Transportation
Why is St. Joseph Perfectly Positioned?
St. Joseph’s central location and multi-modal transportation set this city apart from the entire Midwest United States. The city has been a hub for industry and growth since the very beginning when it served as a bustling westward expansion town for early river trade. Today, that spirit of innovation and forward-thinking is still alive. St. Joseph is now a modern city with river, rail, air, and interstate transportation that fuel the growth of some of the nation’s top companies.
The city’s centralized location puts companies within 500 miles of 44 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing establishments, and 200 miles within the nation’s population center.
Transportation Infrastructure
St. Joseph is a crossroads for two major thoroughfares, Interstate 29 and U.S. Highway 36. The city is served by two interstate highways, one proposed interstate, and four U.S. Routes.
- I-29, which runs south to Kansas City and north to Council Bluffs, Iowa
- US Highway 36, an expressway with many freeway sections, connecting Kansas to Illinois.
Major Airport
St. Joseph is just 35 minutes from Kansas City International Airport (KCI). KCI is a full service, international airport served by every major U.S. passenger and all-cargo carriers. More than 400 flights from 11 major carriers arrive and depart daily from KCI, and airfares are among the lowest in the nation.
St. Joseph Regional Port Authority
The Missouri River, part of the nation’s inland waterway system, is St. Joseph’s gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. Our public river port facility gives area businesses the affordable option of transporting via river barge. The port is located at Missouri River mile 448. The port facility also has a Union Pacific rail spur. It is operated by Transport 360, which is built to accommodate everything from small business to major corporations. Click here to learn more.
Aircraft Charter Services
Serving St. Joseph’s civilian and military needs is Rosecrans Memorial Airport. The airport boasts two fully ILS-equipped runways—one is 8,050 long—and provides capacity for any size aircraft. Express Flight, Inc. is the Fixed Base Operator at Rosecrans and offers aircraft charter, rental, instruction and fuel services including Jet A. Rosecrans also serves as the home base for the 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard Unit.
Rail
Rail service provided by Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway provides direct access to all parts of North America
Reach Major Cities Fast: Mileage from St. Joseph
Not only is St. Joseph at the heart of major interstate crossroads, mileage from St. Joseph to major cities is convenient and affordable, due to our city’s centralized location. It’s just 90 minutes to Topeka, Kansas, 3 hours to Des Moines, Iowa, and 2 hours to Omaha, Nebraska. Downtown Kansas City is only 55 minutes away.
- Kansas City – 53 miles
- Topeka, Kansas – 100 miles
- Omaha, Nebraska – 135 miles
- Des Moines, Iowa – 170 miles
- Wichita, Kansas – 235 miles
- Tulsa, Oklahoma – 290 miles
- St. Louis, Missouri – 305 miles
- Chicago, Illinois – 511 miles
- Dallas, Texas – 592 miles
- Denver, Colorado- 627 miles
- Atlanta, Georgia- 858 miles
- New York City, New York – 1,283 miles