The maps of Branson today don’t look anything like the maps of a few years ago. As the number of residents and visitors continues to climb, so do the miles of roads. The main arteries leading to town have been widened and improved to ease the flow of traffic into Branson. Visitors who came to town a decade ago endured major traffic jams on MO 76, the main east-west route through town. Now, with all of the side streets and major improvements in the roads, traffic jams are a thing of the past. The new four lanes of US 65 between Branson and Springfield opened in 2001, and US 65 is now four-laned all the way to the Arkansas line. You’ll find some of the hairpin curves straightened out on some of the routes that parallel The Strip. The major roadway improvement is the opening of the first third of MO 465, the Ozark Mountain Highroad, north of Branson. This gives folks coming in from the north a bypass of the downtown and The Strip. The Highroad offers a scenic drive (no billboards!), and you’ll hit MO 76 just west of the Shepherd of the Hills Homestead. It allows quick access to Silver Dollar City, the Shepherd of the Hills, and those attractions on the west side of town. When finished, MO 465 will cross Lake Taneycomo and join US 65 south of Hollister, providing a loop around Branson.
One service notably lacking in Branson has always been a commercial airport. The nearest facility had always been in Springfield, a good hour’s drive away. Many area politicians and business leaders explored the possibility of building an airport in Stone County, just west of Branson, but nothing ever materialized. However, in early 2009 a new, $155 million commercial-aviation airport built entirely with private funds opened with great fanfare.
Branson used to be serviced by Greyhound Bus Lines, which brought passengers to and from Springfield, but that service has been discontinued. A number of trolley operators have tried their hand at providing public transportation in town, but none has lasted very long.
Your best bet when it comes to getting here by road is to drive your own vehicle or purchase a package from a motor-coach operator. After you finally make it to town, stop by one of the many area visitor information centers or the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at the corner of US 65 and MO 248. They will give you a city map, or you can have them send you one by calling (417) 334-4136. You can also obtain information online at www.explorebranson.com.
Before you leave home, choose a lodging facility near the particular theater or attraction you plan to visit. This can save you a lot of time in trying to get from one end of town to the other. Two of the most important factors to consider when you figure out how much time to allow for driving through town are the time of day you will be traveling and the location of your destination. The biggest traffic snarl in town usually occurs in the eastbound lane of MO 76 between 6 and 7 p.m., when many people leave Silver Dollar City for the day. If you are traveling to a 7 p.m. show, be sure to allow at least an hour if you have to go more than a few miles. Although you may be interested in seeing the famous Strip, be sure to check out Shepherd of the Hills Expressway and MO 165. These two roads will lead you to numerous restaurants, theaters, shopping centers, and attractions. Traffic usually flows much faster on these two roads.
One thing we’d like to warn you about is asking for directions. Because the roads have sprung up so fast around here, it’s hard for locals to keep up with the best routes. Our advice is to rely on a map—a new one, that is.