You’ve probably heard the pitch before. Move to Conway, they say. It’s "The City of Colleges." It’s safer, the schools are great, and your dollar stretches until it snaps. But then there’s the catch: the drive. If you’re looking at moving from Conway to Little Rock, or maybe you just landed a job at UAMS and you're weighing your options, you're likely staring at a map of Interstate 40 right now.
Honestly, the distance looks short on paper. It's roughly 30 miles. In a perfect world, that’s a 30-minute zip. But we don't live in a perfect world; we live in one where the I-40/I-430 interchange exists.
The I-40 Reality Check: It’s Not Just Miles
If you are commuting from Conway to Little Rock for a 9-to-5, you aren't just driving; you're participating in a twice-daily regional pilgrimage. Most people get the timing wrong. They think leaving at 7:30 AM is fine. It isn't. By 7:15 AM, the "Conway Curve" and the bridge over the Arkansas River start to bunch up.
Traffic in Central Arkansas isn't LA-level bad, but it’s moody. One stalled truck near Morgan/Maumelle and your 35-minute commute turns into an hour-long podcast marathon. Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has done a lot of work widening I-40 to six lanes between the two cities, which helped. Still, the volume is massive. We are talking about tens of thousands of vehicles daily.
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What about the "Reverse Commute"?
Interestingly, living in Little Rock and working in Conway is the "pro move" if you hate traffic. While everyone is bumper-to-bumper heading south in the morning, the northbound lanes are usually wide open. You can cruise at 70 mph while watching the misery in the opposite lane.
The Hidden Costs: Gas, Tires, and Sanity
Let’s talk money. As of early 2026, gas in Arkansas is hovering around $2.37 per gallon—cheaper than the national average, but it adds up when you're doing 60 miles round-trip. If your car gets 25 mpg, you're burning about 2.4 gallons a day. That’s roughly $5.70 a day, or $114 a month just in fuel.
Then there’s the Conway Corp factor. If you live in Conway, your utilities (electric, water, internet, trash) are all bundled through Conway Corp. People rave about this. It’s weirdly efficient and usually cheaper than the fragmented services you get in Little Rock. But does that $50 saving on your electric bill offset the $114 you’re spending on gas? Probably not. You’re moving to Conway for the house, not the gas savings.
Comparison of Daily Life
- Conway: It’s a dry county. No liquor stores. You have to drive to the Palarm Creek line or over to Maumelle to stock your bar. It’s a "big small town" vibe.
- Little Rock: Better food, actual nightlife, and the Hillcrest/Heights area offers walkability that Conway just can't match yet.
Transit Options: Are They Real?
People always ask if there’s a train. There isn't. Not yet, anyway. There have been studies about commuter rail for years, but the 2026 reality is still firmly bus-and-car based.
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Rock Region METRO runs some microtransit and express routes, but for the average professional, it’s not quite "door-to-door" enough. Most commuters stick to their SUVs. If you’re lucky, your employer offers a hybrid schedule. If you only have to make the Conway to Little Rock trek three days a week, the lifestyle benefits of Conway—like the lower crime rates and the Roundabout Capital of America charm—totally win out.
Making the Move Work
If you’re committed to the commute, you need a strategy. Don't just wing it.
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First, check the IDriveArkansas app religiously. It’s the only way to know if a wreck at the I-430 split is about to ruin your morning. Second, consider your "last mile." If your job is in West Little Rock, the commute is shorter. If you’re going all the way to the River Market or the East Village, tack on another 15 minutes of surface street stop-and-go.
Practical Next Steps for the Commute
- Audit your vehicle: At 300 miles a week, you'll be hitting oil change intervals every three to four months. Budget for it.
- Time your departure: Try the "15-minute shift." Leaving at 6:45 AM instead of 7:00 AM usually saves you 20 minutes of actual sit-in-traffic time.
- Explore the backroads: Learn Highway 365. It’s slower, but when I-40 is a parking lot, it’s a lifesaver.
- Evaluate the "Wet vs. Dry" cost: If you enjoy a glass of wine at night, factor in the time and gas spent driving to the county line once a week.
Living in one and working in the other is a classic Central Arkansas trade-off. It’s about deciding whether you want the energy of the capital or the quiet, suburban structure of Conway. Just don't expect the interstate to be your friend at 5:15 PM on a rainy Tuesday.