Missouri Routes 13 and 413 Through Springfield

Take a local ride through the Queen City of the Ozarks as we follow Missouri Routes 13 and 413 through the heart of Springfield. This short but dynamic drive offers a peek into the everyday motion of one of Missouri’s largest cities—where highways, commerce, and community blend in the urban grid of the southwest part of town.

We begin our journey at the busy interchange of U.S. Highway 60 and Missouri Route 13 on Springfield’s southwestern edge, where MO-13 begins its run northward as Kansas Expressway. While not a full freeway, this segment serves as a vital corridor through the western part of town—carrying local and regional traffic between Springfield’s southside and its downtown core. Surrounded by a landscape of retail centers, chain restaurants, and service businesses, the drive reflects the commercial pulse of Springfield in motion. As we continue north, we pass several signalized intersections and local cross streets before reaching the junction with Missouri Route 413 at Sunshine Street.

After a short break, we resume our drive a few blocks away on MO-413 westbound, just off Grant Street. This route, known locally as Sunshine Street, plays a dual role—serving both as a commercial strip and a city thoroughfare. It’s not uncommon to see everything from commuter traffic to delivery trucks making use of its multi-lane layout. As we move west, the urban density starts to thin slightly, though we’re still well within Springfield’s developed area. We soon cross back over Missouri Route 13—this time via overpass—completing a partial loop around Springfield’s southwestern quadrant.

Continuing west, MO-413 guides us toward the edge of town, where the city grid gives way to open space and the road curves south toward the final junction with U.S. Highway 60 and Missouri Highway 360. This interchange serves as a transition point—where the city ends and regional travel begins. From here, travelers can head west toward Republic or take MO-360 to reach I-44, making this a key connection for both local and long-distance movement. Though short, this drive showcases how Missouri’s state highway network stitches Springfield together, forming the arterial core of the city’s transportation system.

In the end, this urban route reminds us that not every great drive needs to be scenic. Sometimes, it’s the rhythm of daily life—the turning of signals, the sweep of interchanges, the blur of storefronts—that paints the truest picture of a place. Missouri Routes 13 and 413 may not be a tourist corridor, but they are essential threads in the fabric of Springfield.

🎵 Music:

Piano March by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://audionautix.com/