October 19, 2016: BGS for the newly christened I-555 in Arkansas, as seen from US 61 where it parallels I-55.
This website has complained rather vociferously about the tragedy of US 63 in Arkansas — ever since putting up a page in 2002 shortly after passing what had been the previous endpoint at I-55 northwest of Memphis. (Extremism in the defense of roadgeeking is no vice! — Ed.) Arkansas’ treatment of US highways moved onto interstates is universally awful, so the complete absence of 63 markers on I-55 and I-40 after the route was extended in 1999 was par for the course.
After Arkansas got an exemption in the 2015 federal transportation bill that cleared the way for I-555 to exist between I-55 and Jonesboro, 63 became redundant (and unsigned) for an even longer segment. Only at some major exits, as seen at top, did the route get recognition.
With I-555 complete, Arkansas is going to restore some dignity to US 63. In an application to the spring 2019 meeting of the route numbering committee (large PDF, Page 5), Arkansas will reroute US 63 along US 49 between Jonesboro and I-40. This will take 63 away completely from its ancestral end of “approximately somewhere in the West Memphis area”. It will cut the overlap with I-40 to 23 miles, although who knows if that will result in its being signed there. It also will created a signed US 63/US 64 junction at the map dot of Fair Oaks in far western Cross County.
Tackling US 63 south of Jefferson City remains high on my to-do list. After my 2016 trip to the Deep South, I wanted to put some space in before going that way again. Now we see procrastination has paid off.