I-49 in Arkansas

[The Ghostbuster]

It must have been sometime between 1999 and 2014 (the 15-year period when Interstates 40 and 540 were co-designated). It doesn't make sense that it was co-signed in only one direction, although US 71 isn't signed along that stretch either (a common occurrence in Arkansas?).

[bugo]

Bugo, how long ago was this?

December, 2009. Here's another sign, on northbound I-540 approaching I-40.

[MikieTimT]

Bugo, how long ago was this?

December, 2009. Here's another sign, on northbound I-540 approaching I-40.

Looks like southbound at around Exit 21, Collum Ln. in Alma actually.

[MikieTimT]

Does anyone have a link to an exit list of the old I-540 exit numbers?
There were 2 different exit number sequences, one for S of I-40 and another for N of I-40.
ISTR the northern section started at 0 or 1 or something, not 20 as it does now, though my memory may be wrong here.
If so, we could be looking at the second renumbering along this section once ARDOT renumbers exits to fit the statewide I-49 mileage & eliminate the 186-mile jump at the Bella Vista exit.

Edit:
Old wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interstate_540_(Arkansas)&oldid=410633771
Looks like the norther section always started at 20. Exits 15 & 20 @ I-40 accounts for the 5-mile overlap, and explains starting the northern bit at 20.
So the southern bit was... just numbered backwards. Sure guys. That makes sense.

Actually, it's the northern part that became I-49 that doesn't make sense.  There are actually surprising few signed interstate spurs (odd#XX) in the U.S., and Arkansas just happens to have 2 of them.  The way Arkansas signs the exits, which makes perfect sense, is that mile marker 0 is where the child interstate splits from the parent.  It has nothing to do with a southern or western border like the 2di Interstates track exits and mile markers.  The part that got screwed up in Arkansas' case with I-49 is that AHTD/ARDOT was denied the I-49 designation back when they originally applied for it, so the next best designation they got in the interim was I-540.  The exit numbers should have been done in the first place with I-49 mile markers knowing that was the ultimate goal of the freeway, so there's really no actual logic to starting with 20. It certainly took some mental gymnastics to get them there from the Oklahoma border and concurrency with I-40 with the original mile markers/exits working south from I-40 on I-540.

Well, I drove the BVB yesterday to take care of a couple of clinics in Bella Vista and Gravette yesterday.  I noticed something different this trip than the last one a couple of weeks ago.

Good news:  They have changed out some exit numbers as a result of opening the new stretch.

Bad news:  ARDOT doubled-down on the dumb and clearly didn't bother to read the email I sent them that they didn't respond to about correcting mile markers and exit numbers north of Alma and south of Gravette.  The southern Gravette exit I took to get to Bella Vista that was Exit 284 has become........Exit 99.  I'm sure they changed the other 2 exits as well if they changed everything.  It's clear that they have no intention to correct the mileages to account for the gaps, which means they don't expect to fill them in any sort of timely manner.  Punting to take the pressure off, I guess.  Either that, or they're not confident that the route is set in stone.  Regardless, it's going to make things difficult marketing-wise for the businesses off the exit when it comes time to get it right.

Guess ARDOT will just triple down on the dumb instead.  They are changing the 4 northern exit numbers again, not back to the final mileage like the northern 3 used to have, but correcting the mileage back to the I-540 Oklahoma border as they were off by a couple of miles when they "corrected" the exit numbers last year.

I have no idea how many times a stretch of Interstate can be butchered so badly by a transportation entity.

https://www.4029tv.com/article/i-49-exit-numbers-benton-county/43879280

https://www.ardot.gov/news/23-151/

[edwaleni]

Does anyone have a link to an exit list of the old I-540 exit numbers?
There were 2 different exit number sequences, one for S of I-40 and another for N of I-40.
ISTR the northern section started at 0 or 1 or something, not 20 as it does now, though my memory may be wrong here.
If so, we could be looking at the second renumbering along this section once ARDOT renumbers exits to fit the statewide I-49 mileage & eliminate the 186-mile jump at the Bella Vista exit.

Edit:
Old wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Interstate_540_(Arkansas)&oldid=410633771
Looks like the norther section always started at 20. Exits 15 & 20 @ I-40 accounts for the 5-mile overlap, and explains starting the northern bit at 20.
So the southern bit was... just numbered backwards. Sure guys. That makes sense.

Actually, it's the northern part that became I-49 that doesn't make sense.  There are actually surprising few signed interstate spurs (odd#XX) in the U.S., and Arkansas just happens to have 2 of them.  The way Arkansas signs the exits, which makes perfect sense, is that mile marker 0 is where the child interstate splits from the parent.  It has nothing to do with a southern or western border like the 2di Interstates track exits and mile markers.  The part that got screwed up in Arkansas' case with I-49 is that AHTD/ARDOT was denied the I-49 designation back when they originally applied for it, so the next best designation they got in the interim was I-540.  The exit numbers should have been done in the first place with I-49 mile markers knowing that was the ultimate goal of the freeway, so there's really no actual logic to starting with 20. It certainly took some mental gymnastics to get them there from the Oklahoma border and concurrency with I-40 with the original mile markers/exits working south from I-40 on I-540.

Well, I drove the BVB yesterday to take care of a couple of clinics in Bella Vista and Gravette yesterday.  I noticed something different this trip than the last one a couple of weeks ago.

Good news:  They have changed out some exit numbers as a result of opening the new stretch.

Bad news:  ARDOT doubled-down on the dumb and clearly didn't bother to read the email I sent them that they didn't respond to about correcting mile markers and exit numbers north of Alma and south of Gravette.  The southern Gravette exit I took to get to Bella Vista that was Exit 284 has become........Exit 99.  I'm sure they changed the other 2 exits as well if they changed everything.  It's clear that they have no intention to correct the mileages to account for the gaps, which means they don't expect to fill them in any sort of timely manner.  Punting to take the pressure off, I guess.  Either that, or they're not confident that the route is set in stone.  Regardless, it's going to make things difficult marketing-wise for the businesses off the exit when it comes time to get it right.

Guess ARDOT will just triple down on the dumb instead.  They are changing the 4 northern exit numbers again, not back to the final mileage like the northern 3 used to have, but correcting the mileage back to the I-540 Oklahoma border as they were off by a couple of miles when they "corrected" the exit numbers last year.

I have no idea how many times a stretch of Interstate can be butchered so badly by a transportation entity.

https://www.4029tv.com/article/i-49-exit-numbers-benton-county/43879280

https://www.ardot.gov/news/23-151/

Do you mean I-540 Missouri border?

[MikieTimT]

Actually, it's the northern part that became I-49 that doesn't make sense.  There are actually surprising few signed interstate spurs (odd#XX) in the U.S., and Arkansas just happens to have 2 of them.  The way Arkansas signs the exits, which makes perfect sense, is that mile marker 0 is where the child interstate splits from the parent.  It has nothing to do with a southern or western border like the 2di Interstates track exits and mile markers.  The part that got screwed up in Arkansas' case with I-49 is that AHTD/ARDOT was denied the I-49 designation back when they originally applied for it, so the next best designation they got in the interim was I-540.  The exit numbers should have been done in the first place with I-49 mile markers knowing that was the ultimate goal of the freeway, so there's really no actual logic to starting with 20. It certainly took some mental gymnastics to get them there from the Oklahoma border and concurrency with I-40 with the original mile markers/exits working south from I-40 on I-540.

Well, I drove the BVB yesterday to take care of a couple of clinics in Bella Vista and Gravette yesterday.  I noticed something different this trip than the last one a couple of weeks ago.

Good news:  They have changed out some exit numbers as a result of opening the new stretch.

Bad news:  ARDOT doubled-down on the dumb and clearly didn't bother to read the email I sent them that they didn't respond to about correcting mile markers and exit numbers north of Alma and south of Gravette.  The southern Gravette exit I took to get to Bella Vista that was Exit 284 has become........Exit 99.  I'm sure they changed the other 2 exits as well if they changed everything.  It's clear that they have no intention to correct the mileages to account for the gaps, which means they don't expect to fill them in any sort of timely manner.  Punting to take the pressure off, I guess.  Either that, or they're not confident that the route is set in stone.  Regardless, it's going to make things difficult marketing-wise for the businesses off the exit when it comes time to get it right.

Guess ARDOT will just triple down on the dumb instead.  They are changing the 4 northern exit numbers again, not back to the final mileage like the northern 3 used to have, but correcting the mileage back to the I-540 Oklahoma border as they were off by a couple of miles when they "corrected" the exit numbers last year.

I have no idea how many times a stretch of Interstate can be butchered so badly by a transportation entity.

https://www.4029tv.com/article/i-49-exit-numbers-benton-county/43879280

https://www.ardot.gov/news/23-151/

Do you mean I-540 Missouri border?

I-540 never made it to Missouri as the section north of I-40 was changed to I-49 even before the BVB moved dirt.  I mean I-540 from the Oklahoma border.

I know, it makes no sense.  The southern (original) I-540 is just a standard spur interstate into the Ft. Smith metro and ends at the Oklahoma border, where it becomes US-271 for a few miles to Pocola.  It is numbered appropriately, with the US-64 Exit #1 for Alma/Van Buren as soon as the on-ramps from I-40 merge together.  Exits count upward from there until the last before the Oklahoma border.  What's jacked up is I-49's exits north of I-40.

Every.  Single.  One.

Starts off with Exit/mile marker 20 and increments northward.  Totally disregarding the mileage between the Louisiana border and Texarkana.  Not to mention the AR-549 segment between Barling and US-71 which will also be connected.  There can be no coherent logic at this point for this renumbering as I-49 is planned to be a contiguous interstate through western Arkansas, but likely after decades of fundraising.  What's particularly aggravating is that the exit numbers for the northernmost 3 exits on the BVB were actually correct from mileage to the Louisiana border while it was AR-549 and for a few months afterwards.  Then they broke it and are not doing a single thing to remedy it with this most recent change other than prevent anyone from relying on the exit numbers for any marketing purposes for the foreseeable future.

[vdeane]

^ What's interesting is that, by sheer coincidence, it's actually 20 miles from the south end of AR 549 and I-40.  It makes me wonder if they'll be renumbering those exits too.  I'm guessing they don't think they'll be connecting this piece to Texarkana any time in the foreseeable future.

[sprjus4]

^ What's interesting is that, by sheer coincidence, it's actually 20 miles from the south end of AR 549 and I-40.  It makes me wonder if they'll be renumbering those exits too.  I'm guessing they don't think they'll be connecting this piece to Texarkana any time in the foreseeable future.

Perhaps, but I believe the additional 20 miles south of I-40 comes from an overlap west along I-40, then along I-540 to the Oklahoma border, the routing of I-540 before I-49 replaced it.

Honestly, this whole renumbering thing is stupid. I feel bad for any business who has to keep changing their numbers on advertisements - a reason DOTs tend to avoid renumbering to begin with, let alone twice in a few year period. ARDOT should've left the 200 series numbering up, and renumbered the old I-540 numbers north of I-40 along I-49, and left it be.

[vdeane]

^ No, I measured off the section that isn't built yet.

[MikieTimT]

^ No, I measured off the section that isn't built yet.

I get your line of thinking.  It's my suspicion as well that there is no intention to do more than Super-2 AR-549 from US-71 south of Ft. Smith to Texarkana in phases over the next couple of decades after they bridge the Arkansas River with a completed I-49 segment connecting the current AR-549 to I-49 in Alma, so the gap in mile markers and exit numbers doesn't pressure anyone when funds just won't exist for a while.  That doesn't change the fact that there would be duplicate exit numbers and mile markers in Arkansas for I-49's 2 completed segments, also likely for decades.  Interstate standards do exist for a reason, but apparently ARDOT can't be bothered by them in this regard.

[The Ghostbuster]

AASHTO shouldn't have rejected the Interstate 49 designation in 1999 in favor of extending (temporarily) the Interstate 540 designation. Then the existing exit numbers would not have so screwed up.

[MikieTimT]

AASHTO shouldn't have rejected the Interstate 49 designation in 1999 in favor of extending (temporarily) the Interstate 540 designation. Then the existing exit numbers would not have so screwed up.

Agreed.  I guess they didn't have faith that Arkansas would follow through with their portion of the funding to make the necessary Interstate connections until further down the road.  Hopefully, funding for the remaining sections exceeds everyone's expectations as well and we see it completed in our lifetimes.

[Road Hog]

Technically I-540 never reaches the Oklahoma border. The designation ends at the US 271 interchange and the freeway continues west into Oklahoma as US 271.

[The Ghostbuster]

The infamous Google Maps shows Interstate 540 continuing to the US 271 interchange at OK 112, even though it has always ended at Exit 14 (US 271 North/AR 253 South). What I don't understand is why Exit 14 has Interstate 540 South signs in both directions on 253/271, when there should only be a US 271 South sign.

[bugo]

I-540 ends at the Oklahoma line. This Sebastian County control section map shows that I-540 has an exception over US 271 between the state line and the AR 253 interchange.

[intelati49]

I-540 ends at the Oklahoma line. This Sebastian County control section map shows that I-540 has an exception over US 271 between the state line and the AR 253 interchange.

https://i.imgur.com/UN6uVKD.jpg

What's the source on that? I'm curious to find the originals for the state?

Pixel 7a

[bugo]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mBV32v63AWKY8zv5IIvlUtJT_H4AohnK/view?usp=share_link

[intelati49]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mBV32v63AWKY8zv5IIvlUtJT_H4AohnK/view?usp=share_link

https://www.ardot.gov/divisions/transportation-planning-policy/gis-mapping/route-and-section-maps/



Pixel 7a

[bugo]

The newer style maps don't show the exceptions. This is the latest old style map I had on my hard drive.

[Gordon]

 It looks like the north I49 Welcome Center is not on the bid list for September or even on the STIP anymore. does anybody know why?

[MikieTimT]

ARDOT found hidden water lines, further delaying the Exit 64/Wedington Dr. project.  Now they estimate it's 10% complete with the added delay and they're looking at 2 years until complete.  This likely causes an overlap in construction with the Exit 62/MLK project which was independently developed and funded, so fun times ahead next year in south Fayetteville!

https://www.4029tv.com/article/utilities-hampering-i-49-wedington-project/41537710

A little bit of confusion for some folks yesterday as the parclo ramp for EB Wedington->NB I-49 opened up on the new bridge that the EB lanes of Wedington Dr. pass over now.  Quite a few folks can't be bothered to read the VMS trailer warning of the change in on-ramp lanes now that its a right exit instead of a left turn and 1 fewer traffic signal finally.  Hallelujah!  They'll still be working on the bridges for a while, but at least the big payoff has been attained.

https://www.5newsonline.com/article/traffic/i49-onramp-changes-wedington-drive/527-835347f7-7553-4e6e-9331-a2f0cbc0eed5

[yakra]

Guess ARDOT will just triple down on the dumb instead.  They are changing the 4 northern exit numbers again, not back to the final mileage like the northern 3 used to have, but correcting the mileage back to the I-540 Oklahoma border as they were off by a couple of miles when they "corrected" the exit numbers last year.

I have no idea how many times a stretch of Interstate can be butchered so badly by a transportation entity.

https://www.4029tv.com/article/i-49-exit-numbers-benton-county/43879280

https://www.ardot.gov/news/23-151/

The new numbers are now posted in the field.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96nm4dzVGzU

A few links to skip ahead to where there's signage:
91 @ 31:47
97 @ 36:32
100 @ 37:56
102 @ 40:02

[Road Hog]

Guess when the bridge is finished, they'll retrofit the AR 549 Barling-Greenwood miles to count up to 20. Probably close to zero at the south end, so they'll think they're smart.

No. Just dumb. Do it right the first time and leave it.

[MikieTimT]

Guess when the bridge is finished, they'll retrofit the AR 549 Barling-Greenwood miles to count up to 20. Probably close to zero at the south end, so they'll think they're smart.

No. Just dumb. Do it right the first time and leave it.

Which just means that they have no intention of filling the Texarkana<->Ft. Smith gap within the remainder of my lifetime.

[The Ghostbuster]

Slight adjustments to the exit numbers on the Bella Vista Bypass segment? They should have just given the entire corridor their future exit numbers based on 49's mileage from the Arkansas/Louisiana border instead. Are there any old exit signs like they do when exits are renumbered from sequential to mileage-based?