I-57 Approved

[MikieTimT]

North Carolina has approved agricultural vehicle access to a couple of new interstates in the eastern part of the state - I-87 and I-42.

The existing limited access portions of these routes already permit them, and they don't intend to change that.

I recall that Wisconsin had to seek Congressional approval to allow agricultural vehicles on US-41 before it could be re-designated as I-41. Would Congressional approval be required for I-57 as well?

I-555 between Payneway and Marked Tree has a 4 mile section that has warning signs that there might be agricultural equipment using it.  They were originally supposed to build a parallel road across the floodway for farm equipment, but ended up getting the exception written into legislation instead, which I guarantee would happen again with this 5 mile section, assuming FHWA even forces the issue this time.  The road number itself was legislated, so they won't have an issue introducing another piece of legislation to force the exception.  ARDOT isn't going to build a bridge across the White River just for a few pieces of machinery during the peak ag season.  Money is scarce in this state, and we have lots of other new interstates to fund.

[Molandfreak]

North Carolina has approved agricultural vehicle access to a couple of new interstates in the eastern part of the state - I-87 and I-42.

The existing limited access portions of these routes already permit them, and they don't intend to change that.

I recall that Wisconsin had to seek Congressional approval to allow agricultural vehicles on US-41 before it could be re-designated as I-41. Would Congressional approval be required for I-57 as well?

I believe this is also why the Des Moines bypass couldn't become I-335.

[MikieTimT]

North Carolina has approved agricultural vehicle access to a couple of new interstates in the eastern part of the state - I-87 and I-42.

The existing limited access portions of these routes already permit them, and they don't intend to change that.

I recall that Wisconsin had to seek Congressional approval to allow agricultural vehicles on US-41 before it could be re-designated as I-41. Would Congressional approval be required for I-57 as well?

I believe this is also why the Des Moines bypass couldn't become I-335.

That's not going to happen in this case.  This I-57 segment has already been legislated into existence, and given this exception has already been made on another interstate in the same general vicinity, you can bank on it being made again, unless someone wants to break out a check for several million dollars to fund a 5 mile farm equipment bypass over a navigable river.  It's not like there is local traffic that would also use a parallel facility.  It's a floodplain that no one lives on, so there tends to be rather large tracts of land owned by a single entity that may not even live in the area.  We aren't talking about more than a handful of crossings a year as a result.

[TBKS1]

Official designation meeting for I-57 to be held in Beebe on Thursday, November 7th at 1:00 PM CDT. I will be at the meeting. https://www.ardot.gov/events/join-us-for-the-interstate-57-designation/

[Henry]

So this means US 67/US 167 will have I-57 shields, with a gap between Walnut Ridge and Sikeston?

[Road Hog]

Wow, this is great news. So it looks like a done deal. They wouldn't call a big-ass presser if it weren't. Maybe a little odd they chose to hold it in Beebe and not Searcy?

[Road Hog]

So this means US 67/US 167 will have I-57 shields, with a gap between Walnut Ridge and Sikeston?

There's a big 170-mile gap in I-49 right now. The interstate system had gaps in the 1960s and 1970s that got filled in over time.

[ilpt4u]

I have faith MoDOT and ArDOT will get the gap filled in. Both states seem like they want this done. May take 20 years but it feels like 57 will make it to Little Rock and I-40 from Sikeston and I-55

Yes the states have other priorities like 70 and 44 in MO and 40 in AR, but 57 is achievable

[TBKS1]

So this means US 67/US 167 will have I-57 shields, with a gap between Walnut Ridge and Sikeston?

Yes. This has historically been pretty common, I-49 is kinda seen as the poster child of this but plenty of others have done so as well.

Wow, this is great news. So it looks like a done deal. They wouldn't call a big-ass presser if it weren't. Maybe a little odd they chose to hold it in Beebe and not Searcy?

Yeah I'm not sure why they chose Beebe for this event, Searcy would have worked better as it's at the sort-of midpoint of what's currently built of soon to be I-57 in Arkansas, maybe they didn't want to have it too far outside of Little Rock, plus there's a bunch of lane expansion projects ongoing in Jacksonville and Cabot which would make it difficult to host there.

I have faith MoDOT and ArDOT will get the gap filled in. Both states seem like they want this done. May take 20 years but it feels like 57 will make it to Little Rock and I-40 from Sikeston and I-55

Yes the states have other priorities like 70 and 44 in MO and 40 in AR, but 57 is achievable

Probably won't take as long as we might think. Keep in mind that the Corning bypass got approved a couple of months ago, and construction is expected to start late next year. Once that's completed, all that would be left is the section paralleling AR 34/90 and a bridge over the Black River which would take the longest. That's just on the Arkansas side, in Missouri, US 67/60 through Poplar Bluff to I-57 is already close to interstate standards with just a few more tweaks needed.

[MikieTimT]

I have faith MoDOT and ArDOT will get the gap filled in. Both states seem like they want this done. May take 20 years but it feels like 57 will make it to Little Rock and I-40 from Sikeston and I-55

Yes the states have other priorities like 70 and 44 in MO and 40 in AR, but 57 is achievable

The Commissioner of ARDOT is from NEA, so it's going to happen before some other things that we might think of as more important for political reasons in addition to the fact that it isn't particularly difficult engineering, ROW procurement, and road building compared to the northwestern half of the state, and thus isn't as expensive per road mile as I-49.

[bugo]

This sucks, because this means the iconic US 64/67/167 sign assemblies are likely coming down.

[TBKS1]

This sucks, because this means the iconic US 64/67/167 sign assemblies are likely coming down.

Yeah... rest in peace to an iconic three-way concurrency, even though this technically will become a four-way concurrency after the I-57 designation although unlikely for all four routes to be signed between Beebe and Bald Knob lol

That being said, I do think there is a chance that they may continue to co-sign US 67 at the minimum with I-57 as it would be a brand new designation that a lot of people might not be used to. ARDOT almost never signs Interstate/US Route concurrencies (and most concurrencies in general) but I do think they may still continue to sign US 67 for at least some time afterwards.

Obviously for one, I live here, so I'll be able to provide photo updates as time goes on.

[The Ghostbuster]

It's good to hear Interstate 57 will be signposted along the US 67 corridor. Does this mean that AR 440 will finally be signposted as an extension of Interstate 440? I believe the reason AR 440 was signed as a state Highway upon completion is because it did not connect with an Interstate at the northern terminus.

[TBKS1]

It's good to hear Interstate 57 will be signposted along the US 67 corridor. Does this mean that AR 440 will finally be signposted as an extension of Interstate 440? I believe the reason AR 440 was signed as a state Highway upon completion is because it did not connect with an Interstate at the northern terminus.

Yes, this was also mentioned in the latest minute order from September 18th. (link)

[MikieTimT]

I emailed the ARDOT engineer I've been getting I-57 info from over the past month and got this response to my inquiry:

Me:
Out of curiosity, and I don't know if you would be involved in this at all, but I was wondering if AR-440 would be redesignated I-440 at the conclusion of CA0604 as it would be connected on both ends to an Interstate at that point.  Thanks again for keeping the public in the loop!!

ARDOT Engineer:
Yes, you are right. AR-440 will be eventually redesignated I-440. Currently, we are working on the AASHTO US Route Numbering Change application for this route.

So, it's in the works.

[capt.ron]

They are having the I-57 designation meeting today (7 November, 2024) at the ASU Beebe campus - Centennial Bank Gym at 1 pm.

[TBKS1]

Okay so I attended the I-57 official designation meeting earlier today. I'm not completely certain when they'll start putting up new shields, I imagine it'll probably happen really soon (even on the BGS's on I-40 and I-440 that were quite literally just installed). I literally live right off of I-57 and drive by it almost every day. I'll let you guys know when it gets signed in the metro (and beyond)

Got a couple photos, including the unveiling of the sign and stealing an I-57 cookie from the table.

[PColumbus73]

The numbers on the cookie looks better than the shields

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Okay so I attended the I-57 official designation meeting earlier today. I'm not completely certain when they'll start putting up new shields, I imagine it'll probably happen really soon (even on the BGS's on I-40 and I-440 that were quite literally just installed). I literally live right off of I-57 and drive by it almost every day. I'll let you guys know when it gets signed in the metro (and beyond)

Got a couple photos, including the unveiling of the sign and stealing an I-57 cookie from the table.

So is it officially I-57 now? Still confused if it's been approved by all parties involved.

[Anthony_JK]

Neutered shields??? Why?? Are they going to set aside the cash to replace them with proper state-listed shields when the Missouri portion is completed?? 

[TBKS1]

Neutered shields??? Why?? Are they going to set aside the cash to replace them with proper state-listed shields when the Missouri portion is completed??

Can you explain? I don't see the issue here

[TBKS1]

So is it officially I-57 now? Still confused if it's been approved by all parties involved.

Yes, this was the official designation meeting, so this is the official designation of I-57. It's just not signed yet. That being said, when it gets signed, I WILL let you all know.

[Anthony_JK]

Neutered shields??? Why?? Are they going to set aside the cash to replace them with proper state-listed shields when the Missouri portion is completed??

Can you explain? I don't see the issue here

Usually, with Interstates intended to cross state lines like I-57 crossing into MO, they will put in non-neutered shields with the state name blasted on it (such as my profile emoji LA I-49 shield). Kind of surprised that ARDOT is going with the neutered shields without the state name; though, not really a big deal in the process of completing the I-57 extension/upgrade. If they do decide to switch over to non-neutered shields when the MO section is completed, it's gonna be kind of costly, especially if they finish early.

[NE2]

That's not how this works. At all.

[Alex]

Neutered shields??? Why?? Are they going to set aside the cash to replace them with proper state-listed shields when the Missouri portion is completed??

Can you explain? I don't see the issue here

Usually, with Interstates intended to cross state lines like I-57 crossing into MO, they will put in non-neutered shields with the state name blasted on it (such as my profile emoji LA I-49 shield). Kind of surprised that ARDOT is going with the neutered shields without the state name; though, not really a big deal in the process of completing the I-57 extension/upgrade. If they do decide to switch over to non-neutered shields when the MO section is completed, it's gonna be kind of costly, especially if they finish early.

Arkansas dropped the state name from their shield design prior to Interstate 49 being signed in the state. Missouri also dropped it going back to 2016, though some new state name shields still appear in signing projects. So neutered I-57 shields should be the standard going forward.