Interstate 440 (I-440) in the central part of the US state of Arkansas, forms a partial freeway loop of 14.16 miles (22.79 km) connecting I-57 and I-40 with I-30 and I-530 in Little Rock. I-440, known as the East Belt Freeway during planning and construction, travels through much of the area's industrial core in the eastern part of the metropolitan area, near Clinton National Airport and the Port of Little Rock. The route is mostly a six-lane freeway.[3] North of I-40, the route continues until it reaches I-57 in Jacksonville. This section is known as the North Belt Freeway.
.svg) Interstate 440 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-440 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ArDOT | ||||
| Length | 14.16 mi[1][2] (22.79 km) | |||
| History | Last completed in 2003 | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |      I-30 / I-530 / US 65 / US 67 / US 167 in Little Rock | |||
| ||||
| East end |  I-57 / US 67 / US 167 in Jacksonville | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Arkansas | |||
| Counties | Pulaski | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editI-440 begins at I-30 at a large interchange with I-530. After this interchange, I-440 intersects Highway 365 (Springer Boulevard) and Bankhead Drive near Clinton National Airport (formerly Little Rock National Airport). The highway continues across Lindsey Road northeast to cross the Arkansas River. I-440 has interchanges with US 165 and US 70 before meeting I-40. On the northside of I-40, I-440 runs northeast to Jacksonville, connecting North Little Rock's easternmost neighborhoods with I-57/US 67/US 167. There are ghost ramps at the terminus. At the time of opening, this segment was designated Highway 440, but was redesignated as I-440 when I-57 was designated along US 67 on November 7, 2024.
To avoid repeating the disturbance of the Fourche Creek floodplain by a causeway section of I-30 (including what is now the I-30/I-440/I-530 interchange), most of I-440 between I-30 and the exit leading to the airport is an extended bridge through the floodplain, crossing Fourche Creek several times.
History
edit Highway 440 | |
|---|---|
| Location | North Little Rock–Jacksonville |
| Existed | 2003–November 7, 2024 |
The idea of I-440 was first proposed in 1941.
I-440 is part of a planned full loop around the metropolitan area, together with I-430. Part of that effort, an extended route from I-440's east end at I-40 to US 67/US 167, opened in 2003 as Highway 440 and is also part of the North Belt Freeway project. However, completing the North Belt Freeway to I-430 has been put on hold after its cost was estimated at over $600 million.[4]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Pulaski County.
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| Location | mi[3] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | 0.00 | 0.00 |  I-30 west (US 67 south) – Hot Springs, Texarkana | Western terminus | ||
| 138 |   I-30 east (US 67 north) / I-530 south / US 65 / US 167 – Downtown, Pine Bluff | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; signed as exits 138A (east) and 138B (south); exit nos. correspond to I-30 | ||||
| 1.28 | 2.06 | 1 |  AR 365 (Springer Boulevard) | Former US 65 | ||
| 3.44 | 5.54 | 3 |  Bankhead Drive (CR 21 south) – Clinton National Airport | |||
| 3.80 | 6.12 | 4 | Lindsey Road – Little Rock River Port | |||
| 5.16 | 8.30 | 5 | Fourche Dam Pike – Little Rock River Port | |||
| North Little Rock | 6.97 | 11.22 | 7 |  US 165 – England, Scott | ||
| 7.91 | 12.73 | 8 |  CR 82 (Faulkner Lake Road) | |||
| 9.55 | 15.37 | 10 |  US 70 | |||
| 9.96 | 16.03 | 11 |  I-40 – Fort Smith, Memphis | Signed as exits 11B (east) and 11A (west); exits 159A-B on I-40 | ||
| Jacksonville | 13.40 | 21.57 | 12 |   AR 161 north – Rixey | Access to Rixey via Jacksonville Highway south; southern terminus of AR 161 | |
| 14.16 | 22.79 | 13 | I-57 / US 67 / US 167 – Sherwood, North Little Rock, Jacksonville | Current eastern terminus; exit 6 on I-57 | ||
| |   I-440 north | Proposed continuation north | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
edit- ^ Route and Section Map (PDF) (Map). Pulaski County supplemental. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved May 11, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Route and Section Map (PDF) (Map). Pulaski County. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 8, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- ^ a b Planning and Research Division (2010). "Arkansas Road Log Database". Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original (ZIP) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ "Board removes North Belt Freeway from plan". Washington Times. Associated Press. March 20, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2018.