Interstate 630 (I-630) in Arkansas is an east–west connector within Little Rock. It is also known as the Wilbur D. Mills Freeway and starts at I-30, U.S. Highway 65 (US 65), US 67, and US 167, traveling west through downtown Little Rock to I-430 and Shackleford Road, where it continues as Chenal Parkway.[2][3]
.svg) Interstate 630 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 I-630 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of I-30 | ||||
| Maintained by ArDOT | ||||
| Length | 7.40 mi[1] (11.91 km) | |||
| Existed | September 30, 1985[2]–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  I-430 / Chenal Parkway / Shackleford Road in Little Rock | |||
| East end |     I-30 / US 65 / US 67 / US 167 in Little Rock | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Arkansas | |||
| Counties | Pulaski | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Route description
editThe highway connects burgeoning West Little Rock to the downtown core.[4] It feeds into I-430, a north–south route which serves western Little Rock.[2]
History
editThe project was first conceived in the 1930s and was first planned by the Pulaski County Planning Board in their 1941 report.[5] After having many higher powers deny their plans, construction was started by the city of Little Rock in the 1960s as the East–West Expressway or 8th Street Expressway and was not originally an Interstate or an Arkansas state highway.[2] In the 1970s, US Rep. Wilbur D. Mills was responsible for the route's addition to the Interstate System by rounding down the mileage allocations of all other states, then adding the rounding differences to Arkansas's total; this kept the total nationwide allocation within the original limit of 42,500 miles (68,400 km).[2]
After it was added to the Interstate System, Little Rock initially renamed it for Mills; however, when the Arkansas State Highway Department (AHTD) formally brought it into the state highway system as required by Arkansas law, they removed the name, as their policy at the time prohibited the naming of state highways after individuals.[citation needed] AHTD later changed its policy and readopted the Mills name early in the new millennium. As of autumn 2019, the highway is now named "Gold Star Families Memorial Highway".[citation needed]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Little Rock, Pulaski County.
| mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.40 | 11.91 | – | Chenal Parkway | Continuation west | |
| 8C |  I-430 south / Shackleford Road to Markham Street / Kanis Road | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit 6A on I-430 | |||
| 7.3 | 11.7 | 8 | I-430 | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; signed as exits 8B (north) and 8A (south); exit 6A on I-430 | |
| 6.82 | 10.98 | 7 |  Baptist Health Drive | No eastbound exit; access to Baptist Health Medical Center – Little Rock | |
| 6.25 | 10.06 | 6B | Barrow Road | ||
| 5.80 | 9.33 | 6A | Mississippi Street / Rodney Parham Road | Mississippi Street signed as Mississippi Avenue | |
| 5.48 | 8.82 | 5 | University Avenue | Signed as exits 5B (south) and 5A (north) westbound | |
| 5.00 | 8.05 | 4 | Fair Park Boulevard | ||
| 3.80 | 6.12 | 3B | Cedar Street / UAMS Boulevard / Pine Street | ||
| 2.43 | 3.91 | 3A | Woodrow Street | ||
| 1.45 | 2.33 | 2B | Marshall Street / Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive | No eastbound access to Marshall Street | |
| 1.10 | 1.77 | 2A | Chester Street | ||
| 0.74 | 1.19 | 1B | Center Street / Broadway Street (US 70 / AR 365) | Center Street not signed eastbound; Broadway Street signed as Broadway | |
| 0.46 | 0.74 | 1A | Center Street / Main Street | Center Street not signed westbound | |
| 0.1 | 0.16 | 1 | 15th Street | Eastbound left exit and westbound entrance | |
| 0.00 | 0.00 | 139 | I-30 (US 65 / US 67 / US 167) – North Little Rock, Texarkana | Eastern terminus; signed as exits 139A (east) and 139B (west); exit nos. correspond to I-30; exit 139B on I-30 | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b Planning and Research Division (2010). "Arkansas Road Log Database". Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original (Database) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Bill Stanton, ed. (Winter 1985). "Final Section of I-630 opens in Little Rock" (PDF). Arkansas Highways. 31. Little Rock, Arkansas: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department: 8. Retrieved October 24, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Route and Section Map, Pulaski County Supplemental Sheet (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved October 24, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Wilbur Mills' wall - Arkansas Times". 26 January 2011.
- ^ Bill Stanton, ed. (1985). "I-630 History: "A dream becomes a reality"". Arkansas Highways (PDF). Vol. 31 (Winter ed.). Little Rock, Arkansas: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.