What is L.R.'s busiest freeway?

[bigboyz05]

When I lived in L.R. in 1992 everyone was talking about I-630 being so busy and backed up.

[mcheiss]

When I lived in L.R. in 1992 everyone was talking about I-630 being so busy and backed up.

Doesn't I-630 get around 120,000 cars a day?

[bigboyz05]

Doesn't I-630 get around 120,000 cars a day?

I have no idea but 120,000 cars a day sure is a lot of traffic.

[skirby]

According to Metroplan, their lastest traffic counts were in 2004. They list I-30 in NLR just north of the river at 113,500. I-630 shows 112,500 between UAMS and the zoo.

[flyfisher]

Although both segments of interstate are about the same as far as numbers are concerned, the I-30/NLR segment seems much worse on nearly a day to day basis. The problems are that there are two major junctions and the river bridge that serve as "choke points". Also, there is an opportunity to exit I-630 at several places and take Markham or 12th Street into town. In NLR its not quite as easy to take an alternate route. Most people I know take I-440 to avoid I-40 and I-30.

[bigboyz05]

According to Metroplan, their lastest traffic counts were in 2004. They list I-30 in NLR just north of the river at 113,500. I-630 shows 112,500 between UMAS and the zoo.

Hey Skirby, thanks for those traffic counts.

[Aporkalypse]

While they are both very bad, right now the interchanges are a bigger problem than the highways themselves. The entire I-630/430 interchange is a major priority for the AHTD right now and backs up in the mornings going onto 630 and the evenings coming off of it. However, that I-630 ramp onto I-30 northbound between 4 and 6 PM is absolutely brutal and is the biggest traffic problem in LR.

From what I hear ultimately I-630 will be rebuilt and widened as it has been in its present state since it was built in the 1970s. I would love to see it redone with some attention to aesthetics the way urban interstates in many cities like Dallas and KC are. Even Texarkana has some nice overpasses and landscaping on the Texas side.

That congested segment of I-30 apparently presents a special problem. It can't be widened without building a new bridge as the current one can only handle six lanes. Because of its location through downtown rebuilding it would not only be expensive but a logistical nightmare. Widening the rest of the highway to eight lanes without widening the bridge would create dangerous bottlenecks and wouldn't improve traffic flow. I'm not sure much can be done about I-30 traffic.

Redoing that I-40 segment between the I-30/40 interchange and the I-40/67/167 interchange where retail development is starting to take off probably needs to be thought about as well.

[itk]

^Yep.

BTW, 2005 counts are available here, in case anyone wants to see them: http://www.arkansashighways.com/Maps/Traff...rafficCount.htm

hasn't changed much in recent years as you might expect in a highly developed area such as downtown-midtown LR. As compared to a very undeveloped area becoming developed (e.g. check out Benton and Wash co's compared to previous recent years).