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[Grzrd]

As previously posted in the Improving I-540 at Fort Smith thread, AHTD apparently intends to dually designate I-49 with I-540 instead of redesignating I-540 as I-49.

I recently indirectly asked FHWA about the I-49/US 49 situation, and (I have asked for clarification about where "I-49" was written into law) I was surprised to find out that FHWA's position appears to be that Congressional action mandates the use of "I-49" in the I-49 corridor.

I received a clarification from FHWA today and it looks like FHWA will not resist an AHTD I-49 numbering request and that FHWA is further ordering AASHTO to stand down because of HPC 72:

Thank you for your follow-up questions and correspondence.  Please note, I am also copying Marty Vitale with AASHTO, for their records and information.  As far as the designation of the Arkansas segments of the North-South Corridor as I-49, FHWA is required by law to approve future Intestate route designation request once: the segment meets Interstate Standard;  connects or plans to connect to the existing System, by October 1, 2037.  Once those two requirements are met the designation request must be initiated by the State.
High Priority Corridor (HPC) #1 is identified as a future Intestate route in Section 1105 of ISTEA, as amended. HPC #1 is described as the North-South Corridor from Kansas City, Mo to Shreveport, LA.  HPC # 72 also described as the North-South Corridor between Kansas City, MO and Shreveport, LA.  HPC #72 reads, “The North-South corridor, along Interstate 49 North, from Kansas City, Missouri, to Shreveport, Louisiana”.  HPC # 72 was added to Section 1105 of ISTEA, as amended by Section 1304 of SAFETEA-LU.  This amendment, establishes the numbering for the North-South Corridor between Kansas City and Shreveport.

All AHTD has to do now is ask ..............

[Grzrd]

I see where M0DOT has moved up there STIP for the Bella Vista Bypass to Start in the Fall of 2014. Job # 7PO601 has construction money to start there part. So Arkansas has made them feel they will work on the 2 lanes early in the 1/2 cent sales tax construction.

AHTD has released the 2013 Arkansas Highway map and the 2013 map does not have the projected route through Texas

(above quote from Texarkana (Future I-49, I-69 Spur) thread)

Although the projected route of Future I-49 through Texas has disappeared on the 2013 map, the projected route of Missouri's section of the Bella Vista Bypass has appeared on the 2013 map (the 2012 map only has the projected route of the Arkansas section of the Bella Vista Bypass):



Maybe this is another hint that the Bella Vista Bypass will be an early project in the sales tax program.

[O Tamandua]

FWIW, by that map above the first layer of pavement has been laid (though probably not in all lanes) from the east 72 bridge over this new highway to the west 72 bridge over future I-49, a distance of around 2-3 miles.  They're grading on the north side of the west 72 crossing, but also building a bridge over it and won't be able to link the two segments until the bridge is complete and they can reroute traffic from the old section of the highway over it.

Weird thing's already happened.  Right before that west crossing, a new subdivision has popped up, largely made up of homes that were moved from other locations.  The subdivision was started in the mid-2000s but was abandoned with only one house built.  Now with one-two other new builds plus the "move-ins", there are at least six.  Gonna be interesting to see what happens with the town formerly known as "Hiwasse", where the aforementioned (total of three) crossings are.

[US71]

FWIW, by that map above the first layer of pavement has been laid (though probably not in all lanes) from the east 72 bridge over this new highway to the west 72 bridge over future I-49, a distance of around 2-3 miles.  They're grading on the north side of the west 72 crossing, but also building a bridge over it and won't be able to link the two segments until the bridge is complete and they can reroute traffic from the old section of the highway over it.

Weird thing's already happened.  Right before that west crossing, a new subdivision has popped up, largely made up of homes that were moved from other locations.  The subdivision was started in the mid-2000s but was abandoned with only one house built.  Now with one-two other new builds plus the "move-ins", there are at least six.  Gonna be interesting to see what happens with the town formerly known as "Hiwasse", where the aforementioned (total of three) crossings are.

I think there are only 2 interchanges: 72East and 72West. IIRC, AR 279 is only a grade separation.  I need to get back up there and investigate it further.

[O Tamandua]

Grzrd,

I can't get onto the arkansashighways.com site...what does the Fort Smith map look like?  (Gotta be frank, I'm astounded how much FSM people and/or investors are betting on I-49 there with all the construction in the Barling area.  There is building going on EVERYWHERE west of the future I-49 right-of-way.)

[US71]

Grzrd,

I can't get onto the arkansashighways.com site...what does the Fort Smith map look like?  (Gotta be frank, I'm astounded how much FSM people and/or investors are betting on I-49 there with all the construction in the Barling area.  There is building going on EVERYWHERE west of the future I-49 right-of-way.)

Future 49 doesn't show on the Ft Smith inset at all.

The land is relatively cheap in Barling considering it's mostly Ft Chaffee property. There's a new fire station going up on Massard Rd near I-49, plus a museum going up next to the nature center. AHTD just moved their shop out that way and there is talk of a third High School for Ft Smith in the area, as well.  There's also a Mitsubishi wind turbine plant built with major tax incentives that never opened. There are several other businesses promising to build, but I don't remember who they are, off-hand.

[Henry]

Grzrd,

I can't get onto the arkansashighways.com site...what does the Fort Smith map look like?  (Gotta be frank, I'm astounded how much FSM people and/or investors are betting on I-49 there with all the construction in the Barling area.  There is building going on EVERYWHERE west of the future I-49 right-of-way.)

Future 49 doesn't show on the Ft Smith inset at all.

The land is relatively cheap in Barling considering it's mostly Ft Chaffee property. There's a new fire station going up on Massard Rd near I-49, plus a museum going up next to the nature center. AHTD just moved their shop out that way and there is talk of a third High School for Ft Smith in the area, as well.  There's also a Mitsubishi wind turbine plant built with major tax incentives that never opened. There are several other businesses promising to build, but I don't remember who they are, off-hand.

In other words, I-540 south of I-40 will remain just that, as I-49 is being built further east.

It's no surprise that the old Fort Chaffee is being redeveloped into a mixed-use area, especially in anticipation of the new highway coming through it.

[US71]

Grzrd,

I can't get onto the arkansashighways.com site...what does the Fort Smith map look like?  (Gotta be frank, I'm astounded how much FSM people and/or investors are betting on I-49 there with all the construction in the Barling area.  There is building going on EVERYWHERE west of the future I-49 right-of-way.)

Future 49 doesn't show on the Ft Smith inset at all.

The land is relatively cheap in Barling considering it's mostly Ft Chaffee property. There's a new fire station going up on Massard Rd near I-49, plus a museum going up next to the nature center. AHTD just moved their shop out that way and there is talk of a third High School for Ft Smith in the area, as well.  There's also a Mitsubishi wind turbine plant built with major tax incentives that never opened. There are several other businesses promising to build, but I don't remember who they are, off-hand.

In other words, I-540 south of I-40 will remain just that, as I-49 is being built further east.

Yes, though there is a proposed spur off 540 (in the vicinity of Greenwood Rd/AR 45) that will eventually connect to I-49

[RoadSigma]

I will be so glad when Arkansas builds thier part of I-49...so much faster access to eastern texas and especially New Orleans from up here in Kansas City.

[Grzrd]

I see where M0DOT has moved up there STIP for the Bella Vista Bypass to Start in the Fall of 2014. Job # 7PO601 has construction money to start there part. So Arkansas has made them feel they will work on the 2 lanes early in the 1/2 cent sales tax construction.

This article reports that, instead of Garver, Atkins, in partnership with Brown & Gay Engineers and Fugro Consultants, has been selected to provide on-call construction services for AHTD:

The contract specifically calls for Atkins to support a new programme that will use a temporary sales tax to fund a US$1.8bn, ten-year project to build and improve four-lane highways throughout the state.

Now the wait begins to see which project will be first .....

(bottom quote from Arkansas thread)

It's still unofficial, but I just received an AHTD email indicating that the Bella Vista Bypass project is first in line and that there may be a kickoff event for it in late 2013/early 2014:

The schedule has not been finalized, but unofficially it looks like that the Bella Vista job would be the first one and it could happened before the end of the year even though 2014 is more likely. We have some tentative plans to host a kickoff event and that one seems to be the most likely one.

[Grzrd]

the Future I-49 corridor is east of this section of I-540. A map on page 23/36 of the Executive Summary of the US 71 Relocation From Dequeen to I-40 Final Environmental Impact Statement pdf shows the location of this section of I-540 relative to the proposed route of Future I-49.  If I interpret the map correctly, it looks like the long-range plan is to build a "spur" from the southern section of I-540 to connect with Future I-49 just south of the current US 71 (which, along with I-40, would create a possible I-x49 loop)

(above quote from Improving I-540 at Fort Smith thread)

there is a proposed spur off 540 (in the vicinity of Greenwood Rd/AR 45) that will eventually connect to I-49

Here's the map of the proposed I-540 "southern spur" referenced above that would connect to I-49:



edit

Gotta be frank, I'm astounded how much FSM people and/or investors are betting on I-49 there with all the construction in the Barling area.  There is building going on EVERYWHERE west of the future I-49 right-of-way.

Given that the FEIS is now approximately 16 years old, has there been enough development along the proposed I-540 "southern spur" corridor to now make it prohibitively expensive?

[rte66man]

FWIW, by that map above the first layer of pavement has been laid (though probably not in all lanes) from the east 72 bridge over this new highway to the west 72 bridge over future I-49, a distance of around 2-3 miles.  They're grading on the north side of the west 72 crossing, but also building a bridge over it and won't be able to link the two segments until the bridge is complete and they can reroute traffic from the old section of the highway over it.

Weird thing's already happened.  Right before that west crossing, a new subdivision has popped up, largely made up of homes that were moved from other locations.  The subdivision was started in the mid-2000s but was abandoned with only one house built.  Now with one-two other new builds plus the "move-ins", there are at least six.  Gonna be interesting to see what happens with the town formerly known as "Hiwasse", where the aforementioned (total of three) crossings are.

I think there are only 2 interchanges: 72East and 72West. IIRC, AR 279 is only a grade separation.  I need to get back up there and investigate it further.

You are correct, there aren't any on/off ramps at AR279.  I was there in March:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rte66man/8593255773/

rte66man

[Grzrd]

It's still unofficial, but I just received an AHTD email indicating that the Bella Vista Bypass project is first in line and that there may be a kickoff event for it in late 2013/early 2014

This article reports that "shortly after July 4" the order of projects should be known and that "it's assumed" that the Bella Vista Bypass will be the first project:

Shortly after July 4, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department should know the order of projects that will be completed with the half-cent sales tax that will start being collected July 1 with money to start flowing in August, said Danny Straessle, assistant public information officer with ASHTD. While not confirmed for a few more weeks, it’s assumed that the Bella Vista Bypass will probably be the first project.
“The purpose of this project is safe and efficient movement of traffic from the Missouri state line to I-540 south of Bella Vista,” he said. “Volume has necessitated this work as the current route on U.S. Highway 71 is loaded with traffic and is not conducive to free-flow movement like an Interstate-type facility would be.”
Another major Northwest Arkansas development will be later in July, he said. The July 24 bid letting with the Arkansas Highway Commission will award a contract to widen Interstate 540 from Highway 16 to Porter Road to three lanes at an estimated cost of $9 million.

[US71]

Another major Northwest Arkansas development will be later in July, he said. The July 24 bid letting with the Arkansas Highway Commission will award a contract to widen Interstate 540 from Highway 16 to Porter Road to three lanes at an estimated cost of $9 million.

That's approx 1 more mile. I'm sure they will tear out the new cable barriers and put in a Jersey Barrier like they did between Hwy 16 and US 62.

[O Tamandua]

One last question, since I'm a "non-highway" person.

Can someone tell me if (as I believe I saw today) "Rocky Dell Hollow" is going to be a future ramp off future I-49?  I saw grading work done to this road with what appeared to be an exit ramp grade.  That's going to be fascinating...that road goes, like the neck of a tuning fork, straight into a curve from where the two main roads of west Bella Vista (Glasgow Road to the north, Highlands Road to the south) split.  Heretofore, U.S. 71 has bisected Bella Vista, and west BV has been essentially closed off, accessible only by dirt roads from the west.  Now, this is going to open up that side of town.

Gonna be fascinating to see what they do there at that exit, if indeed it is one.

[NE2]

Looks like there will be an interchange at or near Rocky Dell Hollow: http://bellavistaarkansas.org/bella-vista-bypass.html

[Grzrd]

Can someone tell me if (as I believe I saw today) "Rocky Dell Hollow" is going to be a future ramp off future I-49?  I saw grading work done to this road with what appeared to be an exit ramp grade.  That's going to be fascinating...that road goes, like the neck of a tuning fork, straight into a curve from where the two main roads of west Bella Vista (Glasgow Road to the north, Highlands Road to the south) split.

Looking at the June 2007 Design Reassessment, it's possible that you are looking at grading for a frontage road that will maintain property access for a relocated farm (page 10/91 of pdf):



The changes to this interchange are summarized on page 12/91 of the pdf:

The County Road 34 (Ferrell Road) interchange was enlarged to meet current design standards, County Road 34 was realigned west of the interchange to reconnect the local road network, and a frontage road was added to maintain property access.

I think there are only 2 interchanges: 72East and 72West. IIRC, AR 279 is only a grade separation.

A map on page 8/91 of the above Design Reassessment pdf confirms that there is no interchange at AR 279, but it is interesting to note that the 1998 plans had included an interchange at AR 279:

[O Tamandua]

Can someone tell me if (as I believe I saw today) "Rocky Dell Hollow" is going to be a future ramp off future I-49?  I saw grading work done to this road with what appeared to be an exit ramp grade.  That's going to be fascinating...that road goes, like the neck of a tuning fork, straight into a curve from where the two main roads of west Bella Vista (Glasgow Road to the north, Highlands Road to the south) split.

Looking at the June 2007 Design Reassessment, it's possible that you are looking at grading for a frontage road that will maintain property access for a relocated farm (page 10/91 of pdf):



The changes to this interchange are summarized on page 12/91 of the pdf:

The County Road 34 (Ferrell Road) interchange was enlarged to meet current design standards, County Road 34 was realigned west of the interchange to reconnect the local road network, and a frontage road was added to maintain property access.

I think there are only 2 interchanges: 72East and 72West. IIRC, AR 279 is only a grade separation.

A map on page 8/91 of the above Design Reassessment pdf confirms that there is no interchange at AR 279, but it is interesting to note that the 1998 plans had included an interchange at AR 279:

Grzrd, from your top photo that's exactly what this appears to be.  The proposed toll booths are very near where I saw the road off the main (future) interstate.  I was at (maybe the only remaining Northwest Arkansas supermarket not named "Walmart" or "Harps") Bella Vista's Allen Foods today, where they have a huge map of BV on the wall of the store entry way.  Right through where this future interstate runs is a huge, far and away the largest undeveloped BV-owned bloc of land on the west side of town which says "reserved for future development".  Boy, is it going to.  Bella Vista is the ONLY one of Northwest Arkansas' big six cities (BV, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, Siloam Springs) that has absolutely no non-dirt-road access on one side of town.

That's going to change, drastically.

[Desert Man]

As previously posted in the Improving I-540 at Fort Smith thread, AHTD apparently intends to dually designate I-49 with I-540 instead of redesignating I-540 as I-49.

I recently indirectly asked FHWA about the I-49/US 49 situation, and (I have asked for clarification about where "I-49" was written into law) I was surprised to find out that FHWA's position appears to be that Congressional action mandates the use of "I-49" in the I-49 corridor.

I received a clarification from FHWA today and it looks like FHWA will not resist an AHTD I-49 numbering request and that FHWA is further ordering AASHTO to stand down because of HPC 72:

Thank you for your follow-up questions and correspondence.  Please note, I am also copying Marty Vitale with AASHTO, for their records and information.  As far as the designation of the Arkansas segments of the North-South Corridor as I-49, FHWA is required by law to approve future Intestate route designation request once: the segment meets Interstate Standard;  connects or plans to connect to the existing System, by October 1, 2037.  Once those two requirements are met the designation request must be initiated by the State.
High Priority Corridor (HPC) #1 is identified as a future Intestate route in Section 1105 of ISTEA, as amended. HPC #1 is described as the North-South Corridor from Kansas City, Mo to Shreveport, LA.  HPC # 72 also described as the North-South Corridor between Kansas City, MO and Shreveport, LA.  HPC #72 reads, “The North-South corridor, along Interstate 49 North, from Kansas City, Missouri, to Shreveport, Louisiana”.  HPC # 72 was added to Section 1105 of ISTEA, as amended by Section 1304 of SAFETEA-LU.  This amendment, establishes the numbering for the North-South Corridor between Kansas City and Shreveport.

All AHTD has to do now is ask ..............

Redesignation of I-540 to "49" makes more sense, less confusing to the drivers using the route and transportation officials in charge of the project. The I-540 is an extension of the 49 - same route - however to change the number will confuse long-time residents at first used to the "540". Actually, I-49 ends in Kansas City, MO where another north-south freeway: the I-29 also ends. 

[Grzrd]

I think there are only 2 interchanges: 72East and 72West. IIRC, AR 279 is only a grade separation.

the June 2007 Design Reassessment .... A map on page 8/91 of the above Design Reassessment pdf confirms that there is no interchange at AR 279, but it is interesting to note that the 1998 plans had included an interchange at AR 279:

The November 2007 Design Reassessment, not to be confused with the earlier June 2007 Design Reassessment, discusses the proposed AR 279 interchange and the solution that has been developed (page 2/16 of pdf):



Figure 2 (page 4/16 of pdf):

[US71]

Redesignation of I-540 to "49" makes more sense, less confusing to the drivers using the route and transportation officials in charge of the project. The I-540 is an extension of the 49 - same route - however to change the number will confuse long-time residents at first used to the "540". Actually, I-49 ends in Kansas City, MO where another north-south freeway: the I-29 also ends. 

Maybe the road can be dually designated with "north" 540 eventually phased out (ala AR 471/US 71B).

[O Tamandua]

There is a beautiful Arkansas Welcome Center on I-35 east of Texarkana.

Wouldn't be surprised to see one either at the future interchange on the map Grzrd posted above (of the interchange at west Bella Vista, AR) or to the north of it in the current woody hills at the state line.

[txstateends]

There is a beautiful Arkansas Welcome Center on I-35 east of Texarkana.

I'm guessing you mean I-30.  Otherwise, that's one part of I-35 I've *never* been on

[roadman65]

There is a beautiful Arkansas Welcome Center on I-35 east of Texarkana.

Wouldn't be surprised to see one either at the future interchange on the map Grzrd posted above (of the interchange at west Bella Vista, AR) or to the north of it in the current woody hills at the state line.

When I traveled US 71 from Northern Missouri to Shreveport in 01, there was a Welcome Center just south of the MO/ AR line.  I would imagine there would have to be one on the new interstate as well, unless Arkansas closed the one I visited as it has been know for states  to have been closing State Line Welcome Centers such as NJ for US 22 prior to I-78 being completed or PennDOT closing the I-95 SB one near Scudder's Falls Bridge.

[US71]

There is a beautiful Arkansas Welcome Center on I-35 east of Texarkana.

I'm guessing you mean I-30.  Otherwise, that's one part of I-35 I've *never* been on

It's less than 5 years old. Replaced an older one between Exits 1 and 2.  The one in Bella Vista is a bit older, but it replaced one at the state line.