I-555 - Official End

[MikieTimT]

If they sign I-555 all the way to AR 91, it will have a 4 1/2 mile overlap with US 63. Since this is Arkansas, US 63 will probably not be signed along the piggyback, leaving a signage gap on US 63 from the AR 91 interchange and the US 49 south/US 63 south interchange. They should leave it be, because I-555 cleanly ends at US 63 with no useless duplexes.

I think you must be confusing US-63 with US-49.  US-49 has a concurrency within Jonesboro of a few miles, but I-555 is concurrent with US-63 in its entirety.  And I don't recall I-555 being co-signed with US-49 on that few miles either.  I don't have an issue with terminating it at a state highway rather than a US highway.  Although, I'd certainly rather they take it all way to Future I-57 for sure.

[US71]

Were the US 63 signs underneath the I-555 signs? Arkansas usually puts the sign of the new designation in place of the old designation and they put the old signs underneath the new shields, sometimes hanging by only one bolt.

Usually below, yes, for free standing assemblies.

[The Ghostbuster]

Do let us know when/if Arkansas finally gets their act together, and signs 555 between US 49 and AR 91, like they should have done in the first place.

[Tomahawkin]

OT, does anyone think that the interchanges at US 49, Caraway road and Stadium Blvd completely suck and need makeovers? The traffic from the BS frontage roads and lack of traffic signals at some off ramps make those interchanges a cluster #### during the afternoons and evenings! Those interchanges need serious improvements especially during Christmas time,  it sucks...

[mvak36]

If they sign I-555 all the way to AR 91, it will have a 4 1/2 mile overlap with US 63. Since this is Arkansas, US 63 will probably not be signed along the piggyback, leaving a signage gap on US 63 from the AR 91 interchange and the US 49 south/US 63 south interchange. They should leave it be, because I-555 cleanly ends at US 63 with no useless duplexes.

I think you must be confusing US-63 with US-49.  US-49 has a concurrency within Jonesboro of a few miles, but I-555 is concurrent with US-63 in its entirety.  And I don't recall I-555 being co-signed with US-49 on that few miles either.  I don't have an issue with terminating it at a state highway rather than a US highway.  Although, I'd certainly rather they take it all way to Future I-57 for sure.

They re-routed (or will soon) US63. It will now follow US49 from I-40 in Brinkley up to I-555 before continuing NW on its current alignment. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf

And I agree that it should get extended out to I-57 (not sure how much construction would be involved to bring up to interstate standards).

[US71]

If they sign I-555 all the way to AR 91, it will have a 4 1/2 mile overlap with US 63. Since this is Arkansas, US 63 will probably not be signed along the piggyback, leaving a signage gap on US 63 from the AR 91 interchange and the US 49 south/US 63 south interchange. They should leave it be, because I-555 cleanly ends at US 63 with no useless duplexes.

I think you must be confusing US-63 with US-49.  US-49 has a concurrency within Jonesboro of a few miles, but I-555 is concurrent with US-63 in its entirety.  And I don't recall I-555 being co-signed with US-49 on that few miles either.  I don't have an issue with terminating it at a state highway rather than a US highway.  Although, I'd certainly rather they take it all way to Future I-57 for sure.

They re-routed (or will soon) US63. It will now follow US49 from I-40 in Brinkley up to I-555 before continuing NW on its current alignment. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf

And I agree that it should get extended out to I-57 (not sure how much construction would be involved to bring up to interstate standards).

Maybe someday they will, but probably not right now.

[sparker]

If they sign I-555 all the way to AR 91, it will have a 4 1/2 mile overlap with US 63. Since this is Arkansas, US 63 will probably not be signed along the piggyback, leaving a signage gap on US 63 from the AR 91 interchange and the US 49 south/US 63 south interchange. They should leave it be, because I-555 cleanly ends at US 63 with no useless duplexes.

I think you must be confusing US-63 with US-49.  US-49 has a concurrency within Jonesboro of a few miles, but I-555 is concurrent with US-63 in its entirety.  And I don't recall I-555 being co-signed with US-49 on that few miles either.  I don't have an issue with terminating it at a state highway rather than a US highway.  Although, I'd certainly rather they take it all way to Future I-57 for sure.

They re-routed (or will soon) US63. It will now follow US49 from I-40 in Brinkley up to I-555 before continuing NW on its current alignment. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf

And I agree that it should get extended out to I-57 (not sure how much construction would be involved to bring up to interstate standards).

Maybe someday they will, but probably not right now.

It's not really a "natural" movement from the US 67/proposed I-57 corridor eastward along US 63 to Jonesboro; from the south, most traffic would use AR 226 to get to that city, and from the north, there are several more efficient corridors from which to choose, such as AR 135 through Paragould (or directly west on AR 18 from northerly I-55 points).  Maybe after I-57 is completed, traffic patterns could conceivably change, but in the present situation, extending I-555 west to Walnut Ridge wouldn't provide much in the way of benefits.  It would likely take a regional corridor concept up into MO along US 63 to prompt interest regarding a limited-access facility following that route northwest of its current extent. 

[Tomahawkin]

I honestly wish that they would consider making 555 a corridor to Kansas City. Missouri would have to get involved on that corridor. It would be cool to get from Atlanta to Kansas City in 11 hours...

[Mapmikey]

They re-routed (or will soon) US63. It will now follow US49 from I-40 in Brinkley up to I-555 before continuing NW on its current alignment. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf

Updated GMSV on I-40 (credit to Spui_Ninja at TM forum for finding this) shows the BGS at US 49 now has a US 63 shield as well

[MikieTimT]

If they sign I-555 all the way to AR 91, it will have a 4 1/2 mile overlap with US 63. Since this is Arkansas, US 63 will probably not be signed along the piggyback, leaving a signage gap on US 63 from the AR 91 interchange and the US 49 south/US 63 south interchange. They should leave it be, because I-555 cleanly ends at US 63 with no useless duplexes.

I think you must be confusing US-63 with US-49.  US-49 has a concurrency within Jonesboro of a few miles, but I-555 is concurrent with US-63 in its entirety.  And I don't recall I-555 being co-signed with US-49 on that few miles either.  I don't have an issue with terminating it at a state highway rather than a US highway.  Although, I'd certainly rather they take it all way to Future I-57 for sure.

They re-routed (or will soon) US63. It will now follow US49 from I-40 in Brinkley up to I-555 before continuing NW on its current alignment. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf

And I agree that it should get extended out to I-57 (not sure how much construction would be involved to bring up to interstate standards).

17 miles of new terrain construction since it's currently 5 lane.

[US71]

I honestly wish that they would consider making 555 a corridor to Kansas City. Missouri would have to get involved on that corridor. It would be cool to get from Atlanta to Kansas City in 11 hours...

I don't forsee that in my lifetime.  Maybe to Walnut Ridge, but not until 57 is officially designated (beyond Future 57 signs.)

[The Ghostbuster]

Extending Interstate 555 to Kansas City is a pipe dream. Extending 555 to US 67/future Interstate 57 in Hoxie/Walnut Ridge: Possible, but unlikely anytime soon. Also, I've long heard that US 63 will be rerouted between Jonesboro and existing US 63 south of Interstate 40's Exit 193. Any idea on when that might happen?

[US71]

Extending Interstate 555 to Kansas City is a pipe dream. Extending 555 to US 67/future Interstate 57 in Hoxie/Walnut Ridge: Possible, but unlikely anytime soon. Also, I've long heard that US 63 will be rerouted between Jonesboro and existing US 63 south of Interstate 40's Exit 193. Any idea on when that might happen?

If Google Street View is any indication, US 63 now follows US 49 from Jonesboro to I-40 at Brinkley.  I may attempt to verify this this weekend.

[KamKam]

It is true. U.S. 63 is now concurrent with U.S. 49 between I-40 and I-555. The new Exit 216 sign (According to Google Street View on I-40 WB and Chris Schulz YouTube Channel MM 245-215 I-40 West Arkansas Video) Shows U.S. 49, U.S. 63 North and Arkansas 17

[Bobby5280]

This I-555 news is pretty much a nothing burger. I'd would be more enthused about it if I-555 was being extended beyond its current end thru the hills to Bono. That would open the door to a fairly simple extension to Walnut Ridge and the I-57 corridor.

As for "I-555 to Kansas City," that seems kind of ridiculous. Best case scenario for the very very long term: from Jonesboro, AR up to Willow Springs, MO (and US-60) the US-63 corridor could be four-laned and then later converted to Interstate quality. Arkansas has so many other corridor priorities ahead of US-63 and the Missouri border. And Missouri has their own priorities. Upgrading US-60 fully to limited access between Springfield and Sikeston is one such priority. MO-13 and US-65 going North out of Springfield are both splitting the difference in efforts to have an Interstate quality corridor between Springfield and Kansas City.

[edwaleni]

This I-555 news is pretty much a nothing burger. I'd would be more enthused about it if I-555 was being extended beyond its current end thru the hills to Bono. That would open the door to a fairly simple extension to Walnut Ridge and the I-57 corridor.

As for "I-555 to Kansas City," that seems kind of ridiculous. Best case scenario for the very very long term: from Jonesboro, AR up to Willow Springs, MO (and US-60) the US-63 corridor could be four-laned and then later converted to Interstate quality. Arkansas has so many other corridor priorities ahead of US-63 and the Missouri border. And Missouri has their own priorities. Upgrading US-60 fully to limited access between Springfield and Sikeston is one such priority. MO-13 and US-65 going North out of Springfield are both splitting the difference in efforts to have an Interstate quality corridor between Springfield and Kansas City.

US 60 is a 4 lane entity from Springfield to Charleston. MoDOT has been working to convert parts to limited access highway. The east end from Poplar Bluff to Charleston as part of the I-57 Extension, and from Springfield to Rogersville as part of the regional Springfield MSA upgrades.

I-555 will probably never go past Dan Avenue in our lifetimes.  East-West access from Jonesboro to US-67 is primarily serviced by the 4 lane Cash Road (AR-226). Northwest access by US-63, which is 4 lane but no median separation all the way to Black Rock, thanks to the recently replaced bridge over the Black River at Black Rock.

Arkansas long term strategy is to upgrade US-412 for east-west traffic. Not to extend US-63 capacity to Missouri.

I have used I-555 as an extension of I-22 to come back and forth from the southeast. But I face the choice of 2 hurdles. Slow moving RV/Boat traffic at Mountain Home, or the ancient road geometry north of Hardy to reach West Plains in Missouri. Once I get to West Plains its 4 lane all the way to Springfield. I tried the Branson-Harrison route to US-412, but getting through Harrison to Mountain Home is just too time consuming and onerous.

I have seriously considered using the US-412/I-155 route via Dyersburg, TN to reach Jackson, TN. But once again I hit some lousy road to avoid Atlanta. US-412 takes a weird jog to the southwest to get to Paragould. These are modern problems.

[capt.ron]

This may be old news for some on this board but ARDOT has a page concerning extending I-555 from US 49 to AR 91.
https://vpiph01-i555-extension-hwy-49-hwy-91-jonesboro-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/

[The Ghostbuster]

FINALLY! IT'S ABOUT TIME!

[MikieTimT]

This may be old news for some on this board but ARDOT has a page concerning extending I-555 from US 49 to AR 91.
https://vpiph01-i555-extension-hwy-49-hwy-91-jonesboro-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/

Yeah, that was posted back in Sept.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23703.msg2537405#msg2537405

[US71]

This may be old news for some on this board but ARDOT has a page concerning extending I-555 from US 49 to AR 91.
https://vpiph01-i555-extension-hwy-49-hwy-91-jonesboro-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/

Yeah, that was posted back in Sept.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23703.msg2537405#msg2537405

Seems a waste to me. Of course, all they are doing is replacing 63 signs with 555 signs.

[roadman65]

https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf


Found this application sent last year to relocate US 63.

[edwaleni]

https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf


Found this application sent last year to relocate US 63.

Not surprising. US-63 is pretty much an "all over the place" route after they decided to take it south of West Memphis.

[US71]

https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf


Found this application sent last year to relocate US 63.

Not surprising. US-63 is pretty much an "all over the place" route after they decided to take it south of West Memphis.

I don't understand the reasoning for "south" 63.  South of El Dorado, it's totally redundant with US 167. Arkansas wants to remove highways then add new ones elsewhere.

[edwaleni]

https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2019/06/003_USRN-Applications-Spring-Meeting-2019_AR-GA_Part-1.pdf


Found this application sent last year to relocate US 63.

Not surprising. US-63 is pretty much an "all over the place" route after they decided to take it south of West Memphis.

I don't understand the reasoning for "south" 63.  South of El Dorado, it's totally redundant with US 167. Arkansas wants to remove highways then add new ones elsewhere.

US-63 was never designed originally to go south of West Memphis. It was supposed to support northwest traffic to/from Memphis.

But it appears when Arkansas needed federal funding for a route south of Ripley, they decided to give US-63 the shuffle and brought it down I-40 so it would be continuous.

By retiring the route it removes the duplication that existed when they decided to extend it in the first place.

After this extension, I didn't hear many people bragging that they has clinched US-63 in Arkansas probably because of its non-logical routing.

[US71]

After this extension, I didn't hear many people bragging that they has clinched US-63 in Arkansas probably because of its non-logical routing.

I've tried , mostly using old maps and 6th sense.