Scenic highway linked to famous Missourians is among nation’s most feared, survey says

On a recent survey of thousands of road trippers naming the most feared roads in the United States, one Missouri highway made the list.

It was U.S. Route 36, which runs east and west across northern Missouri, coming in at No. 27.

The storied highway, billed by the state tourism bureau as “The Way of the American Genius” for its association with iconic Missourians such as Mark Twain and Walt Disney, connects such towns as Hannibal, Macon, Marceline, Hamilton and St. Joseph, north of the Kansas City area.

The survey of “Most Feared Routes,” produced by Florida car dealership Gunther Mitshubishi, says it based the list on a survey of 3,000 drivers. It does not say what reasons drivers gave for fearing U.S. 36 in Missouri.

The highway at times has had a history of car crashes along some sections. But improvements in recent years have been credited with making the road safer and a Missouri State Highway Patrol official on Wednesday said U.S. 36 is not seen as the most dangerous road in the state.

Missouri Highway Patrol Lt. Eric Brown said he did not expect U.S. 36 to be listed as one of the country’s “Most Feared Routes” and added that Interstate 70 most likely has a far higher crash rate.

“Highway 36 is probably far from our most dangerous highway in Missouri,” Brown said. “It’s just not one that we have a ton of serious injury and fatal crashes on compared to other roadways in the state.”

The Gunther Mitshubishi survey listed U.S. Route 285 in New Mexico as the most feared highway in the U.S.

California’s Death Valley Road and U.S. Route 90 in Texas were listed in second and third place.

U.S. 36 more scenic than deadly

U.S. Route 36 features a series of scenic views and historic landmarks. The Missouri Division of Tourism recommends an itinerary of stops.

From west to east, the tourism division suggests the Shakespeare Chateau Inn and Gardens and the National Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph.

About an hour east of there in Hamilton, travelers will find the the Missouri Quilt Star Company and the J.C. Penney Museum, commemorating the famous department store founder’s nearby home.

On the way to Macon one will find the Grand River Historical Society, Walt Disney Hometown Museum and the Pear Tree Kitchen and Bar.

In Hannibal, visitors can check out Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home and Museum.

Highway improvements

In 2010, the state and federal government funded a $75.5 million renovation project that converted 52 miles of the highway from two lanes to four.

The project was an attempt at improving driving conditions by reducing congestion on the road, the Columbia Missourian newspaper reported in 2018. Car crashes were seen as especially troublesome on some parts of the highway, with 131 being reported in 2007.

The Missourian reported that seven years after the renovation project, the roadway welcomed more drivers but had fewer crashes.

Brown, with the highway patrol, said renovations like the 2010 project can make it easier for drivers to enter and exit the highway. They can improve drivers’ ability to pass other vehicles, and can reduce congestion on the road.