I-57 Approved

[GreenLanternCorps]

Project map:

[Gordon]

http://www.arkansashighways.com/news/2020_news/NR%2020-170.pdf This news article say is will from HWY. 5 to HWY. 89.

[I-39]

So this fixes the remaining substandard sections of the US 67 freeway in the Little Rock area, but what about continuing the highway north to the state line? It's been radio silence forever on that front.

[abqtraveler]

http://www.arkansashighways.com/news/2020_news/NR%2020-170.pdf This news article say is will from HWY. 5 to HWY. 89.

The section from Little Rock AFB (Vandenberg Blvd) to Hwy 5 is already under construction. The projects mentioned in the press release are immediately to the north and south of this section.

[Road Hog]

http://www.arkansashighways.com/news/2020_news/NR%2020-170.pdf This news article say is will from HWY. 5 to HWY. 89.

The section from Little Rock AFB (Vandenberg Blvd) to Hwy 5 is already under construction. The projects mentioned in the press release are immediately to the north and south of this section.

Vandenberg to Highway 5 is finished.

[abqtraveler]

http://www.arkansashighways.com/news/2020_news/NR%2020-170.pdf This news article say is will from HWY. 5 to HWY. 89.

The section from Little Rock AFB (Vandenberg Blvd) to Hwy 5 is already under construction. The projects mentioned in the press release are immediately to the north and south of this section.

Vandenberg to Highway 5 is finished.

They got that done quick. Photos on Google Maps show the stretch as still under construction. Figure Google needs to update their aerial photos and street-level view for this stretch.

[Bobby5280]

The aerial imagery is from October of 2018. Street View imagery is from August of 2019, showing the project from Vandenberg Blvd up to AR-5 mostly finished.

The stretch from Vandenberg Blvd down to Main Street is more problematic. The 8/2019 street view imagery shows no progress yet on that segment. And that's the one with the really BAD off ramps, like the sudden right turn at Ramada. That stupid nonsense was even built into new concrete slab right at the North end of that US-67 expansion project. The North side of the Main Street exit needs to be completely re-configured, and with that ramp to Ramada eliminated.

[mvak36]

Here's the link to the INFRA grant factsheet: https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/sites/buildamerica.dot.gov/files/2020-06/INFRA%202020%20Fact%20Sheet_0.pdf

It looks like they're going to build an SPUI at the interchange with AR-5.

[US71]

Here's the link to the INFRA grant factsheet: https://www.transportation.gov/buildamerica/sites/buildamerica.dot.gov/files/2020-06/INFRA%202020%20Fact%20Sheet_0.pdf

It looks like they're going to build an SPUI at the interchange with AR-5.

That interchange is a clusterfork being so close to 367.

[MikieTimT]

The headline on that story is misleading because US67 doesn't come close to Jonesboro.

There's still the Jacksonville project to even start, and there has been talk of widening 67 between Exit 16 and Exit 19. Maybe those are the projects.

Prosaic license from a media outlet, since Jonesboro is the largest city in NE AR, and the US 67 freeway is part of the most direct route from LR.  Maybe they think the plans for an Interstate spur along AR 226 (dating from I-30 speculation days) are still active.

AR-226 is 4 lane from US-67 to US-49, but the rest of the route to I-555 is "Arkansas Freeway" 5-lane.  It'd take quite a lot of work to put an Interstate through there as AR-226 has quite a few at-grade intersections and is seemingly always only a foot above the regular flooding on both sides of it.  I'd almost bet that US-63 from the end of I-555 to Walnut Ridge would be a better candidate for Interstate expansion in that area.  It would take new terrain with quite a bit of roadbed elevation as well as that stretch is flood-prone as well, especially NW of Bono.

[sparker]

The headline on that story is misleading because US67 doesn't come close to Jonesboro.

There's still the Jacksonville project to even start, and there has been talk of widening 67 between Exit 16 and Exit 19. Maybe those are the projects.

Prosaic license from a media outlet, since Jonesboro is the largest city in NE AR, and the US 67 freeway is part of the most direct route from LR.  Maybe they think the plans for an Interstate spur along AR 226 (dating from I-30 speculation days) are still active.

AR-226 is 4 lane from US-67 to US-49, but the rest of the route to I-555 is "Arkansas Freeway" 5-lane.  It'd take quite a lot of work to put an Interstate through there as AR-226 has quite a few at-grade intersections and is seemingly always only a foot above the regular flooding on both sides of it.  I'd almost bet that US-63 from the end of I-555 to Walnut Ridge would be a better candidate for Interstate expansion in that area.  It would take new terrain with quite a bit of roadbed elevation as well as that stretch is flood-prone as well, especially NW of Bono.

Believe it or not, that short stretch of AR 226, along with US 49 from the 49/226 junction to I-555, is in itself a federal high priority corridor (#52), listed since the SAFETEA-LU act of 2005.  Thus it's likely that significant federal funds were utilized in the construction of the 4-lane facility (and likely the 5-lane section of US 49 as well).  Why it wasn't placed on some sort of berm to raise it above regular flood levels, since it is a portion of the main LR-Jonesboro route (at least since the extension of the US 67 freeway), is a question for ADOT (likely $$).  Previous speculation aside, it'll likely never be considered for Interstate upgrades, since any extension of I-555 past Jonesboro would almost certainly utilize US 63's alignment. 

[US71]

The headline on that story is misleading because US67 doesn't come close to Jonesboro.

There's still the Jacksonville project to even start, and there has been talk of widening 67 between Exit 16 and Exit 19. Maybe those are the projects.

Prosaic license from a media outlet, since Jonesboro is the largest city in NE AR, and the US 67 freeway is part of the most direct route from LR.  Maybe they think the plans for an Interstate spur along AR 226 (dating from I-30 speculation days) are still active.

AR-226 is 4 lane from US-67 to US-49, but the rest of the route to I-555 is "Arkansas Freeway" 5-lane.  It'd take quite a lot of work to put an Interstate through there as AR-226 has quite a few at-grade intersections and is seemingly always only a foot above the regular flooding on both sides of it.  I'd almost bet that US-63 from the end of I-555 to Walnut Ridge would be a better candidate for Interstate expansion in that area.  It would take new terrain with quite a bit of roadbed elevation as well as that stretch is flood-prone as well, especially NW of Bono.

At one time, AR 226 was going become an Interstate x49, but I don't know if that's still on the table.

[sparker]

The headline on that story is misleading because US67 doesn't come close to Jonesboro.

There's still the Jacksonville project to even start, and there has been talk of widening 67 between Exit 16 and Exit 19. Maybe those are the projects.

Prosaic license from a media outlet, since Jonesboro is the largest city in NE AR, and the US 67 freeway is part of the most direct route from LR.  Maybe they think the plans for an Interstate spur along AR 226 (dating from I-30 speculation days) are still active.

AR-226 is 4 lane from US-67 to US-49, but the rest of the route to I-555 is "Arkansas Freeway" 5-lane.  It'd take quite a lot of work to put an Interstate through there as AR-226 has quite a few at-grade intersections and is seemingly always only a foot above the regular flooding on both sides of it.  I'd almost bet that US-63 from the end of I-555 to Walnut Ridge would be a better candidate for Interstate expansion in that area.  It would take new terrain with quite a bit of roadbed elevation as well as that stretch is flood-prone as well, especially NW of Bono.

At one time, AR 226 was going become an Interstate x49, but I don't know if that's still on the table.

Never heard of an I-x49; wrong side of the state for such a designation.  The "I-730" designation was bandied about for a while during the time it was expected that any Interstate upgrade of US 67 would simply be an extension of I-30.

[US71]

The headline on that story is misleading because US67 doesn't come close to Jonesboro.

There's still the Jacksonville project to even start, and there has been talk of widening 67 between Exit 16 and Exit 19. Maybe those are the projects.

Prosaic license from a media outlet, since Jonesboro is the largest city in NE AR, and the US 67 freeway is part of the most direct route from LR.  Maybe they think the plans for an Interstate spur along AR 226 (dating from I-30 speculation days) are still active.

AR-226 is 4 lane from US-67 to US-49, but the rest of the route to I-555 is "Arkansas Freeway" 5-lane.  It'd take quite a lot of work to put an Interstate through there as AR-226 has quite a few at-grade intersections and is seemingly always only a foot above the regular flooding on both sides of it.  I'd almost bet that US-63 from the end of I-555 to Walnut Ridge would be a better candidate for Interstate expansion in that area.  It would take new terrain with quite a bit of roadbed elevation as well as that stretch is flood-prone as well, especially NW of Bono.

At one time, AR 226 was going become an Interstate x49, but I don't know if that's still on the table.

Never heard of an I-x49; wrong side of the state for such a designation.  The "I-730" designation was bandied about for a while during the time it was expected that any Interstate upgrade of US 67 would simply be an extension of I-30.

Yeah. I got confused for a moment.

[I-39]

Any updates on this project? MoDOT stated they were going to finishing the EIS review for the next segment in July, and ArDOT has to be getting close to finding an alignment right?

[Road Hog]

I'm to the point where I say just give Pocahontas their dang interstate and let's start turning dirt.

[sprjus4]

I'm to the point where I say just give Pocahontas their dang interstate and let's start turning dirt.

That's likely what the preferred alternative will ultimately be. Only a couple more miles of construction, and actually serves a population center vs. nothing.

[edwaleni]

Any updates on this project? MoDOT stated they were going to finishing the EIS review for the next segment in July, and ArDOT has to be getting close to finding an alignment right?

Here is the draft route in Missouri.

[edwaleni]

Any updates on this project? MoDOT stated they were going to finishing the EIS review for the next segment in July, and ArDOT has to be getting close to finding an alignment right?

Funding issues due to COVID. Overall state revenues are down.

They are pushing for an extension of a sales tax and a fuel tax increase to cover the identified needs.

http://www.arkansashighways.com/PowerPoints/2020/Issue%201%20Presentation%20Website%20Version.pdf

[I-39]

Here is some new info.

ArDOT is doing an online public comment regarding the alternatives for the Future I-57 section between Walnut Ridge and the state line. They have a website with all of the alternatives.

https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/news/ardot-sets-online-meeting-regarding-i-57/article_eab3688d-1de2-57fb-9950-26e148661afd.html

future57.transportationplanroom.com (project info website)

All of the alternatives bypass Corning to the west side. Predictably, it seems the most expensive option is to upgrade the existing alignment. The only one that makes sense is Corridor 2 (building near Pocahontas, but on a new alignment). That is the cheapest option.

[ilpt4u]

Without the eastern Corning bypass, the UPRR route doesn't make as much sense, just to jog back to the west to take a western Corning bypass

Yeah, of these 3, Corridor 2 probably has it in the bag

Wonder what killed the Corning eastern bypass in conjunction with the UPRR/Corridor 3 routing?

[Bobby5280]

I would have preferred the Corridor 3 option, which follows AR-34 and the rail corridor somewhat parallel and completely bypasses Pocahontas. Unfortunately that route alternative has a really crooked hook at the top to tie into a Western bypass of Corning. That ends up making the Corridor 2 option look better. Plus it at least gets within the outskirts of Pocahontas.

The Corridor 1 option is just stupid. At least Corridors 2 & 3 would be able to use the existing US-67/US-412 interchange in Walnut Ridge without any significant alterations.

[Tomahawkin]

Where would a potential IH 57, U.S. 412 Interchange be at? That would be the biggest interchange in NEA, excluding the 55/555 interchange but I dont consider that a true interchange because no one uses the Eastern AR highway 77 route

[ilpt4u]

Where would a potential IH 57, U.S. 412 Interchange be at? That would be the biggest interchange in NEA, excluding the 55/555 interchange but I dont consider that a true interchange because no one uses the Eastern AR highway 77 route

That interchange is already there – US 67/Future I-57 and US 412. It is where the current US 67 Freeway ends east of Walnut Ridge, and the freeway stub for the next freeway segment, that is being studied for selection now, is already at this interchange

[Tomahawkin]

Nice. So we could have potentially 2 interchanges along IH 57. One being with IH 555 and the other being with U.S. 412. That's interesting for a area with not much development