Interstate 30 may be extended northeast along the U.S. 67 corridor through north-central Arkansas into Missouri via Searcy, Newport, Pocahontas, Poplar Bluff, Farmington, and Festus to St. Louis . If constructed in this manner, presumably Interstate 30 would connect with U.S. 60, the future Interstate 66 corridor, and the current southern terminus of Interstate 57 via U.S. 60 east. In fact, a new spur route (Interstate 730) is proposed between Swifton and Jonesboro in anticipation that U.S. 67 would be renumbered as Interstate 30. According to the Poplar Bluff Daily American Republic, "If U.S. 67 is four-laned all the way to St. Louis, it likely would become part of an extended Interstate 30, which now runs from Dallas to North Little Rock."8



However, the Missouri Department of Transportation and Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department have not reached a consensus that U.S. 67 should designated as Interstate 30; some believe that this lamed corridor could instead become a southern extension of Interstate 57. Interstate 57 would seem a more logical choice in the sense that it is a north-south route, whereas Interstate 30 is more east-west. However, Interstate 30 parallels U.S. 67 for its entire length, so perhaps extending Interstate 30 to the northeast along U.S. 67 to St. Louis is appropriate. Only time will tell what ultimate designation any freeway might have between Charleston and Little Rock via U.S. 60 and U.S. 67. Of course, first someone has to finish the freeway between these two cities!

Framer wrote:Too bad. That was a beautiful stretch of road.