I-49 in Arkansas

[mgk920]

A couple of years ago, the Wisconsin State Patrol dug out a set of portable scales and nailed a big rig loaded with scrap steel that was about 20 minutes inside of the state from Minnesota on US 10.  It was about 2X overweight - as heavy as a fully loaded railroad car.  It was on US 10 so as to avoid the WisDOT scale on I-94 at Menomonie, WI and was going to an industrial plant in Neenah, WI (near where I live here in the Fox Valley region of NE Wisconsin).  Yes, nefarious drivers will go that far out of the way to avoid scales.

Mike

[MikieTimT]

Looks like going to let the contract for construction of the Arkansas Welcome Center on I-49 on Sept. 21.  Still haven't updated the Route to I-49 from Hwy. 549.

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-May-Letting-to-Post.pdf

[US71]

Looks like going to let the contract for construction of the Arkansas Welcome Center on I-49 on Sept. 21.  Still haven't updated the Route to I-49 from Hwy. 549.

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-May-Letting-to-Post.pdf

They've been talking Welcome Center  for at least 7 years.

[The Ghostbuster]

Is the proposed Welcome Center going to be the only rest area constructed along the entire length of Interstate 49 in Arkansas? I've noticed plenty of newer long-distance roadways seem to lack rest areas and weigh stations (Interstate 22 in MS/AL and the Interstate 69 extension in Indiana come to mind, as well as the Interstate 49 segment in Missouri).

[MikieTimT]

Is the proposed Welcome Center going to be the only rest area constructed along the entire length of Interstate 49 in Arkansas? I've noticed plenty of newer long-distance roadways seem to lack rest areas and weigh stations (Interstate 22 in MS/AL and the Interstate 69 extension in Indiana come to mind, as well as the Interstate 49 segment in Missouri).

Certainly looks like it for the next 20 years or so at least, unless something dramatically changes in D.C.  There's a rest area at Elm Park, AR where AR-23 has its southern terminus at US-71.  That will be within 3 miles of the projected routing of I-49 through there, so it wouldn't surprise me if they don't just route traffic to that rest area, at least for a few years after actually completing it through there, and definitely while it's in its Super-2 configuration.

[sprjus4]

^ I doubt they are going to sign a rest area that is a whole 3 miles away from the main highway. Anything more than a half mile at most, and even that's pushing it, is too far. It needs to be directly off of the exit to be viable.

[MikieTimT]

^ I doubt they are going to sign a rest area that is a whole 3 miles away from the main highway. Anything more than a half mile at most, and even that's pushing it, is too far. It needs to be directly off of the exit to be viable.

When the alternative is no rest area for almost 200 miles, I'd bet they would do just that.  Viability is in the eye of the beholder, and in the budget of the builder.

[sprjus4]

^ Maybe, but I still question it. It would have to be clearly spelled out it's 3 miles away.

I would never drive 3 miles off the highway just for a rest area, when there are other places to stop that are directly off the freeway. That's 6 miles round trip and no progress made on the trip.

IMO, they're better off closing that rest area and building a new one with the freeway.

[JREwing78]

^ I doubt they are going to sign a rest area that is a whole 3 miles away from the main highway. Anything more than a half mile at most, and even that's pushing it, is too far. It needs to be directly off of the exit to be viable.

When the alternative is no rest area for almost 200 miles, I'd bet they would do just that.  Viability is in the eye of the beholder, and in the budget of the builder.

Given few alternatives, truckers will definitely make the 3 mile trip for a place to stop and sleep.

Fixed quote. - rmf67

[MikieTimT]

^ I doubt they are going to sign a rest area that is a whole 3 miles away from the main highway. Anything more than a half mile at most, and even that's pushing it, is too far. It needs to be directly off of the exit to be viable.

Given few alternatives, truckers will definitely make the 3 mile trip for a place to stop and sleep.

When the alternative is no rest area for almost 200 miles, I'd bet they would do just that.  Viability is in the eye of the beholder, and in the budget of the builder.

The stretch of US-71 from Ft. Smith to DeQueen is pretty sparse, with just that single rest area, other than some declining services in Waldron, and Mena really isn't geared toward interstate travelers with their offerings either for trucks to make camp for the night.  I'm sure that'll change somewhat around the larger town bypasses once a Super-2 is pushed through and the new traffic pattern emerges with a somewhat higher density than current US-71, but there just isn't any money in that part of the world to move/rebuild things in a very expeditious manner.  I grew up within 3 miles of that rest area, and everything required a trip either to Waldron (which no longer even has a Wal-Mart of any type) or Ft. Smith, which was about 40 minutes away until you got to its closest Wal-Mart.  Greenwood didn't even have its first bypass built back then and had little in the way of commerce.  It's very sparse out that way, so it would take the state prioritizing a new rest area, however, even I-49 in Benton County has had to make due until all 4 lanes were pushed through to Pineville before things got serious in replacing the dinky little rest area in Bella Vista, which can't even take a truck pulling in at all.  However Benton County does have the benefit of a large population, which along with Washington County, drew several truck stops along the route to mostly make up for the lack of a decent welcome center for the commercial trucking crowd at least.  Scott County has none of that, so unless they build a rest area to duplicate what's already there on the initial Super-2, to the detriment of funding for the actual other 2 lanes assuming they can't get TIGER/BUILD money for them, I'm wagering that signage is all that happens in the interim, along with an upgraded connector road.  We do things piecemeal here.  It's the Arkansas roadbuilding way it seems.  I'd be shocked if even the Super-2 happens other than certain segments between bypasses of the larger towns until just a few gaps remain in the middle.

[bwana39]

US-71 as a Super-2.

ARDOT is making improvements along US-71 with the implementation of passing lanes and shoulder improvements. These rural improvements help SOME. The real issue is still getting loops and bypasses around the small towns and villages.

US-71 is not as bad as US-278 on the opposite side, but every village has a 35-45  MPH zone. The MAXIMUM speed limit on the 2-lane is 55 even on so-called super 2.

In spite of all the discussion on here, I-49 will (except PERHAPS the Acorn to Waldron segment) be built on a mostly greenfield route. There are multiple reasons why. I believe that every mile of significantly upgraded road not on a new route equates to a 6-month delay toward the eventual building of I-49. I am not suggesting that these improvements are not needed. I just suggest that having them done allows the decision to put off the actual building of the freeway more palatable than with what is there today.

It may be what they can afford. I am just saying that these upgrades are like repairing and keeping your old automobile as opposed to buying a new car, Neither are incremental toward getting a new item.

[US71]

US 71 (the highway) has always had problems with being too narrow, too twisty, etc.  I-49 was/is supposed to help and does north of Ft Smith which, IMO, is some the toughest terrain in the state.

If you take the time to leisurely drive th road, you can see a few sections south of West Fork that have been  replaced/bypassed.

Upgrading to a Super 2? That will require new terrain or removing all the little shanty-type businesses along the current road .

[Road Hog]

Forget old US 71 between Greenwood and Texarkana.

I'm surprised ARDOT is proposing any improvements to the old road at all. Doing so is a tacit admission that any stage of I-49 isn't in the cards for the next 20 years at least.

[US71]

Forget old US 71 between Greenwood and Texarkana.

I'm surprised ARDOT is proposing any improvements to the old road at all. Doing so is a tacit admission that any stage of I-49 isn't in the cards for the next 20 years at least.

When 49 was built,  ARDOT promised  that 71 wouldn't be neglected, which until recently, was a false promise.

There was serious erosion south of West Fork which has finally been resolved.  Also a serious problem below Artists Point which was recently fixed. ARDOT is now working south of Mountainburg to fix an erosion problem. .All of these were long past due.

[bwana39]

Forget old US 71 between Greenwood and Texarkana.

I'm surprised ARDOT is proposing any improvements to the old road at all. Doing so is a tacit admission that any stage of I-49 isn't in the cards for the next 20 years at least.

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

[US71]

Forget old US 71 between Greenwood and Texarkana.

I'm surprised ARDOT is proposing any improvements to the old road at all. Doing so is a tacit admission that any stage of I-49 isn't in the cards for the next 20 years at least.

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

[intelati49]

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

And here I remember reading in this very forum that the LR area gets the bulk of the attention vs the up and coming NWA area (which needed the help).

I don't entirely disagree. In fact, IMO a contiguous I-49 should be the firate priority of AR/LA.

LM-Q730

[US71]

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

And here I remember reading in this very forum that the LR area gets the bulk of the attention vs the up and coming NWA area (which needed the help).

May well be, but NWA is likely a close second.

[Road Hog]

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

And here I remember reading in this very forum that the LR area gets the bulk of the attention vs the up and coming NWA area (which needed the help).

I don't entirely disagree. In fact, IMO a contiguous I-49 should be the firate priority of AR/LA.

LM-Q730

Depends on where the governor at the time is from.

[abqtraveler]

That is what I said. You were so much more succinct.

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

And here I remember reading in this very forum that the LR area gets the bulk of the attention vs the up and coming NWA area (which needed the help).

I don't entirely disagree. In fact, IMO a contiguous I-49 should be the firate priority of AR/LA.

LM-Q730

Depends on where the governor at the time is from.

This is very true. Recent governors and ArDOT commissioners have been from either LR or NWA, which is a big reason why those areas seem to get more attention than other parts of the state.  I recall growing up in Connecticut...the extension of the US-7 freeway ("Super 7") around Brookfield sat on the drawing board for over 30 years until Jodi Rell, who was a resident of Brookfield, became governor in 2005.  Within two years, Connecticut broke ground on the Brookfield Bypass, and it opened to traffic two years later in 2009.

[kphoger]

ARDOT has f*cked up priorities.   Ever notice how NWA gets the bulk of the attention? It's because of the UofA, Tyson, Walmart, JBHunt.

So...  The place where all the people are moving to, and where all the money is...  That's the place that's a priority.

Doesn't that actually sound halfway reasonable?

[bwana39]

Well over half of the population of Arkansas lives in metro Little Rock or NWA.  Jonesboro is the one significant place out side of those two areas with over 40K.

Even with its geographically outsized favor in transportation spending, it actually is less per capita in those areas than in a lot of the more rural areas.

Before the 2000's virtually everything revolved around Little Rock. When Huckabee became governor, that changed some. About the same time, NWA started to transition from a group of small town to a metropolitan area. After Huckabee left the Governor's Mansion (Triple Wide Trailer) it transitioned back to the the population centers. LRA had lost its seeming exclusivity, but rural Arkansas was once again Rural Arkansas.

[silverback1065]

is 71 still going to be on its own alignment across the state line with missouri?

[sprjus4]

is 71 still going to be on its own alignment across the state line with missouri?

Is it not?

[US71]

is 71 still going to be on its own alignment across the state line with missouri?

From Bella Vista/ Exit 93 to MM 5 near Pineville, MO ,  US 71 is solo