▁routes ▁were ▁upgrad ed ▁to ▁Inter state ▁Highway ▁standards ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁forming ▁the ▁R . L . ▁Thor nt on ▁Fre ew ay . ▁By ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁much ▁of ▁I - 3 0 ▁was ▁under ▁construction . ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁route ▁was ▁completed ▁by ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁but ▁a ▁ ▁stretch ▁through ▁mar sh land ▁between ▁Mount ▁Ple asant ▁and ▁New ▁Boston ▁remained ▁un fin ished . ▁This ▁remaining ▁segment ▁was ▁finally ▁built ▁and ▁opened ▁to ▁traffic ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁comple ting ▁I - 3 0 . ▁ ▁I - 3 0 ▁was ▁proposed ▁to ▁be ▁extended ▁along ▁the ▁US   6 7 ▁fre ew ay ▁from ▁Little ▁Rock . ▁However , ▁this ▁conflic ted ▁with ▁the ▁Missouri ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation ' s ▁plan ▁to ▁extend ▁I - 5 7 , ▁which ▁is ▁also ▁planned ▁to ▁use ▁US   6 7 . ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁a ▁provision ▁design ating ▁US ▁ 6 7 ▁from ▁North ▁Little ▁Rock ▁to ▁Wal nut ▁R idge , ▁Ark ansas , ▁as ▁" Future ▁I - 5 7 " ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁federal ▁fis cal ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Transport ation , ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Urban ▁Development ▁fund ing ▁bill . ▁The ▁provision ▁would ▁also ▁give ▁Ark ansas ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁request ▁any ▁segment ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁built ▁to ▁Inter state ▁Highway ▁standards ▁be ▁officially ▁added ▁to