I-49 in Arkansas

[dfwmapper]

It's horse manure, they can drive the old US71 if they choose to not pay up. Every person I know would gladly give 5 bucks each way for a interstate from FSM to Texarkana. Just like no one batches about paying 2.50 each way to Tulsa. It's folks that would likely never travel or rarely use it that does the griping along with the constantly whining trucking industry that gives us the governed truck passing another governed truck clusters on I-40.

$5? Triple or quadruple that and you might be a little closer to what it would actually cost. 180 miles of new construction through some pretty rough terrain isn't going to happen at 2.78 cents per mile.

[US71]

Probably because that would cost more votes than it would gain

While that may be true, I don't know if Arkansas voters would be willing to have another tax hike to support building I-49.

It's horse manure, they can drive the old US71 if they choose to not pay up. Every person I know would gladly give 5 bucks each way for a interstate from FSM to Texarkana. Just like no one batches about paying 2.50 each way to Tulsa. It's folks that would likely never travel or rarely use it that does the griping along with the constantly whining trucking industry that gives us the governed truck passing another governed truck clusters on I-40.

BUT, Arkansas Highway Law would have to be rewritten: Toll Roads are verboten (as are Red Light Cameras)

[Road Hog]

I remember when they were building 49 and hearing all of the blasts while at school

I think it would have been interesting to see the Bobby Hopper Tunnel being built.

I think they did a story since it was the first tunnel built in Arkansas.

The first highway tunnel but not the first tunnel, period. There is a railroad tunnel north of Conway.

[O Tamandua]

There are also several railroad tunnels (at least 3, to my recollection) on the current Missouri & North Arkansas (former Missouri Pacific) railroad between the Missouri state line south of Branson/Hollister and Norfork.  Plus the railroad tunnel on the Arkansas & Missouri railroad (former St. Louis San Francisco) south of Winslow, about parallel in latitude to the Bobby Hopper tunnel.

[Wayward Memphian]

Probably because that would cost more votes than it would gain

While that may be true, I don't know if Arkansas voters would be willing to have another tax hike to support building I-49.

It's horse manure, they can drive the old US71 if they choose to not pay up. Every person I know would gladly give 5 bucks each way for a interstate from FSM to Texarkana. Just like no one batches about paying 2.50 each way to Tulsa. It's folks that would likely never travel or rarely use it that does the griping along with the constantly whining trucking industry that gives us the governed truck passing another governed truck clusters on I-40.

BUT, Arkansas Highway Law would have to be rewritten: Toll Roads are verboten (as are Red Light Cameras)

If you limit the scope of a ballot measure to I 49, I-69 and maybe a couple of other routes like a Turnpike across North Arkansas for an interstate quaility US 412. Speak the truth about the ecomonic benefits of being on two NAFTA influenced routes, I think you'll find Arkansas receptive. Just like they were when they voted for the bond issues and the sales tax for Game and Fish and State Parks.

Just one ad touting a third lane from LR to Memphis that was truck free would garner tons of support.

[US71]

 Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (formerly MOPAC) has a tunnel at Cotter

[O Tamandua]

Asa Hutchinson (R), like the incoming State Senate Majority leader Kim Hendren a native of Gravette, AR where 3/4 of the future Bella Vista Bypass (Arkansas-side) runs, has won election tonight.  Can't be bad news for future I-49, though we don't know how good it will be yet.

[bjrush]

Um, yeah it can be

[US71]

Asa Hutchinson (R), like the incoming State Senate Majority leader Kim Hendren a native of Gravette, AR where 3/4 of the future Bella Vista Bypass (Arkansas-side) runs, has won election tonight.  Can't be bad news for future I-49, though we don't know how good it will be yet.

I'm curious what his plan is, if he has one. During the campaign, he would talk about in vague terms without saying what he wanted to do. I have suspicions, but will keep my political opinion out of this.

[O Tamandua]

Um, yeah it can be

Maybe, if they pass deep tax cuts.  I couldn't get mad at that.

But I've yet to see many abandoned interstates.  And (like it or not) "Northwest Arkansas/Fort Smith" is becoming a major metro area (bigger than Wichita/Hutchinson, Des Moines/Ames, Huntsville/Decatur/Florence, Chattanooga/Dalton, Springfield/Branson, Shreveport/Texarkana, etc.) that NEEDS a north/south through interstate, and (the more I-49 is completed around Fort Smith) will see more jobs and economic growth for the current 800,000+ people of the combined NWA/FSM metro area.

So, yeah, I don't think they'll be against I-49.  (Especially since Steve Womack (R-AR) just took House Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R-PA) on that little helicopter ride along the future interstate path last month.)

[bjrush]

I don't see Asa supporting any sort of spending large enough to progress I-49. Hell he was probably against the CAP program

Just because he is not against it doesn't mean he is a boon for I-49 just because he is from NWA

[US71]

I don't see Asa supporting any sort of spending large enough to progress I-49. Hell he was probably against the CAP program

Just because he is not against it doesn't mean he is a boon for I-49 just because he is from NWA

Asa talks about lower taxes, but 49 almost needs a bond issue, unless you raise gas taxes again like Huckabee did

[O Tamandua]

I don't see Asa supporting any sort of spending large enough to progress I-49. Hell he was probably against the CAP program

Just because he is not against it doesn't mean he is a boon for I-49 just because he is from NWA

Asa talks about lower taxes, but 49 almost needs a bond issue, unless you raise gas taxes again like Huckabee did

As we speculate on this, the clamp gets even tighter on Arkansas (and the small part of McDonald County, MO) with the opening of the Texarkana/Shreveport I-49 section in three days...

[codyg1985]

Don't forget the small portion that goes through Bowie County, TX.

[TheStranger]

Apologies if this question was already asked but...when the Texas portion of I-49 is constructed, will the exit numbering continue from the Arkansas sequence?

[codyg1985]

I would assume that to be the case. A precedent for that is I-24 dipping down from Tennessee into Georgia then back into Tennessee.

[galador]

Apologies if this question was already asked but...when the Texas portion of I-49 is constructed, will the exit numbering continue from the Arkansas sequence?

Based on a post from AHTD earlier this year, it appears that it will.

[US71]

Looks as if I'll be a No Show at the Ribbon Cutting: I've had a last minute "emergency" and won't make it. Very slim chance I msy get to Day Trip, but iffy. 

[robbones]

Any news on the Fort Smith section

[Henry]

Any news on the Fort Smith section

Well, there's one small piece on the former Fort Chaffee that's completed and open to traffic, at least according to the latest Rand McNally atlas. To get a better idea of what the entire route will look like, I refer you to the text listing on Froggie's website.

[galador]

Any news on the Fort Smith section

Well, there's one small piece on the former Fort Chaffee that's completed and open to traffic, at least according to the latest Rand McNally atlas. To get a better idea of what the entire route will look like, I refer you to the text listing on Froggie's website.

I don't think it's open, yet. Most of the exits, they haven't been started paving yet, and I don't think any of the sections have had lines painted (unless they've made extremely good progress since I passed by a week or so ago).

[Grzrd]

Any news on the Fort Smith section

IDriveArkansas is still estimating an early 2015 completion date (it will be designated upon completion as Future I-49 and I think as AR 549 instead of US 71):

[US71]

Any news on the Fort Smith section

Well, there's one small piece on the former Fort Chaffee that's completed and open to traffic, at least according to the latest Rand McNally atlas. To get a better idea of what the entire route will look like, I refer you to the text listing on Froggie's website.

I don't think it's open, yet. Most of the exits, they haven't been started paving yet, and I don't think any of the sections have had lines painted (unless they've made extremely good progress since I passed by a week or so ago).

It's not. it's close, but not yet open. I think they are wrapping up the work at 71. If I get free, I'll try to check  this week on progress.

[US71]

It's official : I-49 is now open at the AR/LA State Line.

[O Tamandua]

It's official : I-49 is now open at the AR/LA State Line.

What in the world is up with the stripe that seems to end at the state line (Louisiana's, I believe) in that photograph?