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Interstate 540 (Arkansas)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 540 in Arkansas
is a spur
of Interstate 40
between Fort Smith
and Northwest Arkansas; the Northwest Arkansas segment is proposed to become part of an expanded Interstate 49
. I-540 provides an Interstate Highway path between Fayetteville
and Little Rock
via Interstate 40
. This links the University of Arkansas
with the state capital. Fort Smith, Arkansas' second-largest city, is also important waypoint
serviced by this corridor.
southwards to the Oklahoma
state line, going through Van Buren
and Fort Smith
. This particular spur starts at Exit 7 on Interstate 40 (being seven miles (11 km) east of the state line with Oklahoma). That point marks mile zero on this spur, in spite of Interstate Highway rules to the contrary. The first three miles (5 km) are through Van Buren, before the bridge over the Arkansas River
. The remainder, for a grand total of approximately 15 miles (24.1 km), travels through Fort Smith. Notably, the mile markers and exit number
s increase from north to south on this spur and they do exactly the opposite (increasing from south to north) on the newer spur (completed in early 1999), connecting Interstate 40 to Bentonville. Even more interesting, the mileage numbers and exit signs on the newer spur start at 20, as if the zero point were at the Oklahoma state line (the southwest end of the older spur) - this should have meant that all of the exits on the older spur should have been renumbered to match, but that has not occurred. The final exit when traveling northbound is similarly Exit 15.
The newer portion of I-540 was completed in the late 1990s and was opened to Mountainburg
as AR 540. On January 8, 1999 the road was fully opened to traffic and was re-designated I-540 and also designated the "John Paul Hammerschmidt
Highway" in honor of a former U.S. Representative from Arkansas. Having been planned since the early 1970s, it created a bypass for the older US Highway 71. It starts at I-40 Exit 12 (12 miles east of the Oklahoma state line, or one mile (1.6 km) west of Alma, Arkansas
) and continues for over 65 miles (104.6 km), through Crawford County, Arkansas, Washington County, Arkansas
and Benton County, Arkansas
. Just north of the Crawford-Washington County line is the Bobby Hopper Tunnel
, the only large highway tunnel in Arkansas; its namesake (from Springdale) was the chairman of the Arkansas Highway Commission during its construction. Notable cities along the route are Fayetteville
, Springdale
, Rogers
, and Bentonville
. From I-40 north to Fayetteville, I-540 runs roughly parallel to Highway 71. Just south of Fayetteville, I-540 combines with Highways 71 and 62, forming the major expressway through the Northwest Arkansas metro area (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville). I-540 ends when Highway 62 exits just inside Bentonville; the expressway continues as Highway 71 to just north of Bentonville, where it then becomes the main street of Bella Vista
several miles further to the Missouri border. US 71 (and US 62) are unsigned on the portions that are concurrent with I-540.
The state of Arkansas originally asked AASHTO to allow the Interstate segment between Fort Smith and Bentonville to be named Interstate 49
, to emphasize plans to extend the route from Shreveport, Louisiana
through Arkansas to Kansas City, Missouri
. AASHTO refused, and the route opened in 1999 as a northern extension of I-540.
Another notable fact about I-540 in Arkansas is that the original I-540 spur running from I-540 to Oklahoma through Fort Smith was originally signed east–west, but with the construction of the new spur that runs north through the Northwest Arkansas metro area to Missouri the entire I-540 was resigned as a north–south road. It is one of the few that has changed this way.
The Interstate spurs both opened in phases. According to a 1970 road map of Fort Smith, exits 2-11 (Van Buren through the Zero Street exit) were opened, with later exits (12-14) and the roadway itself still under construction. Portions of the roadway that became I-540 around Fayetteville were built in the early 1970s, but upgraded and extended in the mid-1990s. The highway around Fayetteville originally received US 71 signage until the complete I-540 spur was opened.
and Mountainburg
in the U.S. state
of Arkansas
. Traveling a distance of approximately 12 miles, its southern terminus was at Interstate 40
west of Alma and its northern terminus at US 71
in Mountainburg.
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
is a spur
Spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important route . A bypass or beltway is never considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with the major road...
of Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
between Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
and Northwest Arkansas; the Northwest Arkansas segment is proposed to become part of an expanded Interstate 49
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
. I-540 provides an Interstate Highway path between Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
and Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
via Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
. This links the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
with the state capital. Fort Smith, Arkansas' second-largest city, is also important waypoint
Waypoint
A waypoint is a reference point in physical space used for purposes of navigation.-Concept:Waypoints are sets of coordinates that identify a point in physical space. Coordinates used can vary depending on the application. For terrestrial navigation these coordinates can include longitude and...
serviced by this corridor.
History
The older portion of I-540, completed in the 1970s, connects Interstate 40Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
southwards to the Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
state line, going through Van Buren
Van Buren, Arkansas
Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction...
and Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
. This particular spur starts at Exit 7 on Interstate 40 (being seven miles (11 km) east of the state line with Oklahoma). That point marks mile zero on this spur, in spite of Interstate Highway rules to the contrary. The first three miles (5 km) are through Van Buren, before the bridge over the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
. The remainder, for a grand total of approximately 15 miles (24.1 km), travels through Fort Smith. Notably, the mile markers and exit number
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
s increase from north to south on this spur and they do exactly the opposite (increasing from south to north) on the newer spur (completed in early 1999), connecting Interstate 40 to Bentonville. Even more interesting, the mileage numbers and exit signs on the newer spur start at 20, as if the zero point were at the Oklahoma state line (the southwest end of the older spur) - this should have meant that all of the exits on the older spur should have been renumbered to match, but that has not occurred. The final exit when traveling northbound is similarly Exit 15.
The newer portion of I-540 was completed in the late 1990s and was opened to Mountainburg
Mountainburg, Arkansas
Mountainburg is a city in Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 682 at the 2000 census....
as AR 540. On January 8, 1999 the road was fully opened to traffic and was re-designated I-540 and also designated the "John Paul Hammerschmidt
John Paul Hammerschmidt
John Paul Hammerschmidt is an American politician from the U.S. state of Arkansas. A Republican, Hammerschmidt served for thirteen terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from the northwestern Arkansas district before he retired in 1993...
Highway" in honor of a former U.S. Representative from Arkansas. Having been planned since the early 1970s, it created a bypass for the older US Highway 71. It starts at I-40 Exit 12 (12 miles east of the Oklahoma state line, or one mile (1.6 km) west of Alma, Arkansas
Alma, Arkansas
Alma is a city in Crawford County located in the western part of U.S. state of Arkansas, along I-40 about 13 miles from the Oklahoma border. Alma's population is 4,734, making it the sixth largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) and continues for over 65 miles (104.6 km), through Crawford County, Arkansas, Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County, Arkansas
Washington County is a county located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 203,065. The county seat is Fayetteville. Washington County is Arkansas's 17th county, formed on October 17, 1828, and named for George Washington, the first President of the...
and Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County, Arkansas
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S...
. Just north of the Crawford-Washington County line is the Bobby Hopper Tunnel
Bobby Hopper Tunnel
The Bobby Hopper Tunnel is a highway tunnel located on Interstate 540 in Arkansas, just north of the Crawford–Washington county line. It opened in 1999 to four lanes of traffic. No toll is charged....
, the only large highway tunnel in Arkansas; its namesake (from Springdale) was the chairman of the Arkansas Highway Commission during its construction. Notable cities along the route are Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, Springdale
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
, Rogers
Rogers, Arkansas
Rogers is a suburban city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 55,964. The city is located in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area, in the northwest corner of the state.-History:...
, and Bentonville
Bentonville, Arkansas
Bentonville, Arkansas is a city in Northwest Bahamas, and county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States The population was 35,301 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. From I-40 north to Fayetteville, I-540 runs roughly parallel to Highway 71. Just south of Fayetteville, I-540 combines with Highways 71 and 62, forming the major expressway through the Northwest Arkansas metro area (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville). I-540 ends when Highway 62 exits just inside Bentonville; the expressway continues as Highway 71 to just north of Bentonville, where it then becomes the main street of Bella Vista
Bella Vista, Arkansas
Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas. It previously was the largest unincorporated community in the state of Arkansas; however, in November 2006 it voted to incorporate and form a municipality. The Bella Vista Property Owners Association estimates that there are currently 24,000...
several miles further to the Missouri border. US 71 (and US 62) are unsigned on the portions that are concurrent with I-540.
The state of Arkansas originally asked AASHTO to allow the Interstate segment between Fort Smith and Bentonville to be named Interstate 49
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 is currently an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the state of Louisiana in the southern United States. Its southern terminus is in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Interstate 10 while its northern terminus is in Shreveport, Louisiana, at Interstate 20.-Route...
, to emphasize plans to extend the route from Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
through Arkansas to Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. AASHTO refused, and the route opened in 1999 as a northern extension of I-540.
Another notable fact about I-540 in Arkansas is that the original I-540 spur running from I-540 to Oklahoma through Fort Smith was originally signed east–west, but with the construction of the new spur that runs north through the Northwest Arkansas metro area to Missouri the entire I-540 was resigned as a north–south road. It is one of the few that has changed this way.
The Interstate spurs both opened in phases. According to a 1970 road map of Fort Smith, exits 2-11 (Van Buren through the Zero Street exit) were opened, with later exits (12-14) and the roadway itself still under construction. Portions of the roadway that became I-540 around Fayetteville were built in the early 1970s, but upgraded and extended in the mid-1990s. The highway around Fayetteville originally received US 71 signage until the complete I-540 spur was opened.
Exit list
| County | City | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ends at the Oklahoma state line, continues as | ||||
| Sebastian | 2 | |||
| Fort Smith Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas... |
3 | Jenny Lind Road | ||
| 4 | South end of U.S. 71 overlap | |||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | Phoenix Avenue east, Leigh Avenue – Fort Smith Regional Airport Fort Smith Regional Airport Fort Smith Regional Airport is a joint civil-military public commercial service airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, a city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of... |
No southbound entrance | ||
| 8 | Signed as exits 8A (east) and 8B (west) southbound | |||
| 10 | Grand Avenue | |||
| 11 | Kelley Highway | |||
| Crawford | Van Buren Van Buren, Arkansas Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 - Interstate 540 junction... |
13 | ||
| 14 | Signed as exits 14A (east) and 14B (west) | |||
| 15 | – Oklahoma City | South end of I-40 overlap | ||
| 20 | North end of U.S. 71/I-40 overlap | |||
| 21 | Collum Lane | |||
| 24 | ||||
| 29 | ||||
| 34 | ||||
| Washington Washington County, Arkansas Washington County is a county located in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 203,065. The county seat is Fayetteville. Washington County is Arkansas's 17th county, formed on October 17, 1828, and named for George Washington, the first President of the... |
Bobby Hopper Tunnel Bobby Hopper Tunnel The Bobby Hopper Tunnel is a highway tunnel located on Interstate 540 in Arkansas, just north of the Crawford–Washington county line. It opened in 1999 to four lanes of traffic. No toll is charged.... |
|||
| 45 | ||||
| West Fork West Fork, Arkansas West Fork is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population is 2,317 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... |
53 | |||
| Greenland Greenland, Arkansas Greenland is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 907 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... |
58 | Greenland Greenland, Arkansas Greenland is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 907 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... |
||
| Fayetteville Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks... |
60 | |||
| 61 | South end of U.S. 71 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 62 | South end of U.S. 62/Hwy. 16 overlap | |||
| 64 | North end of Hwy. 16 overlap | |||
| 65 | Porter Road | |||
| 66 | ||||
| 67 | ||||
| Johnson Johnson, Arkansas Johnson is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The city was incorporated in 1961. The population was 3,354 at the 2010 census... |
69 | Greathouse Springs Rd., Johnson | ||
| Springdale Springdale, Arkansas As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more... |
72 | |||
| 73 | Elm Springs Road | |||
| Benton Benton County, Arkansas Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the population was 153,406. The U.S. Census Bureau 2010 population is 221,339. The county seat is Bentonville. Benton County was formed on 30 September 1836 and was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S... |
76 | Wagon Wheel Road | ||
| Lowell Lowell, Arkansas Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,327. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.... |
78 | |||
| Rogers Rogers, Arkansas Rogers is a suburban city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 55,964. The city is located in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Area, in the northwest corner of the state.-History:... |
81 | Pleasant Grove Road | ||
| 82 | Promenade Blvd | |||
| 83 | ||||
| Bentonville Bentonville, Arkansas Bentonville, Arkansas is a city in Northwest Bahamas, and county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States The population was 35,301 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area... |
85 | |||
| 86 | north end of U.S. 62 overlap | |||
| 88 | ||||
| 93 | ||||
| ends, continues as | ||||
Arkansas Highway 540
Arkansas Highway 540 (AR 540) was a temporary designation for what would later become Interstate 540 between AlmaAlma, Arkansas
Alma is a city in Crawford County located in the western part of U.S. state of Arkansas, along I-40 about 13 miles from the Oklahoma border. Alma's population is 4,734, making it the sixth largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Mountainburg
Mountainburg, Arkansas
Mountainburg is a city in Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 682 at the 2000 census....
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Traveling a distance of approximately 12 miles, its southern terminus was at Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
west of Alma and its northern terminus at US 71
U.S. Route 71
U.S. Route 71 is a north–south United States highway. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstate highways. Currently, the highway's northern terminus is in International Falls, Minnesota at the Canadian border, at the southern end of the Fort...
in Mountainburg.
External links
- Planners see I-540 overtaxed in future - an article explaining the difference between the western bypass idea and the Bella Vista Bypass that is planned yet not started.
- Benton County : Bypass exit locations debated - more in depth news regarding the final segments of the future I-49