Take a short but immersive drive through the historic gateway of the Arkansas Delta as we follow U.S. Route 70 westbound across West Memphis. This five-mile stretch may be brief, but it offers a fascinating glimpse into a city that has long stood at the crossroads of American travel, music, and culture—nestled just across the river from Memphis, Tennessee, yet distinct in its own rhythm.
We begin our journey just after merging onto US-70 from Interstate 55, east of town. The road immediately offers a view into West Memphis’ layered identity: part river town, part trucking corridor, part living museum of mid-century America. As we roll westward, we pass under the overpass that once carried thousands of Route 66 travelers over the Mississippi into Arkansas. The dual influence of highway and railroad is unmistakable here—freight trains rumble in the distance, and nearly every wide intersection we cross is flanked by warehouses, small businesses, or remnants of the city’s commercial heyday. This segment of US-70 carries the weight of countless travelers who took the “old road” before I-40 came to dominate cross-country travel.
Approaching the heart of West Memphis, we reach the intersection with Arkansas Highway 77, a local north-south route that threads through the neighborhoods and industrial centers of Crittenden County. From here, the road begins to soften slightly, framed by older residential streets and local shops that reflect a mix of new development and mid-century charm. The traffic light rhythm slows the pace just enough to take it all in—gas stations with retro canopies, aging motels that once beckoned long-haul drivers, and faded signage from an earlier era of American road culture. It’s here we see West Memphis as it is and was—a town built by the road, for the road.
Continuing west, we pass several more signalized intersections before coming upon one of the city’s key institutions: Arkansas State University Mid-South. Its clean, modern campus stands in contrast to the older surroundings, representing both an anchor for local students and a sign of the city’s efforts to reinvent itself in the 21st century. Just a few blocks later, our drive ends at the intersection with Airport Road, near the West Memphis Municipal Airport—a fitting close to this quick jaunt through a city where movement and motion are part of the landscape.
Though only five miles long, this short drive along U.S. 70 offers more than just pavement and signage—it’s a living corridor of American transition. From rail to road, from blue-collar backbone to educational renewal, West Memphis embodies the perseverance of a city often bypassed but never forgotten. Sometimes, it’s not the miles but the stories that make a stretch of road worth the drive.
🗺️ Route Map
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