US hwy 54 thru Mo & Illinois

54 is a good road through Missouri. Not a lot of traffic and 4 lane in parts of it.

I have been on US-54 from Carrizozo NM to Jefferson City MO and it is mostly a good road except for a 50 mile or so South of Corona NM and they were working on some of it two years ago.

Bowling Green, where 54 ends

US-54 does not end at Bowling Green, MO. It continues across the Mississippi River at Louisiana, MO and continues on to Griggsville, IL.

It's generally a good road through Missouri, although a lot of it southwest of Camdenton and the Lake of the Ozarks is two lanes with not a lot of shoulder. Most of the congestion around the Lake was relieved by a new bypass a few years ago. Once you're past the Lake and on you way to Jefferson it's an excellent four lane divided road (the legislators like to be able to go on vacation), continuing up past Fulton, Kingdom City and up to Mexico. There's some narrowed but still good road continuing up to US61 by Bowling Green, where 54 ends. From there, go up to Hannibal, cross the river, and continue east on I-72/US36, also an excellent highway.

There is a bit of information in this thread that may be helpful.