Interstate 57 is a critical north–south route in the central United States, extending from Interstate 40 in North Little Rock, Arkansas to Interstate 94 on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Spanning over 500 miles, I-57 serves as a major freight and passenger corridor, linking the Mid-South to the Great Lakes region without passing through the urban bottleneck of St. Louis.

Originally terminating in Sikeston, Missouri, I-57 has been extended south into Arkansas along the former US-67 corridor. This new segment begins in North Little Rock and passes through Jacksonville, Cabot, Searcy, and Walnut Ridge before entering Missouri near the town of Corning. Much of this extension had already been built to Interstate standards prior to official designation and now provides a seamless high-speed route from Little Rock to southern Illinois.

In Illinois, Interstate 57 continues north through rural and urban centers alike, including Marion, Mount Vernon, Effingham, and Champaign. It offers direct access to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston via US-45 and serves as a vital alternative to I-55 for traffic heading to Chicago. The route terminates in the southern neighborhoods of Chicago at a junction with I-94 (the Dan Ryan Expressway), connecting travelers to the broader Chicago-area freeway system.

With its recent extension and strategic location, I-57 plays a growing role in regional mobility, offering a direct, less congested alternative for north-south travel through the central U.S. and improving freight movement between the South, Midwest, and Great Lakes.