Arkansas Highway 242

{{short description|State highway in Arkansas, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox road

|state=AR

|type=AR

|route=242

|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Arkansas Highway 242}}}}

|map_custom=yes

|length_mi=14.74

|length_ref={{cite web|url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/databases/Road%20Log%20Database.zip |title=Arkansas Road Log Database |author=Planning and Research Division |year=2010 |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |format=Database |accessdate=June 9, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623010127/http://arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/databases/Road%20Log%20Database.zip |archivedate=23 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}

|tourist=Crowley's Ridge Parkway

|direction_a=West

|terminus_a={{jct|state=AR|AR|1}} west of Lexa

|junction={{jct|state=AR|US|49}}, Helena-West Helena

|direction_b=East

|terminus_b={{jct|state=AR|AR|44}} south of Helena-West Helena

|counties=Phillips

|previous_type=AR

|previous_route=241

|next_type=AR

|next_route=243

}}

Arkansas Highway 242 (AR 242, Hwy. 242) is an east–west state highway in Phillips County, Arkansas. The route of {{convert|14.74|mi|km}} runs from Highway 44 near Helena-West Helena north through the city and through the St. Francis National Forest to Highway 1 near Lexa.{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=General Highway Map |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/PhillipsCounty.pdf |edition=Phillips County |accessdate=July 15, 2011}} A segment of the route is part of the Mississippi River Trail, essentially a bicycle-friendly version of the Great River Road.{{Cite map |publisher=Mississippi River Trail, Inc. |title=Southern Mississippi River Trail |url=http://www.imtrails.com/mrtsouthern/ |edition=Southern section |accessdate=July 15, 2011}}

Route description

AR 242 begins at AR 1 west of Lexa and heads east through town as 1st Street. It crosses over Lick Creek and passes by Thompson-Robbins Airport. The route then intersects its only spur route near the St. Francis National Forest before turning to the southeast. The route then intersects AR 185 before entering West Helena. It passes by the Denison House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and at the intersection of Plaza Avenue, the route runs concurrently with US 49B for {{convert|0.1|mi|km}}. It then goes southeast on Sebastian Street, running concurrent with another route of AR 185 until reaching South 7th on Russell. The route then intersects another route of AR 185 by the Helena Country Club and then intersects US 49 (Martin Luther King Jr. Drive{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=Map of Helena-West Helena, Phillips County |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/54hele_west.tif |edition=January 2006 |accessdate=July 15, 2011}}), a four-lane divided highway, at an at-grade intersection in the south part of the city. The highway then turns to the southwest and reaches its eastern terminus at AR 44.

Beginning from the end of the Highway 1 to the US 49B concurrency, the route is designated as part of the Mississippi River Trail, a {{convert|3000|mi|km}} bike route from New Orleans to Minnesota along the Mississippi River.

Major intersections

Mile markers reset at concurrencies.

{{jcttop|length_ref=|state=AR|county=Phillips}}

{{ARint

|location=Lexa Junction

|mile=10.15

|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|1|location1=Walnut Corner|city2=Marianna}}

|notes=Western terminus

}}

{{ARint

|location=Helena-West Helena

|lspan=6

|mile=2.19

|road={{jct|state=AR|CR|217|county1=Phillips|CRP||dir2=north|name2=St. Francis Scenic Byway / AR 242S|location1=Storm Creek Lake Recreation Area}}

}}

{{ARint

|mile=1.75

|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|185|dir1=south}}

}}

{{ARint

|type=concur

|mile=0.00

|road={{jct|state=AR|US|49B|dab1=Helena-West Helena|dir1=south|CRP||dir2=south|name2=Plaza Street|to3=to|AR|185|dir3=south}}

|notes=West end of US 49B overlap

}}

{{ARint

|type=concur

|mile=4.59

|road={{jct|state=AR|US|49B|dab1=Helena-West Helena|dir1=north|city1=Brinkley|location2=Memphis}}

|notes=East end of US 49B overlap

}}

{{ARint

|mile=3.32

|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|185|dir1=north}}

}}

{{ARint

|mile=3.08

|road={{jct|state=AR|US|49|location1=Clarksdale, MS|city2=Brinkley}}

}}

{{ARint

|location=none

|mile=0.00

|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|44|GRR|}}

|notes=Eastern terminus

}}

{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

Spur route

{{Infobox road small

|state=AR

|type=AR-Spur

|route=242

|length_mi=0.11

|name=Storm Creek Road

|length_round=2

|length_ref=

|location=north of West Helena

}}

Arkansas Highway 242 Spur (AR 242S, Hwy. 242S, or Storm Creek Road) is a spur route in the St. Francis National Forest. It is {{convert|0.11|mi|km}} in length.

See also

{{Portal-inline|United States}}

{{Portal-inline|U.S. Roads}}

References

{{Reflist}}