Arkansas Highway 365: North Little Rock

Take a quick but meaningful ride through the heart of North Little Rock as we follow Arkansas Highway 365 from the I-40 interchange in Levy to the edge of the Arkansas River. Though only 2.4 miles in length, this brief segment reveals layers of local history, infrastructure, and transformation—all nestled within the broader rhythms of Central Arkansas.

Our journey begins at the I-40 off-ramp, where we merge onto Pike Avenue, the local name for this portion of AR-365. We’re in the Levy neighborhood—a historically independent town until its annexation by North Little Rock in 1946. Once a hub of rail and small business activity, Levy still retains echoes of its past through a mix of early 20th-century architecture and neighborhood storefronts. As we roll southward, the road broadens slightly to accommodate light commercial traffic, passing by fast-food joints, gas stations, and auto shops—modern-day heirs to Pike Avenue’s long-standing role as a connector route.

Soon, we cross Pershing Boulevard, a key east-west corridor that provides access to both the Park Hill neighborhood and the North Little Rock Veterans Hospital. As we pass through this area, the streetscape begins to shift. The small shops give way to more utilitarian buildings as we approach one of the most visible landmarks on this route: the massive Union Pacific rail yard. A testament to the area’s deep ties to railroading, the yard bustles with freight activity, and the sight of towering locomotives idling in the background serves as a reminder of how critical this corridor remains for both local and national logistics.

Approaching the intersection with Arkansas Highway 100—better known here as Riverfront Drive—we encounter a modern roundabout that replaced the traditional signalized intersection in recent years. Designed to improve safety and traffic flow, the roundabout is also a visual cue that we’re nearing the Arkansas River industrial zone. Staying on AR-365, we veer through the roundabout and pass underneath a dramatic Union Pacific Railroad bridge, its aged steel structure looming above like a sentinel watching over decades of transition. Beyond the bridge, the surroundings become even more industrial, with low-slung warehouses and storage yards replacing retail and residential uses.

Our short drive concludes at the intersection with U.S. 70, where AR-365 merges with Broadway Street. This juncture marks not only the end of our current route but also a threshold into the downtown core of North Little Rock—and across the river, the skyline of Little Rock itself. From here, travelers can continue west into the bustling Broadway corridor or head east toward the Broadway Bridge and the Arkansas State Capitol.

Though modest in length, this segment of AR-365 serves as a vital thread through North Little Rock’s urban fabric. It weaves together historic neighborhoods, critical infrastructure, and the ever-present rail lines that helped shape the city’s identity. In a way, it’s a microcosm of Arkansas’ evolution—from railroad boomtowns to modern-day crossroads of commerce and community.