![East End of Arkansas Highway 16 @ Searcy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/East_End_of_Arkansas_Highway_16_%40_Searcy..jpg)
Highway 16 (AR 16, Ark. 16, and Hwy. 16) is an east–west
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in Arkansas. The route begins in
Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city shares a border on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line with the city of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, which is within the Cherokee Nation territory. The town was founded i ...
at
US Highway 412 (US 412) and
Highway 59 and runs east through
Fayetteville and the
Ozark National Forest
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
to
US Highway 67 Business (US 67B) in
Searcy. Highway 16 was created during the
1926 Arkansas state highway numbering
In 1926, Arkansas renumbered its highways into a more traditional format. The system to be replaced was established in 1924 as Arkansas' first comprehensive highway plan.McLaren, Christie. "Arkansas Highway History and Architecture, 1910-1965.Art ...
, and today serves as a narrow, winding, 2-lane road except for overlaps of through
Fayetteville. Much of the highway winds through the
Ozarks
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
, including the
Ozark National Forest
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
, where a portion of the highway is designated as an
Arkansas Scenic Byway
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage la ...
. The route has two
spur route
A spur route is a short road forming a branch from a longer, more important road such as a freeway, Interstate Highway, or motorway. A bypass or beltway should not be considered a true spur route as it typically reconnects with another or the s ...
s in
Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, the surrounding towns of Benton an ...
; in Fayetteville and Siloam Springs.
Route description
![Savoy, Arkansas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Savoy%2C_Arkansas.jpg)
Highway 16 begins in
Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city shares a border on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line with the city of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, which is within the Cherokee Nation territory. The town was founded i ...
in
Benton County, 3 miles (4.8 km) from the
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
border. The highway's western terminus is US 412/AR 59 in a commercial area; it runs south to Kenwood Avenue, which is designated as Highway 16 Spur westbound. Highway 16 continues southeast, exiting the city and becoming a steep, winding road through the
oak-hickory forest. Near the
Washington County line, Highway 16 enters a small segment of the Ozark National Forest disconnected from the larger section of the forest north of
Russellville. At the county line, Highway 16 serves as the eastern terminus of
Highway 244, and briefly runs east along the county line as a
section line road In many jurisdictions in the United States, roads run along every section line, giving access to previously remote areas and serving in many instances as firebreaks. A road or arterial in which the centerline is laid out along a section line bound ...
.
In Washington County, Highway 16 continues east in the National Forest, serving the
Lake Wedington Recreation Area
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...
, which contains the
Lake Wedington Historic District
The Lake Wedington Historic District (locally Lake Wedington, sometimes spelled incorrectly Lake Weddington) is a US Historic District in Washington County, Arkansas. The historic district is located within the Lake Wedington Recreation Area." ...
, and crossing the
Illinois River
The Illinois River ( mia, Inoka Siipiiwi) is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and is approximately long. Located in the U.S. state of Illinois, it has a drainage basin of . The Illinois River begins at the confluence of the D ...
, the eastern boundary of the National Forest, near
Savoy
Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps.
Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south.
Savo ...
. It continues to wind through sparsely populated forested land, passing the
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
of
Wedington Woods before entering
Fayetteville, the third-largest city in Arkansas and
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Washington County.
In west Fayetteville, Highway 16 becomes a four-lane highway with paved median, used as a
two-way left turn lane (TWLTL), known as "
Wedington Drive".
The highway is a
principal arterial
An arterial road or arterial thoroughfare is a high-capacity urban area, urban road that sits below freeways/Controlled-access highway#Europe, motorways on the Hierarchy of roads, road hierarchy in terms of traffic flow and Speed limit#Maximum sp ...
in the City of Fayetteville's 2011 Master Street Plan. A focal point of growth in the rapidly developing
Northwest Arkansas
Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, the surrounding towns of Benton an ...
region, the Wedington Corridor has been subject to much planning and discussion in Fayetteville over the years, subject to biannual neighborhood planning
charrette
A charrette (American pronunciation: ), often Anglicized to charette or charet and sometimes called a design charrette, is an intense period of design or planning activity.
The word ''charrette'' may refer to any collaborative process by which ...
s by a broad group of Fayetteville stakeholders. The area was
annexed
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
into Fayetteville in pieces beginning in 1967, with the combination of a variety of
land use
Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods. Land use by humans has a long h ...
s and
zoning
Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
s resulting in rapid growth, heavy traffic congestion, and limited pedestrian facilities. Highway 16 meets
Interstate 49 (I-49) and unsigned
US 71/
US 62, beginning a southbound
concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
until exit 62. Highway 16 continues along an unsigned concurrency via
Highway 180 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) eastbound to
Highway 112 (Razorback Road), where it turns southbound near the entrance to the
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
. Highway 16 and Highway 112 continue south past
Baum Stadium
Baum is a German surname meaning "tree" (not to be confused with the French surname Baume). Notable people with this surname include:
* Bernie Baum (1929–1993), American songwriter
* Carol Baum, American film producer
* Christina Baum (bo ...
to an intersection, where Highway 16 turns east onto Fifteenth Street. The highway has a junction with
US 71 Business (US 71B, School Avenue), and shortly thereafter a signalized crossing of the
Razorback Greenway near Walker Park before continuing east as a two-lane road. Highway 16 gives access to the Fayetteville Industrial Park before becoming Huntsville Road, serving as the southern terminus of
Highway 265. In east Fayetteville, Highway 16 crosses
Lake Sequoyah, and begins paralleling the lake's source stream, the
White River, for approximately to its headwaters near
Pettigrew.
![Cannon Creek Bridge 002](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Cannon_Creek_Bridge_002.jpg)
The route enters
Elkins, serves as the terminus of
Highway 74, and continues south past
Stokenbury Cemetery,
Elkins High School, the Elkins Public Library, and the
Elkins School District Central Office before exiting the town heading southeast.
Highway 16 passes through the unincorporated community of
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
*Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in No ...
before entering
Madison County.
In the sparsely populated county, Highway 16 winds eastward near
Cannon Creek, where it passes a former alignment, including
a former bridge listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, before continuing through several unincorporated communities, intersecting segments of
Highway 295 at
Crosses
Crosses may refer to:
* Cross, the symbol
Geography
* Crosses, Cher, a French municipality
* Crosses, Arkansas, a small community located in the Ozarks of north west Arkansas
Language
* Crosses, a truce term used in East Anglia and Lincolnshire ...
and
Combs
Combs may refer to:
Places
France
* Combs-la-Ville, a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris
United Kingdom
*Combs, Derbyshire, England
*Combs, Suffolk, England
United States
*Combs, Arkansas, a community
*Combs, Kentucky, a com ...
before intersecting
Highway 23 at
Brashears. This junction is the northern terminus of the
Pig Trail Scenic Byway
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...
along Highway 23, an
Arkansas Scenic Byway
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage la ...
. The two highways form a concurrency through
St. Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
.
Northeast of the town, Highway 16 breaks from Highway 23 to the east. The area is sparsely populated with little development; most structures are historic churches, schools, and community centers like
Williams Farmstead the former
Pettigrew School
The former Pettigrew School, now the Pettigrew Community Building is a historic school building in the small community of Pettigrew, Arkansas. It is located off County Road 3205, just across the White River from Arkansas Highway 16. It is a sing ...
, both listed on the NRHP.
Highway 16 serves as the northern boundary for the
White Rock Wildlife Management Area (WMA) within the Ozark National Forest, with access to hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking from various county roads at
Dutton, Pettigrew,
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, and
Red Star
A red star, five-pointed and filled, is a symbol that has often historically been associated with communist ideology, particularly in combination with the hammer and sickle, but is also used as a purely socialist symbol in the 21st century. I ...
.
![Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Ozark_Highlands_Scenic_Byway_001.jpg)
Shortly after entering
Newton County, Highway 16 intersects
Highway 21 at
Fallsville, and the two routes begin a concurrency heading northeast. They pass the Glory Hole Trail, a popular waterfall at the end of a hiking trail along an old logging road, and the southern edge of the
Upper Buffalo Wilderness
Upper Buffalo Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created by an act of Congress in 1974, the wilderness covers an area of 12,108 acres (49 km²). Contained within Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, the wilderness is managed b ...
, which contains the famous Hawksbill Crag hiking trail. The overlap is also designated as part of the
Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway
Highway 21 (AR 21, Ark. 21, and Hwy. 21) is a north–south state highway in north central Arkansas. The route of runs from US Route 64 (US 64) in Clarksville north across US 62 to Missouri Route 13 at the Missouri state line The route is ...
, a state scenic byway connecting the Ozark National Forest and the
Buffalo National River
The Buffalo River, located in Northern Arkansas, was the first List of areas in the United States National Park System#National rivers and national wild and scenic rivers, National River to be designated in the United States. The Buffalo River i ...
. The concurrency ends at
Edwards Junction, and Highway 16 continues east through forested land as the northern boundary of the
Piney Creeks Wildlife Management Area (WMA), owned by the
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) is a state agency of Arkansas, headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Steve N. Wilson of Norfork, Arkansas joined the agency in 1968 and became its director in 1979. He resigned in 2000 and died in 2021. I ...
, and passing through
Deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
before a junction with a third scenic byway. Highway 16 forms an overlap southward with
Highway 7 to
Lurton, where the routes begin an overlap with
Highway 123 and enters
Pope County near
Sand Gap.
The concurrency ends at Sand Gap, with Highway 7 continuing south to
Russellville, and Highway 123 running south to
Clarksville. Highway 16 winds east, briefly reentering Newton County, returning to Pope County, and reentering Newton County to pass through
Ben Hur, before returning to Pope County and running toward
Raspberry
The raspberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the rose family, most of which are in the subgenus '' Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Raspberries are perennial with w ...
.
It briefly runs north into
Searcy County, exiting the Ozark National Forest and serving as the southern terminus of
Highway 377.
Immediately after reentering Pope County, Highway 16 intersects
Highway 27, forming a concurrency south for , where Highway 16 turns east to enter
Van Buren County.
![Highway 16 in Shirley, AR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Highway_16_in_Shirley%2C_AR.jpg)
Highway 16 winds through rural areas, passing through
Alread just north of the Gulf Mountain WMA, and ultimately entering
Clinton. In the northern part of the city, Highway 16 intersects and forms a concurrency with
US 65, which is also concurrent with
Highway 9 in this area. After a bridge over Archey Fork (a tributary of the South Fork
Little Red River), Highway 9 and Highway 16 turn east to an intersection with
Highway 980, which provides access to
Clinton Municipal Airport, and continue northeast to an intersection with
Highway 110 near
Shirley
Shirley may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Shirley'' (novel), an 1849 novel by Charlotte Brontë
* ''Shirley'' (1922 film), a British silent film
* ''Shirley'' (2020 film), an American film
* ''Shirley'' (album), a 1961 album by Shirley Bas ...
. In the city, Highway 9 splits north toward
Mountain View, with Highway 16 running south to
Fairfield Bay. An intersection with
Highway 330 provides access to Van Buren Recreation Area and the Fairfield Bay Marina on
Greers Ferry Lake
Greers Ferry Lake is the reservoir formed by Greers Ferry Dam, a United States Army Corps of Engineers dam in Northern Arkansas. It is located about north of Little Rock.
Geography
The reservoir consists of two lakes connected by a water-fille ...
. Highway 16 runs east along the northern edge of the
planned community
A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
, serving as a main commercial thoroughfare in the community along the lake.
Shortly after entering
Cleburne County, the route turns south and crosses the upper section of Greers Ferry Lake. Across the lake, Highway 16 enters the City of
Greers Ferry. It forms an overlap with
Highway 92 southbound, where the routes intersect
Highway 110 and
Highway 336, and cross the lake again.
![Greers Ferry Lake 002](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Greers_Ferry_Lake_002.jpg)
Shortly after entering
Cleburne County, the route turns south and crosses the upper section of Greers Ferry Lake. Across the lake, Highway 16 enters the City of
Greers Ferry. It forms an overlap with
Highway 92 southbound, where the routes intersect
Highway 110 and
Highway 336, and cross the lake again. At
Whispering Springs, Highway 92 breaks from the concurrency; Highway 16 runs along the southwestern side of the lake, providing access to several parks and recreation areas. Highway 16 intersects
Highway 25, which is concurrent with
Highway 107. The three highways run northeast; Highway 107 turns north toward
Eden Isle, and the two remaining routes form a concurrency with
Highway 5 south of
Heber Springs
Heber Springs is a city in and the county seat of Cleburne County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 7,165 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Heber Springs is located near the center of Cleburne County at (35.494329, −92.039168). Arkansa ...
. Highway 5, Highway 16, and Highway 25 run together for before Highway 5/Highway 25 turn north, with Highway 16 continuing eastward to
Pangburn.
In Pangburn, Highway 16 passes several historic homes, including the
Walter Marsh House,
John Shutter House, and the
Austin Pangburn House before an intersection with
Highway 124 (Searcy Street).
Highway 16 turns south, passing the
Churchill-Hilger House,
James William Boggs House,
Dr. McAdams House, and the
Rufus Gray House before exiting town to the south. It passes the
Albert Whisinant House on its way south to an intersection with
Highway 305, near the
Wesley Marsh House. Highway 16 also intersects
Highway 310, which gives access to
Letona to the west before entering
Searcy, the county seat of
White County, on the edge of the
Central Arkansas
Central Arkansas, also known as the Little Rock metro, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of ...
region.
Highway 16 enters Searcy from the north, becoming Maple Street, and passing the historic
Coward House. The highway crosses Deener Creek and the Searcy Bike Trail near Lions Stadium, home stadium of the
Searcy High School football team.
The highway curves due east, passing the
Wood Freeman House No. 1 and
Wood Freeman House No. 2 before becoming Race Avenue and entering downtown. Highway 16 runs as the northern edge of the
town square
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...
, passing historic commercial structures, the
American Legion Hall, and the
Rialto Theater. After an intersection with Spring Street, Highway 16 passes the historic
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening.Matthew H. Gore, The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988, (Memphis, Tennessee: Joint Heritage Committee, 2000). ...
and the
Jesse N. Cypert Law Office to the north, and the headquarters of
First Security Bank
First Security Bank is a privately held company based in Searcy, Arkansas. It currently operates 78
locations across the state of Arkansas and is a division of Arkansas’ fifth largest bank holding company, First Security Bancorp. First Securi ...
to the south. It runs east to Main Street, where the route terminates at
US 67 Business (US 67B). At the intersection, US 67B turns from Main Street to Race Street eastbound.
Major intersections
Mile markers reset at some concurrencies
Fayetteville spur
![Wedington Drive in Fayetteville, AR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Wedington_Drive_in_Fayetteville%2C_AR.jpg)
Highway 16 Spur (AR 16S, Ark. 16S, and Hwy. 16S) is a highway in
Fayetteville.
Locally known as Wedington Drive, its western terminus is at Highway 16 at
Interstate 49
Interstate 49 (I-49) is a north–south Interstate Highway that exists in multiple segments: the original portion entirely within the state of Louisiana with an additional signed portion extending from I-220 in Shreveport to the Arkansas s ...
. Its eastern terminus is at
Highway 112 (Garland Avenue).
The route was designated as a state highway spur route around 1971, known as Highway 112 Spur. It was renumbered to Highway 16S in 2020 as part of a truncation of Highway 112 in Fayetteville.
Siloam Springs spur
![Arkansas 16S](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Arkansas_16S.jpg)
Highway 16S (AR 16S, Ark. 16S, Hwy. 16S, and Kenwood Road) is an east–west
state highway spur route in
Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The city shares a border on the Arkansas-Oklahoma state line with the city of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, which is within the Cherokee Nation territory. The town was founded i ...
. The route of runs from
US Route 412/
Highway 59 (US 412/AR 59) east to Highway 16.
Locally posted as East Kenwood Road, it serves as a short connector route for traffic eastbound on U.S. 412 to access eastbound Highway 16 or for traffic westbound on Highway 16 to access westbound U.S. 412.
See also
*
Old Highway 16 Bridge, historic bridge along a former alignment of Highway 16 in the
Edgemont vicinity
References
*
*
External links
{{commons category-inline, Arkansas Highway 16
Arkansas Heritage Trails System
Arkansas Scenic Byways
016
Transportation in Benton County, Arkansas
Transportation in Washington County, Arkansas
Transportation in Madison County, Arkansas
Transportation in Newton County, Arkansas
Transportation in Pope County, Arkansas
Transportation in Searcy County, Arkansas
Transportation in Van Buren County, Arkansas
Transportation in Cleburne County, Arkansas
Transportation in White County, Arkansas