Interstate 55 in Arkansas

Route map:
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Interstate 55 marker

Interstate 55

Map
I-55 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Length72.22 mi[1] (116.23 km)
Existed1957–present
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
South end I-55 / US 61 / US 64 / US 70 / US 78 / US 79 at Tennessee state line
Major intersections US 70 in West Memphis
I-40 / US 79 in West Memphis
US 64 in Marion
I-555 / US 61 / AR 77 in Turrell
US 61 in Blytheville
US 78 / AR 18 in Blytheville
North end I-55 at Missouri state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesCrittenden, Mississippi
Highway system
AR 54 AR 56

Interstate 55 (I-55) is a north–south Interstate Highway that has a 72.22-mile (116.23 km) section in the US state of Arkansas connecting sections in Tennessee and Missouri. The route enters Arkansas on the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge over the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee. It travels northward through northeast Arkansas, connecting the cities of West Memphis and Blytheville. I-55 continues into Missouri heading to St. Louis, Missouri. The highway overlaps I-40 in West Memphis and has a junction with I-555, a spur route to Jonesboro, in Turrell. For the majority of its routing through Arkansas, I-55 generally follows U.S. Highway 61 (US 61) and has a 67.08-mile (107.95 km) long concurrency with US 78 from the Tennessee state line in Memphis to Blytheville for most of its length.

Route description[edit]

I-55 splits from I-40 in West Memphis.

I-55 enters Arkansas from Memphis, Tennessee, on the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge over the Mississippi River, sharing the bridge with US 61/US 64/US 70/US 78/US 79. Shortly after entering the state, the highway enters West Memphis, where US 70 exits the route and becomes Broadway Avenue. I-55/US 61/US 64/US 78/US 79 form a concurrency with I-40 at exit 5, an overlap that lasts 3.1 miles (5.0 km).[2] The highways split at I-40 exit 277, with I-40/US 79 continuing west to Little Rock and I-55/US 61/US 64/US 78 running north into Marion. US 64 exits I-55/US 61/US 78 in Marion, continuing west as Old Military Road toward Wynne. I-55 continues to run through farmlands of the Arkansas delta, paralleling Highway 77 (AR 77) until Turrell.

Diagram of Lake David Interchange

In Turrell, I-55/US 61/US 78 meets the southern terminus of I-555, a spur route of I-55 connecting Jonesboro to the Interstate Highway System. I-555 run north to Jonesboro, while AR 77 and US 61 become frontage roads for I-55/US 78. Slightly east of this junction, these frontage roads depart I-55, with AR 77 running near Birdsong and US 61 serving Wilson. I-55 runs northeast to enter Mississippi County, having junctions with AR 118 to Joiner, AR 181 to Bassett, AR 14 near Marie, and AR 181 near Keiser. In Osceola, the route has a junction with AR 140 near Osceola Municipal Airport.[3] I-55 continues northeast, intersecting minor state highways in rural Mississippi County before a junction with US 61 in south Blytheville. US 78 departs from I-55 where it intersects AR 18 in Blytheville before exiting town headed due north. The route has a junction with AR 150 just before crossing the Missouri state line.

Exit list[edit]

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Mississippi River0.000.00





I-55 south / US 61 south / US 64 east / US 70 east / US 78 east / US 79 north – Memphis, Jackson MS
Continuation into Tennessee
0.721.16Memphis & Arkansas Bridge; Tennessee–Arkansas state line
CrittendenWest Memphis1.0661.7161Bridgeport Road
2.8314.5563A AR 131 (Mound City Road)Northbound exit only
3.1004.9893B
US 70 west (Broadway Boulevard) – West Memphis
Northern end of US 70 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
3.6035.7984Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Southland Drive to I-40 east – Memphis
4.7667.670
I-40 east – Memphis, Nashville
Southern end of I-40 overlap, exit 279B eastbound; southbound exit and northbound entrance; Signed as exit 279B southbound
4.7797.6915Ingram BoulevardSouthbound signed as exit 279A
5.2468.443278
AR 77 (Missouri Street) / AR 191 north (7th Street)
Exit number follows I-40; AR 77 (Missouri Street) signed northbound only
7.08811.407

I-40 west / US 79 south – Little Rock, Forrest City
Northern end of I-40 and US 79 overlaps; northbound exit and southbound entrance; I-40 exit 277 westbound
7.29111.7347 AR 77 (Missouri Street)Southbound exit and northbound entrance
7.51312.0918

I-40 west / US 79 south – Little Rock
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; I-40 exit 277
Marion9.81915.80210
US 64 west – Marion, Sunset, Wynne
Northern end of US 64 overlap
13.54921.80514 CR 4 – Jericho
16.82927.08417 AR 50 – Clarkedale
21.21934.14921 AR 42 – Turrell
Turrell23.18937.31923

I-555 north / US 61 north / AR 77 – Marked Tree, Jonesboro, Turrell
Northern end of US 61 overlap, exits 1A-B; signed as exits 23A (I-555/AR 77 north) and 23B (US 61/AR 77 south) southbound, no southbound entry from northbound AR 77.
Mississippi33.24953.50934
AR 118 / AR 297 south – Joiner, Tyronza
35.27956.77636 AR 181 – Bassett, Wilson
41.09966.14241 AR 14 – Lepanto, Marie
43.61970.19844 AR 181 – Keiser, Wilson
48.03977.31148 AR 140 – Osceola, Etowah
52.61984.68253 AR 158 – Victoria, Luxora
57.17992.02157 AR 148 – Burdette, Wilson Junction
Blytheville63.049101.46863

US 61 to AR 312 west – Blytheville, Dell
67.079107.95367
US 78 west / AR 18 – Blytheville, Armorel
Northern end of US 78 overlap
71.059114.35871 AR 150 – Yarbro, GosnellLeads to Arkansas International Airport
71.969115.82372State Line RoadNorthbound exit and entrance


I-55 north to I-57 – St. Louis, Chicago
Continuation into Missouri
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Planning and Research Division (March 28, 2012). "Arkansas Road Log Database". Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original (MBD) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  2. ^ General Highway Map, Crittenden County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. January 2, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  3. ^ General Highway Map, Mississippi County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. January 11, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 15, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2012.

External links[edit]

KML is from Wikidata

Media related to Interstate 55 in Arkansas at Wikimedia Commons

Interstate 55
Previous state:
Tennessee
Arkansas Next state:
Missouri