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I-49 Coming to Missouri

Started by US71, August 04, 2010, 06:54:42 PM

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paulthemapguy

Quote from: apjung on January 24, 2016, 02:19:46 PM
I guess the money saved from not building brand new Football stadium in St. Louis should now be put to use to improve I-49 such as rerouting it in Joplin with a flyover ramp in Carthage, finish the connection to Arkansas and converting Bruce R. Watkins Drive to a freeway.
That interchange in Carthage really does need to be upgraded (at I-49 and MO-96/171).  It's disappointing to see a lowly diamond interchange there on maps.

Quote from: Darkchylde on January 24, 2016, 03:09:53 PM
Quote from: apjung on January 24, 2016, 02:19:46 PM
I guess the money saved from not building brand new Football stadium in St. Louis should now be put to use to improve I-49 such as rerouting it in Joplin with a flyover ramp in Carthage, finish the connection to Arkansas and converting Bruce R. Watkins Drive to a freeway.
The legal fight over the last one might use all of that money, considering how tooth-and-nail the nearby residents have been fighting it.
It's such a small section of freeway!  And the ROW land is right there waiting for development!  I just feel like saying "come oooonnn, build it."
P.S. TS is best pony XD
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Henry

Quote from: US71 on January 24, 2016, 05:51:25 PM
Quote from: apjung on January 24, 2016, 02:19:46 PM
I guess the money saved from not building brand new Football stadium in St. Louis should now be put to use to improve I-49 such as rerouting it in Joplin with a flyover ramp in Carthage, finish the connection to Arkansas and converting Bruce R. Watkins Drive to a freeway.

Missouri taxpayers are still on the hook for payng off the old one .
I think it's insane that those St. Louis taxpayers will keep paying for a stadium that nobody will play in for at least another seven years. This has Pontiac Silverdome (MI) written all over it; even after the Lions moved back to downtown Detroit, the Silverdome is still standing, and slowly rusting away because nobody plays there anymore. Same deal with the Houston Astrodome (former home of the Astros and Oilers-turned-Titans).
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silverback1065

Quote from: Henry on February 08, 2016, 11:36:23 AM
Quote from: US71 on January 24, 2016, 05:51:25 PM
Quote from: apjung on January 24, 2016, 02:19:46 PM
I guess the money saved from not building brand new Football stadium in St. Louis should now be put to use to improve I-49 such as rerouting it in Joplin with a flyover ramp in Carthage, finish the connection to Arkansas and converting Bruce R. Watkins Drive to a freeway.

Missouri taxpayers are still on the hook for payng off the old one .
I think it's insane that those St. Louis taxpayers will keep paying for a stadium that nobody will play in for at least another seven years. This has Pontiac Silverdome (MI) written all over it; even after the Lions moved back to downtown Detroit, the Silverdome is still standing, and slowly rusting away because nobody plays there anymore. Same deal with the Houston Astrodome (former home of the Astros and Oilers-turned-Titans).

this is done in just about every city, here in Indianapolis, we are still paying for 2 stadiums that don't even exist anymore.

Grzrd

#678
Quote from: Grzrd on January 12, 2016, 04:49:36 PM
Quote from: mvak36 on May 07, 2015, 11:32:58 AM
MoDOT draft STIP released. http://modot.org/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2016-2020/index.htm
Looks like Bella Vista Bypass has been pushed back to 2019-2020 year (see Page 11 of attached link)  :banghead:
http://www.modot.org/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2016-2020/documents/Sec046aSWRuralPaymentsandProjects.pdf
Quote from: Grzrd on December 28, 2015, 02:50:15 PM
This article, primarily about highway construction in NWA, quotes a MoDOT official as saying that Missouri's Bella Vista Bypass funding gap is now $33.8 million, and that the $33.8 million is in addition to $24.2 million that MoDOT has already set aside for construction of its share of the BVB
This article reports that MoDOT has received some unexpected good news about its funding situation that will allow it to lift a moratorium on adding new projects to its five-year plan ....
If new projects can be added to the five-year plan, then I wonder if the Bella Vista Bypass can be moved up a few years in the plan (from the current projected 2020 Award Date indicated in the above link to the Draft STIP).

The next STIP should be interesting.
Quote from: uozzim on May 11, 2016, 05:37:26 PM
MoDOT has $20 Million in the draft STIP (released today) for 2019-2020 construction to fill the gap
http://www.modot.org/plansandprojects/construction_program/STIP2017-2021/documents/Sec0406SouthwestRural.pdf (link corrected)
(bottom quote from I-49 in Arkansas thread)

Here is a snip from uozzim's corrected link:


....


Well, so much for the hope that the "found money" would accelerate the Award Date for the BVB; at least the Award Date held steady at 2020. That said, this May 9 article reports that a chance still exists the Missouri legislature will pass a measure authorizing Missouri voters to vote on a gas tax increase before the current session ends on Friday the 13th:

Quote
A proposal to ask Missourians whether the state's fuel tax should be increase to pay for roads and bridges is on its way to the full state House ....
If approved by voters, the measure would increase the 17-cent fuel tax by 5.9-cents.
Another House committee has added two provisions to the bill that would increase the tax on natural gas used in vehicles, and on any fuels used in vehicles in the future. If those aren't removed, House passage would send it back to the Senate to consider the changes. The session ends Friday.
Leadership in the House Republican majority caucus does not favor a tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure.

Now we wait and see if the measure passes.  If it does pass with Missouri voters then later approving the gas tax increase, and at the risk of sounding overly optimistic, maybe MoDOT could hold a BVB letting in 2018.

ModernDayWarrior

Quote from: Grzrd on May 11, 2016, 09:40:35 PM
Well, so much for the hope that the "found money" would accelerate the Award Date for the BVB; at least the Award Date held steady at 2020. That said, this May 9 article reports that a chance still exists the Missouri legislature will pass a measure authorizing Missouri voters to vote on a gas tax increase before the current session ends on Friday the 13th:
QuoteA proposal to ask Missourians whether the state's fuel tax should be increase to pay for roads and bridges is on its way to the full state House ....
If approved by voters, the measure would increase the 17-cent fuel tax by 5.9-cents.
Another House committee has added two provisions to the bill that would increase the tax on natural gas used in vehicles, and on any fuels used in vehicles in the future. If those aren't removed, House passage would send it back to the Senate to consider the changes. The session ends Friday.
Leadership in the House Republican majority caucus does not favor a tax increase to fund transportation infrastructure.
Now we wait and see if the measure passes.  If it does pass with Missouri voters then later approving the gas tax increase, and at the risk of sounding overly optimistic, maybe MoDOT could hold a BVB letting in 2018.

I'm not optimistic about Missouri voters approving any tax increase. A proposal to increase the sales tax by three-fourths of a cent was overwhelmingly rejected in 2014. I doubt a fuel tax increase will fare any better, no matter how badly MoDOT needs more funding.

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on December 28, 2015, 02:50:15 PM
This article, primarily about highway construction in NWA, quotes a MoDOT official as saying that Missouri's Bella Vista Bypass funding gap is now $33.8 million, and that the $33.8 million is in addition to $24.2 million that MoDOT has already set aside for construction of its share of the BVB
Quote from: ModernDayWarrior on May 11, 2016, 11:04:46 PM
I'm not optimistic about Missouri voters approving any tax increase. A proposal to increase the sales tax by three-fourths of a cent was overwhelmingly rejected in 2014. I doubt a fuel tax increase will fare any better, no matter how badly MoDOT needs more funding.

Another funding possibility may be a FASTLANE grant. Knowing that MoDOT has already set aside $24.2 million for the BVB, but also realizing that MoDOT still faces the considerable challenge of the $33.8 million funding gap, it occurred to me that the $24.2 million "skin in the game" would present the opportunity to have a FASTLANE grant put a big dent in the $33.8 million. I emailed MoDOT and asked them if they had submitted a grant application for the BVB this year. They replied that they did not submit an application this year, but that they may do so next year.

Also, if FHWA does not award a grant for AHTD's current I-49 Grant Application, then maybe MoDOT and AHTD could submit a joint application next year, with AHTD possibly putting a big dent in the $50 million it is currently setting aside for the remaining two lanes of the BVB in its current draft STIP.  It could be a win-win for both agencies.

I believe FHWA would strongly consider such an application that would expedite the completion of the I-49 freight corridor from I-40 to I-435. Could be another way to have a 2018 letting.

mvak36

I am not going to hold my breath waiting for voters to pass it, but I think it does have a better chance than that sales tax increase. That tax would have increased taxes on everything, whereas this is a user fee tax. Also, the governor put it on the August ballot to ensure that it would fail. This ballot would be in November. So there will be more time to get information out about the increase.
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Bobby5280

Gas taxes have been proportionately very low compared to fuel prices for a long time. One thing is for damned sure: the gas taxes didn't keep up with the cost inflation of road building & maintenance at all. Not by a long shot. Voters are blissfully ignorant of that fact, maybe even deliberately ignorant of it. Voters demand all sorts of things. Fix our streets! Improve our schools! Put more cops on the street! Build this! Build that! They sure as hell don't want to pay for any of it. They think all of that somehow magically funds itself without any tax increases. They also think the local, state and federal government is awash in infinite amounts of money and every elected official is lining his pockets with it. That's the ignorance going on which explains why things like a fuel tax increase get killed so easily.

The Ghostbuster

Bobby5280, I couldn't agree more with you on this. However, it doesn't look like things are ever going to change.

silverback1065

Quote from: Bobby5280 on May 12, 2016, 11:19:55 AM
Gas taxes have been proportionately very low compared to fuel prices for a long time. One thing is for damned sure: the gas taxes didn't keep up with the cost inflation of road building & maintenance at all. Not by a long shot. Voters are blissfully ignorant of that fact, maybe even deliberately ignorant of it. Voters demand all sorts of things. Fix our streets! Improve our schools! Put more cops on the street! Build this! Build that! They sure as hell don't want to pay for any of it. They think all of that somehow magically funds itself without any tax increases. They also think the local, state and federal government is awash in infinite amounts of money and every elected official is lining his pockets with it. That's the ignorance going on which explains why things like a fuel tax increase get killed so easily.

:clap: I totally agree

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on May 11, 2016, 09:40:35 PM
this May 9 article reports that a chance still exists the Missouri legislature will pass a measure authorizing Missouri voters to vote on a gas tax increase before the current session ends on Friday the 13th
Quote from: Bobby5280 on May 12, 2016, 11:19:55 AM
... Voters demand all sorts of things. Fix our streets! Improve our schools! Put more cops on the street! Build this! Build that! They sure as hell don't want to pay for any of it ...

This article reports that the measure died in the Missouri legislature, and won't even make it to Missouri's voters, apparently because of election year politics:

Quote
The state legislature did not pass a transportation funding fix during the regular legislative session that ended Friday. One measure that passed in the Senate but died in the House would have asked voters if Missouri's gas tax should be increased 5.9 cents per gallon to help pay for roads and bridges.
Senator Doug Libla (R-Poplar Bluff) says he worked hard to find a compromise this year in hopes that the proposal would pass.
"The people of the state of Missouri will not be able to vote on whether or not they would like to pay a little more to get better roads and bridges to drive on,"  said Libla.
Lawmakers agree transportation funding must increase but they disagree on how to fund it.
House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) says the measure wasn't [sic?] allowed to die in his chamber because it's an election year.
"This is a conservative caucus. This is a caucus that has concerns about any kind of tax increase,"  said Richardson. "The proposal got more traction this year than it's had in the past. Ultimately, there just wasn't enough support."
House Minority Leader Jake Hummel (D-St. Louis) says not finding ways to increase transportation funding was the biggest disappointment about this session.
"The Senate came up with a bi-partisan bill that was sitting on the House calendar and the majority refused to even bring it us [sic] for a discussion,"  said Hummel. "I think that's cowardice at best on an election year issue. We have absolutely failed in this legislative session to do anything about it. The biggest issue that they could come up with to fix our roads and bridges were license plate bills."

Back to hurry up and wait mode for the BVB...........

I-39

So how in the heck is Missouri planning to pay for its transportation needs? Geez, are people clueless? This is an issue they need to deal with, yet, trying to get a plan through is like pulling teeth.

Welcome to 21st Century America, where we cannot get ANYTHING done due to selfishness.  :rolleyes:

paulthemapguy

Quote from: I-39 on May 15, 2016, 06:56:33 PM
So how in the heck is Missouri planning to pay for its transportation needs? Geez, are people clueless? This is an issue they need to deal with, yet, trying to get a plan through is like pulling teeth.

Welcome to 21st Century America, where we cannot get ANYTHING done due to selfishness.  :rolleyes:
Assessment of 21st Century America is 100% correct.
I live in Illinois where the selfish state legislature is so incredibly uncaring that they can't even pass a budget.  Just a bit of hard evidence to back up your claim.
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ChiMilNet

Quote from: paulthemapguy on May 15, 2016, 09:34:33 PM
Quote from: I-39 on May 15, 2016, 06:56:33 PM
So how in the heck is Missouri planning to pay for its transportation needs? Geez, are people clueless? This is an issue they need to deal with, yet, trying to get a plan through is like pulling teeth.

Welcome to 21st Century America, where we cannot get ANYTHING done due to selfishness.  :rolleyes:
Assessment of 21st Century America is 100% correct.
I live in Illinois where the selfish state legislature is so incredibly uncaring that they can't even pass a budget.  Just a bit of hard evidence to back up your claim.

The only way it seems any major highways will get built in 21st Century America is to have a toll on them (see Illinois). As for Missouri, The low gas tax is nice and all, but when the roads are a crumbling mess, then you get what you pay for. I-49 connection between Bella Vista and McDonald County in Missouri is such an obvious gap now that you would think the two states would do whatever they can to bridge it just to avoid the embarrassment of having it.

US71

Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 15, 2016, 10:35:31 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on May 15, 2016, 09:34:33 PM
Quote from: I-39 on May 15, 2016, 06:56:33 PM
So how in the heck is Missouri planning to pay for its transportation needs? Geez, are people clueless? This is an issue they need to deal with, yet, trying to get a plan through is like pulling teeth.

Welcome to 21st Century America, where we cannot get ANYTHING done due to selfishness.  :rolleyes:
Assessment of 21st Century America is 100% correct.
I live in Illinois where the selfish state legislature is so incredibly uncaring that they can't even pass a budget.  Just a bit of hard evidence to back up your claim.

The only way it seems any major highways will get built in 21st Century America is to have a toll on them (see Illinois). As for Missouri, The low gas tax is nice and all, but when the roads are a crumbling mess, then you get what you pay for. I-49 connection between Bella Vista and McDonald County in Missouri is such an obvious gap now that you would think the two states would do whatever they can to bridge it just to avoid the embarrassment of having it.
The Arkansas Legislature is about to have a special session on fixing roads, but I strongly suspect they will (a) do nothing or (b) put a band aid on the problem. Everyone wants better roads, but no one wants to pay for them.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

silverback1065

Quote from: US71 on May 17, 2016, 11:06:19 AM
Quote from: ChiMilNet on May 15, 2016, 10:35:31 PM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on May 15, 2016, 09:34:33 PM
Quote from: I-39 on May 15, 2016, 06:56:33 PM
So how in the heck is Missouri planning to pay for its transportation needs? Geez, are people clueless? This is an issue they need to deal with, yet, trying to get a plan through is like pulling teeth.

Welcome to 21st Century America, where we cannot get ANYTHING done due to selfishness.  :rolleyes:
Assessment of 21st Century America is 100% correct.
I live in Illinois where the selfish state legislature is so incredibly uncaring that they can't even pass a budget.  Just a bit of hard evidence to back up your claim.

The only way it seems any major highways will get built in 21st Century America is to have a toll on them (see Illinois). As for Missouri, The low gas tax is nice and all, but when the roads are a crumbling mess, then you get what you pay for. I-49 connection between Bella Vista and McDonald County in Missouri is such an obvious gap now that you would think the two states would do whatever they can to bridge it just to avoid the embarrassment of having it.
The Arkansas Legislature is about to have a special session on fixing roads, but I strongly suspect they will (a) do nothing or (b) put a band aid on the problem. Everyone wants better roads, but no one wants to pay for them.
I predict a band-aid, the government isn't serious about fixing our infrastructure (of course the DOT is) and until they are, band-aids will keep being put over this festering wound.

mvak36

Another possible funding solution could be on the ballot in November this year: Increasing the state's cigarette tax.
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Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on May 11, 2016, 09:40:35 PM
Here is a snip from uozzim's corrected link:

....

Well, so much for the hope that the "found money" would accelerate the Award Date for the BVB; at least the Award Date held steady at 2020.

This article quotes Missouri state rep Bill Lant as saying that he is confident Missouri will come up with the money needed to finish the Bella Vista Bypass by 2020:

Quote
Missouri Department of Transportation funding over the next five years will help pay for a number of road and bridge upgrades around the state, ranging from a new sidewalk in Webb City to prevent another tragedy such as the one that happened there last Halloween, to major upgrades and improvements along interstates and other key corridors.
About a third of the money Missouri will need for its share of the long-sought Bella Vista bypass also is being set aside in this round of funding.
MoDOT recently approved its 2017-2021 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, known as STIP, and it includes numerous road and bridge projects for Southwest Missouri.
The program sets plans for engineering, design and construction on a rolling five-year basis, adjusted for the fiscal year starting July 1. The STIP is reviewed and renewed every year based on updated revenue forecasts, said Frank Miller, Southwest Missouri MoDOT engineer ....
Miller said the McDonald County portion of the bypass is expected to cost about $55 million, meaning more than $30 million is still needed and will have to await new sources of either state or federal funding because the project has be done in its entirety.

"We can't think of a good way to do a portion of it," he said of the Missouri share of the bypass.
Missouri state Rep. Bill Lant, R-Pineville, said he travels to Northwest Arkansas frequently. He has sat on the House Transportation Committee for the past six years and says funding for MoDOT has become precarious with revenue from the gas tax not going far enough.
He said that several years ago, Missouri had enough money for its share of the bypass but Arkansas didn't, so Missouri used its money – about $60 million – to improve U.S. Highway 71 to Interstate 49 while it waited for Arkansas, which has a 15-mile section of the bypass.
"You can't build a road to nowhere,"  Lant said.
But following passage of a half-cent sales tax by Arkansas voters in 2012 for transportation projects, that state has poured millions of dollars into its share of the bypass. By the end of this year, the state will have completed two lanes of I-49 from Bentonville to Benton County Road 34 southwest of Bella Vista, about 2 1/2 miles from the state line. There also is funding available to upgrade that to four lanes, but the final 2 1/2 miles as well as the interchange at I-49 will wait until Missouri has its funding, said Danny Straessle, public information officer for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
"We are putting ourselves in a position so that we are ready when Missouri is ready," he said.
Lant believes it won't be long before Missouri is able to go forward.
"By 2020, I'm pretty confident we will be able to come up with the additional money to do that job,"  Lant said.

Well, at least we can begin to see light at the end of the tunnel.

I-39

#693
Quote from: Grzrd on July 16, 2016, 09:37:38 PM
Quote from: Grzrd on May 11, 2016, 09:40:35 PM
Here is a snip from uozzim's corrected link:

....

Well, so much for the hope that the "found money" would accelerate the Award Date for the BVB; at least the Award Date held steady at 2020.

This article quotes Missouri state rep Bill Lant as saying that he is confident Missouri will come up with the money needed to finish the Bella Vista Bypass by 2020:

Quote
Missouri Department of Transportation funding over the next five years will help pay for a number of road and bridge upgrades around the state, ranging from a new sidewalk in Webb City to prevent another tragedy such as the one that happened there last Halloween, to major upgrades and improvements along interstates and other key corridors.
About a third of the money Missouri will need for its share of the long-sought Bella Vista bypass also is being set aside in this round of funding.
MoDOT recently approved its 2017-2021 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, known as STIP, and it includes numerous road and bridge projects for Southwest Missouri.
The program sets plans for engineering, design and construction on a rolling five-year basis, adjusted for the fiscal year starting July 1. The STIP is reviewed and renewed every year based on updated revenue forecasts, said Frank Miller, Southwest Missouri MoDOT engineer ....
Miller said the McDonald County portion of the bypass is expected to cost about $55 million, meaning more than $30 million is still needed and will have to await new sources of either state or federal funding because the project has be done in its entirety.

"We can't think of a good way to do a portion of it," he said of the Missouri share of the bypass.
Missouri state Rep. Bill Lant, R-Pineville, said he travels to Northwest Arkansas frequently. He has sat on the House Transportation Committee for the past six years and says funding for MoDOT has become precarious with revenue from the gas tax not going far enough.
He said that several years ago, Missouri had enough money for its share of the bypass but Arkansas didn't, so Missouri used its money – about $60 million – to improve U.S. Highway 71 to Interstate 49 while it waited for Arkansas, which has a 15-mile section of the bypass.
"You can't build a road to nowhere,"  Lant said.
But following passage of a half-cent sales tax by Arkansas voters in 2012 for transportation projects, that state has poured millions of dollars into its share of the bypass. By the end of this year, the state will have completed two lanes of I-49 from Bentonville to Benton County Road 34 southwest of Bella Vista, about 2 1/2 miles from the state line. There also is funding available to upgrade that to four lanes, but the final 2 1/2 miles as well as the interchange at I-49 will wait until Missouri has its funding, said Danny Straessle, public information officer for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
"We are putting ourselves in a position so that we are ready when Missouri is ready," he said.
Lant believes it won't be long before Missouri is able to go forward.
"By 2020, I'm pretty confident we will be able to come up with the additional money to do that job,"  Lant said.

Well, at least we can begin to see light at the end of the tunnel.

How are they going to do that?

Grzrd

Quote from: Grzrd on May 11, 2016, 11:51:27 PM
Another funding possibility may be a FASTLANE grant. Knowing that MoDOT has already set aside $24.2 million for the BVB, but also realizing that MoDOT still faces the considerable challenge of the $33.8 million funding gap, it occurred to me that the $24.2 million "skin in the game" would present the opportunity to have a FASTLANE grant put a big dent in the $33.8 million. I emailed MoDOT and asked them if they had submitted a grant application for the BVB this year. They replied that they did not submit an application this year, but that they may do so next year.
Also, if FHWA does not award a grant for AHTD's current I-49 Grant Application, then maybe MoDOT and AHTD could submit a joint application next year, with AHTD possibly putting a big dent in the $50 million it is currently setting aside for the remaining two lanes of the BVB in its current draft STIP.  It could be a win-win for both agencies.
I believe FHWA would strongly consider such an application that would expedite the completion of the I-49 freight corridor from I-40 to I-435. Could be another way to have a 2018 letting.

With USDOT's recent announcement of a Dec. 15 deadline for applications, I once again emailed MoDOT and asked if they intended to submit an application for the Bella Vista Bypass.  In short, they have concluded that they need to submit a joint application with AHTD and are currently gauging AHTD's interest. The relevant part of the response:

Quote
Thank you for reaching out to MoDOT concerning the Bella Vista Bypass as a potential candidate for the FASTLANE grants this year.

Since the bypass spans both Missouri and Arkansas it will need to be coordinated with both  states.  MoDOT is currently discussing this project with Arkansas to determine whether both states want to pursue this project as a joint application in this cycle of FASTLANE grants considering things such as the matching requirements, multiple freight needs in the states, readiness of the plans, and how well it would compete against the other projects anticipated to be submitted.

No decision has been made at this time, but both agencies are considering it.

I wonder if Dick Trammel is aware that MoDOT has reached out to AHTD?

mvak36

This is just my opinion, but if the two states submit a combined proposal for the BVB, it might have a good chance of getting funding (if not this round, maybe next round). Since the goal of the grants, they say, is to fund "projects that address critical freight issues facing our nation's highways and bridges", I would think that this project qualifies as a good candidate because of the truck traffic on this corridor (similar to the US69/75 project in Oklahoma that was selected in the first round of FASTLANE funding).

I'm probably being overly optimistic about this. I could also be full of it (very likely  :bigass:).
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roadman65

One thing about I-49, especially between I-44 and I-435, is the sharp horizontal curves.  Many I have found to be dangerous and of course the substandard bridges without the required 10 feet wide shoulders and inside shoulders making crossing a waterway a tight fit.

Yes I know that its all previous US 71 upgraded from expressway to freeway which allows the clause to take place, but for high speed long travel it does make driving a bit more challenging.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

US71

Quote from: roadman65 on November 07, 2016, 08:06:59 AM
One thing about I-49, especially between I-44 and I-435, is the sharp horizontal curves.  Many I have found to be dangerous and of course the substandard bridges without the required 10 feet wide shoulders and inside shoulders making crossing a waterway a tight fit.

Yes I know that its all previous US 71 upgraded from expressway to freeway which allows the clause to take place, but for high speed long travel it does make driving a bit more challenging.
In the late 70's/ early 80's there was a zig-zag near Cedar Rd south of Carthage.

SB 71 shifted to the original alignment over 2 narrow bridges, while NB zigged to the SB lanes over a newer bridge, then zagged back. I wish I had thought of taking photos.

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Grzrd

#698
Quote from: Grzrd on December 28, 2015, 02:50:15 PM
[This article, primarily about highway construction in NWA, quotes a MoDOT official as saying that Missouri's Bella Vista Bypass funding gap is now $33.8 million, and that the $33.8 million is in addition to $24.2 million that MoDOT has already set aside for construction of its share of the BVB

This Nov. 22 TV video reports that the cost to complete the Bella Vista Bypass has crept up to $35 million - $40 million, and an AHTD spokesperson indicates that AHTD is "working behind the scenes" with MoDOT to get it built.

Bobby5280

I wonder why these guys have to work "behind the scenes" to get something like this Interstate connection finished. Both Missouri and Arkansas have had the same party controlling all branches of government and that same party has been in control of the US House & Senate. There are some powerful business people living in the Northwest Arkansas region who support the same party. With all that united government machinery in place one would think a highway like this could get completed pretty quickly.



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