Is anyone familiar with this new letting for I-555? I can't find a MLK Drive in Jonesboro that is being extended.
Craighead Hwy. 18S 100657 I-555 — Hwy. 49 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Extension) (Jonesboro) (S) New Location 4.6 $30 - $40 Million
Quote from: edwaleni on April 28, 2022, 10:22:19 AM
Is anyone familiar with this new letting for I-555? I can't find a MLK Drive in Jonesboro that is being extended.
Craighead Hwy. 18S 100657 I-555 — Hwy. 49 (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Extension) (Jonesboro) (S) New Location 4.6 $30 - $40 Million
There is no MLK in Jonesboro, unless one was recently designated and hasn't made any maps yet. 18S is Commerce Drive currently, so maybe they're renaming it or replacing with a new terrain build that will be named MLK?
https://www.kait8.com/2019/12/03/jonesboro-city-council-votes-rename-commerce-dr-after-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/ (https://www.kait8.com/2019/12/03/jonesboro-city-council-votes-rename-commerce-dr-after-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/)
Seems Commerce Drive was renamed last year.
Commerce Ave (AR-18) now MLK Drive is part of the eastern bypass plan for Jonesboro.
The extension is to connect it with the otherside of the railroad tracks with its seperated counterpart and to redo the exit with I-555.
A new Truck Stop immediately made a proposal to build on an adjacent property.
https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/eastern-bypass-slated-for-august/article_5827e643-76a5-5c7e-b6a0-771836f2d5c2.html (https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/eastern-bypass-slated-for-august/article_5827e643-76a5-5c7e-b6a0-771836f2d5c2.html)
Did they ever extend the Interstate 555 signage to Exit 49 (AR 91)? Or does it still terminate at Exit 45 (US 49 South/AR 18 East)?
Man, I was hoping that something was going to happen with Caraway Road and the Stadium Blvd interchanges with 555. Traffic on both those arteries of Jonesboro is FUBAR
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on April 28, 2022, 02:09:08 PM
Did they ever extend the Interstate 555 signage to Exit 49 (AR 91)? Or does it still terminate at Exit 45 (US 49 South/AR 18 East)?
I haven't been through since ARDOT approved it.
There are already roads in place allowing you to bypass Jonesboro from I-555 to Highway 49.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on April 28, 2022, 02:09:08 PM
Did they ever extend the Interstate 555 signage to Exit 49 (AR 91)? Or does it still terminate at Exit 45 (US 49 South/AR 18 East)?
Yes the Interstate has been extended to AR 91 (Exit 49)
Quote from: KamKam on May 01, 2022, 01:54:20 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on April 28, 2022, 02:09:08 PM
Did they ever extend the Interstate 555 signage to Exit 49 (AR 91)? Or does it still terminate at Exit 45 (US 49 South/AR 18 East)?
Yes the Interstate has been extended to AR 91 (Exit 49)
Has there been photographic evidence of this?
I read the thread title as "New York in Jonesboro" originally and said Nawwwww ... but you know ....
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 01, 2022, 02:19:21 PM
Quote from: KamKam on May 01, 2022, 01:54:20 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on April 28, 2022, 02:09:08 PM
Did they ever extend the Interstate 555 signage to Exit 49 (AR 91)? Or does it still terminate at Exit 45 (US 49 South/AR 18 East)?
Yes the Interstate has been extended to AR 91 (Exit 49)
Has there been photographic evidence of this?
Just an ARDOT Press Release. I've not been over there as of late.
I'll be there in 2-3 weeks for a job, so I'll have my smartphone camera on the ready when I go through there, unless someone beats me to it.
In July 2021, I took a picture of the South I-555 Sign placed after Exit 46 and before Southwest Dr (Exit 45) (https://i.ibb.co/pJqVM9G/20210720-113045-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pJqVM9G)
If memory serves correct, the road was already divided/controlled access, so it's mostly a formality to post it as 555
And another photographic evidence is that the 2022 Arkansas State Highway Map from ARDOT Shows I-555 being extended from Southwest Dr to AR 91 as well in the City Inset Map of Jonesboro
Quote from: KamKam on May 12, 2022, 09:57:41 PM
another photographic evidence
Quote from: KamKam on May 12, 2022, 09:57:41 PM
2022 Arkansas State Highway Map
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
^ When traveling US 49 through Jonesboro last year, signage at the US 49/I-555 junction at exit 45 indicated 555 went both west and east of that interchange. However, I turned east (to follow US 49) rather than west.
FWIW, my copy of the 2022 state highway map (picked up on a later trip) shows I-555 ending at AR 91.
Quote from: NE2 on May 12, 2022, 10:30:18 PM
Quote from: KamKam on May 12, 2022, 09:57:41 PM
another photographic evidence
Quote from: KamKam on May 12, 2022, 09:57:41 PM
2022 Arkansas State Highway Map
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
QUE? WTF?
At least they shouldn't have to change the exit signs
(https://live.staticflickr.com/8725/27843460684_358f84acd7_z_d.jpg)
Circa 2016
Quote from: MikieTimT on May 09, 2022, 11:55:41 AM
I'll be there in 2-3 weeks for a job, so I'll have my smartphone camera on the ready when I go through there, unless someone beats me to it.
Someone already beat you to it... :nod:
Alex and I drove it last Saturday, and I-555 is fully signed in both directions up to AR 91 (Exit 49) now, sans any reference to U.S. 63...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum_images/mid-south/i-555-n-exit-046-1.jpg)
Confirming marker posted along northbound ahead of AR 226 west (Exit 46). Taken 05/07/2022.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum_images/mid-south/ar-091-w-at-i-555.jpg)
AR 91 west at the ramp to I-555 south. Taken 05/07/2022.
Heading south on U.S. 63 there is a JCT for I-555 ahead of the interchange with AR 91.
Quote from: flaroads on May 13, 2022, 11:07:03 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on May 09, 2022, 11:55:41 AM
I'll be there in 2-3 weeks for a job, so I'll have my smartphone camera on the ready when I go through there, unless someone beats me to it.
Someone already beat you to it... :nod:
Alex and I drove it last Saturday, and I-555 is fully signed in both directions up to AR 91 (Exit 49) now, sans any reference to U.S. 63...
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum_images/mid-south/i-555-n-exit-046-1.jpg)
Confirming marker posted along northbound ahead of AR 226 west (Exit 46). Taken 05/07/2022.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum_images/mid-south/ar-091-w-at-i-555.jpg)
AR 91 west at the ramp to I-555 south. Taken 05/07/2022.
Heading south on U.S. 63 there is a JCT for I-555 ahead of the interchange with AR 91.
Good deal! I figured there's enough roadgeeks around here that surely someone this time of year especially would run through the area as it's a pretty logical diagonal route for a good number of folks.
The rule of ARDOT: if a US highway runs concurrent with an interstate highway, there shall be no mention of the US highway's existence (with the exception of I-530's very southern end mentioning I-530/US 63/US 65/US 79).
OT For anyone who lives or works in Jonesboro? Are both Caraway Road and Stadium Blvd, 2 big ClusterF--ks? If anyone agrees? "Give me a Hell Yeah!"
Quote from: cjk374 on May 21, 2022, 10:40:12 AM
The rule of ARDOT: if a US highway runs concurrent with an interstate highway, there shall be no mention of the US highway's existence (with the exception of I-530's very southern end mentioning I-530/US 63/US 65/US 79).
]
Overheads must be an exception.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/2932/14035632240_f13afb6e0c_w_d.jpg)
Quote from: US71 on May 21, 2022, 12:59:47 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on May 21, 2022, 10:40:12 AM
The rule of ARDOT: if a US highway runs concurrent with an interstate highway, there shall be no mention of the US highway's existence (with the exception of I-530's very southern end mentioning I-530/US 63/US 65/US 79).
Overheads must be an exception.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/2932/14035632240_f13afb6e0c_w_d.jpg)
I did forget about some overheads. The I-530/US 167 junctions shows all of the US highways in play.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.5652127,-92.2721752,3a,75y,59.88h,90.03t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sVZjFXyMbkjsqfvE6gprHlA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DVZjFXyMbkjsqfvE6gprHlA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D150.2904%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Of course, IMO, this is merely window dressing. Nothing is really changing except a few signs. I don't see whey 555 has to be extended. It's not like you're going from one road to another. ARDOT does strange things, sometimes.
Looks like the study on I-555 is almost done.
https://www.kait8.com/2023/10/21/ardot-hold-public-meeting-interstate-555/ (https://www.kait8.com/2023/10/21/ardot-hold-public-meeting-interstate-555/)
https://public-meeting-i555-planning-study-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/ (https://public-meeting-i555-planning-study-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/)
Are they planning to expand Interstate 555 in Jonesboro to six lanes?
It sounds like the study is only covering improvements to interchanges in Jonesboro. A 3x3 upgrade certain seems possible though. There is enough room to expand into the median.
Jonesboro has been growing significantly over the past couple decades. The city had 55,515 people in the 2000 Census and 78,576 in the 2020 Census. The 2023 estimate is 81,969. Metro pop is 135,287. That kind of growth should point toward a need to further improve the I-555 corridor as well as US-63 going NW out of Jonesboro. I think I-555 should be extended farther NW to Walnut Ridge. That could connect into whatever improvements AR DOT ultimately makes with the US-412 corridor.
Quote from: Bobby5280 on October 22, 2023, 04:16:38 PM
It sounds like the study is only covering improvements to interchanges in Jonesboro. A 3x3 upgrade certain seems possible though. There is enough room to expand into the median.
Jonesboro has been growing significantly over the past couple decades. The city had 55,515 people in the 2000 Census and 78,576 in the 2020 Census. The 2023 estimate is 81,969. Metro pop is 135,287. That kind of growth should point toward a need to further improve the I-555 corridor as well as US-63 going NW out of Jonesboro. I think I-555 should be extended farther NW to Walnut Ridge. That could connect into whatever improvements AR DOT ultimately makes with the US-412 corridor.
I suspect that until I-57 (US-67) is completed between Walnut Ridge AR and Sikeston, MO the majority of traffic out of Jonesboro is either west (to Little Rock via Cash Road) or southeast (to Memphis via I-555).
While Pocahontas has large plans for supporting logistics and warehousing once I-57 is done, my gut feeling is that many of them will end up in Walnut Ridge simply due to the intersection of several arterials and this will generate more truck traffic to Jonesboro in the long term to/from the NW.
Walnut Ridge is most definitely in a better location for things like giant logistics warehouses. I think that's because US-63 could turn into a pretty important route on its own. There is a diagonal line that I-22 starts in Birmingham up to Memphis. I-555 continues that diagonal line. US-63 continues that up into Southern Missouri where it merges into the US-60 corridor. And that's another corridor that could eventually be turned into an Interstate-class route. US-60 is currently 4-lane divided nearly all the way between Springfield and Sikeston. It has some existing limited access segments. It was targeted as the corridor of choice for that I-66 project that was never realized. Still, I can see that corridor being fully limited access.
Beyond US-60 and Springfield there's the US-400 corridor from Joplin to Wichita. An actual Interstate might (hopefully) take a more direct path.
Quote from: Bobby5280 on October 23, 2023, 11:00:36 PM
Walnut Ridge is most definitely in a better location for things like giant logistics warehouses. I think that's because US-63 could turn into a pretty important route on its own. There is a diagonal line that I-22 starts in Birmingham up to Memphis. I-555 continues that diagonal line. US-63 continues that up into Southern Missouri where it merges into the US-60 corridor. And that's another corridor that could eventually be turned into an Interstate-class route. US-60 is currently 4-lane divided nearly all the way between Springfield and Sikeston. It has some existing limited access segments. It was targeted as the corridor of choice for that I-66 project that was never realized. Still, I can see that corridor being fully limited access.
Beyond US-60 and Springfield there's the US-400 corridor from Joplin to Wichita. An actual Interstate might (hopefully) take a more direct path.
Yes, when I drive to Springfield MO from Florida, I take that route you just outlined (I-22 to Memphis, I-555 to Jonesboro, US63/US60 to Springfield) so I understand your thinking.
Only 1 bad section and that is the part from Hardy to Thayer. The rest is all manageable.
I'd actually like to see I-22 extended farther Southeast from Birmingham down to Columbus, GA and then follow Corridor Z (GA-520) thru Albany to Tifton at least, if not to Waycross and down to Jacksonville. On the bright side routes like US-82/GA-520 across GA and US-280 from Columbus to Birmingham is mostly 4-lane divided. Still, it's not Interstate quality (speed zones, some traffic lights, etc).
Back in Arkansas, AR DOT may end up 4-laning all of US-412/US-63 from Walnut Ridge up to Hardy. The Hardy to Thayer segment is pretty hilly. That would probably be the last segment tackled if US-63 got serious upgrades between Walnut Ridge and Willow Springs, MO.
Could the route instead head north to Pocahontas and then northwest along some state highways? This could avoid some of the hillier areas. Perhaps AR-90 and 93 and MO BB to Myrtle and MO-142bveyond that?
Either choice would require a lot of grading work and some hillside cuts. US-63 has the advantage of hitting more significant towns along the way and generally being the most direct route from Walnut Ridge to Springfield, MO.
IIRC, they once had I-730 ready to go if I-30 had been extended northeast, but now that's a no-go thanks in part to I-57's southwestern extension. And also, AR 226 was to be either upgraded or paralleled by the now-dead freeway, and with I-555 planned to go even further beyond Jonesboro, there appears to be no need to do anything with AR 226.
Been so long since I was in the area that it was when US 67's freeway ended at AR 226.
I need to get out more.
I always thought the Interstate 730 upgrade was likely overkill to the AR 226 corridor. Does AR 226 really need an Interstate upgrade? Even if the upgrade were constructed, it would likely now have to be Interstate 157. That probably would not require the renumbering of existing AR 157, since the two routes would be far enough apart to avoid confusion.
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on October 26, 2023, 11:44:09 AM
I always thought the Interstate 730 upgrade was likely overkill to the AR 226 corridor. Does AR 226 really need an Interstate upgrade? Even if the upgrade were constructed, it would likely now have to be Interstate 157. That probably would not require the renumbering of existing AR 157, since the two routes would be far enough apart to avoid confusion.
US-49 is a 5-lane until US-49 splits off south of Jonesboro, then AR-226 picks up as a 4 lane divided highway until US-67/Future I-57. Given the traffic counts and need for farm machinery to use the road, I would think it would be quite some time before there is anything else done to that stretch.
Quote from: Henry on October 25, 2023, 10:14:52 PM
IIRC, they once had I-730 ready to go if I-30 had been extended northeast, but now that's a no-go thanks in part to I-57's southwestern extension. And also, AR 226 was to be either upgraded or paralleled by the now-dead freeway, and with I-555 planned to go even further beyond Jonesboro, there appears to be no need to do anything with AR 226.
Sure there is! Make a US highway out of it!
My understanding in the past was that AHTD (now ARDOT) contracted out interstate signage to a private vendor. That's why state shields on the off ramp looked different than department spec. May still do so, haven't been looking for it lately, but next time I'm up there I'll check.
The Triple Nickle needs extended to future I-57 from Bay over to the end of the 4 lane at Valley View that's upgrade to Interstate standard. At least acquire the ROW for it near term. US 49 needs rerouted down Ark 1 since US shares that route down to Brinkley now.