I-49 in Arkansas

[Arkansastravelguy]

There's a ton of these around on back roads

Never seen this one, but it's likely a city or county maintained sign.

That one is on New Hope Rd in Johnson

[US71]

That one is on New Hope Rd in Johnson

So very likely not AHTD issue.

These, however, likely ARE

Greenland


South Fayetteville

[robbones]

I noticed that the BGS were finally fixed on I 40 EB west of the 540 interchange. Now just to do a simple fix on the BGS at the 49 interchange to say TO 540 instead of South.

[O Tamandua]

The three remaining I-49 Arkansas pieces: the bypass, the bridge, the big one (between Greenwood and TXK).  Looks like "the bridge" is where eyes are fixed now:

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said during a visit to Fort Smith Tuesday (Aug. 19) that while he is against higher taxes, the gasoline tax that funds the Highway Trust Fund should be re-worked as a "percentage" versus a "centage" tax in order to keep infrastructure projects moving forward across the nation.

Inhofe, a senior member of the Senate's Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, was in Fort Smith with U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., to see the area's infrastructure needs and to meet with the Regional Intermodal Transportation Authority for a question and answer session Tuesday morning. The meeting was held at the Arkansas River Valley Nature Center at Chaffee Crossing.

The statement by Oklahoma's senior senator was in response to a question by RITA board member George Moschner, an executive vice president of risk management and compliance at Baldor Electric Co., about how to secure funding to complete the section of Interstate 49 between Alma and Chaffee Crossing. The section would include a bridge across the Arkansas River and is estimated to at least $350 million.

Inhofe first said locals must get the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to make completion of that section of I-49 its number one priority in order to get the attention of Washington.

"The second thing is you're going to see coming up between now and May a funding mechanism that is going to change the way we're looking at funding our roads and highways. And again, this is not an announcement on my part because I still am going to maintain opposition to any new tax increases. However, I don't see that. It's more of a user fee than a tax increase and it's going to have to affect that. So those are two things that are going to have to happen before (that stretch of I-49can be funded)."

and;

Sebastian County Judge David Hudson asked what RITA and other local governments could do to ensure projects of significance in the Fort Smith region, namely the I-49 project between Alma and Chaffee Crossing, receive funding.

Without providing specifics, Inhofe said the answer would come before a vote is taken on a final transportation bill in May, which Boozman said could be a five-year bill that would provide funding for a variety of projects nationally.

http://www.thecitywire.com/node/34312#.U_POHfldXUQ

[Arkansastravelguy]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 


iPhone

[Bobby5280]

Oof! That's one ugly sign. I can't tell from the not so great quality of the photo, but I wonder if a sign contractor merely did a patch job on a previously existing I-540 shield. The least thing they could have done is get the freaking typeface correct.

[agentsteel53]

what font is that?  it looks vaguely like a slightly compressed Oregon 1942 custom font.

[US71]

Oof! That's one ugly sign. I can't tell from the not so great quality of the photo, but I wonder if a sign contractor merely did a patch job on a previously existing I-540 shield. The least thing they could have done is get the freaking typeface correct.

The direction is off, too.

I'd put money on City of Rogers Street Department. I'll have to investigate this personally

[Brandon]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 

Let's see...

3di shield for a 2di.  Check!
Odd font, maybe a version of arialhevticesk or some such thing.  Check!
Improper color banners with interstate shield.  Check!
Wrong direction for this particular interstate.  Check!

Four for four on this one.  Yeah, this needs to be in the "worst of" thread like yesterday.

[Scott5114]

That might be an actual font, but if so, I have no idea what it is. Certainly isn't in the Arial/Helvetica family (none of those fonts have a flat-sided 9). Closest thing to it I've seen is Gothic No. 13, but that's still pretty far off. My guess is it's either a custom font or some default font included in the sign-making hardware.

[cjk374]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 


iPhone

Wow...there are no words in the english language that can perfectly quantify the...the...the...crap bolted to that metal post.   

[Arkansastravelguy]

Has AHTD posted anything in the last little while?


iPhone

[O Tamandua]

Has AHTD posted anything in the last little while?


iPhone

Well, there seems to be a lot of work on the bridge/connection for the future BV bypass at I-49 in Bentonville, but I see barely anything going on in the section at West Bella Vista, which as recently as spring was predicted to be open by October.  Doubt it now.

[Gordon]

Are you writing about the paving from HWY 72 to County RD. 34 section? Hope it still will be opened for traffic and not be delayed until next year because of Missouri in no hurry to do anything.

[M86]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 


iPhone

That's the font that the City of Rogers uses on street name signs.  I've seen a few speed limit signs with this font as well.  Hate it.  And not MUTCD approved.

[US71]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 


iPhone

That's the font that the City of Rogers uses on street name signs.  I've seen a few speed limit signs with this font as well.  Hate it.  And not MUTCD approved.

I thought it was a city job. Wouldn't be so bad if they'd just used FHWA numbers.

[O Tamandua]

Are you writing about the paving from HWY 72 to County RD. 34 section? Hope it still will be opened for traffic and not be delayed until next year because of Missouri in no hurry to do anything.

Gordon, I think that's the one.

BTW, here's an article in today's City Wire on the 8th St. Expansion (which will link up with I-49) in Bentonville.

[MikeSantNY78]

This monstrosity is at the Pinnacle Hills Promenade roundabout 


iPhone

That's the font that the City of Rogers uses on street name signs.  I've seen a few speed limit signs with this font as well.  Hate it.  And not MUTCD approved.

Looks close to the numbers on a Wheel Of Fortune scoreboard...

[M86]

BTW, here's an article in today's City Wire on the 8th St. Expansion (which will link up with I-49) in Bentonville.

That link was in a loop... Maybe since I'm trying to access it overnight.  ETA:  Link loaded.
Bentonville has severe traffic issues.  This 8th Street interchange and improvements will help.
Exit 86 (Hudson/14th Street) on I-49 is of particular interest.

I have contacted AHTD, the city of Bentonville, and the city of Rogers.

Nobody can tell me what is going to happen at Exit 86.  It sounds like AHTD has handed off this interchange to the locals (big shock there).

The fact is, an additional interchange at 8th Street to the north will not fix the congestion to the east (Rogers).

[US71]

BTW, here's an article in today's City Wire on the 8th St. Expansion (which will link up with I-49) in Bentonville.

That link was in a loop... Maybe since I'm trying to access it overnight.  ETA:  Link loaded.
Bentonville has severe traffic issues.  This 8th Street interchange and improvements will help.
Exit 86 (Hudson/14th Street) on I-49 is of particular interest.

I have contacted AHTD, the city of Bentonville, and the city of Rogers.

Nobody can tell me what is going to happen at Exit 86.  It sounds like AHTD has handed off this interchange to the locals (big shock there).

The fact is, an additional interchange at 8th Street to the north will not fix the congestion to the east (Rogers).

IIRC, AHTD is building the interchange (State ROW), but Bentonville is supposed to be doing all the street and approach work.

[O Tamandua]

Wow.  Just saw today where the (approximately foot deep) blacktop/asphalt has been laid between the Rocky Dell Hollow Road new bridge (getting ever closer to completion itself) in far west Bella Vista and the current west terminus of the first completed (2-lane) section of the BV bypass.  Shoulders are being put in from the south northward.

(BTW, the roadbed is starting to take shape for a few block lengths from the east end of said "completed" section toward Bentonville as well.)

Wondering if we may see that October deadline for the Rocky Dell Hollow to west Hwy 72 new bridge section opening take place after all.  Great work, AHTD!

[O Tamandua]

OK, Mid-southers.

Here are pictures I snapped this afternoon on the second (new Hwy 72 bridge in Gravette to Rocky Dell Hollow bridge west of Bella Vista Highlands) section of the Bella Vista Bypass, future I-49.  See if you notice something that looks unusual:

Facing north, new Rocky Dell Hollow Road bridge in distance:



Facing south, same location as above:



Facing north from new (West) Highway 72 bridge between old Gravette and Gravette/Hiwasse:



Facing south, same location as above:

[ARMOURERERIC]

Yes, they are paving all 4 lanes

[O Tamandua]

Yes, they are paving all 4 lanes

Am I the last to know on this or what?!?!

BTW, they're working furiously on this now.  There were crews working tonight in the dark on the west end of the third segment (East new Ark. 72 bridge at former Hiwasse to Bentonville I-49 junction). An acquaintance who lives 500 feet away from that segment highway in Bentonville said they were working so hard on Labor Day that you could hear their equipment even with all windows and doors shut in her house.  And they're SWARMING on this segment which I posted pictures of today.  Never seen so many cement and rock trucks coming and going as I did between Gravette and Gravette/Hiwasse today.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I mean I was pleasantly surprised when I saw your pics.  I was under the impression that this was to be a stupor 2 as well.