This map section begins in St. Louis, the largest city on Route 66 between Chicago and Los Angeles. In St. Louis the route follows city streets that require extra vigilance due to significant traffic. Plan your itinerary accordingly to get through the city and its suburbs. Missouri is hilly. Between St. Louis and Springfield, cyclists will encounter some bigger hills as you are riding through the northern reaches of the Ozark Mountains. The route parallels I-44 following frontage roads and flipping back and forth from either side of the interstate. Local traffic uses these roads while the majority of the through traffic will be on I-44. Officially recognized as the birthplace of Route 66, it was in Springfield that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway on April 30, 1926. Between Springfield and Joplin the route departs the Historic Route 66 corridor north of SR 96 in favor of several lesser traveled county and farm roads.