kids encyclopedia robot

1926 Arkansas state highway numbering facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
AR 12 historic shieldAR 112 historic shield
1926 era Highway markers for AR 12 and AR 112
A map of highways in the state of Arkansas, 1926
Quick facts for kids
System information
Formed: 1926
Highway names
US Routes: National Road nn
System links
Arkansas Highway System
Interstates • US • State
Business • Spurs • Scenic

Imagine a big puzzle of roads! In 1926, the state of Arkansas decided to give its roads a fresh start. They changed how all the highways were named and organized.

Before 1926, Arkansas had a different system. It was set up in 1924. Roads were called "primary federal aid roads," "secondary federal aid roads," or "connecting state roads." This system used letters and numbers, like A1 or B25.

Around the same time, the United States started its own system of United States Numbered Highways. These are the famous US Routes you might know, like US 65 or US 70. To make things clear and avoid confusion, Arkansas decided to switch to a number-only system for its state highways. This was the first time Arkansas truly numbered its state roads.

It was important that the new Arkansas highway numbers didn't clash with the new US Route numbers. So, some numbers were skipped. For example, there were no Arkansas highways numbered 61, 63, 64, 65, 67, 70, or 71. This was because those numbers were already used for US Routes. Also, numbers like 165 or 167 were avoided for the same reason. The highest number used for a state highway was 115. Numbers 116 and higher were saved for new roads in the future.

How Roads Were Named Before 1926

Before the big change in 1926, Arkansas used a letter and number system for its roads. This helped organize them into different types.

1924 name What it meant
A1-A9 These were the most important roads. They received money from the federal government to help build and maintain them.
B1-B43 These were also important roads that received federal money. They were a bit less major than the "A" roads.
C1-C46 These roads connected different parts of the state. They helped people travel between towns and cities.
This article is part of the
highway renumbering series.
Alabama 1928, 1957
Arkansas 1926
California 1964
Colorado 1953, 1968
Connecticut 1932, 1963
Florida 1945
Indiana 1926
Iowa 1926, 1969
Louisiana 1955
Maine 1933
Massachusetts 1933
Minnesota 1934
Missouri 1926
Montana 1932
Nebraska 1926
Nevada 1976
New Jersey 1927, 1953
New Mexico 1988
New York 1927, 1930
North Carolina 1934, 1937, 1940, 1961
Ohio 1923, 1927, 1962
Pennsylvania 1928, 1961
Puerto Rico 1953
South Carolina 1928, 1937
South Dakota 1927, 1975
Texas 1939
Utah 1962, 1977
Virginia 1923, 1928, 1933, 1940, 1958
Washington 1964
Wisconsin 1926
Wyoming 1927

Arkansas' New Roads in 1926

After the big renumbering, Arkansas gave numbers to its state roads. These numbers started from 1 and went up to 115. As we learned, some numbers were skipped to avoid confusion with the new US highways. This new system made it much easier to understand and navigate the state's road network.

kids search engine
1926 Arkansas state highway numbering Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.