Little Rock sits on the south bank of the Arkansas River, with North Little Rock directly across the water, and it has more interstate mileage than its size suggests. I-30 comes up from the southwest, passes downtown and crosses the river to meet I-40, which runs east-west through North Little Rock. I-630 cuts straight across the middle of the city from downtown to west Little Rock. I-430 forms a western bypass from I-30 north across the river, I-440 swings around the southeast past the airport, and I-530 heads south toward Pine Bluff.
West Little Rock is where most growth has gone, and its main roads are busy and hilly. Cantrell Road follows the river bluffs out toward the Chenal area and Pinnacle Mountain, Chenal Parkway winds through newer neighborhoods and shopping, and Markham Street and Kanis Road connect them back toward midtown. The I-630 and I-430 interchange backs up at rush hour, and the hills along Cantrell and Chenal are hard on brakes. A breakdown on one of those climbs is a common reason to bring a mechanic to the car.
Clinton National Airport sits east of downtown off I-440, and its parking decks and economy lots are a common service stop. The METRO Streetcar connects downtown, the River Market and North Little Rock, and Rock Region METRO buses cover the main corridors, but most households here depend on cars. Little Rock Air Force Base is a short drive northeast in Jacksonville, and many families commute between the base and the city. Bridges over the Arkansas River, including the I-30 crossing, are where a stall causes the biggest backups, so getting off the bridge to the first safe exit matters.