The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials and other state leaders attended the groundbreaking of the Corning Bypass, part of the Future Interstate 57 project.
The Corning Bypass is the next phase of the Future I-57 project from Walnut Ridge to the Missouri state line. The south end of the bypass will begin at U.S. Highway 67, just south of Corning. It will go northeast, connecting back to Highway 67, north of Corning.
The new road will be a four-lane divided highway with inside and outside shoulders.
According to the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), they are working on U.S. 67 in Butler County toward the Arkansas state line as part of the Future I-57 project.
A contract for phases 1B and 2 in Butler County was awarded on Oct. 2. This includes the area just south of Highway 160/158/67 intersection to County Road 352 for a total of 2.5 miles of new freeway.
According to MoDOT, a conceptual study of U.S. Route 60 in Scott and New Madrid Counties is also underway. This is an 11-mile section between I-55/I-57/U.S. 60 interchange in Sikeston to just west of Morehouse to County Road 593.
To extend I-57, MoDOT engineers said it will be necessary to upgrade U.S. 60 to interstate standards.
This study is anticipated to be the first step in a multi-step process to upgrade U.S. 60.
Construction on the $55 million project is expected to begin in 2025 and finish in late 2027.
Source: KFVS 12, KAIT 8
