Interstate 530

{{Infobox road

|state=AR

|route=530

|type=I

|map={{maplink-road |from1=Interstate 530.map |from2=Arkansas Highway 530.map}}

|map_custom=yes

|map_notes=I-530 highlighted in red, AR 530 in blue; future section in pink

|length_mi=46.65

|length_round=2

|length_ref={{cite web|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/interstate_highway_system/routefinder/?redirect|title=Route Log - Auxiliary Routes of the Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways - Table 2|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|access-date=5 October 2014}}

|established=August 2, 1999{{cite book |title= Historical review volume two: Arkansas State Highway Commission and Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, 1913-2003 |date= April 2004 |publisher= Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |location=Little Rock, Arkansas |page= 157 |chapter= The 90s }}

|spur_type=I

|spur_of=30

|direction_a=South

|terminus_a={{jct|state=AR|US|63|US|79|US|65B|US|65|US|425|dab3=Pine Bluff|AR|190}} in Pine Bluff

|junction={{Plainlist|

{{jct|state=AR|US|270|AR|365S}} in White Hall
{{jct|state=AR|US|167}} near East End

}}

|direction_b=North

|terminus_b={{jct|state=AR|I|30|US|65|US|67|US|167|I|440}} in Little Rock

|counties=Jefferson, Grant, Saline, Pulaski

|previous_type=AR

|previous_route=463

|next_type=AR

|next_route=530

|browse={{ar browse|previous_type=I|previous_route=530|route=AR 530|next_type=I|next_route=540}}

}}

Interstate 530 (I-530) in Arkansas is a spur route of the Interstate highway system, traveling {{convert|46.65|mi|km}} from Pine Bluff north-northwest to Little Rock at an interchange of I-30 and I-440."[Arkansas] State Highways 2009 (Database)." April 2010. AHTD: Planning and Research Division. [http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/databases/Arkansas_Roadlog_2009.zip Database.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707161957/http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/databases/Arkansas_Roadlog_2009.zip |date=2011-07-07 }} Retrieved May 25, 2011. The highway also travels through the cities of Redfield and White Hall. In the future, I-530 will be extended south to I-69 west of Monticello. A short section near the future I-69 alignment has been signed as Highway 530.

Route description

File:Interstate 530, Pulaski County, Arkansas.jpg

The route begins at a high volume interchange with I-30/I-440/US 65/US 67/US 167 in southeast Little Rock.{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=General Highway Map |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/PulaskiCounty.pdf |edition=Pulaski County |access-date=May 31, 2011 |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707162427/http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/PulaskiCounty.pdf |url-status=dead }} This intersection handles over 100,000 vehicles per day on average.{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Map, Little Rock, Arkansas |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/TrafficCountyMaps/2010ADT/TrafficCountMaps/Little_Rock.pdf |edition=2010 |access-date=May 31, 2011 |archive-date=March 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328190853/http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning_research/technical_services/TrafficCountyMaps/2010ADT/TrafficCountMaps/Little_Rock.pdf |url-status=dead }} I-530 runs south with US 65 and US 167 through marshland, entering Saline County briefly to split with US 167 south (exit 10).{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=General Highway Map |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/SalineCounty.pdf |edition=Saline County |access-date=May 31, 2011 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126203424/https://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/SalineCounty.pdf |url-status=dead }} At exit 10, the junction can only accessed by southbound I-530. Northbound I-530 must take exit 9 then come back southbound to access exit 10. After returning to Pulaski County, I-530 has an exit at Hensley with Hensley Road (exit 15, which also connects to AR 365) before entering Jefferson County.

I-530 continues south, passing through forested land and clear cut areas, also running parallel to AR 365. I-530 intersects AR 46 (exit 20) in Redfield before entering White Hall.{{Cite map |publisher=Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department |title=General Highway Map |url=http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/JeffersonCounty.pdf |edition=Jefferson County |access-date=May 31, 2011 |archive-date=May 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200508202700/http://www.arkansashighways.com/maps/Counties/County%20PDFs/JeffersonCounty.pdf |url-status=dead }} After an intersection with AR 256 (Holland Avenue, exit 32), the route runs south to serve as the eastern terminus for US 270 at exit 34. This exit also contains Highway 365 Spur (AR 365 Spur) eastbound to White Hall and Sheridan Street. Continuing south to Pine Bluff, I-530 serves as a beltway around the city. I-530 skirts the city to the southwest, including exits for AR 190 (West 19th Street, exit 37), US 79/U.S. Highway 79 Business (US 79B, South Camden Road, exit 39), and US 63/AR 463 (South Olive Street, exit 43).

The Interstate ends at a very large junction with US 63/US 65/US 65B/US 79/US 425/AR 190, after which the roadway continues south as US 65/US 425 toward Dumas.

This Interstate Highway is unusual in that its exit number increase south rather than north. However, the standard for spurs is to increase from the beginning at the parent.{{Citation needed|reason=Other national examples of N-S spurs going south off parent route, like I-110 in Florida, I-110 in Mississippi, and I-505 in California, all decrease from parent and southward, as is traditional. Please cite why this route is granted such exception, or maybe reword this to be more accurate.|date=July 2021}}

=I-530 State Scenic Byway=

I-530 is designated as one of ten Arkansas Scenic Byways for {{convert|15|mi|km}} from AR 256 northwest of White Hall to US 65 in southern Pine Bluff."Interstate 530 State Scenic Byway." Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. [http://www.arkansas.com/things-to-do/scenic-drives/530.aspx Drive Profile.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210203105/http://arkansas.com/things-to-do/scenic-drives/530.aspx |date=2010-02-10 }} Retrieved June 26, 2010. The route passes over Bayou Bartholomew and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. The southern portion was formerly a wetland preserve, but now the land is being developed.

==Points of interest==

[http://www.arkansasentertainershalloffame.com Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame]
Arkansas Railroad Museum
Pine Bluff Commercial Historic District

History

The current route was formerly designated as US 65. Today, I-530 and US 65 run concurrently as a four-lane freeway spur. The route formally gained the I-530 designation after a full Interstate-grade bypass of Pine Bluff (known locally as the Wiley Branton Highway) replaced an expressway section of US 65 through Pine Bluff that contains at-grade intersections. This segment (known locally as the Martha Mitchell Expressway) was redesignated US 65B; US 65 was rerouted to the bypass before gaining the I-530 codesignation.

Exit list

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|county=Jefferson|cspan=16

|location=Pine Bluff|lspan=2

|mile=46.63

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|65|dir1=south|name1=US 425 south|city1=Dumas|city2=McGehee|city3=Lake Village}}

|notes=Continuation south; southern end of US 65 concurrency

}}

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|mile=46.63

|mile2=46.32 |exit=46

|mspan=

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|63|dir1=north|US|79|dir2=north|US|65B|dab3=Pine Bluff|dir3=north|AR|190|dir4=west|name4=Harding Avenue|location1=Downtown Pine Bluff}}

|notes=Southern end of US 63/US 79 concurrency; signed for Harding Avenue southbound, Downtown northbound

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile2=43.87|mile=44.03 |exit=44

|road={{jct|state=AR|AR|530|dir1=south|city1=Star City|city2=Monticello}}

|notes=Future I-530 south

}}

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|location=Pine Bluff|lspan=4

|mile=42.99 |exit=43

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|63|dir1=south|AR|463|nolink2=yes|dir2=north|city1=Warren|city2=El Dorado}}

|notes=Northern end of US 63 concurrency; southern terminus of AR 463

}}

{{ARint|exit

|mile=41.97 |exit=42

|road=Hazel Street

}}

{{ARint|exit

|mile=40.85 |exit=41

|road=Old Warren Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|mile=39.46 |exit=39

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|79|dir1=south|US|79B|dab2=Pine Bluff|dir2=north|city1=Rison|city2=Fordyce|city3=Camden}}

|notes=Northern end of US 79 concurrency; southern terminus of US 79B

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=37.53 |exit=37

|road={{Jct|state=AR|AR|190|name1=West 13th Street}}

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=36.57 |exit=36

|road=Princeton Pike

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=White Hall

|lspan=3

|mile=35.33|mile2=35.14|exit=35

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|65B|dab1=Pine Bluff|dir1=south|city1=Pine Bluff}}

|notes=Northern terminus of US 65B

}}

{{ARint|exit

|mile=33.67 |exit=34

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|270|AR|365S|dab2=White Hall|dir1=west|dir2=east|city1=White Hall|city2=Sheridan}}

|notes=Eastern terminus of US 270; western terminus of AR 365S

}}

{{ARint|exit

|mile=31.74 |exit=32

|road={{Jct|state=AR|AR|256|city1=White Hall|location2=Pine Bluff Arsenal|dir1=east}}

|notes=Western terminus of AR 256

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=29.78 |exit=30

|road={{Jct|state=AR|AR|104}}

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=26.53 |exit=27

|road={{Jct|state=AR|CR|4|county1=Jefferson|name1=Gravel Pit Road}}

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=23.69 |exit=24

|road=Jefferson, National Center for Toxicological Research

|notes=Access via Stagecoach Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=19.94 |exit=20

|road={{Jct|state=AR|AR|46|city1=Redfield}}

}}

{{ARint|exit

|county=Pulaski

|location=none

|mile=14.96 |exit=15

|road=Hensley

|notes=Access via Hensley Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|county=Saline

|cspan=2

|location=none

|mile=11.63 |exit=12

|road=Woodson

|notes=Access via Woodson Lateral Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|location=none

|mile=9.96 |exit=10

|road={{Jct|state=AR|US|167|dir1=south|city1=Sheridan|city2=Fordyce|city3=El Dorado}}

|notes=Southern end of US 167 concurrency; no northbound exit

}}

{{ARint|exit

|county=Pulaski

|cspan=5

|location=none

|mile=8.77 |exit=9

|road=Bingham Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=6.57 |exit=7

|road=145th Street / Pratt Road

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=none

|mile=2.71 |exit=3

|road={{Jct|state=AR|AR|338|name1=Dixon Road}}

}}

{{ARint|exit

|location=Little Rock

|lspan=2

|type=incomplete

|exit=1

|road={{Jct|state=AR|I|30|dir1=west|I|440|dir2=east|name1={{jct|state=AR|noshield=yes|US|67|dir1=south}}|extra=airport|city4=Texarkana|location1=Memphis|location2=St. Louis|location3=Airport}}

|notes=Northbound exit and southbound entrance; signed as exits 1B (west) and 1A (east); exit 138A on I-30; western terminus of I-440

}}

{{ARint|exit

|type=concur

|mile=0.00

|road={{Jct|state=AR|I|30|dir1=east|US|65|dir2=north|US|167|dir3=north|name3={{jct|state=AR|noshield=yes|US|67|dir1=north}}|city1=Downtown Little Rock}}

|notes=Northern terminus; northern end of US 65/US 167 concurrency

}}

Arkansas Highway 530

{{Infobox road small

|state=AR

|route=530

|type=AR

|alternate_name=Future I-530
SIU 28 of Interstate 69

|established=October 22, 1986

|location=Pine Bluff–Monticello

}}

A planned extension of the route pushes the Interstate south to US 278 in Wilmar. The first segment of the extension from US 278 north to Highway 35 opened as a two-lane expressway designated Arkansas Highway 530 (AR 530) on June 6, 2006.[http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=29435 New Arkansas Highway To Be Dedicated | todaysthv.com] This extension is intended to connect to the proposed southern extension of I-69; US 278 at Wilmar also provides four-lane access to the future I-530 from the larger cities of Warren and Monticello, thus allowing both to champion its completion. Though sufficient right-of-way was provided and grading done for interchanges at both ends as well as two additional lanes, this segment presently has stop signs at both ends and an intersection with Bradley County Road 96 (CR 96)/Barkada Road.

The second segment of the extension opened in September 2013. It connects the I-530 interchange in Pine Bluff with Highway 11 in Lincoln County and is {{convert|18|mi|km}} in length. Currently, the segment is two lanes until further funding is available.{{cite web|url=http://pbcommercial.com/sections/news/region/new-state-highway-530-opens.html|title=New State Highway 530 opens|publisher=Pine Bluff Commercial}}{{Cite web |date=2013-09-07 |title=Arkansas 530 stretch is officially dedicated |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2013/sep/07/arkansas-530-stretch-officially-dedicated-20130907/ |access-date=2023-01-29 |website=Arkansas Online |language=en}}

The remaining segments between Highway 35 and Pine Bluff will also be built as a two-lane expressway, similar to the existing Highway 35–US 278 segment and Pine Bluff intersection to Highway 114 segment. Initially, the only full interchange will be with the present I-530 at Pine Bluff; grade crossings will be built at other planned interchanges, but the stretches between grade crossings will be true two-lane freeways with grade separations and service roads where needed. The route includes sufficient right-of-way to build interchanges and two additional lanes later; the Pine Bluff interchange will be a full freeway-to-freeway facility designed for the future four-lane freeway. On August 18, 2015, the next segment—Highway 114 to Highway 11—was opened to traffic.{{Cite web |date=2015-08-15 |title=Road projects near Star City create bypass |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2015/aug/15/road-projects-near-star-city-create-byp/ |access-date=2023-01-29 |website=Arkansas Online |language=en}} The segment from AR 11 to AR 35 is not yet built. Eventually, the completed route will extend 88 miles from Little Rock to I-69 near Monticello.

{{ARint

|location=none

|county=Drew|cspan=3

|type=future

|road={{jct|state=AR|I|69|city1=Monticello}}

|notes=Proposed southern terminus

}}

{{ARint

|type=incomplete

|location=none

|road={{jct|state=AR|US|278|city1=Monticello|city2=Wilmar|city3=Warren}}

|notes=Current southern terminus; at-grade intersection