U.S. Route 425

U.S. Route 425
Route information
Length:	220 mi (354 km)
Existed:	1989 (extended north in 2002, south in 2005) – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 61 / US 84 at Natchez, MS
	I-20 at Rayville, LA
North end:	I-530 / U.S. 63 / U.S. 65 / U.S. 79 at Pine Bluff, AR
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List • Bannered • Divided • Replaced

U.S. Route 425 is a north–south United States highway, first commissioned in 1989. Its route number is a "violation" of the usual AASHTO numbering scheme, as it comes nowhere near its implied "parent", U.S. Route 25.

Another anomaly is US 425's absorption of US 65, forming US 65's southern terminus. The route's northern terminus is in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at an interchange with Interstate 530/U.S. Route 63/U.S. Route 65/U.S. Route 79/US 65B/AR 190. Until 2005, its southern terminus was in Bastrop, Louisiana, at an intersection with U.S. Route 165. In 2005, it was extended to Natchez, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 61.

US 425 is a piecing together of former state highways. Most of US 425 in Louisiana, for example, is merely a concurrence with LA 15.

Route description

Arkansas

The route enters Arkansas near Rawls and runs north through rural Ashley County. Highway 425 forms a concurrency with US 82 east of Crosett, with the two routes running north through farmland and trees to Hamburg, the county seat of Ashley County. In Hamburg, the routes are joined by Highway 8, which runs east and west across the southern part of the state. North of the junction, the three routes pass the First United Methodist Church and historic properties within the Hamburg Commercial Historic District before US 82 turns east at St. Louis Street and US 425/AR 8 run north out of Hamburg. Passing more agricultural land, Highway 8 turns west in Fountain Hill just before the Drew County line.

Further north US 425 intersects Highway 133 in Lacey and Highway 172 before entering Monticello. The highway serves the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the southern part of town, also passing the Monticello Elementary School. US 425 intersects University Drive and continues north as a four–lane road. There is an interchange with Jordan Drive, after which US 425 enters residential Monticello. The route now curves to the west side of town, with Main Street (AR 83) serving downtown Monticello. Highway 83 was the previous alignment of AR 13, which US 425 replaced upon designation in 1989. There are plans to bypass Monticello even more efficiently as part of Interstate 69's extension into Arkansas.

US 425, now four–lane with center turn lane format, intersects US 278/Highway 35 at a busy intersection. Highway 35 forms a short concurrency north with US 425, which proceeds north and out of Monticello. After AR 35 turns west, Highway 425 has many rural junctions with county routes. Upon entering Lincoln County, the route passes the historic Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church in Relfs Bluff and the Parker House before entering Star City. Downtown, the highway forms a concurrency with Highway 11, which ends near the Lincoln County Courthouse and the Star City Commercial Historic District. The highway continues north through rural areas before intersecting US 65 in Jefferson County. US 65/US 425 run concurrent west to a high–volume interchange with I-530/US 63/US 79/US 65B/AR 190, where US 425 terminates.

History

In Arkansas, US 425 replaced the southern half of Arkansas Highway 13, which was an original state highway in the area. The route is essentially the same as it was at inception in the 1926 state highway plan, connecting the major cities in its area of southeast Arkansas. Highway 13 now runs in north central Arkansas. Most of US Route 425 was repaved in 2010 within Ashley County.

Major intersections

Arkansas

County	Location	Mile	Destinations	Notes
		0.00	Louisiana–Arkansas state line
Ashley		9.4	U.S. 82 west / Hwy. 52 east	US 82 concurrency north
		12.0	Hwy. 52 west
	Hamburg	15.7	Hwy. 189 west (Jackson Street)
		16.0	Hwy. 8 east (Parker Street)	AR 8 concurrency north
		16.2	Hwy. 189 west (Washington Street)
		16.3	U.S. 82 east (St Louis St)	US 82 concurrency ends
	Fountain Hill	25.5	Hwy. 8 west (Fairview Road)	AR 8 concurrency ends
		26.0	Hwy. 160 west
Drew	Lacey	32.8	Hwy. 113 south
	Shady Grove	40.5	Hwy. 172 west
	Monticello	42.7	Hwy. 83 west (University Drive)	access to University of Arkansas at Monticello
		42.8	Hwy. 83 east
		44.2	Hwy. 83S (Jordan Drive)
		45.4	U.S. 278 / Hwy. 35 east (Gaines Ave)	begin AR 35 concurrency north
		46.7	Hwy. 35 west	AR 35 concurrency ends
Lincoln		65.1	Hwy. 54 east
	Star City	66.7	Hwy. 293 east (Cane Creek Road)
		67.2	Hwy. 11 west (Franklin Avenue)
		67.8	Hwy. 11 east / Hwy. 114 / Hwy. 212 west (Arkansas Avenue)
	Tarry	77.8	Hwy. 199 east
Jefferson		88.5	U.S. 65 east	US 65 concurrency west
	Pine Bluff	90.5	Hwy. 980 south (Grider Field Ladd Road)
		91.0	I-530 / U.S. 63 / U.S. 79 / U.S. 65B	northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Related routes

• U.S. Route 400 and U.S. Route 412, both similar violations of the standard numbering scheme

References

Browse numbered routes
← MS 424	MS	MS 427 →
← LA 424	LA	LA 427 →
← U.S. 412	AR	I-430 →