I-49 in Arkansas

[US71]

Besides, Walmart has distribution centers scattered hither and yon. I don't think I-49 makes much of a difference to them one way or another. They became a mega-giant while US 71 was the main route to the world, after all.

As did Tyson and JB Hunt

[wdcrft63]

Little Rock and NWA get the bulk of highway revenue while the rest of the state suffers and the governor refuses to raise taxes to fix the roads.

It's the governor's job to set taxes? In my state, the legislative branch does that. But maybe Arkansas is different.

Highway revenues goes to the general fund. The entire state budget is set by the General Assembly. A gas tax increase wouldn't 100% go to AHTD unless it was a different mechanism

My point exactly. Raising the gas tax almost does nothing for roads. Most of the money will just get spent elsewhere.

Well, that's really dumb. Most states don't have the gas tax go into the general fund. In Washington, the gas tax only funds the DOT.

Interesting discussion. A couple of additional comments about the NC gas tax:
(1) NCDOT maintains the secondary roads in all counties, so it's responsible for all the roads outside city limits. This is one reason the NC gas tax is fairly high, but it's also one reason why localities and legislators (usually) don't want to see it cut: it would cut road maintenance in everyone's district.
(2) The legislature fights all the time over how to allocate the funds (rural vs. urban, freeways vs. primary highways vs. secondary highways).

[codyg1985]

Little Rock and NWA get the bulk of highway revenue while the rest of the state suffers and the governor refuses to raise taxes to fix the roads.

It's the governor's job to set taxes? In my state, the legislative branch does that. But maybe Arkansas is different.

Highway revenues goes to the general fund. The entire state budget is set by the General Assembly. A gas tax increase wouldn't 100% go to AHTD unless it was a different mechanism

My point exactly. Raising the gas tax almost does nothing for roads. Most of the money will just get spent elsewhere.

Well, that's really dumb. Most states don't have the gas tax go into the general fund. In Washington, the gas tax only funds the DOT.

In Alabama the revenue goes into the general fund.

[bjrush]

Little Rock and NWA get the bulk of highway revenue while the rest of the state suffers and the governor refuses to raise taxes to fix the roads.

It's the governor's job to set taxes? In my state, the legislative branch does that. But maybe Arkansas is different.

Highway revenues goes to the general fund. The entire state budget is set by the General Assembly. A gas tax increase wouldn't 100% go to AHTD unless it was a different mechanism

My point exactly. Raising the gas tax almost does nothing for roads. Most of the money will just get spent elsewhere.

Well, that's really dumb. Most states don't have the gas tax go into the general fund. In Washington, the gas tax only funds the DOT.

That said, that's how it is. And it won't be changing any time soon. A certain percent of the gas tax is earmarked to fund the Department of Finance and Administration, Dept of Human Services (iirc, or a similar agency), and other non-revenue state agencies. This means a few penny increase will bloat these agencies' budgets unless the mechanism is changed. Also, the variation in fuel usage (ie decreasing per mile driven) impacts several agencies, not just AHTD. Arkansas voters did authorize a 10 year sales tax increase in 2011 for highways though

Arkansas did realize this wisdom for airports. The airport fuel tax and user fees are entirely dedicated to aviation.

Arkansas has a long, complex, and confusing history with its highways. Honestly we are lucky we haven't had any major scandals

[O Tamandua]

Besides, Walmart has distribution centers scattered hither and yon. I don't think I-49 makes much of a difference to them one way or another. They became a mega-giant while US 71 was the main route to the world, after all.

As did Tyson and JB Hunt

We've seen, tragically, a lot of abandoned (and pulled up, and often forgotten) railroads.  How many abandoned interstates are there?

You all are right in that WM, Tyson and JBH didn't need I-49 to become successful.  But a completed I-49 Arkansas (along with a finished I-69 Texas) won't make them or NWA any weaker, I reckon.

[Bobby5280]

In light of just how expensive and difficult it has become to build roads (much less even maintain them) I can't imagine a more stupid thing than allowing gas tax revenue to go into a state's general fund.

If infrastructure costs keep creeping up and up like they've been doing and we see no reality check from lawmakers on properly funding roads via fuel taxes then that will force the funding to come from other methods, namely a whole lot more toll gates. And not just on super highways either. Years from now I can see various towns and cities putting up their own toll tag readers on their busiest intersections and spreading it from there.

[dfwmapper]

Years from now I can see various towns and cities putting up their own toll tag readers on their busiest intersections and spreading it from there.

I would imagine that if that started to happen, voters would follow Texas's lead and outlaw it. In Texas, tolls are only permitted newly-constructed capacity. Any existing free lanes must remain free, with tolls only applying to new express lanes inside existing freeways, new freeways inside existing surface highways (which become continuous frontage roads), or new ramps bypassing stoplight-controlled intersections.

[Bobby5280]

Something has to give. It's painfully obvious voters don't want any gasoline tax increases. They don't want toll gates erected either. Nevertheless simple math won't ever care what anyone wants. Math is just math. Voters have to pay for this stuff somehow. None of it is free.

The price on so many things in life keeps getting higher, be it cars, housing, cable, etc. Road building costs keep rising higher and higher and higher. Yet the voters are living in some kind of fantasy world where they think a 23 year old level of gas tax is way more than enough to pay for all these infrastructure projects. They flippantly assume government employees and policy makers are just wasting their tax money if they can't figure out a way to pay for this stuff. The situation is just as stupid as expecting a minimum wage employee at McDonald's to afford a 3,000 square foot house and $60,000 SUV.

[Rick Powell]

In light of just how expensive and difficult it has become to build roads (much less even maintain them) I can't imagine a more stupid thing than allowing gas tax revenue to go into a state's general fund.

IL, which had a dedicated road fund, often had annual budgets that siphoned off funds for non-transportation purposes. The voters actually amended the state constitution to prevent diversions in the future with approximately a 4 to 1 favorable vote this past November. It seems desperate to have to enshrine transportation taxes in the state constitution, but that's the level of frustration we are experiencing now.

[cjk374]

http://www.nola.com/politics

Louisiana has a highway trust fund. It was established...& voter approved...in the 80s under then-governor Buddy Roemer. Apparently it has been raided many times to fund the state police.

Note: not sure how old this article is. At least 14 months or more.

[Bobby5280]

Even if a state can manage to cordon off its gas tax funds via language in the constitution the old math problem still remains. Basically my earlier analogy about the McDonald's employee's paycheck is such that he was being mugged on the way home after work for his money by other government gangs. Now the employee actually has his entire minimum wage paycheck to use to attempt funding an extravagant life style.

[Grzrd]

This Commentary is interesting, not because it advocates finishing I-49 in Arkansas, but because it includes the following observations: (1) Dick Trammel, a big booster of I-49 in NWA, doesn't display the boosterism to say that I-49 will be finished during (presumably a person in his sixties) a lifetime, there is no one on the Highway Board from southwestern Arkansas, and he looks forward to the growth it could bring in and around Mena:

Hardly a day passes without an updated status in this newspaper about Interstate 49 road work in Northwest Arkansas. Laid end to end, the column inches devoted to the roadway over recent years might well stretch from here to Shreveport, a critical, long-term connecting point between Kansas City and New Orleans for the highway. Sadly a paper ribbon would not a highway make.
At a Bentonville concert some months ago, Arkansas State Highway Commission Chairman Dick Trammel attended, as did I. During intermission I buttonholed him and humbly asked if Interstate 49 from Fort Smith to Texarkana (and on to Shreveport and world seaports beyond) might be completed in my lifetime.
His eyes softened. He responded quietly and apologetically: No.
That's a pity. Not for me and my ilk -- numerous Gulf Coast expatriates God has blessed with relocations to this Ozarks Shangri-La reached, as in epic lore, through a mountain niche passageway. Former Louisianans can deal with the inconvenience of driving deeply south now and again. We know rewards await at the end of a trek down two-laned U.S. 71 or 65: Mother's shrimp Creole. sister's oyster turkey dressing, and, in season, satsumas picked fresh from a neighbor's backyard trees.
No,the pity is for the communities in the western third of Arkansas between Fort Smith and Texarkana. Their basic link to the world is old U.S. 71, of similar curvy quality as our formerly solitary link to Interstate 40 via 71. That drive was scenic back in the day, except when the scenery became the back of a Wal-Mart semi groaning its way through hairpins to the Bentonville distribution center. Similarly, south of Fort Smith on U.S. 71, the road trip game is still estimating board feet on the logging truck you're stuck behind as it lumbers down to the paper mill in Ashdown. Lest I be tagged as a snarky city dude making fun of a rural highway, my concern is these communities are disconnected from Northwest Arkansas' tachometer-red-lining economic engine. And for the sake of our third of the state over here by Oklahoma, and for the sake of the state in general, this transportation need should be addressed sooner than later.
Just look at what completing an interstate highway has done for southwest Missouri. As U.S. 71 was upgraded section by section from Kansas City to Joplin and Pineville, new businesses began opening: a gas station here, a motel there and a dollar store over there. And for those fearing the McDonald County/Missouri Ozarks ambiance that inspired TV's Beverly Hillbillies might be endangered, it's still there, not far from the concrete ribbon's progress. The same could be said one day for stretches near Mena in the Ouachitas.
I am befuddled. Why the lack of priority placed on this? It's an important piece of highway directly linking the state's second-largest city, Fort Smith, to its fifth-largest city, Texarkana. OK, that's if you also include the slightly larger Texas-side population of the split city -- but I'm talking business markets here, not provincialism. And speaking of provincialism, it's curious that among the current Arkansas highway board members, there is no representation from the state's southwest quadrant, the part that would gain most from expanding U.S. 71 to four lanes of interstate down there.I'm neither a civil engineer nor a public sector finance expert. But there's something wrong with this 21st century picture, illustrated by recalling a famous highway project early in the last century. If infamous Louisiana Gov. Huey Long could complete most of the 156 miles of Airline Highway connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans through the muck, marshland and depths of the Great Depression, should we not expect similar results on terra firma across the 156 miles between Greenwood and Ogden?Take heart, dear local readers, as you play dodge'em cars through orange traffic barrels and temporary lane changes on Interstate 49, awaiting your turn at the temporary Bella Vista traffic carousel. We prosperous ones already have our brass ring, receiving a gracious plenty of highway project dollars. Not so Arkansans two hours to our south. No matter. Someday soon our rush hour will be reduced by 10 minutes or so.
Yet I have hope. My parents and grandparents have all lived within putting distance of 100 years old. If my genes provide likewise, then just maybe I'll last long enough so my Baton Rouge granddaughter will have an easy drive up here for Papa Ted's funeral.

[jbnv]

If infamous Louisiana Gov. Huey Long could complete most of the 156 miles of Airline Highway connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans through the muck, marshland and depths of the Great Depression, should we not expect similar results on terra firma across the 156 miles between Greenwood and Ogden?

Airline Highway is only 116 miles in total length. Much of that length is not through muck or marshland. And that "terra firma" is rather mountainous, with lots of really-hard rocks that will have to be broken and moved. 

[Anthony_JK]

If infamous Louisiana Gov. Huey Long could complete most of the 156 miles of Airline Highway connecting Baton Rouge and New Orleans through the muck, marshland and depths of the Great Depression, should we not expect similar results on terra firma across the 156 miles between Greenwood and Ogden?

Airline Highway is only 116 miles in total length. Much of that length is not through muck or marshland. And that "terra firma" is rather mountainous, with lots of really-hard rocks that will have to be broken and moved. 

Wouldn't a better analogy be Interstate 10 between BTR and NOLA?? That had to be elevated through some swampland and the Morganza Spillway, right?

[jbnv]

Wouldn't a better analogy be Interstate 10 between BTR and NOLA?? That had to be elevated through some swampland and the Morganza Spillway, right?

Given the choice of building freeways through swamps or through mountains, I'd take the swamps. I would think that sinking pilings into swampy muck would be easier than blasting and moving solid rock.

[Bobby5280]

I'm not so sure building really long bridges is easier than blasting through mountainside rock these days. The prices of concrete, steel, etc. has made bridge building ridiculously expensive in the United States. 20 or 30 years ago building a new Interstate crossing over the Arkansas River in Fort Smith would not have been a big deal at all. Now it's a project weighing upwards of half a billion dollars. If I-10 had to be re-built between New Orleans and Baton Rouge or between Baton Rouge and Lake Charles those long bridges could easily cost billions of dollars. It's like the taxpayers are writing a blank check to construction companies and materials suppliers these days.

[US71]

I'm not so sure building really long bridges is easier than blasting through mountainside rock these days. The prices of concrete, steel, etc. has made bridge building ridiculously expensive in the United States. 20 or 30 years ago building a new Interstate crossing over the Arkansas River in Fort Smith would not have been a big deal at all. Now it's a project weighing upwards of half a billion dollars. If I-10 had to be re-built between New Orleans and Baton Rouge or between Baton Rouge and Lake Charles those long bridges could easily cost billions of dollars. It's like the taxpayers are writing a blank check to construction companies and materials suppliers these days.

BUT, they don't want to pay more in taxes to cover it.

[Bobby5280]

Out of control construction cost inflation and no one wanting any tax hikes whatsoever equals a whole lot of infrastructure not even getting maintained much less hardly anything new being built.

[Gordon]

Just need a grant to keep I 49 in NWA moving towards completion
Bella Vista bypass a priority for Missouri
By Ron Wood
Posted: January 26, 2017 at 1:08 a.m.
231
SPRINGDALE -- Missouri Department of Transportation officials said finishing a missing portion of the Bella Vista Bypass is their top priority -- they just need $32.2 million to do the four-lane section between Pineville, Mo., and the state line.

Tim Conklin with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and Dick Trammel, Arkansas Highway Commission chairman, met with Missouri officials Friday in Springfield, Mo., to discuss projects, Conklin said.

"It's the number one priority for MODOT Southwest District," he said.

Missouri has acquired the right of way, done an environmental study, designed the road and has about $18.4 million set aside for the $50.8 million project, Conklin told regional planners Wednesday. It needs $32.3 million more for demolition of structures in the right of way, moving utilities and construction.

Missouri officials, in a summary of the project, note the environmental study may require an update and could take up to a year.

Missouri making progress on its end is important because Arkansas expects to open the two-lane portion of the Bella Vista Bypass between Bentonville and Benton County 34 north of Hiwasse this spring, Trammel said.

"I think you'll enjoy those two lanes when they open in April," he said.

Arkansas has bought right of way between the current end of the road and 2.3 miles away at the state line for $26 million and has the money to do two lanes along that stretch, Trammel said.

"When we passed our half-cent sales tax for highways, we were sure when we got there, they'd get there," Trammel said. "The minute they start their four lanes, we'll start ours."

The last part of the project in Arkansas consists of interchange improvements at I-49 and U.S. 71 in Bentonville, where the Bella Vista Bypass heads west. That work is planned for 2020 and expected to cost $43.1 million.

Completion of the Bella Vista Bypass to interstate standards would fill the last gap on I-49 between Fort Smith and Kansas City, Mo.

Conklin said the second priority for Missouri Transportation Southwest officials is improving intersections on U.S. 71 on the north side of the state line in McDonald County.

NW News on 01/26/2017

[Henry]

About time they finished the thing across the border! The Ft. Smith-Texarkana section is going to be an even bigger challenge, given the wooded landscape that gives environmentalists reason to oppose it, but hopefully it will be completed eventually.

[Bobby5280]

The Alma to Barling segment in the Fort Smith Area across the Arkansas River is the biggest stumbling block to hurdle. I'm not sure why that segment has to cost nearly half a billion dollars. They're not sending giant cargo ships and super tankers up the river through there. I'm under the impression the state of Arkansas wants to build that segment of I-49 before it has any other parts of the Texarkana to Fort Smith route built.

Bypasses around Mena and Waldron are planned, but they're probably going to go nowhere until the Fort Smith I-49 projects are finished.

I think Arkansas will be probably see hell freeze over before Texas ever builds its little segment of I-49. IMHO, they need to revise the path of I-49 in the Red River area. Keep all of it in Arkansas, that way it can at least have some hope of ever being completed. There is plenty of undeveloped space just east of the existing US-59 bridge over the Red River.

[codyg1985]

The Alma to Barling segment in the Fort Smith Area across the Arkansas River is the biggest stumbling block to hurdle. I'm not sure why that segment has to cost nearly half a billion dollars. They're not sending giant cargo ships and super tankers up the river through there. I'm under the impression the state of Arkansas wants to build that segment of I-49 before it has any other parts of the Texarkana to Fort Smith route built.

I am guessing it isn't just the bridge over the Arkansas River but also the amount of wetlands and flood plans that the route will need to pass through.

[The Ghostbuster]

I assume the Missouri section will also be built as a two-lane facility on a four-lane alignment, right?

[Bobby5280]

I'm under the impression Missouri will wait until they have funding to do the entire Interstate job down the Arkansas border all at once. I don't think they're going to piece-meal it.

[Gordon]

That is what they have made statements on that it is cheaper to do it all in one construction project. Now when the section from Hwy 71 to Hwy 72 is finished sometime this year does that mean AHTD will not do anymore work on the bypass until Missouri starts there section. So if Missouri doesn't come up with extra money the work on Bella Vista bypass will stop until 2020. That is when they have it scheduled. Then Arkansas has to finish there last section and still have to build additional 2 lanes to make it Interstate standard. Some way the 2 states need to get a fast lane grant to finish this.