Regional Boards > Mid-South
I-57 Approved
GreenLanternCorps:
--- Quote from: MikieTimT on December 05, 2022, 10:36:26 AM ---
--- Quote from: Tomahawkin on November 30, 2022, 11:07:09 AM ---I have a nasty feeling in my Big Boy Gut is that we will still be talking about this at the end of this decade. This should have been started early in the previous decade. This Stalemate on this and IH 49 is FUBAR
--- End quote ---
You're probably right, although Arkansas is starting to put real money into the gap on I-57 now according to the latest Draft STIP, so I don't think it'll be very deep into the 2030's to completion. I-57 will be completed long before I-49 gets a Super-2 between Ft. Smith and Texarkana, much less a completed interstate. I'd be shocked if we see I-49 completed between Alma and Barling before I-57 is complete since there's no navigable rivers to contend with in NEA.
--- End quote ---
I-57 to the state line is low hanging fruit. the gap is smaller and represents less of an engineering challenge to finish.
Ideally Arkansas would work on both at the same time, but that's no in the cards at the moment.
Bobby5280:
Yeah, I think I-57 in Arkansas will be completed before any substantial progress on I-49 takes place between Fort Smith and Texarkana. They'll probably get the Alma-Barling segment done before the end of this decade. But any work farther South will probably start out as Super-2 for ROW acquisition with grade separations, exits and the second set of lanes added in later phases.
bwana39:
I-57 is follows one of the primary legacy routes serving Little Rock: US-67.
Like everyone says that I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans doesn't make sense (It actually does to me), I-57 from Little Rock makes very little sense on a blank sheet.
1) It is less than 10 miles farther from LRA to Marion IL using I-40 / I-55.
2) It is less than 50 miles closer to Saint Louis along US-67 and US-67 from Poplar Bluff Mo to Saint Louis will not be freeway.
There are reasons it is needed.
1) Get the traffic bound to / from Saint Louis or Indianapolis off of I-40.
2)The interstate could go directly from Walnut Ridge to Corning cutting off another dozen miles.
Here are my thoughts on the numbering. It should be interstate 30. That would clearly be no worse than I-24 that goes from Chattanooga to I-57 via Nashville & Paducah. I-30 could go to Saint Louis with I-57 ending in Poplar Bluff. I realize the numbering is a moot point, but... Then again, I-57 could absorb I-530 and be built out to Monroe LA more or less.
ArDOT has selected their route around Pocahontas. It saves a few miles and allows ArDOT to not have to build as much road. It could have been more direct, but.... as ARDOT said it this way the build 26 miles of road (From just south of Pocahontas) to the Missouri Line as opposed to 57 miles (from south of Walnut Ridge) I assume the routing will miss 3 of the four river crossings the road (US-62 /67) takes now.
https://www.kait8.com/story/23820579/new-route-in-the-works-between-walnut-ridge-and-corning/
I will add one thing. This is not freeway grade road they are planning to build.
Then to I-49 from Texarkana to Fort Smith. The only reason it has any priority at all is the clout Wal*Mart has. While all highway building is terribly expensive, building through the mountains is a horribly expensive proposition. I can assure you I-49 is needed worse than I-57, I-69, or I-530. If I were to foster a guess, US-412 from Harrison to Springdale leap frogs all of these except I-49. I-65 from Little Rock to Harrison would have to be part of this to ever sell it to Little Rock though.
edwaleni:
--- Quote from: bwana39 on January 28, 2023, 11:32:03 AM ---I-57 is follows one of the primary legacy routes serving Little Rock: US-67.
Like everyone says that I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans doesn't make sense (It actually does to me), I-57 from Little Rock makes very little sense on a blank sheet.
1) It is less than 10 miles farther from LRA to Marion IL using I-40 / I-55.
2) It is less than 50 miles closer to Saint Louis along US-67 and US-67 from Poplar Bluff Mo to Saint Louis will not be freeway.
There are reasons it is needed.
1) Get the traffic bound to / from Saint Louis or Indianapolis off of I-40.
2)The interstate could go directly from Walnut Ridge to Corning cutting off another dozen miles.
Here are my thoughts on the numbering. It should be interstate 30. That would clearly be no worse than I-24 that goes from Chattanooga to I-57 via Nashville & Paducah. I-30 could go to Saint Louis with I-57 ending in Poplar Bluff. I realize the numbering is a moot point, but... Then again, I-57 could absorb I-530 and be built out to Monroe LA more or less.
ArDOT has selected their route around Pocahontas. It saves a few miles and allows ArDOT to not have to build as much road. It could have been more direct, but.... as ARDOT said it this way the build 26 miles of road (From just south of Pocahontas) to the Missouri Line as opposed to 57 miles (from south of Walnut Ridge) I assume the routing will miss 3 of the four river crossings the road (US-62 /67) takes now.
https://www.kait8.com/story/23820579/new-route-in-the-works-between-walnut-ridge-and-corning/
I will add one thing. This is not freeway grade road they are planning to build.
Then to I-49 from Texarkana to Fort Smith. The only reason it has any priority at all is the clout Wal*Mart has. While all highway building is terribly expensive, building through the mountains is a horribly expensive proposition. I can assure you I-49 is needed worse than I-57, I-69, or I-530. If I were to foster a guess, US-412 from Harrison to Springdale leap frogs all of these except I-49. I-65 from Little Rock to Harrison would have to be part of this to ever sell it to Little Rock though.
--- End quote ---
I disagree on a couple of points.
- Definitely will serve as a I-40 reliever from LRA to Memphis for traffic eventually headed NE
- The "direct" route from Walnut Ridge to Corning (east of the Black River) is a rated flood zone. This is why the railroad raised their ROW for several miles south of Corning. Expensive for a 4 lane affair.
- Only a 1.5 mile difference between the Pocahontas route and the Corning Direct route
- Pocahontas is considered a key location for a logistics and transfer center according to the Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority
So while ArDOT consider US-412 a key north cross state corridor, I don't see that playing a role in this routing (yet).
However when Texas finishes I-369 to Texarkana, this I-57 connection at Little Rock will probably obsolete or defer much need for I-69 in Mississippi.
Corning, Arkansas which recently lost their WalMart post covid, is currently working on a plan to recreate their downtown into a historic district to recover lost sales tax from the shifting of truck traffic out of the city center. They are also looking at incorporating the land around where the future I-57 will intersect with US-62 and foster retail zoning in the exit area.
Also this will perform as a reliever route for NE bound traffic if/when I-40 is ever rebuilt between LRA and Memphis.
bwana39:
--- Quote from: edwaleni on January 28, 2023, 05:48:46 PM ---
--- Quote from: bwana39 on January 28, 2023, 11:32:03 AM ---I-57 is follows one of the primary legacy routes serving Little Rock: US-67.
Like everyone says that I-49 from Lafayette to New Orleans doesn't make sense (It actually does to me), I-57 from Little Rock makes very little sense on a blank sheet.
1) It is less than 10 miles farther from LRA to Marion IL using I-40 / I-55.
2) It is less than 50 miles closer to Saint Louis along US-67 and US-67 from Poplar Bluff Mo to Saint Louis will not be freeway.
There are reasons it is needed.
1) Get the traffic bound to / from Saint Louis or Indianapolis off of I-40.
2)The interstate could go directly from Walnut Ridge to Corning cutting off another dozen miles.
Here are my thoughts on the numbering. It should be interstate 30. That would clearly be no worse than I-24 that goes from Chattanooga to I-57 via Nashville & Paducah. I-30 could go to Saint Louis with I-57 ending in Poplar Bluff. I realize the numbering is a moot point, but... Then again, I-57 could absorb I-530 and be built out to Monroe LA more or less.
ArDOT has selected their route around Pocahontas. It saves a few miles and allows ArDOT to not have to build as much road. It could have been more direct, but.... as ARDOT said it this way the build 26 miles of road (From just south of Pocahontas) to the Missouri Line as opposed to 57 miles (from south of Walnut Ridge) I assume the routing will miss 3 of the four river crossings the road (US-62 /67) takes now.
https://www.kait8.com/story/23820579/new-route-in-the-works-between-walnut-ridge-and-corning/
I will add one thing. This is not freeway grade road they are planning to build.
Then to I-49 from Texarkana to Fort Smith. The only reason it has any priority at all is the clout Wal*Mart has. While all highway building is terribly expensive, building through the mountains is a horribly expensive proposition. I can assure you I-49 is needed worse than I-57, I-69, or I-530. If I were to foster a guess, US-412 from Harrison to Springdale leap frogs all of these except I-49. I-65 from Little Rock to Harrison would have to be part of this to ever sell it to Little Rock though.
--- End quote ---
I disagree on a couple of points.
- Definitely will serve as a I-40 reliever from LRA to Memphis for traffic eventually headed NE
- The "direct" route from Walnut Ridge to Corning (east of the Black River) is a rated flood zone. This is why the railroad raised their ROW for several miles south of Corning. Expensive for a 4 lane affair.
- Only a 1.5 mile difference between the Pocahontas route and the Corning Direct route
- Pocahontas is considered a key location for a logistics and transfer center according to the Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Facilities Authority
So while ArDOT consider US-412 a key north cross state corridor, I don't see that playing a role in this routing (yet).
--- End quote ---
I believe US-412 may be full Freeway before I-57 is. I think ArDOT will have "four or five lane" highway along US-67 all the way from Little Rock to the Missouri lane or be very close this decade . (Maybe even to Junction City.) I think the Conway to Springdale route will be Freeway before US-67. Walmart & Tyson will trump it.
--- Quote ---However when Texas finishes I-369 to Texarkana, this I-57 connection at Little Rock will probably obsolete or defer much need for I-69 in Mississippi.
--- End quote ---
I think everyone agrees that I-69 in Mississippi outside of Metro Memphis is no priority to Mississippi.
--- Quote --- Corning, Arkansas which recently lost their WalMart post covid, is currently working on a plan to recreate their downtown into a historic district to recover lost sales tax from the shifting of truck traffic out of the city center. They are also looking at incorporating the land around where the future I-57 will intersect with US-62 and foster retail zoning in the exit area.
--- End quote ---
Ah ha someone agreeing with my beliefs about road construction "creating" commercial real estate...
--- Quote ---
Also this will perform as a reliever route for NE bound traffic if/when I-40 is ever rebuilt between LRA and Memphis.
--- End quote ---
My point as to the primary reason for I-69 to be finished. While I think the large n/s segment of I-69 in Mississippi is the wrong path, I-57 may relieve some of I-40's woes, it certainly does nothing for I-30. I-49 may do SOME of that relief and could so the same for traffic coming out of Oklahoma on I-40.
I just do not see this (I-57 / US-67 in Arkansas) being more than a divided highway with segments that are fully controlled access before 2040 or later. I feel like 2060 is more realistic and who knows what 40 years from now will actually hold. I think Arkansas making a four lane road that is not divided ("5-lane road") puts it off for at least 20 years from its completion. So 2050 for the next planning phase ABSENT Federal Mandate or dedicated assistance.
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