I-55 in Arkansas

[bwana39]

As a nutshell, I -55 was built to minimal 1950's standards. It has had minimal to no upgrades and improvement. As far as that goes, even the maintenance has been minimalist.  Arkansas views it as something they want minimally and are stuck taking care of. For Arkansas, It has virtually no utility outside the path it runs along. While the rural counties it runs through (and even Jacksonville)  stand to benefit from it. The power base in Little Rock  (and  even NWA) have virtually no investment It is like taking care of an aged aunt or a distant cousin's  orphan child. You do it, but perhaps minimally and more out of obligation or requirement than actually wanting to help.

Wouldn't it be part of the route between Little Rock and places like Chicago (I-40/I-55/I-57)?  That might change once I-57 gets extended, but as of right now, it's only 6 minutes longer per Google than taking the future I-57 corridor, and it avoids the at-grades and stays on the interstate system.

You are right for Chicago. It might still be closer even after I-57 is finished.  I-55 is absolutely better from points south of Little Rock (including I-30) Most of my meanderings were based on going through Saint Louis.  For Arkansas, I agree I-57N adds little beyond the Missouri state line if there is not freeway all the way to St Louis.  With that done, there might be a reason to abandon I-57 and go through St Louis.

[MikieTimT]

1. The old state-named shields are, from my experience in Arkansas, by far the most abundant along I-55.

2. This interchange stands out to me in terms of its lack of safety. It is just bad design (as a result of cost cutting or issues with taking land from adjacent farmers?) with how the outer roads intersect the off-ramps, rather than just making a separate junction. Besides, in addition to it being more safe, the outer roads would be more accessable.

3. Part of what makes it so creepy (if you would call it that), is that its so... flat.

It's creepy because most of the route and towns south of Cape Girardeau, MO and north of Memphis, TN will be a pile of rubble and sand boils the next big shake of the New Madrid fault.

[dvferyance]

1. The old state-named shields are, from my experience in Arkansas, by far the most abundant along I-55.

2. This interchange stands out to me in terms of its lack of safety. It is just bad design (as a result of cost cutting or issues with taking land from adjacent farmers?) with how the outer roads intersect the off-ramps, rather than just making a separate junction. Besides, in addition to it being more safe, the outer roads would be more accessable.

3. Part of what makes it so creepy (if you would call it that), is that its so... flat.

It's creepy because most of the route and towns south of Cape Girardeau, MO and north of Memphis, TN will be a pile of rubble and sand boils the next big shake of the New Madrid fault.

Many of them are right now although not from and earthquake but from the tornados that went through last week.

[MikieTimT]

1. The old state-named shields are, from my experience in Arkansas, by far the most abundant along I-55.

2. This interchange stands out to me in terms of its lack of safety. It is just bad design (as a result of cost cutting or issues with taking land from adjacent farmers?) with how the outer roads intersect the off-ramps, rather than just making a separate junction. Besides, in addition to it being more safe, the outer roads would be more accessable.

3. Part of what makes it so creepy (if you would call it that), is that its so... flat.

It's creepy because most of the route and towns south of Cape Girardeau, MO and north of Memphis, TN will be a pile of rubble and sand boils the next big shake of the New Madrid fault.

Many of them are right now although not from and earthquake but from the tornados that went through last week.

Almost not worth rebuilding in some of the towns.  I'm sure there will be quite a few that just move on given the overall prospects of the area in general if they don't have family holding them there.  It's a proof that just because you build an Interstate doesn't necessarily mean that prosperity follows.  I just wonder how many had insurance coverage for the tornado damage.

[Flint1979]

Those towns between St. Louis and Memphis have been creepy for years especially south of Sikeston and into Arkansas. I find Memphis to be a creepy town too I'm not sure why but it just seems freaking creepy. The whole area does. When I was going to Houston I went through there and felt better once I got past Little Rock. But I remember south of Sikeston the farm fields just felt weird and I've gotten that feeling driving in Illinois before too. I wonder if I-55 would win a contest for creepiest Interstate highway.

[CoolAngrybirdsrio4]

Here's some more out of the ordinary interchanges in with Interstate 55 in Arkansas.

[Bobby5280]

There is a LOT of those weird ramp designs still in existence scattered across Texas. However one difference is the side road ramps often connect to  freeway frontage roads rather than go directly into the Interstate itself.

[MikieTimT]

At least the red-headed stepchild of an interstate south of Blytheville is fixing to get a little love as of the Feb. 16, 2022 ARDOT letting:

WorkCounty Route Job No.  Job Name                               Type                             Length  Cost Range
Mississippi    I-55  101111  Hwy. 148 — So. of Hwy. 61 (S)  Pavement Preservation   4.4       $20 - $30 Million

[cbalducc]

I-55 in Arkansas travels through some of the poorest counties in the United States.  The economy was historically based on agriculture and the population has been declining for years.

[CapeCodder]

I-55 in Arkansas travels through some of the poorest counties in the United States.  The economy was historically based on agriculture and the population has been declining for years.

Basically the Great Depression never ended there.

[edwaleni]

I-55 in Arkansas travels through some of the poorest counties in the United States.  The economy was historically based on agriculture and the population has been declining for years.

Basically the Great Depression never ended there.

Per capita income rank and (median household income) by the county I-55 passes through out of 75 Arkansas counties.

50 - Mississippi ($33,407)
42 - Crittenden ($33,716)
74 - St Francis ($27,019)

As a compare, here are the counties the proposed extension of I-49 would pass through;

8 - Sebastian ($39,482)
52 - Scott ($36,417)
59 - Polk ($32,267)
67 - Sevier ($34,383)
32 - Little River ($33,416)

The top county for per capita income in Arkansas is:

1 - Pulaski

The lowest county for per capita income in Arkansas is:

75 - Lee

Source: Wikipedia based on 2010 Census

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arkansas_locations_by_per_capita_income

[SkyPesos]

I-49 at least have the Northwest portion of the state (which I think is where the highest per capita income in Arkansas is) to even its average out, and put it above I-55.

[Wayward Memphian]

I-55 in Arkansas travels through some of the poorest counties in the United States.  The economy was historically based on agriculture and the population has been declining for years.

You have a mix of generational welfare and no desire to rise above it vs some big wage jobs at the steel mills in  Mississippi Co.

Monette and Leachville had actually gained population in the last census as they become  bedroom communities to people where the wife may work in Jonesboro and the hubby at Nucor over on the river.

Manila had grown enough to start fielding a football team.   

Jonesboro and Paragould are steadily growing, where many of the small town folk have relocated to.

Here's the last piece of news I remember

https://www.kait8.com/2021/08/31/majestic-steel-usa-coming-blytheville/

[Wayward Memphian]

I-55 in Arkansas travels through some of the poorest counties in the United States.  The economy was historically based on agriculture and the population has been declining for years.

You have a mix of generational welfare and no desire to rise above it vs some big wage jobs at the steel mills in  Mississippi Co.

Monette and Leachville had actually gained population in the last census as they become  bedroom communities to people where the wife may work in Jonesboro and the hubby at Nucor over on the river.

Manila had grown enough to start fielding a football team.   

Jonesboro and Paragould are steadily growing, where many of the small town folk have relocated to.

Here's the last piece of news I remember

https://www.kait8.com/2021/08/31/majestic-steel-usa-coming-blytheville/

And possibly this as well for Mississippi Co.

https://katv-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/katv.com/amp/news/local/proposed-arkansas-law-hopes-to-entice-major-steel-mill-project?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16400298857788&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fkatv.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fproposed-arkansas-law-hopes-to-entice-major-steel-mill-project

[Road Hog]

Monette and Leachville, coincidentally, were two of the towns hit by the tornado outbreak a couple of weeks ago.

[Tom958]

When was this stretch built?

Protip: It's usually easy to look up the age of a freeway by checking http://bridgereports.com/. At http://bridgereports.com/ar/mississippi/, we see that the first I-55 bridges in Mississippi County were built in 1960 and the last in 1962.

[Tom958]

I did a Streetview feature about the early, isolated section of I-57 between Mounds and Marion, Illinois. It's surprisingly interesting, with a variety of bridge types and median widths, including generous wooded stretches. It occurred to me that it must seem like a secret garden to travelers who've endured the brutal boredom of I-55 between Memphis and there.

[MikieTimT]

I did a Streetview feature about the early, isolated section of I-57 between Mounds and Marion, Illinois. It's surprisingly interesting, with a variety of bridge types and median widths, including generous wooded stretches. It occurred to me that it must seem like a secret garden to travelers who've endured the brutal boredom of I-55 between Memphis and there.

Are there any stretches of I-55 anywhere that aren't brutally boring?  Haven't actually driven much of it, event in Arkansas other than Memphis to Turrell, but what I have driven there and in the little bits of northern Mississippi to I-269, I haven't come across anything memorial for a positive reason.

[Tom958]

Are there any stretches of I-55 anywhere that aren't brutally boring?  Haven't actually driven much of it, event in Arkansas other than Memphis to Turrell, but what I have driven there and in the little bits of northern Mississippi to I-269, I haven't come across anything memorial for a positive reason.

Maybe not. I-20 in Mississippi kept me entertained; I-55 south of Jackson looks similar but less interesting, and I-55 north of Jackson was built after Mississippi started using all-but-identical precast concrete designs for every bridge. At least the landscape has some relief, though. The floodplains of Arkansas and Missouri don't.

[Road Hog]

The Rend Lake area of I-57 in Illinois is wooded and not too bad. You also get a good view of the medium-security federal pen in Marion.

[Rick Powell]

Are there any stretches of I-55 anywhere that aren't brutally boring?  Haven't actually driven much of it, even in Arkansas other than Memphis to Turrell, but what I have driven there and in the little bits of northern Mississippi to I-269, I haven't come across anything memorial for a positive reason.

The section from the Dan Ryan to I-80 will keep you on your toes as a driver. Multiplexes in Bloomington and Springfield. The Poplar Street bridge in St. Louis offers a view of the Arch and the river. Lots of hilly country from St. Louis to Cape. West Memphis to Southaven, with the Mississippi bridge and the Crump Boulevard interchange. Hilly country in north Mississippi that is mostly wooded. View of the state capitol in Jackson. Maurepas Swamp elevated section northwest of NO. A few highlights of the 900 miles, and there really aren't many. At least in IL, there are several US 66 artifacts a short distance off the highway.

[Wayward Memphian]

Osceola got the 3 Billion Steel Plant

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/01/u-s-steel-to-locate-3-billion-steel-mill-in-northeast-arkansas/

You might not see it from the Interstate but that area is Steel Central these days.

[Road Hog]

Osceola got the 3 Billion Steel Plant

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/01/u-s-steel-to-locate-3-billion-steel-mill-in-northeast-arkansas/

You might not see it from the Interstate but that area is Steel Central these days.

Somebody mentioned the problem that these Mississippi County steel mills are hiring people from Little Rock, Memphis and farther who are willing to commute for that much pay while leaving the locals out in the cold.

[MikieTimT]

Osceola got the 3 Billion Steel Plant

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/01/u-s-steel-to-locate-3-billion-steel-mill-in-northeast-arkansas/

You might not see it from the Interstate but that area is Steel Central these days.

Somebody mentioned the problem that these Mississippi County steel mills are hiring people from Little Rock, Memphis and farther who are willing to commute for that much pay while leaving the locals out in the cold.

I seriously doubt they are explicitly leaving out qualified locals looking for work, but part of running any business is finding the most qualified workforce that can be had for as low a cost as possible.  I'm sure there are several willing to commute for work from Memphis and Jonesboro, but Little Rock would make for a rather long commute (3 hrs. each way) that should make some consider relocating to Jonesboro or closer if they don't mind rural or small town living.  There's only going to be so many under or unemployed in Mississippi County and the surrounding counties that would apply, especially given that there are other plants in the area competing for the same workforce.  I'm sure they'll also pull in some commuting in from KY, TN, and MO as well.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Are there any stretches of I-55 anywhere that aren't brutally boring?  Haven't actually driven much of it, event in Arkansas other than Memphis to Turrell, but what I have driven there and in the little bits of northern Mississippi to I-269, I haven't come across anything memorial for a positive reason.

Maybe not. I-20 in Mississippi kept me entertained; I-55 south of Jackson looks similar but less interesting, and I-55 north of Jackson was built after Mississippi started using all-but-identical precast concrete designs for every bridge. At least the landscape has some relief, though. The floodplains of Arkansas and Missouri don't.

Having to drive I-55 between Hammond, La & Memphis a few dozen times when I was working on my thesis at LSU, I didn't mind I-55 in Southern Mississippi. Enough small towns along the way to help countdown the distance to Jackson. The section between Jackson & Memphis I found brutal because there is nothing but trees till Senatobia. Then you feel like you've re-entered civilization approaching Memphis.