I-49 in Arkansas

[AHTD]

Our current understanding is that I-49 route markers south of Texarkana will be installed AFTER the ribbon cutting (currently looking more toward November).

Once that is complete, the next step will be to renumber the exits. Yes, there will be a (hopefully short) timeframe where you have two stretches of I-49 that restart exit numbers. But since they aren't contiguous, that shouldn't be a problem for the short duration.

We have previously published the list of anticipated exit numbers in this forum. Can't remember which thread, so we'll post again below. Note some of this data is subject to change. Not sure if these maps account for the newly opened Don Tyson Parkway interchange.

Louisiana State Line to Polk County Line
http://www.arkansashighways.com/forums/I-49_Exits_1.pdf

Sevier County Line to Crawford County Line
http://www.arkansashighways.com/forums/I-49_Exits_2.pdf

Sebastian County Line to the Missouri State Line
http://www.arkansashighways.com/forums/I-49_Exits_3.pdf

Will the Ft Smith to Barling section be posted or will that wait until more of the highway has been built?

Assuming you mean "Future I-49" signs... yes. At this time it is intended to be signed AR 549/Future I-49. Probably similar to the sign that exists on the completed portion of the BVB.

[Wayward Memphian]

Just came back from Texas yesterday, the over the road signs from the Okie line to mile maker 11 still show 540 North Fayetteville. It changes to I 49 at the sign right at that 11 mile maker. A little OT but what is OK during on the north side of I-40 just past the Arkansas line near Sallisaw.

[O Tamandua]

JMO, but...I've seen a sparse few signs for the highway funding tax being voted on in Missouri a week from Tuesday (in Springfield this weekend).

Yet my Mother is very much a liberal and has been for years, but says she's voting against the highway tax.  And again, there just aren't that many campaign signs I've seen for this here.  Now, Springfield is a more conservative area than St.L or K.C., so maybe the sentiment is different there.

Nonetheless, I won't be surprised if it goes down in flames.  And NWA gets to be the largest over-500,000 metro area without a through interstate (I know Fresno doesn't have one but it appears Fresno metro does) in the U.S.A. for awhile longer.     Even though McDonald County, MO is in our metro we don't have a say, but that's what state sovereignity should be about.

[bjrush]

Missouri standing in the way of Arkansas's progress

Those uppity yankees would get a kick out of knowing they are secretly sticking it to the "backwoods hillbillies" in Arkansas if they were smart enough to know what the implications of the proposed bill were

[US71]

Missouri standing in the way of Arkansas's progress

Missouri standing in the way of Arkansas, who was standing in the way of Missouri

And yes, the north often does have Arkansas pegged as "backwards hillbillies". Oddly enough, central Illinois sounds a bit more "southern" than Chicago

[robbones]

Today as I was heading back to my truck to hit the road, I noticed a TO I 540 on a GS  in a place that I bet nobody would even think of looking. Its in Crawford county and I need to take a pic of it before I reveal the exact location to have a snapshot of history.

[O Tamandua]

Missouri standing in the way of Arkansas's progress

Missouri standing in the way of Arkansas, who was standing in the way of Missouri

And yes, the north often does have Arkansas pegged as "backwards hillbillies". Oddly enough, central Illinois sounds a bit more "southern" than Chicago

Indeed, and note, though, how some crucial Interstate connections into Chicago come through southern Illinois.  And Missouri, sticking it to the "hillbillies" of Arkansas by not completing "their" I-49, may very well be sticking it to themselves also.  (Again, noting how Texas, which has a LOT more people and $$$$ than Missouri is falling all over itself to finish "their" I-69 while promoting a finished I-49 (and I-69).)

[O Tamandua]

Well, looks like the Missouri Proposition 7 (the highway tax) is going down in flames tonight.

In 10 years we may indeed see the BVP complete.  In the meantime, well, I guess west Bella Vista gets to stay rustic (at least, "quiet") for a decade longer.

[US71]

Well, looks like the Missouri Proposition 7 (the highway tax) is going down in flames tonight.

In 10 years we may indeed see the BVP complete.  In the meantime, well, I guess west Bella Vista gets to stay rustic (at least, "quiet") for a decade longer.

I may be entirely wrong, but I wonder if MoDOT will pull the plug on another project to complete I-49?

[US71]

Latest results: 59 percent Opposed, 41 percent in Favor of the 3/4 cent tax.

[Grzrd]

This article reports on how the Missouri vote will delay the BVB in Arkansas:

... John McLarty, transportation study director for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission.
"It's not a road to nowhere, but it would be a road to a county road up in North Arkansas on the west side of Bella Vista,"  McLarty said. "But it would be much nicer to go to Pineville, MO in the Missouri portion of it."

As previously posted over in the Missouri thread, even though the vote failed, it looks like Missouri is scheduled to start some grading work on the BVB in 2018.

[O Tamandua]

This article reports on how the Missouri vote will delay the BVB in Arkansas:

... John McLarty, transportation study director for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission.
"It's not a road to nowhere, but it would be a road to a county road up in North Arkansas on the west side of Bella Vista,"  McLarty said. "But it would be much nicer to go to Pineville, MO in the Missouri portion of it."

As previously posted over in the Missouri thread, even though the vote failed, it looks like Missouri is scheduled to start some grading work on the BVB in 2018.

Grzrd, knowing all the myriad of facts between Duluth/Winnipeg and Brownsville(Mexico)/Houston/New Orleans that have been posted here at length, I'm convinced the Missouri side of the BVP will still happen.

It just won't happen through the measure that got defeated yesterday.

[bugo]

Cheap Republicans, too stingy to pay slightly more in taxes for something that would greatly help the citizens of Missouri.

[Anthony_JK]

To be fair, the Democratic governor of MO, Jay Nixon, publically opposed the tax hike; and several enviromental groups and public transportation groups also expressed opposition due to no transit projects being included.

But, I'm guessing that it's still the usual anti-tax/anti-government mood that mostly killed this proposal. Unless/until that changes, it looks more and more like tolls will be the future for funding major highway projects. Too bad. (At least, IMO.)

[rte66man]

To be fair, the Democratic governor of MO, Jay Nixon, publically opposed the tax hike; and several enviromental groups and public transportation groups also expressed opposition due to no transit projects being included.

But, I'm guessing that it's still the usual anti-tax/anti-government mood that mostly killed this proposal. Unless/until that changes, it looks more and more like tolls will be the future for funding major highway projects. Too bad. (At least, IMO.)

This was a bipartisan defeat.  Issues ranged from not wanting a sales tax to pay for transportation to the already mentioned antitax folks.

[M86]

The next travel lane widening project scheduled for letting was from New Hope Road to U.S. Highway 62/State Highway 102 (AHTD Job No. 090305), but it has been pulled form the letting tomorrow due to uncertainty with the Highway Trust Fund.
Next on the schedule should be the U.S. Highway 412 Bypass. Should let sometime this year, and it's funded by the half-cent sales tax, so should be a go.

I hate to rehash older comments, but if anything, that stretch should be a top priority.  Why isn't this part of the Connecting Arkansas Program?  Is it not possible to transfer that stretch into that program?  I've cheated death a few times on that stretch. 

[MikeSantNY78]

To be fair, the Democratic governor of MO, Jay Nixon, publically opposed the tax hike; and several enviromental groups and public transportation groups also expressed opposition due to no transit projects being included.

But, I'm guessing that it's still the usual anti-tax/anti-government mood that mostly killed this proposal. Unless/until that changes, it looks more and more like tolls will be the future for funding major highway projects. Too bad. (At least, IMO.)

And sadly, there are no toll exits on MO's portion of the BVB to warrant an expeditious connection w/Arkansas...so square one it is again...

[O Tamandua]

Cheap Republicans, too stingy to pay slightly more in taxes for something that would greatly help the citizens of Missouri.

My Mom's a JFK-era liberal Democrat and she wasn't for it, either.  When I heard her say that and saw only 2 lawn signs in the Springfield area for the transportation amendment, I had a feeling that it was doomed.  (Springfield's said to be "the northernmost southern city", but it makes Bella Vista/Bentonville look like a confederate capital.)

[bugo]

Blue Dog Democrats, which aren't much different from conservative Republicans.

[US71]

Cheap Republicans, too stingy to pay slightly more in taxes for something that would greatly help the citizens of Missouri.

My Mom's a JFK-era liberal Democrat and she wasn't for it, either.  When I heard her say that and saw only 2 lawn signs in the Springfield area for the transportation amendment, I had a feeling that it was doomed.  (Springfield's said to be "the northernmost southern city", but it makes Bella Vista/Bentonville look like a confederate capital.)

Springfield is an odd place. Ultra-Conservative with a semi-underground Liberal bent.

[O Tamandua]

Blue Dog Democrats, which aren't much different from conservative Republicans.

Not in the least, sir.

But she is wise, and I'm guessing that she sees a lot of people hurting around her (she's a retired teacher (and was an excellent teacher while she was working) and is blessed to have a good pension) and knew they didn't need a higher tax burden than they already have, and are about to have even more.

[O Tamandua]

Cheap Republicans, too stingy to pay slightly more in taxes for something that would greatly help the citizens of Missouri.

My Mom's a JFK-era liberal Democrat and she wasn't for it, either.  When I heard her say that and saw only 2 lawn signs in the Springfield area for the transportation amendment, I had a feeling that it was doomed.  (Springfield's said to be "the northernmost southern city", but it makes Bella Vista/Bentonville look like a confederate capital.)

Springfield is an odd place. Ultra-Conservative with a semi-underground Liberal bent.

Indeed.  I've seen "adopt-a-mile" signs around Springfield sponsored by NORML, The southwest Missouri socialists, and some other radical causes.  Springfield tends to support conservative Republican politicians but (probably largely due to the Missouri State and Drury campus populations, and also because there are a lot of unionized workers in the city) tends to C-O-E-X-I-S-T with a lot of leftists.  The city's much more "southern" than St. Louis or Kansas City (that's not hard to do) but again, it feels much less so than northwest Arkansas three counties to the southwest.

[Gordon]

There was a nice photo of the hill at 71 hwy & I 49 interchange at Bella Vista, Bentonville interchange  progress in the Arkansas democrat Gazette today being remomed for I 49. Hope to see update photos of the work going on of that progress.

[US71]

Cheap Republicans, too stingy to pay slightly more in taxes for something that would greatly help the citizens of Missouri.

My Mom's a JFK-era liberal Democrat and she wasn't for it, either.  When I heard her say that and saw only 2 lawn signs in the Springfield area for the transportation amendment, I had a feeling that it was doomed.  (Springfield's said to be "the northernmost southern city", but it makes Bella Vista/Bentonville look like a confederate capital.)

Springfield is an odd place. Ultra-Conservative with a semi-underground Liberal bent.

Indeed.  I've seen "adopt-a-mile" signs around Springfield sponsored by NORML, The southwest Missouri socialists, and some other radical causes.  Springfield tends to support conservative Republican politicians but (probably largely due to the Missouri State and Drury campus populations, and also because there are a lot of unionized workers in the city) tends to C-O-E-X-I-S-T with a lot of leftists.  The city's much more "southern" than St. Louis or Kansas City (that's not hard to do) but again, it feels much less so than northwest Arkansas three counties to the southwest.

There's a section of Grant near Grand that is (or was) adopted by a Druidic group.

[Arkansastravelguy]

Looks like AHTD doesn't need to redo the roundabout plans