fallon, MO|O'Fallon]] border. From there the National Route follows the entire length of [[Route 79 (Missouri)|Route 79]] to [[I-72 (MO)|I-72]] in [[Hannibal, MO|Hannibal]], where it crosses the [[Mark Twain Memorial Bridge]] back to Illinois. A second state alternate begins in Hannibal by running west on I-72 to its end at US 61, then turning north on US 61. It follows [[Route 168 (Missouri)|Route 168]] to [[Palmyra, MO|Palmyra]], rejoining US 61 for the rest of its path to Iowa, except for the portion through [[La Grange, MO|La Grange]] and [[Canton, MO|Canton]], where the Great River Road uses the former alignment of US 61, now Route B.<ref name=Goog/>

;Iowa
As with Missouri, the National Route in [[Iowa]] can mostly be inferred by Illinois signage. On the other hand, the Great River Road uses a number of county and local roads in Iowa.<ref name=Goog/>

A state alternate route crosses the [[Des Moines River]] from Missouri into [[Keokuk, IA|Keokuk]], following [[US 136 (IA)|US 136]] into downtown. It follows a convoluted alignment, turning southeast on Main Street (still US 136), northeast on 4th Street, northwest on Orleans Avenue, northeast on 7th Street<!--no signs at this intersection, and the only one for 7th is pointing left at the other end; thus it may have been moved from 7th to the more sensible route-->, northwest on Grand Avenue, and northeast on Rand Park Terrace, curving northwest onto the river-hugging Mississippi River Road ([[County Road X28 (Iowa)|CR X28]] and [[County Road X21 (Iowa)|CR X21]]<!--former IA 924-->) through [[Montrose, IA|Montrose]] to [[US 61 (IA)|US 61]]. US 61 and [[U.S. Route 61 Business (Fort Madison, Iowa)|US 61 Business]] lead through [[Fort Madison, IA|Fort Madison]] to the [[Fort Madison Bridge]] and the entrance of the National Route into Iowa.<ref name=Goog/>
[[File:Great-River-Road-US-stamp-1966.jpg|thumb|right|US Post Office stamp issued in 1966.]]
The National Route returns to US 61 via US 61 Business, splitting to follow [[County Road X62 (Iowa)|CR X62]] and Madison Avenue into [[Burlington, IA|Burlington]]. It turns east onto Main Drive through [[Crapo Park]] and curves back north on Main Street<!--but the bridge is out?-->, which leads to [[County Road X99 (Iowa)|CR X99]] (former [[Iowa 99]]) to north of [[Toolesboro, IA|Toolesboro]] and [[County Road X61 (Iowa)|CR X61]] into [[Muscatine, IA|Muscatine]]. After turning onto [[U.S. Route 61 Business (Muscatine, Iowa)|US 61 Business]], the National Route leaves the state on the [[Norbert F. Beckey Bridge]] ([[Iowa 92]]).<ref name=Goog/>

A second state alternate route continues on US 61 Business, turning east to follow [[Iowa 22]] along the river to [[Davenport, IA|Davenport]]. It follows another [[U.S. Route 61 Business (Davenport, Iowa)|US 61 Business]] through that city and [[US 67 (IA)|US 67]] through [[Bettendorf, IA|Bettendorf]], remaining on that highway until [[Sabula, IA|Sabula]] where it then follows [[US 52 (IA)|US 52]] north. After passing over the [[Great River Road Bridge]] in [[Bellevue, IA|Bellevue]] the route reaches [[US 20 (IA)|US 20]] in [[Dubuque, IA|Dubuque]].<ref name=Goog/>

The National Route reenters Iowa on the [[Julien Dubuque Bridge]] ([[US 20 (IA)|US 20]]), turning north onto [[Iowa 946]] to reach US 52<!--not clear if it uses US 52 on 9th/11th or the more direct White/Central-->. In northern [[Sageville, IA|Sageville]], the Great River Road turns north on [[County Road C9Y (Iowa)|CR C9Y]], soon splitting onto Mud Lake Road, which, along with Circle Ridge Road, forms a loop back to CR C9Y in [[Sherrill, IA|Sherrill]]. In [[Millville, IA|Millville]], the county road returns to US 52, which is followed into [[Guttenberg, IA|Guttenberg]]. As of 2012, the route through that city leaves US 52 east on Koerner Street, turning north on River Park Drive, west on Broadway Street, north on 2nd Street, west on Kosciusko Street, north on 3rd Street and through the municipal marina to [[County Road X56 (Iowa)|CR X56]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cityofguttenberg.com/vertical/sites/%7B0E02710E-67AE-467D-88F3-79488A6A0CBF%7D/uploads/8-6-2012_Agenda.PDF |publisher= City of Guttenberg |title= Meeting Agenda |date= August 6, 2012 |page= 73 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The Great River Road follows the entire length of CR X56 (including former [[Iowa 340]]) to [[McGregor, IA|McGregor]], and then continues north on [[Iowa 76]] and [[County Road X52 (Iowa)|CR X52]] (partly former [[Iowa Highway 364|Iowa 364]]) to [[Lansing, IA|Lansing]], where the National Route crosses the [[Black Hawk Bridge]] ([[Iowa 9]]) to Wisconsin.<ref name=Goog/>

Finally, [[Iowa 26]] carries a state alternate from Lansing north to the Minnesota state line at [[New Albin, IA|New Albin]].<ref name=Goog/>

;Minnesota
The Great River Road enters [[Minnesota]] on [[MN 26]], connecting to [[US 61 (MN)|US 61]] in [[La Crescent, MN|La Crescent]] via a short piece of [[Minnesota State Highway 16|MN 16]]. Except for a detour onto [[MN 316]], US 61 carries this state alternate route to its junction with the National Route in [[Hastings, MN|Hastings]].<ref name=Goog/>

===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/>

===Canadian extensions===
The Great River Road formerly continued north into [[Canada]]. There were two routes, one from Bemidji into [[Ontario]] and the other from Lake Itasca into [[Manitoba]]. The former followed [[US 71 (MN)|US 71]] to the [[Fort Frances–International Falls International Bridge]], then [[Highway 71 (Ontario)|Highway 71]] to [[Longbow Corners, Ontario|Longbow Corners]] on the [[Trans-Canada Highway]] ([[Highway 17 (Ontario)|Highway 17]]) east of [[Kenora, ON|Kenora]]. Some sources indicate that it continued east on Highway 17 to [[Dryden, ON|Dryden]] or north on [[Highway 596 (Ontario)|Highway 596]] to [[Minaki, ON|Minaki]].{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}<!--and what about Fort Frances to Dryden via 502? these may have all been unofficial extensions--> The other route followed [[MN 200]] west from Lake Itasca to [[Zerkel, MN|Zerkel]], then ran north on [[MN 92]] to [[Clearbrook, MN|Clearbrook]], County 5 and BIA 3 to the shore of [[Lower Red Lake]], [[MN 89]] to [[Roseau, MN|Roseau]], and east on [[MN 11]] to [[Warroad, MN|Warroad]]. Crossing into Manitoba on [[MN 313]],<ref>{{cite MnDOT map |year= 1997 |link = yes |access-date= June 21, 2014}} (the last one to show the Canadian extensions)</ref> the Great River Road then followed [[Highway 12 (Manitoba)|Highway 12]] north to near [[Ste. Anne, MB|Ste. Anne]], [[Highway 1 (Manitoba)|Highway 1]] (Trans-Canada Highway) to [[Winnipeg, MB|Winnipeg]], and [[Highway 59 (Manitoba)|Highway 59]] to near [[Victoria Beach, MB|Victoria Beach]], where it turned southeast on [[Highway 11 (Manitoba)|Highway 11]] to near [[Seven Sisters Falls, MB|Seven Sisters Falls]], [[Manitoba Provincial Road 307|Provincial Road 307]] to near [[Rennie, Manitoba|Rennie]], [[Highway 44 (Manitoba)|Highway 44]] to near [[West Hawk Lake, MB|West Hawk Lake]], and finally east on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highways 1 and 17) to join the Ontario branch at Kenora.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher= Province of Manitoba |url= http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/archives/1965/02/1965-02-12-%27great_river_road%27_system_swings_into_province.pdf |title= 'Great River Road' System Swings Into Province |date= February 12, 1965 |author= Information Section, Department of Provincial Secretary |access-date= June 21, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
The Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission was formed in 1938 to develop plans for what was to become the Great River Road. [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Harold L. Ickes|Harold Ickes]] urged the governors of the 10 states along the Mississippi River to form the commission. State planning officials had been developing the concept of a Mississippi River Parkway as an extension of an idea for a recreational river road that had been first put forward by the Missouri Planning Board in 1936.

The commission was instrumental not only in the early planning and development of the parkway but also in its construction, promotion, marketing, and development. (Now known as the Mississippi River Parkway Commission and headquartered in [[Minneapolis, MN|Minneapolis]], the commission continues to promote, preserve, and enhance the resources of the Mississippi River Valley and the Great River Road. Representatives of the 10 states and two Canadian provinces serve on the commission's board of directors, and they serve as chairpersons of their state Mississippi River Parkway commissions.){{cn|date=March 2025}}

The [[U.S. House of Representatives]]' [[House Committee on Public Lands|Committee on Public Lands]] held hearings in 1939 and 1940 to discuss a bill that would have authorized a feasibility study of the Mississippi River Parkway concept. While popular, the parkway idea was soon overshadowed by [[World War II]].

It wasn't until 1949 that Congress approved funding for a feasibility study. The study, "Parkway for the Mississippi River", was completed by the [[Bureau of Public Roads]] (BPR) (predecessor agency to the [[Federal Highway Administration]]) in 1951.

The study concluded that a [[parkway]] for the Mississippi River would benefit the nation as a whole. However, the report made an important distinction. Because it would be too expensive to build an entirely new parkway, BPR recommended instead that the project be designated a scenic route.

The scenic route would consist of existing riverside roads, and new construction would be limited to connecting the existing roads so that a continuous route could be developed. The existing roads would be upgraded to parkway quality. The modified approach would save a great deal of land acquisition and new construction costs. Another consideration was that some of the most scenic locations along the river had already been preempted by existing highways, railroads, and towns and cities.

The concept of a scenic route rather than a national parkway was adopted. As a result, the Great River Road is not owned by the [[National Park Service]], as is the case with true national parkways, such as the [[Blue Ridge Parkway|Blue Ridge]] and [[Natchez Trace Parkway|Natchez Trace]] Parkways. Instead, the states have developed the Great River Road through a nationally coordinated program. BPR recommended "that the selected route shall be improved in a superior manner and that it should be dedicated to recreational purposes as well as to moving traffic". The needed construction and improvements "can be done with regular apportionments under the federal highway act or by the states on their own..."

With the Federal Highway Act of 1954, Congress responded to the recommendations of BPR by appropriating planning funds. BPR was authorized to work with each of the states to develop specific criteria for the parkway and to determine one specific route within each state for the Mississippi River Parkway. By the late 1950s, the familiar green-and-white pilot's wheel marker began to spring up on various sections of the designated route. Planning continued through the 1960s.  The 1961 Iowa highway map was the first map in that state to highlight the route.<ref>{{cite news|last1=<!-- none listed -->|title='Great River Road' On 1961 Iowa Maps|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/anonymous-other-articles-clipping-jan-18-1961-664538/|access-date=May 1, 2018|work=Creston News Advertiser|date=January 18, 1961|page=4|via=[[Newspaperarchive.com]]}} </ref>

With the completion of all the planning reports in early 1970, actual development of the Great River Road was ready to begin. Although a number of states put up Great River Road highway signs and used available state funds for scenic bluff protection and road improvements, full-scale development funds were not yet available. Legislation to fund the development of the Great River Road was included for the first time as part of the [[Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973]]. From 1973 to 1982, Congress authorized a total of $314 million for the Great River Road. Most of those funds ($251 million) were allocated directly to the states.

With funds available, development could begin in earnest. In 1976, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued program guidelines setting criteria for the Great River Road. The states then set up their own procedures for selecting the route of the Great River Road within their state boundaries.

"The Great River Road should be located within designated segments to take advantage of scenic views and provide the traveler with the opportunity to enjoy the unique features of the Mississippi River and its recreational opportunities", the guidelines said. The criteria also specified that the Great River Road should provide for a variety of experiences or themes, including history, geology, and culture, and that the road should provide convenient access to larger population centers. Protection of the Mississippi River corridor was required by "appropriate route selection, effective control and development, and scenic easement acquisition".

The route of the federal Great River Road consists of sections that conform to the FHWA guidelines and that were eligible for the Great River Road funds in the 1970s and early 1980s. The states have designated alternative routes that include sections with significant scenic, historic, and recreational interest. While the federal Great River Road crisscrosses the river within each state, the alternative routes provide Great River Road routes on both sides of the river from the headwaters to the gulf. The Mississippi River Parkway Commission makes no distinction between the federal and state routes in its promotional efforts. However, some states do use highway signs that distinguish between a federal and state route.

In 2021, eight of the 10 state Great River Road National Scenic Byways were named All-American Roads by the Federal Highway Administration.<ref name="hecox"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Roads|Canada|U.S. Roads}}
* [[List of Ontario Tourist Routes]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine |title= Life on the Mississippi: For the Ultimate Cross-Country Driving Trip, Travel down the Great River Road |first= Paul |last=  Lukas |magazine= Money |date= June 1, 2002}}
* {{cite book |title= Discover America's Great River Road |first= Pat |last= Middleton |isbn= 0-9620823-8-4 |publisher= Great River Publishing |year=1996}}
*{{cite magazine |first=Karen Haas |last= Smith |url= https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/novdec-1998/great-river-road-celebrates-60-years |title= The Great River Road Celebrates 60 Years |journal= Public Roads |volume= 62 |issue= 3 |date= November–December 1998}}
* {{cite news |title= The Great River Road Runs Through 10 States—And Countless Tales |first= Zeke |last= Wigglesworth |agency= Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service |date= July 10, 1995}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Great River Road}}
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* [http://www.mrpcmembers.com/ Mississippi River Parkway Commission]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131003101343/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/2279 Entry for the parts of the road] in the [[National Scenic Byway]] system

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Great River Road| ]]
[[Category:National Scenic Byways]]<!--the following categories are in geographical, south-to-north, order-->
[[Category:Roads in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Roads in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Arkansas Scenic Byways]]
[[Category:Roads in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Roads in Missouri]]
[[Category:Roads in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Roads in Illinois]]
[[Category:Roads in Iowa]]
[[Category:Roads in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Roads in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Mississippi River]]