Construction begins on South Greenville, MS freeway

[Bobby5280]

Considering all of the Interstate corridor projects on AR DOT's plate, the federal government would need to step up big time in terms of providing funding for a proper expansion of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis.

That part of I-40 has so much commercial truck traffic on it that I wonder if a standard 6-lane expansion would be adequate. If it was up to me I'd probably build separate cars-only and trucks-only lanes, at least 2 lanes for each separated roadway in both directions. That would greatly improve safety. Even with commercial trucks and private vehicles mixed together that section of I-40 needs to be a mix of 3 and 4 lanes in both directions.

I-57 could potentially act as a relief valve for I-40, drawing at least some traffic away from Memphis. But it may be another 10-20 years before it is completed between North Little Rock and Sikeston.

Regardless of what happens with I-57, it looks like I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis will be carrying ever more traffic, certainly if I-369 is completed up to Texarkana.

If the powers that be actually shifted the I-69 alignment in Mississippi as far South as Greenville the very anti-direct routing would cause a lot of vehicles to stick with the I-30/I-40 combo across Arkansas. If they decided to scrap the Great River Bridge idea and build more of I-69 in Arkansas the feds would still need to provide an enormous amount of funding help.

[bwana39]

The Dean Bridge or the current US-82 bridge are a toss-up for mileage.
Using the current Mileage from ElDorado to Clarksdale is 183 miles.
ElDorado to Arkansas city is 105 miles. It would be around 35 more miles to Cleveland MS. Cleveland to Clarksdale 32 more.
Not a significant difference. Bypasses / cutoffs  might add or subtract some (mostly adds on 278 subtracts on 82). 260 miles give or take from ElDorado to Memphis

US-167/ US-79 to Memphis is is about 240. Could probably be shaved some.

The whole trip is a toss up between Texarkana and any of the I-69 routes. The real advantage for I-69 regardless of how it approaches Memphis is how it  is the advantage leaving Memphis to the east and to a lesser extent north.

You would not need to go through Texarkana, Little Rock or Memphis

[sprjus4]

Considering all of the Interstate corridor projects on AR DOT's plate, the federal government would need to step up big time in terms of providing funding for a proper expansion of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis.

That part of I-40 has so much commercial truck traffic on it that I wonder if a standard 6-lane expansion would be adequate. If it was up to me I'd probably build separate cars-only and trucks-only lanes, at least 2 lanes for each separated roadway in both directions. That would greatly improve safety. Even with commercial trucks and private vehicles mixed together that section of I-40 needs to be a mix of 3 and 4 lanes in both directions.

I-57 could potentially act as a relief valve for I-40, drawing at least some traffic away from Memphis. But it may be another 10-20 years before it is completed between North Little Rock and Sikeston.

Regardless of what happens with I-57, it looks like I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis will be carrying ever more traffic, certainly if I-369 is completed up to Texarkana.

If the powers that be actually shifted the I-69 alignment in Mississippi as far South as Greenville the very anti-direct routing would cause a lot of vehicles to stick with the I-30/I-40 combo across Arkansas. If they decided to scrap the Great River Bridge idea and build more of I-69 in Arkansas the feds would still need to provide an enormous amount of funding help.

I'm not sure of what I-69 routings you are talking about, but the currently proposed I-69 and the proposed I-369 to I-30 / I-40 combo are around the same mileage. A completed I-69 would be far superior to I-30 and I-40, even if I-40 is widened to 6 lanes, given it would bypass Texarkana, Little Rock, and Memphis entirely.

I-30 between Texarkana and Little Rock has traffic issues of itself too. Ideally, the entirety of I-30 between Dallas and Little Rock, and I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis needs to be expanded to 6 lanes minimum.

[RoadMaster09]

Considering all of the Interstate corridor projects on AR DOT's plate, the federal government would need to step up big time in terms of providing funding for a proper expansion of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis.

That part of I-40 has so much commercial truck traffic on it that I wonder if a standard 6-lane expansion would be adequate. If it was up to me I'd probably build separate cars-only and trucks-only lanes, at least 2 lanes for each separated roadway in both directions. That would greatly improve safety. Even with commercial trucks and private vehicles mixed together that section of I-40 needs to be a mix of 3 and 4 lanes in both directions.

I-57 could potentially act as a relief valve for I-40, drawing at least some traffic away from Memphis. But it may be another 10-20 years before it is completed between North Little Rock and Sikeston.

Regardless of what happens with I-57, it looks like I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis will be carrying ever more traffic, certainly if I-369 is completed up to Texarkana.

If the powers that be actually shifted the I-69 alignment in Mississippi as far South as Greenville the very anti-direct routing would cause a lot of vehicles to stick with the I-30/I-40 combo across Arkansas. If they decided to scrap the Great River Bridge idea and build more of I-69 in Arkansas the feds would still need to provide an enormous amount of funding help.

I'm not sure of what I-69 routings you are talking about, but the currently proposed I-69 and the proposed I-369 to I-30 / I-40 combo are around the same mileage. A completed I-69 would be far superior to I-30 and I-40, even if I-40 is widened to 6 lanes, given it would bypass Texarkana, Little Rock, and Memphis entirely.

I-30 between Texarkana and Little Rock has traffic issues of itself too. Ideally, the entirety of I-30 between Dallas and Little Rock, and I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis needs to be expanded to 6 lanes minimum.

It's assuming the Dean Bridge is canceled and the routing shifted to use (primarily) US 61 and US 82, taking advantage of the Greenville Bridge and the new Greenville Bypass.

[sprjus4]

^ I'm not aware of any official plans proposing such.

[bwana39]

^ I'm not aware of any official plans proposing such.

The folks in ARKANSAS are still calling the US 278 / Dean Bridge the PREFERRED ROUTE or PROPOSED ROUTE.

Nothing is set in stone.THere are some upgrades to US-278, recent or upcoming, that were / are needed to get it out of the 1940's /1950's. These were needed decades ago. THe existent US-278 is just a renumbered AR-4 with a new layer of asphalt. THe average speed limit on it is 46 mph.

It would appear that when it looked like the Dean Bridge was going to be completed by 2025 or 2030 that Mississippi let the loop around Greenville languish in a semi-built state. Now that it is doubtful it will happen by 2050, that Mississippi is back to upgrading and completing the Greenville bypass.  With Bob Moore off the highway commission, it is all up for grabs anyway.  THe reality is the Dean Bridge's location was picked by Bob Moore who lives in Desha County. 

The highway commission sets all of the highway priorities in Arkansas. ARDOT just carries out the Commission's decisions. It is as powerful as the governor and in its own way more powerful than the legislature.

[codyg1985]

MDOT is working on letting a project in its January letting for the grade and pave of the Greenville bypass between the Mississippi River bridge and MS 1. The apparent bid was $79,427,094.34 by Eutaw Construction Company.

This project will complete the US 82 Greenville bypass.

[The Ghostbuster]

You can see the new bridges and ramps on Google Maps Street View. Haxton Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3347364,-91.0148135,3a,75y,357.25h,82.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLP9YTp9nSz9g3dRSlXYyDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3389005,-91.0149144,3a,75y,182.46h,85.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smFxXJObbJdd_a5AWreuizw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). VF Rd. is still a work-in-progress: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3570418,-90.9781733,3a,75y,191.05h,75.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swwaBKFsosESbM3s-JDZbZQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu. Black Bayou Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3677838,-90.9573019,3a,75y,330.88h,83.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6pEC3z7Y-JcJvKOYEOvsBg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3683063,-90.9580175,3a,75y,134.24h,105.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scofwFBJh5z0Kx4RHPRoEOw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). Kuhn Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3784966,-90.9373343,3a,75y,349.89h,87.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-Se5tzJ1DsgvtGZ-1c2yKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3796657,-90.9373265,3a,75y,161.29h,97.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUTYd3WRXIiHkDRsfjciSZA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). Old Hwy. 61 interchange: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3938593,-90.9068307,3a,75y,3.57h,77.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saQAPteYxTeyD3H3gt4scKw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.396416,-90.905917,3a,75y,169.08h,79.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIRpc7YA0RQi1OI5SwILx6Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). And finally, the eastern terminus (looking west from the eastbound lanes): https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3974088,-90.8991452,3a,75y,229.78h,75.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_KuOfxMDkPN9kk3CN6AutA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

[bwana39]

You can see the new bridges and ramps on Google Maps Street View. Haxton Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3347364,-91.0148135,3a,75y,357.25h,82.65t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLP9YTp9nSz9g3dRSlXYyDw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3389005,-91.0149144,3a,75y,182.46h,85.73t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smFxXJObbJdd_a5AWreuizw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). VF Rd. is still a work-in-progress: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3570418,-90.9781733,3a,75y,191.05h,75.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swwaBKFsosESbM3s-JDZbZQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu. Black Bayou Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3677838,-90.9573019,3a,75y,330.88h,83.63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6pEC3z7Y-JcJvKOYEOvsBg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3683063,-90.9580175,3a,75y,134.24h,105.49t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scofwFBJh5z0Kx4RHPRoEOw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). Kuhn Rd.: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3784966,-90.9373343,3a,75y,349.89h,87.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-Se5tzJ1DsgvtGZ-1c2yKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3796657,-90.9373265,3a,75y,161.29h,97.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUTYd3WRXIiHkDRsfjciSZA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). Old Hwy. 61 interchange: https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3938593,-90.9068307,3a,75y,3.57h,77.2t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1saQAPteYxTeyD3H3gt4scKw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (NB), https://www.google.com/maps/@33.396416,-90.905917,3a,75y,169.08h,79.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIRpc7YA0RQi1OI5SwILx6Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu (SB). And finally, the eastern terminus (looking west from the eastbound lanes): https://www.google.com/maps/@33.3974088,-90.8991452,3a,75y,229.78h,75.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_KuOfxMDkPN9kk3CN6AutA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu.

Some of these bridges have been there just hanging out for a decade or more.

[MikieTimT]

Some of these bridges have been there just hanging out for a decade or more.

Maybe they'll actually get 50 good years out of them before they need replacing.  Age and weathering wears out bridges as much as semi traffic.

[Rick Powell]

Maybe they'll actually get 50 good years out of them before they need replacing.  Age and weathering wears out bridges as much as semi traffic.

In the north more than the south. No road salt and less freeze-thaw cycles means longer life.