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U.S. Route 64 in Arkansas

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U.S. Highway 64 marker
U.S. Highway 64
Map
US 64 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Length246.35 mi[1] (396.46 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
West end US 64 at the Oklahoma state line
Major intersections
East end I-55 / US 61 / US 64 / US 70 / US 78 / US 79 / SR 1 at the Tennessee state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesSebastian, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Pope, Conway, Faulkner, White, Woodruff, Cross, Crittenden
Highway system
US 63 US 65

U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is a U.S. route running from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona east to Nags Head, North Carolina. In the U.S. state of Arkansas, the route runs 246.35 miles (396.46 km) from the Oklahoma border in Fort Smith east to the Tennessee border in Memphis.[1] The route passes through several cities and towns, including Fort Smith, Clarksville, Russellville, Conway, Searcy, and West Memphis. US 64 runs parallel to Interstate 40 (I-40) until Conway, when I-40 takes a more southerly route.

Route description

[edit]
Bridge carrying US 64 over the Arkansas River in Van Buren
Historic Marker in Marion for the Trail of Tears at intersection of US 64 and AR 77

US 64 crosses Arkansas' western border over the Arkansas River, heading southeast into downtown Ft. Smith. Upon entry to Arkansas, the highway passes the Fort Smith National Historic Site, Ft. Smith Confederate Monument, Commercial Hotel and the West Garrison Avenue Historic District, all on the National Register of Historic Places. The highway turns northwest near the New Theatre, following the Arkansas and Missouri Railroad and concurring with US 71B onto 10th and 11th Streets.[2] Westbound traffic runs on 10th St and eastbound traffic on 11th St past the Fort Smith Masonic Temple. Traffic converges onto Midland Boulevard.[3] US 64 crosses the Arkansas River again near the American Doughboy Monument as it enters Van Buren on Broadway. US 64 passes the Van Buren Post Office before turning east onto Highway 59 (Main Street_, then northeast again becoming the Alma Highway. US 64 passes a former alignment, now designated as Oak St. After Oak St, US 64 crosses Interstate 540 (I-540) and continues east to Alma.[4] US 64 closely follows I-40 until Conway, while also closely following the Arkansas River, the Union Pacific Railroad, and the southern edge of the Ozark National Forest.

US 64 continues through mountainous Franklin County, intersecting the Pig Trail Scenic Byway in Ozark.[5] The route passes the Franklin County Courthouse, and the Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District in Ozark before exiting town continuing east. Route 64 passes a historically significant connector road in Wiederkehr Village before entering Altus and entering Johnson County. US 64 runs through Coal Hill and Hartman before curving northeast and crossing over I-40. The route continues to Clarksville, home of the University of the Ozarks.[6] The route passes the Johnson County Courthouse, historic American Legion Hut, Clarksville Municipal Airport, and Lake Dardanelle before again crossing over I-40 and entering Pope County.[7]

US 64 then parallels I-40 through Russellville and Morrilton. In Faulkner County, it briefly converges with US 65B through Conway heading south before diverging from US 65B and I-40 by turning east onto Oak Street. The highway next approaches Vilonia, following a southerly bypass around the city that opened in October 2011[8] (replacing its former alignment along Vilonia's Main Street) and rejoining its prior alignment west of the White County line and continuing to El Paso, where it intersects Arkansas Highway 5. US 64 then travels east to Beebe, where it originally entered town via Center Street and joined with I-57/US 67. This former route along Center Street has since been resigned U.S. Route 67B,[9] as all three US highways have been relocated to a concurrent divided highway northwest of Beebe.

US 64 runs along this divided highway past McRae, Garner, and Searcy, where its original route took it north along Main Street, then east along Race Avenue. This former route is now signed U.S Route 67B. Later, US 64, 67, and 167 were rerouted southeast of Searcy along Eastline Road, which is now signed as Highway 367. Currently, all three highways continue to run northeast along a divided highway running parallel to Eastline Road.

US 64 diverges from I-57/US 67 on the northeast side of Bald Knob, where its former route took it downtown along Highway Avenue, which is now signed as Highway 367. US 64 turns east toward the White River and Woodruff County, while I-57/US 67 diverges northeast, and US 167 diverges north.

US 64 runs near Altus.

US 64 continues east through Augusta and McCrory, intersecting with US Route 49 at Fair Oaks and bypassing Wynne while in Cross County, and proceeding into Crittenden County through Earle and Crawfordsville, until joining with I-55 at Marion. Its former route continued east along Military Road, turning south onto the Great River Road, and converging with US 63, which has since also been rerouted along Interstate 55. The former route is now signed as Highway 77.

US 64 is concurrent with I-57 as well as US 67 and US 167 between Beebe and Bald Knob.

US 64 continues south to West Memphis, where its former route entered the city from the north via Missouri Street, turning east (diverging from US 63 while converging with US 70 & 79) onto Broadway. Its current route turns east north of West Memphis as Interstates 55 and 40 briefly converge, before entering Tennessee (and downtown Memphis) along the Interstate 55 bridge.

Each August, a large yard sale similar to the Highway 127 Corridor Sale takes place along 160 mi (260 km) of US 64 in Arkansas, in locations stretching from Fort Smith to Beebe.[10]

History

[edit]

The Arkansas River Valley has served as an east-west pathway across Arkansas for centuries, with travelers taking advantage of the flat natural topography between the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains. When the United States Army began constructing the Memphis to Little Rock Road on January 31, 1824, it followed a historic trail through the region.[11]

National Register of Historic Places

[edit]

Four original segments of US 64 remain intact and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Menifee segment was listed in 2006,[12] the Scotia segment was listed in 2007,[13] and the Van Buren and Altus segments were listed in 2010.[14][15] The Horsehead Creek Bridge near Hartman was listed in 2014.[16]

Augusta Bridge in 1988

The original segment listings are contained within the Arkansas Highway History and Architecture Multiple Property Submission, which preserves history from Arkansas's highway building era between 1910 and 1965.[17] The Horsehead Creek Bridge was listed within the Historic Bridges of Arkansas MPS.[18] Two other bridges were NRHP-listed until their demolition: the 1920 Galla Creek Bridge near Pottsville was removed in 2000, and the 1930 Augusta Bridge over the White River was removed in 2002.

Van Buren

[edit]

The Old US 64-Van Buren Segment is a stretch of historic roadway in Van Buren. Now designated Oak Lane, this stretch of concrete road was built in 1928 by Shultz Construction Co. as part of the original alignment of US 64, whose current alignment (built in 1968) travels to the south. This stretch of road is about 0.65 miles (1.05 km) long and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, carrying two lanes of traffic with no shoulder. It is made out of a tan-colored aggregate mixed with concrete. This segment was part of the first concrete-paved road in Crawford County.[19]

Altus

[edit]

The Johnson County Line-Ozark-Crawford County Line Road, Altus Segment is a historic roadbed in Altus. It consists of a 425-foot (130 m) section of stone-paved roadbed, located on the north side of US 64 between Robin Way and County Road 515. The roadbed is about 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, with gravel shoulders, and has a small concrete bridge spanning a ditch. Built sometime between c. 1918 and 1931, it is the only known example of stone pavement in rural Arkansas. US 64 was redirected onto a new terrain roadway in 1931, leaving this segment as a nameless connector road.[20]

Horseshead Creek Bridge

[edit]

The US 64 Horsehead Creek Bridge is a historic bridge, carrying US 64 across Horsehead Creek east of Hartman. Its two main spans are Parker pony trusses, 102 feet (31 m) in length, with steel deck girder approach spans giving the bridge a total length of 415 feet (126 m). The trusses are mounted on concrete piers, with the approaches on concrete piers and abutments. The bridge was built in 1933–1934 by Fred Luttjohann, and served as a major crossing point and transportation route until the construction of Interstate 40 (I-40) to the north.[21]

Scotia

[edit]

The Old US 64, Scotia Segment is a section of historic roadway in the unincorporated community of Scotia. It extends eastward from Country Lane, south of the current alignment of US 64. It is about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) in length, following an arced route, and is covered in a bituminous that has in places deteriorated into gravel. It is believed to be the longest-surviving element of the c. 1920 alignment of US 64 in Arkansas, and was built on an alignment dating to the 1830s. It is believed this road formed part of the Trail of Tears.[22]

Menifee

[edit]

Old U.S. Route 64 is a historic former alignment of US 64 in Menifee. Now a portion of Canal Road, it consists of a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) section of concrete pavement, extending southward from the current alignment of US 64 near the center of Menifee. Built in 1931 by the Zeigler Construction Company, it is the longest intact portion of the highway's original alignment in Conway County. It was bypassed by the present alignment in 1961.[23]

[edit]

Major intersections

[edit]
CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Arkansas River0.000.00
US 64 west
Continuation into Oklahoma
J. Fred Patton Garrison Avenue Bridge
ArkansasOklahoma state line
SebastianFort Smith0.30.48 AR 255 (5th Street)
0.71.1



AR 22 east (Garrison Avenue) / US 71B south (Towson Avenue) to US 271 south
Western end of US 71B concurrency
4.87.7
AR 255 south (Riverfront Drive)
Arkansas River5.58.9Bridge
CrawfordVan Buren5.99.5
AR 59 south (South 4th Street)
Western end of AR 59 concurrency
6.310.1
AR 59 north (North 11th Street) – Historic District
Eastern end of AR 59 concurrency
6.911.1
AR 162 east (Kibler Road) – Kibler
8.213.2
I-540 (US 71) to I-40 – Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Fort Smith
Exit 2 on I-540
8.814.2
AR 282 east – Rudy
10.316.6
AR 60 west
Alma14.022.5


US 71B north / AR 162 west to I-40 (US 71) – Fayetteville, Downtown Alma, Kibler
Eastern end of US 71B concurrency
15.324.6
US 64B west – Business District
Mulberry
To I-40
Access via Georgia Ridge Drive
24.839.9

AR 215 north / AR 917-1 (Main Street) to I-40 – Vine Prairie Park
Franklin28.545.9 AR 352 (Fairview Road)
Ozark36.558.7
AR 219 south
37.860.8

AR 23 north (North 18th Street) to I-40 – Huntsville, Arkansas Tech University - Ozark
West end of AR 23 concurrency
38.562.0
AR 23 south (7th Street) – Mount Magazine State Park
East end of AR 23 concurrency
38.862.4

AR 219 north (3rd Street) to I-40
Altus43.770.3
AR 179 south (Carbon Plant Road)
44.070.8 AR 186 (St. Mary's Mountain Road) – Wiederkehr Village, Denning
JohnsonCoal Hill51.282.4
AR 164 east – Hunt
Clarksville60.797.7
AR 109 south – Scranton, Subiaco Academy, Mount Magazine State Park
61.699.1 I-40 – Fort Smith, Little RockExit 55 on I-40
62.4100.4
AR 352 west
65.0104.6
AR 103 north (College Avenue) – University of the Ozarks
Western end of AR 103 concurrency
65.4105.3
AR 103 south (Rogers Street)
Eastern end of AR 103 concurrency
66.4106.9
AR 21 north – Ozone
Lamar67.9109.3
AR 123 south (Eureka Road)
Western end of AR 123 concurrency
69.8112.3
AR 123 north – Hagarville
Eastern end of AR 123 concurrency
70.1112.8
AR 359 north
72.0115.9 I-40 – Little Rock, Fort SmithExit 64 on I-40
Knoxville74.5119.9

AR 315 north to I-40
Piney
AR 359 north – Piney Bay Recreation Area
PopeLondon82.3132.4
AR 333 to I-40
84.8136.5 AR 333 – Arkansas Nuclear One
I-40Exit 78 on I-40
Russellville87.6141.0

AR 326 east (Lake Front Drive) to I-40
Western end of AR 326 concurrency
87.8141.3
AR 326 west (Marina Road) – Lake Dardanelle State Park
Eastern end of AR 326 concurrency
90.6145.8
AR 7 (Arkansas Avenue) to I-40 – Arkansas Tech University
91.4147.1
AR 7T south (Knoxville Avenue)
92.2148.4
AR 124 east (Weir Road)
Former AR 326
92.4148.7
AR 331 south (Elmira Avenue) – Airport
Western end of AR 331 concurrency
92.9149.5

AR 331 north to I-40
Eastern end of AR 331 concurrency
93.1149.8 AR 324
Pottsville96.1154.7 AR 331
96.9155.9

I-40 / AR 247 south / AR 363 north – Dardanelle
Exit 88 on I-40
Atkins102.6165.1

AR 105 north (North Church Street) to I-40
102.7165.3
AR 105 south (Avenue Two Southeast) – Lake Atkins
Conway I-40Access via Fishlake Road; exit 101 on I-40
109.2175.7
AR 113 south
Morrilton115.9186.5

AR 95 north / AR 113 north (Division Street) – Morrilton Depot Museum
116.2187.0
AR 9B north (St. Joseph Street) – U of A Community College Morrilton
117.4188.9
AR 9 to I-40 – Solgohachia, Perryville
Interchange
Plumerville121.9196.2
I-40 / AR 92 north – Springfield
Exit 112 on I-40
Menifee126.9204.2
To I-40
Access via Harding A. Byrd Road
FaulknerConway130.5210.0
AR 319 south – Cadron Settlement Park
134.9217.1
I-40 / AR 25 north – Wooster
Exit 124B on I-40
135.6218.2

US 65B north to I-40 – Little Rock, Harrison
Western end of US 65B concurrency
136.3219.4Siebenmorgen Road (AR 266 east)Roundabout
136.8220.2
US 65B south (Harkrider Street) – Central Baptist College, Conway Business District
Eastern end of US 65B concurrency
137.6221.4 I-40 – Fort Smith, Little RockExit 127 on I-40
Hamlet144.4232.4
AR 36 east – Mount Vernon

US 64B east
Funston150.6242.4 AR 107

US 64B west
White157.1252.8 AR 5 – El Paso, Jacksonville
Beebe168.7271.5



I-57 south / US 67 south / US 167 south / US 67B north – Beebe, Little Rock
Western end of I-57/US 67/US 167 concurrency; US 64 west follows exit 28
see I-57 (US 67)
Bald Knob196.1315.6


I-57 north / US 67 north / US 167 north – Newport, St. Louis, Batesville, Lyon College, U of A Community College - Batesville
Eastern end of I-57/US 67/US 167 concurrency; US 64 east follows exit 55
196.4316.1
AR 367 south – Judsonia
Former US 67
WoodruffAugusta208.5335.5

US 64B east / AR 33C south (5th Street) – Business District
208.8336.0
AR 33 north – Newport
209.6337.3
US 64B west – Augusta Business District
210.0338.0
AR 33 south – Des Arc, Cache River NWR
Patterson216.4348.3

US 64B east / AR 17 south – Patterson, Brinkley
Western end of AR 17 concurrency
McCrory218.4351.5

AR 17 north / AR 145 south – Newport, McCrory
Eastern end of AR 17 concurrency
221.7356.8
US 64B west – McCrory
224.3361.0

AR 269 north to AR 37
Western end of AR 269 concurrency
Morton224.8361.8
AR 269 south
Eastern end of AR 269 concurrency
CrossFair Oaks
US 49 south – Brinkley
Western end of US 49 concurrency

US 49 north – Jonesboro
Eastern end of US 49 concurrency
Central234.0376.6

AR 193 south to AR 284
234.9378.0

AR 193 north to AR 42
239.6385.6

AR 350 south to AR 284
Wynne242.0389.5

US 64S south / AR 1 north – Jonesboro, Harrisburg
Western end of AR 1 concurrency
242.6390.4
AR 1 south (Falls Boulevard) – Wynne, Forrest City
Eastern end of AR 1 concurrency
246.1396.1
US 64B west / Crowley's Ridge Pkwy. – Village Creek State Park
Levesque246.7397.0
AR 163 south
246.8397.2
AR 163 north – Birdeye, Lake Poinsett State Park
254.9410.2
AR 75 north – Marked Tree
Western end of AR 75 concurrency
Parkin256.1412.2
AR 75 south – Parkin Business District
Eastern end of AR 75 concurrency =
256.2412.3
AR 184 east – Parkin Archaeological State Park
257.3414.1
US 64B west – Parkin Business District
Crittenden259.7417.9
US 64B east – Earle
Earle261.1420.2
AR 184 west
261.4420.7 AR 149 (Barton Street) – Marked Tree, Earle
262.4422.3


US 64B west / AR 118 east to AR 42
270.4435.2
US 64B east / AR 50 – Crawfordsville
271.4436.8
US 64B west – Crawfordsville
273.0439.4
AR 147 south – Lehi
Marion277.6446.8

AR 118 south (College Boulevard) to I-40
278.3447.9
I-55 north (US 61 north / US 63 north / US 78 west) / Military Road – Marion, Sunset, Blytheville
Western end of I-55/US 61/US 63/US 78 concurrency; US 64 west follows exit 10
see I-55
Mississippi River289.4465.7Memphis & Arkansas Bridge
ArkansasTennessee line







I-55 south / US 61 south / US 64 east / US 70 east / US 78 east / US 79 north / SR 1 east – Memphis
Continuation into Tennessee
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
KML is from Wikidata
  1. ^ a b c "[Arkansas] State Highways 2009 (Database)." April 2010. AHTD: Planning and Research Division. Database. Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  2. ^ Map of Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas (Map) (January 2006 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  3. ^ General Highway Map - Sebastian County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (5/10/10 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  4. ^ General Highway Map - Crawford County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (5/10/10 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  5. ^ General Highway Map - Franklin County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (1/3/11 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  6. ^ Map of Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (May 2006 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  7. ^ General Highway Map - Johnson County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (2/8/11 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 24, 2011.
  8. ^ "Vilonia bypass to open Monday". Log Cabin Democrat. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  9. ^ "Mapping - Tourist Maps". www.arkansashighways.com. Retrieved 2019-03-11.
  10. ^ "Bargains Galore on 64". Archived from the original on 2011-05-12. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  11. ^ Christ, Mark K. (June 5, 2015). "Memphis to Little Rock Road". Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. Little Rock: Butler Center for Arkansas Studies at the Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  12. ^ "National Register Information System – Old US 64, Menifee Segment (#06000071)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  13. ^ "National Register Information System – Old US 64, Scotia Segment (#07000959)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  14. ^ "National Register Information System – Old U.S. 64-Van Buren Segment (#09001242)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "National Register Information System – Johnson County Line-Ozark-Crawford County Line Road, Altus Segment (#10000033)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  16. ^ "National Register Information System – U.S. 64 Horsehead Creek Bridge (#14000792)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  17. ^ "National Register Information System – Arkansas Highway History and Architecture Multiple Property Submission (#64500014)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "National Register Information System – Historic Bridges of Arkansas Multiple Property Submission (#64500021)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  19. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 64-Van Buren Segment" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  20. ^ "NRHP nomination for Johnson County Line-Ozark-Crawford County Line Road, Altus Segment" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  21. ^ "NRHP nomination for US 64 Horsehead Creek Bridge" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  22. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 64, Scotia Segment" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  23. ^ "NRHP nomination for Old US 64, Menifee Segment" (PDF). Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved April 12, 2016.


U.S. Route 64
Previous state:
Oklahoma
Arkansas Next state:
Tennessee