Highway 5 begins north of Hot Springs at Highway 7 and runs northeast to Fountain Lake. In the city the highway has a junction with Highway 128 before entering Saline County and Hot Springs Village. Continuing east, Highway 5 serves as the southern terminus for Highway 9 at Crows. Northwest of Benton the highway has a junction with Highway 298 before entering the city and passing several residential subdivisions. Near Saline Memorial Hospital, Highway 5 has a junction with Interstate 30/US Highway 67/US Highway 70 and Highway 35. Highway 5 continues onto the freeway, beginning an eastbound concurrency toward Little Rock. Highway 35 runs south toward downtown Benton and eventually Sheridan and Monticello. I-30/US 67/US 70/AR 5 run northeast past the Congo Rd exit before Highway 5 exits onto the frontage road and onto Military Rd, ending the concurrency. The highway passes the Hester-Lenz House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, prior to the Bryant city limits. Upon entering Bryant, Highway 5 runs parallel to I-30/US 67/US 70 approximately north of the limited-access highway. An intersection with Highway 183 near the historic Andrew Hunter House gives access to downtown Bryant as well as the freeway. Continuing east, Highway 5 intersects Highway 835 which leads to the Alexander branch of the Arkansas Department of Human Services's Youth Service Center, after which it enters Pulaski County. Highway 5 meets Otter Creek Rd and Highway 338, both collector roads for I-30/US 67/US 70 in southwest Little Rock. Entering a suburban area, Highway 5 crosses I-430, passes the historic Dr. Morgan Smith House, and meets Highway 300 before terminating at US 70 near the University of Arkansas at Little Rock campus.
Main Street Bridge
The Main Street Bridge in Little Rock carries a hidden AR 5 designation. The route is in span and multi-lane divided.
Cabot to Heber Springs
AR 5 begins at US 67/167 south of Cabot and runs north to cross AR 89 and AR 319. The route continues north to meet US 64 south of El Paso and AR 310 near Romance. AR 5 and AR 310 form a concurrency that runs until AR 36 in Rose Bud. AR 5 continues north to Heber Springs, where it begins to concur with AR 16/AR 25. AR 5 leaves AR 25 near Wolf Bayou, when AR 5 begins to run with AR 87, named Mountain View Road. The two routes meet AR 14 in front of the Stone County Medical Center in south Mountain View. AR 5/AR 14/AR 87 run briefly west to Sylamore Avenue, when they meet AR 9. AR 5/AR 9/AR 14 run north through town to Allison, when AR 5 continues northward alone. Passing through the Ozark National Forest, AR 5 emerges near Calico Rock. The route takes a turn northwest, concurring with AR 177 near Norfork. Entering Mountain Home, AR 5 crosses US 62 southeast of town. AR 5 becomes 9th Street, meeting US 412/US 62 BUS/AR 101 in downtown Mountain Home. The route continues northwest to Midway, after which it heads north to the Missouristate line. AR 5 terminates at Route 5. Missouri Route 5 runs entirely across Missouri and eventually becomes Iowa Highway 5.
History
Highway 5 was created in 1926 as one of the original numbered state highways in Arkansas. At time of creation, AR 5 did not extend south of Little Rock. The segment between Little Rock and Benton is the former alignment of US 67/US 70 in that area and was re-designated as Highway 5 upon completion of the freeway segment of US 67/US 70 in 1955.
