Interstate 630 Arkansas
Overview
Interstate 630 stretches across the city of Little Rock from the western suburbs to University Park, Forest Hills, Capital View and Downtown. The western end is the Big Rock Interchange, named for a large rock formation unearthed during 2009-15 reconstruction of the exchange with I-430 and Chenal Parkway. The eastern terminus at I-30 and 15th Street lies between MacArthur Park and the Hanger Hill Historic District. An 880 foot long viaduct spans the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad, Thayer and Rice Streets at Capitol Hill. East from there, I-630 drops below grade to the south of the Arkansas State Capitol.
History
Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway) was constructed along the proposed alignment of the “Eighth Street Expressway.”1 Construction began in the 1960s, with the initial section completed between Cedar/Pine Streets and the viaduct across the UP Railroad by 1971. The succeeding segment extended I-630 west to University Avenue by 1976.
The eastern end of I-630 temporarily connected with Maryland Avenue / 9th Street east and 8th Street west at Park Street in the Capital Hill neighborhood. 8th Street constituted a one-way, westbound street with three lanes. 9th Street flowed eastbound with three lanes one block to the south. The couplet carried the bulk of traffic to Interstate 30. Construction of I-630 directly replaced a portion of 8th Street east from Park Street. Bridges spanning the two mile stretch between Park Street and I-30 were date stamped in 1979 or 1980.2
When Interstate 630 was built west from University Avenue to I-430 at Shackleford Road, the freeway concluded at a signalized T-intersection across from a stand of trees. Financial Centre Parkway and the two office complexes that make up Financial Centre west of Shackleford Road were yet to be built.3
When Financial Centre was developed in the early 1980s, a short segment of Financial Centre Parkway opened west from I-630 and Shackleford Road. The extension west to Rock Creek Parkway (since renamed Chenal Parkway) was built by the early 1990s. Chenal Parkway was eventually extended to Arkansas 10.3
Plans to modify the dangerous intersection at the west end of I-630 advanced during the 2005-2006 time frame.3 This led to the six-year long Big Rock Interchange project. $150-million in work upgraded the former cloverleaf interchange between I-430 and I-630 with new flyover ramps while adding overpasses above Shackleford Road linking with Financial Centre Parkway.4 Additional work added collector distributor roadways along I-630 east to the interchange (Exit 7) for Baptist Health Medical Center. interchange along I-630 with new collector distributor roadways. Work wrapped up with a dedication ceremony held on July 8, 2015.5
Route Information
East End – Little Rock, AR
West End – Little Rock, AR
Mileage – 7.40
Cities – Little Rock
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-630 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Interstate 630 ran east from University Avenue to the Arkansas State Capitol at Park Street in 1976. Construction lengthened the route west to I-430 in 1977.
I-430 south at I-630 east – May 28, 1995
The east end of I-630 – May 28, 1995
Highway Guides
East End 
/ 15th Street – Little Rock, Arkansas
East at
Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway) navigates below the Downtown Little Rock street grid east to the multi level interchange with I-30 (Exit 139) and 15th Street (Exit 1). 05/07/12
Entrance ramps add traffic to I-630 east from Louisiana and Cumberland Streets on the half mile preceding Left Exit 1 for 15th Street. 05/07/12
A pedestrian bridge spans Interstate 630 from MacArthur Park at the ramp departure (Exit 1) to 15th Street. 15th Street extends east from College Street through the Historic Hanger Hill District. 05/07/12
Interstate 630 concludes with a two lane ramp (Exit 139B) joining I-30 west to I-530 for Pine Bluff and I-440 east to LIT Airport. Two lanes connect with the final 3.2 miles of I-30 east to I-40 in North Little Rock. 05/07/12
East North at
Traveling north from the systems interchange with I-440 (East Belt Freeway) and I-530, Interstate 30 combines with U.S. 65/167 to AR 365 (Roosevelt Road) and Downtown Little Rock. 05/07/12
The entrance ramp from Highway 365 (Roosevelt Road) forms one of the two lanes for the flyover (Exit 139B) to Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway) westbound. 05/07/12
Entering the directional T interchange (Exit 139B) with Interstate 630 west on I-30/U.S. 65-167 north. 05/07/12
West South at
Interstate 30 westbound crosses the Arkansas River from North Little Rock ahead of the first of three Downtown Little Rock interchanges (Exit 141A). 05/07/12
Highway 10 stems west from Exit 141A to La Harpe Boulevard along the Arkansas Riverfront. I-30 proceeds south a half mile to Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway). 05/07/12
Succeeding ramps link Interstate 30 westbound with 6th and 9th Streets west into the Little Rock central business district and I-630. 05/07/12
9th Street runs along the north side of MacArthur Parkway west of I-30. Interstate 630 passes south of the park as it drops below grade. 05/07/12
A lane drop occurs along I-30 westbound beyond the 9th Street overpass for Interstate 630 west (Exit 139B). 05/07/12
Interstate 630 westbound parts ways from I-30 to west Little Rock. Interstate 30 continues southward to AR 365 (Roosevelt Road), the former alignment of U.S. 65 through Little Rock, and the split with I-530 south to Pine Bluff. 05/07/12
West End at Financial Centre Pkwy and Shackleford Rd – Little Rock, Arkansas
West at
Interstate 630 extends two miles west from the parclo interchange (Exit 6A) with Mississippi Avenue north and Rodney Parham to Financial Centre Parkway. 09/09/20
I-630 advances a half mile west from the diamond interchange (Exit 6B) with John Barrow Road to the Big Rock Interchange (Exit 8) with Interstate 430. 09/09/20
Ramps depart simultaneously for I-430 south and Baptist Health Drive at the trumpet interchange (Exit 7) for the adjacent Baptist Health-Little Rock Medical Center. 09/09/20
Left Exit 8A represents the highest flyover within the Big Rock Interchange joining I-630 with I-430. 09/09/20
The I-630 mainline continues west to Exit 8B for Interstate 430 north to North Little Rock and Shackleford Road. 09/09/20
Two lanes separate at Exit 8B for Interstate 430 north ahead of the cloverleaf interchange joining c/d roadways along both freeways. 09/09/20
Traffic splits at the west end of Interstate 630 with two lanes continuing above Shackleford Road to Financial Centre Parkway / Chenal Parkway. 09/09/20
Shackleford Road parallels I-430 to the west between Kanis Road and Markhahm Street. Chenal Parkway extends 8.4 miles northwest from Autumn Road to AR 300 in the outlying suburbs. 09/09/20
North at
Interstate 430 shifts east through an S-curve through the exchange (Exit 5) with Shackleford Road leading north to the cloverstack interchange (Exit 6A) with I-630 east and Financial Centre Parkway west. 09/09/20
The Big Rock Interchange project separated Exit 6A from the preexisting c/d roadway with I-630 and added a distributor roadway east for Baptist Health Drive. 09/09/20
Exit 6B leaves I-430 north for Baptist Health Medical Center and Downtown Little Rock. Exit 6B follows as the c/d roadway for Financial Centre Parkway west to Chenal Parkway and Shackleford Road north to Markham Street. 09/09/20
South at
I-430 advances one mile south from the diamond interchange (Exit 7) with Rodney Parham Road to the Big Rock Interchange (Exit 8) with Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway). 09/09/20
Four lanes continue south from Rodney Parham Road into the Big Rock Interchange (Exit 6) with Shackleford Road, I-630 east and Baptist Health Drive. 09/09/20
A two lane flyover (Exit 6A) connects I-430 south with Interstate 630 east ahead of the exchange with John Barrow Road. 09/09/20
The c/d roadway at Exit 6B links with Shackleford Road north to Financial Centre Parkway and the distributor roadway along I-630 east for Baptist Health Drive (Exit 7). 09/09/20
Crossing over the ramps linking Financial Centre Parkway with Interstate 630, the loop ramp for Wilbur D. Mills Freeway east to Downtown leaves the c/d roadway. The Arkansas State Capital lies six miles to the east. 09/09/20
Financial Centre Pkwy – East at
A heavily developed commercial arterial, Financial Centre Parkway extends Chenal parkway east from Autumn Road directly onto Interstate 630. 09/09/20
The connection with I-430 south from Financial Centre Parkway east utilizes Shackleford Road and the nearby entrance ramp. 09/09/20
A c/d roadway extends east from the Financial Centre Parkway intersection with Shackleford Road to Exit 8A for Interstate 430 north and Baptist Health Drive. 09/09/20
West End Throwback
West at
2018-20 construction expanded Interstate 630 to eight overall lanes west from University Avenue to I-430. 05/07/12
The Big Rock Interchange project reconfigured the remainder of I-630 west from Exit 7. Exit 8A for I-430 south now departs from within the trumpet interchange for Baptist Health Medical Center. 05/07/12
A cloverleaf interchange previously joined I-630 with Interstate 430. The freeway ended at a signalized intersection with Shackleford Road and Financial Centre Parkway. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
A c/d roadway was constructed along I-630 westbound for the loop ramp (Exit 8B) to Interstate 430 south and Shackleford Road. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
Overpasses were constructed above the intersection of Financial Centre Parkway and Shackleford Road pictured here. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
North at
The original c/d roadway for I-630 and Financial Centre Parkway separated from Interstate 430 north at the Kanis Road overpass. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
The previous separation along the c/d roadway at Exit 6 for Interstate 630 (Wilbur D. Mills Freeway) east. Photo by Steve Hanudel (08/18/05).
South at
Previous guide signs for Interstate 630 referenced Baptist Health (Medical Center) and Chenal Parkway. The ramp for I-630 was renumbered to Exit 6A. 05/20/14
The c/d roadway for parallel Shackleford Road and I-630 east partitioned from I-430 south at the Markham Street overpass. A two lane flyover for Interstate 630 was constructed here during the Big Rock Interchange project. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
The previous off-ramp for Shackleford Road was realigned to connect with the parallel road northbound. The forthcoming loop ramp for I-630 east was expanded to include a connection with Shackleford Road south of Financial Centre Parkway. Photo by Chris Patriarca (05/03/03).
Sources:
- Little Rock Realtors Association – History,
http://www.littlerockrealtorsassoc.com/history.htmwhich states: “In the early 60’s [Little Rock Realtor Association] Board Committees worked with the [Arkansas] Highway Department to minimize the problems associated with the widening of Highway #10, and worked with the City of Little Rock to provide appraisers needed to appraise properties along the proposed 8th Street Expressway (now known as I-630).” - Price, John; Personel Email, “I-630 Little Rock” (03/24/06)
- Price, John; Personal Email, “RE: I-30 Little Rock/Benton 3-lane nears completion” (03/24/06)
- Big Rock Interchange Fact Sheet.
http://arkansashighways.com/430_630_Project/Facts_7_8_15.pdfArkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). - “Big Rock Interchange dedicated.” Arkansas Democrat Gazette (Little Rock, AR), July 8, 2015.
Page updated September 26, 2020.
