Arkansas Highway 343

Highway 343 (AR 343, Ark. 343, and Hwy. 343) is a designation for three state highways in the Arkansas Grand Prairie. One route runs 4.04 miles (6.50 km) north from a county road to Highway 11. A second route begins at Highway 152 and runs 9.56 miles (15.39 km) to US Highway 63 (US 63) and US 79 west of Stuttgart. A third route begins at US 165 and runs 8.59 miles (13.82 km) north to Highway 86 near Slovak. All three routes are maintained by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT).

Highway 343
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Existed	October 27, 1965[1]–present
Section 1
Length	4.04 mi[2] (6.50 km)
South end	Wheeler Lake Road near Bayou Meto
North end	AR 11 near Bayou Meto
Section 2
Length	9.56 mi[2] (15.39 km)
South end	AR 152 near Lodge Corner
North end	US 79 near Stuttgart
Section 3
Length	8.59 mi[2] (13.82 km)
South end	US 165 near Stuttgart
North end	AR 86 near Slovak
Location
Counties	Arkansas, Prairie
Highway system
Arkansas Highway System Interstate U.S. State Business Spurs Suffixed Scenic Heritage ← AR 342 → AR 344

Route description

All three routes are short, two-lane, low-traffic rural highways located in the Grand Prairie, a flat agricultural area crossed by lakes and bayou known for rice cultivation and aquaculture.

South Arkansas County

Highway 343 begins 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Bayou Meto in the southern part of Arkansas County. The southern terminus is at Wheeler Lake Road, with the roadway continuing south as Pat Lane. The highway runs north as a section line road until an intersection with Highway 11, where it terminates.[3] As of 2016, the route had an annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 90 vehicles per day (VPD).[4]

West Arkansas County

Highway 343 begins at an intersection with Highway 152 a few miles east of the Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area (WMA). It runs north as a section line road across King Bayou, with two small jogs turning the highway east–west. It terminates at US 63/US 79 west of Stuttgart.[3] As of 2016, the route had an AADT of 200 VPD.[4]

Prairie County

Highway 343 begins at U.S 165 in the southern tip of Prairie County. It runs north as a section line road west of the Stuttgart Municipal Airport. The highway continues past county road intersections, aquaculture ponds, drainage ditches, and fields. The route terminates at Highway 86 near Slovak.[5] As of 2016, the route had an AADT of 150 VPD.[6]

History

Two routes of Highway 343 were created by the Arkansas State Highway Commission (ASHC) on October 27, 1965.[1] The highway in southern Arkansas County was created November 23, 1966.[7]

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[2]	km	Destinations	Notes
Arkansas	​	0.00	0.00	Wheeler Lake Road	Southern terminus
	​	4.04	6.50	AR 11	Northern terminus
	Gap in route
	​	0.00	0.00	AR 152	Southern terminus
	​	9.56	15.39	US 63 / US 79	Northern terminus
Gap in route
Prairie	​	0.00	0.00	US 165	Southern terminus
	​	8.59	13.82	AR 86	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

1. "Minutes" (1953–69), pp. 738-739.
2. System Information and Research Division (2014). "Arkansas Road Log Database" (MDB). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
3. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (January 11, 2011). General Highway Map, Arkansas County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
4. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (2016). Annual Average Daily Traffic Estimates, Arkansas County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
5. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (February 6, 2008). General Highway Map, Prairie County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
6. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (2016). Annual Average Daily Traffic Estimates, Arkansas County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
7. "Minutes" (1953–69), p. 555.

• "Minutes of the Meeting" (PDF). Arkansas State Highway Commission. 1953–1969. Retrieved December 4, 2016.

External links

Media related to Arkansas Highway 343 at Wikimedia Commons