Interstate 530 - Future

Future

A planned extension of the route pushes the Interstate south to U.S. Route 278 in Wilmar. The first segment of the extension from US 278 north to Arkansas 35, opened as a two-lane freeway designated Arkansas Highway 530 on June 6, 2006. This extension is intended to connect to the proposed southern extension of Interstate 69; U.S. 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 for interchanges at both ends as well as two additional lanes, this segment presently has stop signs at both ends; however, it is a true controlled-access, two-lane freeway in between.

The remaining segments between AR 35 and Pine Bluff will also be built as a partial two-lane freeway, similar to the existing AR 35-U.S. 278 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 (thus interrupting the freeway), 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. As of mid-2012, grading and structures have been completed from Pine Bluff to Pinebergen, but no paving has been done; another segment south of Pinebergen is under contract for grading and structures only. Eventually, the route will connect Pine Bluff and Little Rock to Interstate 69 in Arkansas.