Arkansas Highway 355

Highway 355 marker
Highway 355
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
ExistedApril 1, 1926[1]–present
Section 1
Length22.315 mi[2][3][4] (35.913 km)
South end US 371 at Lamartine
North end AR 29 at Center Point
Section 2
Length6.396 mi[2] (10.293 km)
South end AR 29 at Evening Shade
North end AR 174 at Spring Hill
Section 3
Length31.219 mi[2][5] (50.242 km)
South end US 67 in Fulton
North end US 278
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesColumbia, Nevada, Hempstead, Howard
Highway system
← AR 354→ AR 356

Highway 355 (AR 355 and Hwy. 355) is a designation for three north–south state highways in Southwest Arkansas. The routes are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).

Between Saratoga and Mineral Springs, AR 355 is part of the Trail of Tears within the Arkansas Heritage Trails System.

Route description

The ArDOT maintains AR 355 like all other parts of the state highway system. As a part of these responsibilities, the Department tracks the volume of traffic using its roads in surveys using a metric called average annual daily traffic (AADT). ArDOT estimates the traffic level for a segment of roadway for any average day of the year in these surveys. As of 2022, AADT ranged from 2,800 VPD in Fulton, 2,400 VPD near Saratoga, and 2,700 VPD near Mineral Springs, but dropped to 520 VPD and 320 VPD on the north and south sides of the US 371 intersection, respectively. The second segment had an AADT of 520 VPD. The third segment had the lowest counts, with 290 VPD near Patmos, 300 VPD near Falcon, and 460 VPD near the eastern terminus.[6] For reference, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), classifies roads with fewer than 400 vehicles per day as a very low volume local road.[7]

No segment of Highway 355 has been listed as part of the National Highway System,[8] a network of roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[9]

Fulton to US 278

AR 355 begins in the small town of Fulton at a junction with US 67 near both Interstate 30 (I-30) and the Red River. The route runs north, passing under the Union Pacific Railway tracks before serving as the southern terminus of AR 195 (Ogan Street).[10] AR 355 exits the community northbound, passing within a few miles of the Little River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Nacatoch Ravines Natural Area, and the John W. Turk Jr. Coal Plant before entering McNab, where it crosses the Kiamichi Railroad tracks. The route continues north toward Saratoga, winding through the Piney Woods to serve as the southern terminus of AR 73 before crossing into Howard County.[11]

First reassurance marker for AR 355 south of US 371

Shortly upon entering Howard County, AR 355 serves as the eastern terminus of AR 32 at Saratoga (a census-designated place) near the Saratoga Blackland Prairie Natural Area. The route continues north along the east side of Lake Millwood before entering the small town of Tollette. Within Tollette, AR 355 is known as Martin Luther King Jr Road, passing Tollette City Hall before serving as the western terminus of AR 332 (Schooley Road).[12] Continuing north, AR 355 winds to Mineral Springs, where it overlaps AR 27 through downtown before turning north alone and winding into a rural part of Howard County. AR 355 intersects US 371 approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Nashville before winding north to a junction with US 278, where it terminates.[13]

Spring Hill to Evening Shade

A second section of AR 355 begins in Columbia County approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Hope and 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Bois D'Arc Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The designation begins at an intersection at the unincorporated community of Spring Hill near Spring Hill High School, with AR 174 running north and a county road (Spring Lake Road) continuing south from the junction. AR 355 runs southeast to a junction with AR 29 at Evening Shade, where it terminates.[11] The roadway continues east as Hempstead County Route 8 (CR 8, HP Powell Road).

Center Point to Lamartine

A third section of AR 355 begins at an intersection with AR 29 at the unincorporated community of Center Point in southern Hempstead County. The route runs east through a rural area to the small town of Patmos before winding into Nevada County.[11] Now serving a rural area with oil and gas field, AR 355 intersects and brielfy concurs with AR 53 at Falcon. Continuing southeast, AR 355 passes through Falcon Bottoms Natural Area and crosses Dorcheat Bayou before entering Columbia County.[14] AR 355 passes through the unincorporated communities of Bethel and Bright before a junction with US 371 at Lamartine, where it terminates.[15]

History

Highway 55 was one of the original state highways, designating a gravel road between Fulton and Mineral Springs as State Road 55.[1] By the 1953 state highway map, a second segment was created between Spring Hill and Evening Shade.[16][17] The route was realigned around Mineral Springs and through Tollette in 1955.[18] On March 7, 1962, the Highway Commission extended AR 355 from Mineral Springs to the current northern terminus (AR 4, now US 278).[19]

The Arkansas General Assembly passed the Act 148 of 1957, the Milum Road Act, creating 10–12 miles (16–19 km) of new state highways in each county.[20] Following the act, two additional segments of AR 355 were created on July 10, 1957: from AR 29 to Patmos,[21] and from Willisville to AR 53.[22] In 1958, all segments were re-numbered to avoid duplication following the designation of I-55 in the state.[23] The third segment was extended east from Patmos to the Nevada County line on April 24, 1963 as part of a large addition of county roads to the state highway system,[24] with another extension to Falcon on November 23, 1966.[25] On January 26, 1977, the Highway Commission approved a designation swap in Nevada County to improve route continuity: AR 355 between Bodcaw and Willisville became AR 32, with the segment of AR 32 from Falcon to the Columbia County line becoming AR 355.[26] On June 29, 1978, the Columbia County judge requested an extension of AR 355 east to AR 19 at Lamartine (now US 371).[27]

On February 18, 1959, the Arkansas State Highway Commission agreed to a proposal from the Hempstead County judge to return AR 355 between Spring Hill and Evening Shade, and portions of AR 32, to county maintenance in exchange for extending AR 29 from Blevins to AR 19.[28] The former AR 355 alignment was restored to the state highway system on November 23, 1966, including an extension to Bois D'Arc Lake, as part of a large addition of county roads to the state highway system.[29] The following year, the alignment was switched to follow a different series of county roads at the request of the Hempstead County judge, having previously followed CR 63 and CR 163.[30]

Major intersections

Mile markers reset at some concurrencies.

CountyLocationmi[31]kmDestinationsNotes
ColumbiaLamartine22.31535.913 US 371 – Rosston, WaldoSouthern terminus
NevadaFalcon13.11021.098 AR 53 – Buckner, Bodcaw
HempsteadCenter Point0.0000.000
 AR 29 / CR 7 west (Dooley Ferry Road) – Lewisville, Hope		Northern terminus
Gap in route
Evening Shade0.0000.000
 AR 29 / CR 8 east (HP Powell Road)		Southern terminus
Spring Hill6.39610.293
 AR 174 west		Northern terminus
Gap in route
Fulton0.0000.000 US 67 – Hope, TexarkanaSouthern terminus
0.390.63
 AR 195 north (Ogan Street) – Old Liberty, Historic Washington State Park
Saratoga11.5418.57
 AR 73 south – Columbus, Hope
Howard12.1519.55
 AR 32 west – Millwood, Millwood State Park
Tollette16.9127.21

 AR 332 east (Schooley Road) to US 278
Mineral Springs21.652–
0.000		34.846–
0.000		 AR 27 – Ben Lomond, Nashville, Murfreesboro
​5.999.64 US 371 – Lockesburg, NashvilleFormer AR 24
​9.56715.397 US 278 – Dierks, NashvilleNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Former spur route

Highway 355Y
LocationHempstead County, Arkansas
Length0.1 mi (160 m)
ExistedJanuary 25, 1967[30]–2021

Highway 355Y (AR 355Y and Hwy. 355Y) is a former spur route in Hempstead County.

Major intersections

The entire route was in Hempstead County.

LocationmikmDestinationsNotes
​0.00.0 AR 355eastern terminus
​0.10.16Bois D'Arc Lakewestern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Arkansas State Highway Department (April 1, 1926). State of Arkansas Showing System of State Highways (TIF) (Map). 1:500,000. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway Commission. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Arkansas GIS Office.
  2. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Policy Division (September 17, 2021). State Highway Route and Section Map, Hempstead County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Transportation Planning and Policy Division (September 17, 2021). State Highway Route and Section Map, Nevada County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Transportation Planning and Policy Division (April 17, 2023). State Highway Route and Section Map, Columbia County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Transportation Planning and Policy Division (September 17, 2021). State Highway Route and Section Map, Howard County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  6. ^ System Information & Research Division (2022). Annual Average Daily Traffic Estimates (GIS Map) (Map). Various. Arkansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  7. ^ Staff of AASHTO (2019). Guidelines for Geometric Design of Low-Volume Roads (2nd ed.). Washington D.C.: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. pp. 2–8. ISBN 978-1-56051-726-9. OCLC 1140203768.
  8. ^ System Information and Research Division (2015). "Arkansas Road Log Database" (MDB). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
  9. ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 29, 2017). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  10. ^ Planning and Research Division (June 2012). Map of Fulton, Hempstead County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:12,000. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. § A2. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Transportation Planning and Policy Division (June 1, 2021) [June 9, 2000]. General Highway Map, Hempstead County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (Revised ed.). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. OCLC 912432056. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  12. ^ Planning and Research Division (October 2005). Map of Tollette, Hempstead County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:12,000. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. §§ B1–B2. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  13. ^ Planning and Research Division (May 15, 2009) [June 9, 2000]. General Highway Map, Howard County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (Revised ed.). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. OCLC 912912927. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  14. ^ Transportation Planning and Policy Division (December 12, 2011) [August 9, 1999]. General Highway Map, Nevada County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (Revised ed.). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. OCLC 915163727. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  15. ^ Transportation Planning and Policy Division (April 10, 2019) [March 1, 2004]. General Highway Map, Columbia County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (Revised ed.). 1:62,500. Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. OCLC 910849530. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  16. ^ Arkansas State Highway Commission (1952). Official Highway Map of Arkansas (TIF) (Map). 1:823,680. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway Commission. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Arkansas GIS Office.
  17. ^ Arkansas State Highway Commission (1953). Official Highway Map of Arkansas (TIF) (Map). 1:823,680. Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway Commission. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Arkansas GIS Office.
  18. ^ "Minutes of the Meeting of the Arkansas State Highway Commission" (PDF). Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway Commission. 1953–1969. p. 2062. OCLC 21798861. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  19. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 1045.
  20. ^ Governmental Relations Office (2018). Development of Highway and Transportation Legislation in Arkansas (PDF). Little Rock: Arkansas Department of Transportation. p. 1. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  21. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 1785.
  22. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 1790.
  23. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 1701.
  24. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), pp. 913–915.
  25. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 564.
  26. ^ "Minutes of the Meeting of the Arkansas State Highway Commission" (PDF). Little Rock: Arkansas State Highway Commission. 1970–1979. p. 392. OCLC 21798861. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  27. ^ "Minutes" (1970–1979), pp. 313–314.
  28. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), pp. 1429–1430.
  29. ^ "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 560.
  30. ^ a b "Minutes" (1953–1969), p. 254.
  31. ^ Arkansas GIS Office (May 31, 2023) [September 29, 2014]. Arkansas Centerline File (GIS Map) (Map) (Updated ed.). Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
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