U.S. Route 67 in Arkansas

U.S. Highway 67 marker
U.S. Highway 67
Map
US 67 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Length279.15 mi[1] (449.25 km)
Major junctions
South end US 67 / US 82 at the Texas state line
Major intersections
North end Future I-57 / US 67 near Corning at the Missouri state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesMiller, Hempstead, Nevada, Clark, Hot Spring, Saline, Pulaski, Lonoke, White, Jackson, Craighead, Lawrence, Randolph, Clay
Highway system
AR 66 AR 69

U.S. Route 67 (US 67) is a U.S. highway running from Presidio, Texas northeast to Sabula, Iowa. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 279.15 miles (449.25 km) from the Texas border in Texarkana northeast to the Missouri border near Corning.[1] The route passes through several cities and towns, including Hope, Benton, Little Rock, Jacksonville, Cabot, Beebe, Walnut Ridge, and Pocahontas.

Route description

[edit]
US 67 is concurrent with US 64 and US 167 between Beebe and Bald Knob.

US 67 enters Arkansas from Texas in Texarkana, concurrent with US 82, along the one-way 7th Street; the other half of the one-way couplet, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, carries traffic toward Texarkana, Texas. Upon crossing State Line Avenue, the two routes share a brief concurrency with US 71 before that route turns to the south along Hickory Street. Past this intersection, the one-way couplet merges onto 9th Street. Shortly thereafter, US 67 separates from US 82 and travels to the northeast along Broad Street, crossing Interstate 49 and passing Texarkana Regional Airport.[2]

US 67 then runs parallel to Interstate 30, passing through cities such as Hope, Prescott, Arkadelphia, and Malvern. Near Benton, US 67 merges with I-30.[3] The two routes run concurrently to Little Rock, where the freeway also picks up US 65 and US 167. In North Little Rock, US 67 and US 167 turn to the east, concurrent with Interstate 40 for about 2 miles (3.2 km), before branching off to the northeast as a freeway.[4]

In Beebe, the two routes begin a concurrency with U.S. 64. The three routes part ways in Bald Knob, with US 67 continuing as a freeway to the northeast. Just north of US 412 in Walnut Ridge, the freeway ends at a large, partially-complete interchange, and US 67 becomes a five-lane undivided highway north to Pocahontas. From Pocahontas, the road turns northeasterly and then easterly as the original two-lane highway concurrent with US 62. In Corning, US 62 continues to the east while US 67 turns northward again before crossing the Missouri state line.[5]

History

[edit]
Original trace of the Southwest Trail, precursor to U.S. Route 67 in the area.

The southwest-northeast bisector of Arkansas has always been an integral motor route.[6] Prior to designation as US 67, the route was known as the Southwest Trail, an old military road around 1803.[6] The Southwest Trail connected St. Louis, Missouri with Texas by steamboat in Fulton, Arkansas.[7] The main railroad was built along the Southwest Trail, which developed many towns along the route. President Andrew Jackson appropriated money for the route in 1831, and designated it as a National Road. Although the route shifted slightly, it always has followed the natural break between the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain.

Money for road maintenance was raised individually by county in the early 20th century, which hindered development of the route.[6] In the 1920s, federal money became available, and the route was designated U.S. Route 67. The routing followed the Lakes to Gulf Highway and the Bankhead Highway. Federal designation brought paving to the route, which grew the small towns along the route.

In early 2009, the Arkansas legislature passed a bill naming the portion of US-67 from the Missouri state line to Jackson County "Rock n' Roll U.S. 67" as a tribute to the route that many musicians of the 1950s and 1960s took as they traveled. Governor Mike Beebe stated that he had hopes that the naming would bring tourism to northeast Arkansas. Portions of the route, and also Arkansas Highway 7 between Hope and Hot Springs frequently used by Bill Clinton is designated The Highway of Hope by Arkansas Code § 27-67-220.

National Register of Historic Places

[edit]

Several portions of the original late 1920s alignment of US 67 have survived, some of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One listed segment is in Lawrence County, which is about 11.25 miles (18.11 km) in length, and runs north from Alicia to Hoxie, most of this being sandwiched between the present Arkansas Highway 367 and US 67, and the adjacent railroad tracks. Near the village of Village Creek Relief it briefly turns west, crossing Village Creek, and then rejoining the railroad tracks near the town of Relief.[8] A second listed segment, also about 11 miles (18 km) in length, extends from Biggers in central eastern Randolph County, northeast to Datto in Clay County, and then straight north to a junction with Arkansas Highway 211.[9]

Mandeville

[edit]
KML is not from Wikidata

Listed on the NRHP as Old US 67, Mandeville, a historic roadway section of US 67 is preserved in Miller County, Arkansas. It travels parallel to railroad tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad for 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from an intersection with Highway 237, just north of the Texarkana Airport, northeast to Miller County Road 63. The southern portion of this road is called Mandeville Road, and is designated Arkansas Highway 296. It is eventually redesignated Miller County Road 138, and is an unnamed side road of the current alignment of U.S. Route 67 (US 67) in its northernmost stretch. Built in 1929 out of concrete, it is the longest stretch of original pavement on the Old US 67 alignment in Miller County.[10]

The roadway was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.[11]

Future

[edit]

Arkansas is upgrading US 67 to Interstate standards from Little Rock to the Missouri state line, and the corridor is slated to become an extension of Interstate 57.[12] The freeway currently runs from Little Rock to Walnut Ridge. New freeway is in active planning from Walnut Ridge to Missouri, on a path generally southeast of the current US-67 highway, except where it will pass northwest of Corning[13] ArDOT has announced that construction will begin in 2024 for the short segment that will bypass Corning, and tentatively in 2026 for the segment from the northern Corning interchange to the Missouri state line. It is unknown when the remaining segments between Walnut Ridge and Corning will be funded and built. [14]

Major intersections

[edit]
CountyLocationmikmExitDestinationsNotes
MillerTexarkana0.00.0

US 67 south / US 82 west (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)
Continuation into Texas

US 71 north (State Line Avenue)
South end of US 71 overlap for northbound traffic; Texas state line
0.10.16
US 71 north (Hazel Street) – Texarkana Business District
South end of US 71 overlap for southbound traffic
0.50.80
US 71 south (Hickory Street)
North end of US 71 overlap
1.01.6
US 82 east (East 9th Street)
North end of US 82 overlap; to I-49 south
AR 245 (now part of I-49)Closed interchange
3.65.8 Arkansas Boulevard / Airport Drive – AirportTo I-49 north
4.36.9

AR 237 south / AR 296 east – Mandeville
Mandeville6.410.3


AR 296 west to I-30 / US 71
8.213.2

AR 108 west to I-30
13.221.2
I-30 west – Texarkana
I-30 exit 12
Red RiverBridge
HempsteadFulton18.930.4
AR 355 north – Fulton, Millwood Dam
19.531.4 I-30 – Little Rock, TexarkanaI-30 exit 18; access via CR 1
Guernsey27.043.5
AR 353 north – Guernsey
Hope31.751.0
AR 174 east (Fulton Street)
32.051.5

US 278B west (Hervey Street) to I-30
South end of US 278B overlap
32.352.0
AR 29B south (Main Street)
South end of AR 29B overlap
32.452.1
AR 29B north (Hazel Street)
North end of AR 29B overlap
33.253.4
US 278 / AR 29 (Bill Clinton Drive) to I-30
North end of US 278B overlap
33.553.9
AR 73 south
35.356.8
AR 174 west
NevadaEmmet40.565.2

AR 299 north to I-30
South end of AR 299 overlap
40.765.5

AR 299 south to AR 53
North end of AR 299 overlap
Prescott47.776.8
AR 332 west (Washington Road) – De Ann
48.077.2
US 371 south – Magnolia
South end of US 371 overlap
48.477.9


US 371 north / AR 24 east to I-30 – Nashville, Bluff City
North end of US 371 overlap
Clark58.994.8

AR 51 north to I-30 – Okolona
South end of AR 51 overlap
61.498.8
AR 51 south – Beirne
North end of AR 51 overlap
Gurdon64.8104.3
AR 53 south – Whelen Springs, White Oak Lake State Park
South end of AR 53 overlap
65.2104.9
AR 182 west – Okolona
65.7105.7


AR 53 north to I-30 / AR 51
North end of AR 53 overlap
74.4119.7 AR 26S – Clark County Industrial Park
Gum Springs75.1120.9
AR 26 (Reynolds Road) to I-30
Arkadelphia80.3129.2


AR 7 south / AR 8 east / AR 51 north (Caddo Street)
South end of AR 7 / AR 8 / AR 51 overlap
80.6129.7



AR 8 west / AR 26 west / AR 51 south (Pine Street) to I-30 – Antoine, Amity
North end of AR 8 / AR 51 overlap
Caddo Valley85.7137.9
I-30 / AR 7 north – Hot Springs, DeGray Dam
North end of AR 7 overlap; I-30 exit 78
Hot SpringFriendship89.9144.7

AR 283 north to I-30
Donaldson94.6152.2



AR 51Y south to AR 51 south / AR 222 – Donaldson Business District
95.2153.2

AR 51 south to AR 222 – Donaldson Business District
Malvern106.0170.6


US 270B west / AR 9 south (South Main Street) to I-30
South end of US 270B overlap
108.7174.9
US 270 to I-30 – Hot Springs, Sheridan

US 270B ends
North end of US 270B overlap
110.7178.2
AR 171 south
Saline117.7189.4 I-30 – Texarkana, Little RockI-30 exit 106
Haskell123.2198.3
AR 229 south – Haskell, Traskwood
South end of AR 229 overlap
124.7200.7Southern end of freeway section
114


I-30 west / US 70 west / AR 229 north – Texarkana
South end of I-30 / US 70 overlap; north end of AR 229 overlap
see I-30
PulaskiNorth Little Rock153.4246.9143A (NB)
153 (SB)



I-40 west / US 65 north / AR 107 north (JFK Boulevard) – Conway, Fort Smith

I-30 ends
North end of I-30 / US 65 overlap; south end of I-40 overlap; signed as exits 153A (AR 107) and 153B (I-40) southbound
154.4248.5154North Hills BoulevardNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
155.0249.4155
I-40 east – Memphis

Future I-57 begins
North end of I-40 overlap
155.9–
156.2
250.9–
251.4
1McCain BoulevardSigned as exits 1A (east) and 1B (west) northbound
Sherwood156.9252.52Trammel RoadNorthbound exit only
158.2254.63Wildwood Avenue / Trammel RoadTrammel Road not signed northbound
158.9255.74
AR 176Y north to Brockington Road
Northbound exit and southbound entrance
159.3256.45
AR 176 west (Kiehl Avenue)
Jacksonville161.0259.16 AR 440 – Memphis, TexarkanaAR 440 exit 13
163.3262.88Redmond RoadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
163.5263.19Main Street
164.2264.310AJames Street
165.1265.710B
AR 161 south / Gregory Street
AR 161 not signed southbound; no access across US 67
165.6266.511A
AR 161 south / Vandenberg Boulevard
Signed as exit 11 southbound; AR 161 not signed northbound
166.3267.611BAir Force BaseNorthbound exit and entrance
Lonoke170.7–
171.0
274.7–
275.2
16


AR 5 north / AR 321 north / AR 367 north – Heber Springs, Cabot
Signed as exits 16A (AR 321) and exit 16B (AR 5) northbound
Cabot173.4279.119 AR 89 – Cabot
175.4282.321
AR 38 east – Cabot
Austin176.6284.222 AR 305 – Austin
Ward179.2288.425 AR 319 – Ward
WhiteBeebe182.8294.228

US 64 west / US 67B north – Beebe, Conway
South end of US 64 overlap
183.8295.829 AR 367S – Beebe
185.1297.931
US 67B south / AR 31 – Beebe, Antioch
189.6305.135 AR 13 – McRae, GarnerFormer AR 371
Searcy196.6316.442

US 67B north / AR 367 south – Searcy, Garner
198.2319.044 AR 367 – Searcy
199.6321.245
AR 36 west – Searcy
200.8323.246

US 67B south / AR 36 east – Searcy, Kensett
202.4325.748 AR 385 – Judsonia
205.5330.751 AR 157 – Judsonia
209.0336.454Bald Knob Lake Road
Bald Knob209.9337.855

US 64 east / US 167 north – Bald Knob, Batesville
North end of US 64 / US 167 overlap
214.5345.260Russell
219.9353.965 AR 87 – Bradford
Jackson223.6359.869 CR 315 – Possum Grape
Bridge over White River
Ingleside228.5367.774 AR 224
235.0378.280 AR 14 – Waldenburg
237.3381.982 AR 17 – Newport
Newport238.4383.783 AR 384 – Newport
240.5387.085 AR 18 – Newport, Grubbs
242.8390.787 CR 43
251.3404.495 AR 37 – Tuckerman, Grubbs
Craighead257.7414.7102
US 78 east / AR 226 – Jonesboro, Cash, Arkansas State University
Western terminus of US 78; former routing of US 67
LawrenceAlicia265.1426.6111

AR 230 to AR 367 / AR 91 – Alicia, Bono
Walnut Ridge275.0442.6121
US 63 / US 412 west – Hoxie, Jonesboro
Signed as exits 121A (north) and 121B (south) southbound; western end of US 412 overlap; former routing of US 67
277.8447.1

US 412 east / US 412B west – Paragould, Walnut Ridge
Eastern end of US 412 overlap
279.4449.7Northern end of freeway section


US 67Y south to AR 34
280.6451.6
US 67B south – Walnut Ridge Business District, truck route to US 412 west
RandolphShannon288.2463.8
AR 90 east – O'Kean
Pocahontas290.3467.2
AR 304 east – Sharum, Delaplaine, Black River Technical College
291.1468.5
AR 304N east
Black River Bridge over Black River
292.0469.9
US 62 west – Imboden
South end of US 62 overlap
see US 62
ClayCorning318.5512.6
US 62 east – Business District, Piggott
North end of US 62 overlap
321.5517.4
AR 328 west – Success
325.5523.8

Future I-57 north / US 67 north – St. Louis
Missouri state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ a b Planning and Research Division (2010). "Arkansas Road Log Database". Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original (Database) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
  2. ^ General Highway Map, Miller County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. May 20, 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  3. ^ General Highway Map, Saline County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. November 19, 2004. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  4. ^ General Highway Map, Pulaski County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. May 13, 2011. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  5. ^ General Highway Map, Clay County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. January 15, 1997. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Hanley, Ray (1999). "Introduction". A Journey Through Arkansas - Historic U.S. Highway 67. Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 0-7385-0052-6. LCCN 99-65712.
  7. ^ Hanley, Ray (1999). "Saline County to Miller County: Benton to Texarkana". A Journey Through Arkansas - Historic U.S. Highway 67. Images of America. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 0-7385-0052-6. LCCN 99-65712.
  8. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 67, Alicia to Hoxie" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  9. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 67, Biggers to Datto" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  10. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 67, Mandeville" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  12. ^ "Boozman provision in appropriations bill paves way for U.S. 67 to become I-57". April 25, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  13. ^ "Future I-57; Meeting Materials". Arkansas Department of Transportation. January 23, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  14. ^ Savage, Hayden (September 21, 2023). "Work expected to begin on "Future I-57″ in 2024". Jonesboro, Arkansas: KAIT. Retrieved October 1, 2023.


U.S. Route 67
Previous state:
Texas
Arkansas Next state:
Missouri