{{Short description|State highway in Missouri, U.S.}} {{redirect-synonym|MO 6|{{ushr|Missouri|6}}}} {{Use American English|date=April 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox road |state=MO |type=MO |route=6 |map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=210|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Missouri Route 6}}}} |map_custom=yes |maint=MoDOT |established=1922 |length_mi=211 |length_ref= |length_round=0 |direction_a=West |direction_b=East |terminus_a={{jct|state=MO|BL|29|dab1=St. Joseph|US|169}} in St. Joseph |junction= *{{jct|state=MO|I|29}} in St. Joseph *{{jct|state=MO|I|35}} north of Winston *{{jct|state=MO|US|69}} west of Altamont *{{jct|state=MO|US|65}} in Trenton *{{jct|state=MO|US|63|MO|11}} in Kirksville |terminus_b={{jct|state=MO|US|24|AOTS|61}} south of Taylor |previous_type=MO |previous_route=5 |next_type=MO |next_route=7 }}

'''Route 6''' is a {{convert|211|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} state highway in the northern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. It travels from I-29 Bus./US&nbsp;169 in St. Joseph to US&nbsp;24/US&nbsp;61 about {{convert|6|mi|km}} west of Quincy, Illinois. The highway serves as a major east-west corridor in northern Missouri Route 6, south of US 136 and north of US 36. If only a few miles longer in each direction, would be the only state highway to cross Missouri west to east. It is one of the original 1922 highways in Missouri.<ref>{{Cite MoDOT map|year=1927}}</ref>

==Route description== [[File:Missouri6highway.jpg|thumb|left|MO 6 Westbound after its concurrency with U.S. Route 69 near Altamont]] Beginning at I-29 Bus. and US 169 in St. Joseph, Route 6 travels eastward through Buchanan County. Shortly after its starting point, the highway intersects I-29 at exit 47 before continuing east into DeKalb County. In DeKalb County, Route 6 overlaps with Route 31 for a short distance before passing through Maysville, where it intersects Route 33.

Continuing eastward, Route 6 enters Daviess County, where it crosses I-35 at exit 64 near Winston. The highway then runs concurrent with US 69 for a brief stretch before reaching Gallatin, where it intersects Route 13. East of Gallatin, Route 6 passes through rural areas before entering Grundy County, where it intersects US 65 in Trenton.

Leaving Trenton, Route 6 continues eastward into Sullivan County, where it intersects Route 5 in Milan. The highway then enters Adair County, passing through Novinger before reaching Kirksville. In Kirksville, Route 6 intersects US 63 and Route 11, forming a brief concurrency before separating again east of the city.

East of Kirksville, Route 6 enters Knox County, where it intersects Route 15 near Edina. The highway continues eastward through Lewis County, passing through La Belle and Lewistown before reaching Marion County. In Marion County, Route 6 intersects US 24 and US 61 near Taylor, marking its eastern terminus approximately six miles west of Quincy, Illinois.<ref>{{Cite MoDOT map|year=2021}}</ref>

==History== Route 6 was one of the original Missouri state highways formed in 1922, and construction continues into the mid-1920s.<ref name="1924MOrdmap">{{cite web|url=https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/Maps/id/57/rec/5|title=Missouri's State Road System, 1924|via=The State Historical Society of Missouri|access-date=June 13, 2025}}</ref> Originally it was a gravel or earthen surface with the most developed portions being around Trenton and Milan.<ref name="1926MOrdmap">{{cite web|url=https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~368049~90135308:Mileage-map-of-the-best-roads-of-Mi?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort&qvq=w4s:/where%2FMissouri;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=0&trs=397|title=Best Roads of Missouri, 1926|via=David Rumsey Map Collection|publisher=Clason Map Co.|access-date=June 13, 2025}}</ref> By 1955, the highway was fully paved across the state.<ref name="1955MoDOT">{{cite web|url=https://www.modot.org/missouri-highway-maps-archive-1955-1978|title=Missouri Highway Maps Archive 1955 - 1978|publisher=Missouri Department of Transportation|access-date=June 14, 2025}}</ref> {{Clear}}

==Major intersections== {{jcttop|state=MO|length_ref=<ref>[http://traveler.modot.mo.gov/hpmaps/ MoDOT HP MAPS]</ref>}} {{MOint |county=Buchanan |cspan=2 |location=St. Joseph |lspan=2 |mile=0.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|BL|29|dab1=St. Joseph|US|169|name2=Belt Highway / Frederick Boulevard}} }} {{MOint |mile=0.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|I|29|US|71|location1=Council Bluffs|city2=Kansas City}} |notes=I-29 exit 47 }} {{MOint |type=concur |county=DeKalb |cspan=3 |location=none |mile=13.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|31|dir1=south|to2=to|US|36}} |notes=west end of Route 31 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Oak |mile=22.9 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|31|dir1=north|city1=King City}} |notes=east end of Route 31 overlap }} {{MOint |location=Maysville |mile=32.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|33|dir1=south|Supp|A|county2=DeKalb|dir2=north}}<!--any cities signed?--> }} {{MOint |county=Daviess |cspan=6 |location=none |mile=43.7 |road={{jct|state=MO|I|35|city1=Bethany|location2=Des Moines|city3=Cameron|city4=Kansas City}} |notes=I-35 exit 64 }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=none |mile=45.7 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|69|dir1=north|city1=Pattonsburg}} |notes=west end of US 69 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=none |mile=46.8 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|69|dir1=south|city1=Winston}} |notes=east end of US 69 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Gallatin |mile=55.3 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|13|dir1=south|city1=Hamilton}} |notes=west end of Route 13 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=none |mile=56.9 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|13|dir1=north|city1=Jameson}} |notes=east end of Route 13 overlap }} {{MOint |location=none |mile=66.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|190|city1=Edinburg|city2=Jamesport}} }} {{MOint |county=Grundy |cspan=4 |location=none |mile=75.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|146|dir1=west|Supp|W|county2=Grundy|dir2=south|city1=Edinburg|city2=Hickory|location3=Crowder State Park}} }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Trenton |lspan=2 |mile=78.9 |road={{jct|state=MO|US-Bus|65|dab1=Trenton|dir1=north|name1=Oklahoma Avenue}} |notes=west end of US 65 Bus. overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |mile=79.0 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|65|city1=Princeton|city2=Chillicothe}} |notes=interchange; east end of US 65 Bus. overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=none |mile=92.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|139|dir1=north|city1=Osgood}}<!--anything else signed?--> |notes=west end of Route 139 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |county=Sullivan |cspan=6 |location=Humphreys |mile=95.2 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|139|dir1=south|city1=Meadville}} |notes=east end of Route 139 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=none |mile=104.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|5|dir1=south|city1=Linneus}} |notes=west end of Route 5 overlap }} {{MOint |location=none |mile=107.6 |road={{jct|state=MO|Bus|5|dab1=Milan|dir1=north|city1=Milan}} }} {{MOint |location=Milan |lspan=2 |mile=110.3 |road={{jct|state=MO|Bus|5|dab1=Milan|dir1=south}} }} {{MOint |type=concur |mile=110.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|5|dir1=north|city1=Unionville}} |notes=east end of Route 5 overlap }} {{MOint |location=Green City |mile=119.7 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|129|city1=Green City|city2=Winigan}} }} {{MOint |type=concur |county=Adair |cspan=7 |location=none |mile=127.7 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|149|dir1=south|to2=to|Route|11}}<!--is this what's signed?--> |notes=west end of Route 149 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Novinger |mile=133.7 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|149|dir1=north|city1=Connelsville}} |notes=east end of Route 149 overlap }} {{MOint |location=none |mile=137.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|157|dir1=south|location1=Thousand Hills State Park}}<!--anything else signed?--> }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Kirksville |lspan=4 |mile=140.8 |road={{jct|state=MO|US-Bus|63|dab1=Kirksville|dir1=north|city1=Lancaster}} |notes=west end of US 63 Bus. overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |mile=142.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|US-Bus|63|dab1=Kirksville|city1=Macon}} |notes=east end of US 63 Bus. overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |mile=143.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|63|dir1=north|city1=Lancaster|MO|11|dir2=north|city2=Adair}} |notes=west end of US 63/MO 11 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |mile=145.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|63|dir1=south|city1=Macon|MO|11|dir2=south|city2=Kirksville}} |notes=east end of US 63/MO 11 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |county=Knox |cspan=2 |location=none |mile=166.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|15|dir1=south|city1=Plevna}} |notes=west end of Route 15 overlap }} {{MOint |type=concur |location=Edina |mile=167.4 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|15|dir1=north|city1=Memphis}} |notes=east end of Route 15 overlap }} {{MOint |county=Lewis |cspan=3 |location=none |mile=188.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|16|dir1=east|city1=Monticello}} }} {{MOint |location=Ewing<!--I think--> |mile=195.5 |road={{jct|state=MO|Route|156|dir1=west|city1=Newark|location2=Henry Sever Lake Conservation Area}} }} {{MOint |location=none |mile= |road=Outer Road - Taylor }} {{MOint |county=Marion |location=none |mile=211 |road={{jct|state=MO|US|24|AOTS|61|name2=Avenue of the Saints|city1=Canton|location2=Quincy, IL|city3=Palmyra|city4=Hannibal}} |notes=interchange }} {{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

==See also== * {{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Attached KML|display=inline, title}} *{{Commons category-inline}}

006 Category:Transportation in Buchanan County, Missouri Category:Transportation in DeKalb County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Daviess County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Grundy County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Sullivan County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Adair County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Knox County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Lewis County, Missouri Category:Transportation in Marion County, Missouri