Editing Interstate 555

{{Short description|Interstate Highway in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox road
| state = AR
| type = I
| route = 555
| map = {{maplink-road |from=Interstate 555.map }}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = I-555 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 49.57
| length_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |last=Starks |first=Edward |date=January 27, 2022 |title=Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways |url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table02.cfm |access-date=December 27, 2023 |work=FHWA Route Log and Finder List |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |archive-date=July 3, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703182115/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/table02.cfm |url-status=live }}</ref>
| established = {{start date|2016|03|11}}<ref name="I-555 dedication confirmation">{{cite news |first = Johnathan |last = Reaves |date = March 9, 2016 |title = I-555 to Be Dedicated Friday in Jonesboro |url = http://kasu.org/post/i-555-be-dedicated-friday-jonesboro#stream/0 |location = Jonesboro, Arkansas |publisher = [[KASU]]-FM |access-date = March 10, 2016 |archive-date = March 10, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160310102409/http://kasu.org/post/i-555-be-dedicated-friday-jonesboro#stream/0 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="I-555 dedication confirmed">{{cite news |title = 40 Years in the Making, I-555 in Arkansas Becoming Reality |url = http://katv.com/news/local/40-years-in-the-making-i-555-in-arkansas-becoming-reality |location = Little Rock, Arkansas |publisher = [[KATV-TV]] |agency = [[Associated Press]] |date = March 10, 2016 |access-date = March 11, 2016 |archive-date = March 12, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160312005134/http://katv.com/news/local/40-years-in-the-making-i-555-in-arkansas-becoming-reality |url-status = live }}</ref>
| spur_type = I
| spur_of = 55
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{Jct|state=AR|I|55|US|61|US|78|AR|77}} in [[Turrell, Arkansas|Turrell]]
| junction = {{jct|state=AR|US|49|US|63|US|78|AR|18}} in [[Jonesboro, Arkansas|Jonesboro]]
| direction_b = North
| terminus_b = {{Jct|state=AR|US|63|AR|18|AR|91}} in Jonesboro
| counties = [[Crittenden County, Arkansas|Crittenden]], [[Poinsett County, Arkansas|Poinsett]], [[Craighead County, Arkansas|Craighead]]
| previous_type = AR
| previous_route = 549
| next_type = AR
| next_route = 612
}}
'''Interstate&nbsp;555''' ('''I-555''') is an [[Interstate Highway]] connecting [[Interstate 55 in Arkansas|I-55]] in [[Turrell, Arkansas|Turrell]] with [[Arkansas Highway 91|Highway&nbsp;91]] in [[Jonesboro, Arkansas|Jonesboro]]. It provides a complete freeway corridor between Jonesboro, [[Arkansas]]'s fifth-largest city, and [[Memphis, Tennessee]]. Formerly known as [[U.S. Route 63 in Arkansas|U.S. Route 63]] (US&nbsp;63), the highway was converted in the early 2000s to [[Interstate Highway standards]]. I-555 was dedicated in March 2016.

==Route description==
[[File:Interstate 555 exit 44.jpg|left|thumb|I-555 exit&nbsp;44 signage]]
I-555 begins at an interchange of [[Interstate 55 in Arkansas|I-55]], [[U.S. Route 61 in Arkansas|US&nbsp;61]], and [[Arkansas Highway 77|AR&nbsp;77]] in [[Turrell, Arkansas|Turrell]]. I-55 goes south to Memphis, Tennessee. The road parallel to the Interstate, [[Arkansas Highway 463|AR&nbsp;463]], is a former alignment of US&nbsp;63. I-555 passes through [[farmland]] and [[Gilmore, Arkansas|Gilmore]]. Then, it passes through [[Tyronza, Arkansas|Tyronza]] and [[Marked Tree, Arkansas|Marked Tree]]. The section between Marked Tree and [[Payneway, Arkansas|Payneway]] is also used for farm equipment vehicles to drive on. Next, it passes through [[Trumann, Arkansas|Trumann]] before entering Jonesboro. It briefly has an overlap with [[U.S. Route 49 in Arkansas|US&nbsp;49]]. I-555 ends in Jonesboro at an interchange with [[Arkansas Highway 91|AR&nbsp;91]]; from there, the road continues as US&nbsp;63.

==History==
The I-555 route was approved on January 10, 2001, consisting of a widened section of [[U.S. Route 63 in Arkansas|US&nbsp;63]] between Turrell to Jonesboro to [[Interstate Highway standards]]. A few mainline bridges between [[Marked Tree, Arkansas|Marked Tree]] and Turrell are from original two-lane US&nbsp;63 and are narrower than current standards, but [[Interstate 530|I-530]] was approved in 1999 despite having a similar issue.

The last requirement to formally designate this route as I-555 was the construction of a parallel access road across a floodway between [[Payneway, Arkansas|Payneway]] and Marked Tree, so that farm equipment would no longer have to use US&nbsp;63 to cross the floodway. No crossing has ever been built, but an exemption for agricultural vehicles was added to I-555 between Marked Tree and Payneway. The exemption was introduced by U.S. Representative [[Rick Crawford (politician)|Rick Crawford]] and passed as part of the House Transportation Bill on December 4, 2015. It was announced in December 2015 that I-555 would be officially designated in early 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://swtimes.com/news/state-news/highway-commission-approves-i-555-designation-section-us-63 |title = Highway Commission Approves I-555 Designation for Section of US&nbsp;63 |agency = Arkansas News Bureau |date = December 3, 2015 |work = Times Record |access-date = January 28, 2016 |archive-date = February 6, 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160206055400/http://swtimes.com/news/state-news/highway-commission-approves-i-555-designation-section-us-63 |url-status = dead }}</ref> In early 2016, signs along the section of the highway cautioned travelers that there may be farm equipment driving on the roadway. The road was officially dedicated on March 11, 2016, in Jonesboro.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-12 |title=After delays, leg of U.S. 63 named I-555 {{!}} Arkansas Democrat Gazette |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/mar/12/after-delays-leg-of-u-s-63-named-i-555-/ |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=www.arkansasonline.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2021, US&nbsp;63 was rerouted off the entire route of I-555, but a short extension on November 23 of that same year redesignated US&nbsp;63 along a section of I-555 again.<ref>{{cite news |title = Highway&nbsp;63 in Jonesboro redesignated as I-555 |url = https://talkbusiness.net/2021/11/highway-63-in-jonesboro-redesignated-as-i-555/ |access-date = May 22, 2023 |work = Talk Business & Politics |date = November 23, 2021 |archive-date = May 22, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230522204239/https://talkbusiness.net/2021/11/highway-63-in-jonesboro-redesignated-as-i-555/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

==Future==
ARDOT is currently running studies that will determine whether improvements to interchanges and cross-streets are needed for I-555 in [[Craighead County, Arkansas|Craighead County]]. Public meetings about the study were held in December 2021 and October 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Interstate 555 Corridor Study |url=https://www.ardot.gov/divisions/planning/project-planning/planning-studies/interstate-555-corridor-study/ |publisher=Arkansas Department of Transportation |access-date=April 17, 2024}}</ref> Comments about the study were also requested between October and December 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=ARDOT to hold public meeting for Interstate 555 |url=https://www.kait8.com/2023/10/21/ardot-hold-public-meeting-interstate-555/ |access-date=April 17, 2024 |work=KAIT 8 |location = Jonesboroo, Arkansas |publisher = [[KAIT-TV]] |date=October 21, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Public Meeting 101113 I-555 Jonesboro Planning Study EN |url=https://public-meeting-i555-planning-study-ardot.hub.arcgis.com/ |publisher=Arkansas Department of Transportation |access-date=April 17, 2024 |language=en-us}}</ref>

==Exit list==
{{jcttop|exit}}
{{ARint|exit
|county=Crittenden
|cspan=3
|type=concur
|location=Turrell
|lspan=2
|mile=0.0
|mspan=2
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|77|dir1=south|name1={{jct|state=AR|noshield=yes|US|61|dir1=north}}|city1=Turrell}}
|notes=Continuation south; southern end of AR&nbsp;77 concurrency
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=incomplete
|mile=none
|exit=1
|road={{jct|state=AR|I|55|name1={{jct|state=AR|noshield=yes|US|61|dir1=south|US|78}}|city1=Blytheville|city2=West Memphis}}
|notes=No northbound access to I-55 south; signed as exits&nbsp;1B (north) and 1A (south); exit no. not signed northbound; exit 23A on I-55
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=Gilmore
|type=concur
|mile=1.9
|exit=2
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|77|dir1=north|city1=Gilmore}}
|notes=Northern end of AR&nbsp;77 concurrency; access to Gilmore via Menesha Street
}}
{{ARint|exit
|county=Poinsett
|cspan=7
|location=none
|mile=7.1
|exit=7
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|135|city1=Lepanto}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=Tyronza
|mile=8.7
|exit=8
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|118|city1=Tyronza}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=Marked Tree
|lspan=2
|mile=13.2
|exit=13
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|149|city1=Marked Tree|city2=Earle}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|mile=14.2
|exit=14
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|75|city1=Marked Tree|city2=Lepanto|city3=Parkin}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=none
|mile=18.2
|exit=18
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|14|dir1=west|city1=Payneway|city2=Harrisburg}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of AR 14
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=none
|mile=24.0
|exit=24
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|463|city1=Trumann}}
|notes=Former [[U.S. Route 63 in Arkansas|US 63]]
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=Trumann
|mile=28.7
|exit=29
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|69|city1=Trumann}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|county=Craighead
|cspan=11
|location=Bay
|mile=34.6
|exit=35
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|463|name1=[[Arkansas Highway 158|AR 158]]|city1=Bay}}
|notes=Former US 63
}}
{{ARint|exit
|location=Jonesboro
|lspan=10
|mile=36.2
|exit=36
|road=Nestlé Road
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=39.1
|exit=39
|road={{jct|state=AR|US|78|dir1=east|AR|18S|dir2=east|name2=Dr. Martin Luther King Drive}}
|notes=Southern end of US&nbsp;78 concurrency; western terminus of AR 18S
}}
{{ARint|exit
|mile=40.3
|exit=40
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|463|dir1=south|name1=Nettleton Avenue}}
|notes=Northern terminus of AR 463; former US 63
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=41.7
|exit=42
|road={{jct|state=AR|US|49|dir1=north|AR|1|name2=Stadium Boulevard / Red Wolf Boulevard|road|Caraway Road|city1=Paragould}}
|notes=Southern end of US&nbsp;49 concurrency; former [[Arkansas Highway 173 (1940–1979)|AR&nbsp;173]]
}}
{{ARint|exit
|mile=43.4
|exit=44
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|1B|dab1=Jonesboro|name1=Harrisburg Road}}
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=44.8
|exit=45
|road={{jct|state=AR|US|49|dir1=south|US|63|dir2=south|dir4=east|US|78|AR|18|dir3=west|name4=Southwest Drive}}
|notes=Northern end of US&nbsp;49/US 78 concurrency; southern end of US&nbsp;63/AR&nbsp;18 concurrency<!--the overlap is signed where AR 18 west traffic turns left onto the onramp-->
}}
{{ARint|exit
|mile=45.8
|exit=46
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|226|dir1=west|name1=Wood Springs Road|road|Strawfloor Road}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of AR 226
}}
{{ARint|exit
|mile=47.1
|exit=47
|road=Washington Avenue
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=49.57
|mspan=2
|exit=49
|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|91|name1={{jct|state=AR|AR|18|dir1=west|noshield=yes}} / Dan Avenue}}
|notes=Northern end of AR&nbsp;18 concurrency
}}
{{ARint|exit
|type=concur
|mile=none
|exit=
|road={{jct|state=AR|US|63|dir1=morth}}
|notes=Continuation north; northern end of US 63 concurrency
}}
{{jctbtm|exit|keys=concur}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML}}
* [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-555_ar.html Interstate 555 Arkansas]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927005149/http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?s=6249236 Putting the "Future" in I-555] (KAIT-TV)

{{3di|55}}

[[Category:Interstate Highways in Arkansas|55-5]]
[[Category:Interstate 55|5]]
[[Category:Auxiliary Interstate Highways|55-5]]
[[Category:Transportation in Crittenden County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Transportation in Poinsett County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Transportation in Craighead County, Arkansas]]