Interstate 55 in Arkansas

This article is about the section of highway in Arkansas. For the entire length of highway, see Interstate 55.

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.

Interstate 55
I-55 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Length	72.22 mi[1] (116.23 km)
Existed	1957–present
NHS	Entire route
Major junctions
South end	I-55 / US 61 / US 64 / US 70 / US 78 / US 79 / SR 1 at the 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 the Missouri state line
Location
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Counties	Crittenden, Mississippi
Highway system
Interstate Highway System Main Auxiliary Suffixed Business Future Arkansas Highway System Interstate US State Business Spurs Suffixed Scenic Heritage
← AR 54 → AR 56

Route description

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

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Mississippi River		0.00	0.00		I-55 south / US 61 south / US 64 east / US 70 east / US 78 east / US 79 north / SR 1 east – Memphis, Jackson MS	Continuation into Tennessee
		0.72	1.16	Memphis & Arkansas Bridge
Crittenden	West Memphis	1.066	1.716	1	Bridgeport Road
		2.831	4.556	3A	AR 131 (Mound City Road)	Northbound exit only
		3.100	4.989	3B	US 70 west (Broadway Boulevard) – West Memphis	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; north end of US 70 overlap
		3.603	5.798	4	Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (AR 38) to Southland Drive	Southland Drive not signed southbound
		4.766	7.670	279B	I-40 east – Memphis, Nashville	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; south end of I-40 overlap
		4.779	7.691	279A (SB) 5 (NB)	Ingram Boulevard
		5.246	8.443	278	AR 77 (Missouri Street) / AR 191 north (7th Street)	AR 77/Missouri Street not signed southbound
		7.088– 7.513	11.407– 12.091	277 (NB) 8 (SB)	I-40 west / US 79 south – Little Rock, Forrest City	North end of I-40/US 79 overlap
				7	AR 77 (Missouri Street)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Marion	9.819	15.802	10	US 64 west (Military Road) – Marion, Sunset, Wynne	North end of US 64 overlap
	​	13.549	21.805	14	CR 4 – Jericho
	​	16.829	27.084	17	AR 50 – Clarkedale
	​	21.219	34.149	21	AR 42 – Turrell
	Turrell	23.189	37.319	23	I-555 north / US 61 north / AR 77 – Marked Tree, Jonesboro, Turrell	North end of US 61 overlap; signed as exits 23B (south) and 23A (north) southbound
Mississippi	​	33.249	53.509	34	AR 118 / AR 297 south – Joiner, Tyronza
	​	35.279	56.776	36	AR 181 – Bassett, Wilson
	​	41.099	66.142	41	AR 14 – Lepanto, Marie
	​	43.619	70.198	44	AR 181 – Keiser, Wilson
	​	48.039	77.311	48	AR 140 – Osceola, Etowah
	​	52.619	84.682	53	AR 158 – Victoria, Luxora
	​	57.179	92.021	57	AR 148 – Burdette, Wilson Junction
	Blytheville	63.049	101.468	63	US 61 to AR 312 west – Blytheville, Dell
		67.079	107.953	67	US 78 west / AR 18 – Blytheville, Armorel	North end of US 78 overlap
	​	71.059	114.358	71	AR 150 – Yarbro, Gosnell	Leads to Arkansas International Airport
	​	71.969	115.823	72	State Line Road	Northbound 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       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

References

1. 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

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Interstate 55
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