I-49 in Arkansas

[Road Hog]

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

Not gonna lie, I watched the whole video from start to finish and enjoyed it greatly. Couldn't enjoy the full 4K experience because of my bandwidth issues but it was still pretty good in 1440.

[MikieTimT]

I always love it when I get to 4:35, especially at night.  Feels like I've almost made it home when I see Old Main and Yocum Hall pop into view and the rest of Fayetteville unfold over the hill.

[MikieTimT]

Cost of I-49 segment between Barling and Alma rises to $1 billion

Not exactly warranting optimism that we'll be crossing the Arkansas River on I-49 and driving the top level of the 4 level stack with I-40 this decade.  Nuts that it's 33% higher now than 2 years ago.

[sprjus4]

Cost of I-49 segment between Barling and Alma rises to $1 billion

Not exactly warranting optimism that we'll be crossing the Arkansas River on I-49 and driving the top level of the 4 level stack with I-40 this decade.  Nuts that it's 33% higher now than 2 years ago.

The article mentions the bridge portion will cost $330 million and $350 million for the I-49 / I-40 interchange, leaving around $320 million for the 13 miles of rural freeway, coming out to around $25 million per mile, which is fairly reasonable.

The cost issue then, would be the I-49 / I-40 interchange and the river bridge.

[The Ghostbuster]

Wikipedia shows that existing Interstate 49 between Interstate 40 and the Arkansas/Missouri border has its eventual exit numbers posted (which even I know is not the case): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_49_in_Arkansas#Exit_list. It even altered the mileage to show the eventual mileage from the Arkansas/Louisiana border (at least to the Elm Springs Rd. interchange, existing Exit 73/future Exit 259). This is probably a case of Wikipedia jumping the gun.

[MikieTimT]

Cost of I-49 segment between Barling and Alma rises to $1 billion

Not exactly warranting optimism that we'll be crossing the Arkansas River on I-49 and driving the top level of the 4 level stack with I-40 this decade.  Nuts that it's 33% higher now than 2 years ago.

The article mentions the bridge portion will cost $330 million and $350 million for the I-49 / I-40 interchange, leaving around $320 million for the 13 miles of rural freeway, coming out to around $25 million per mile, which is fairly reasonable.

The cost issue then, would be the I-49 / I-40 interchange and the river bridge.

The interchange with I-40 is a 4 level stack, which won't be cheap, although 2 of the ramps are already built to take I-49 south to I-40 east and I-40 east to I-49 north.  Since half of the middle 2 levels are already complete, they need only the 2 I-49 south movements to/from I-40 west and the top level carrying I-49 mainline over the top of it all, which will make for a very long overpass and approaches.

[abqtraveler]

Cost of I-49 segment between Barling and Alma rises to $1 billion

Not exactly warranting optimism that we'll be crossing the Arkansas River on I-49 and driving the top level of the 4 level stack with I-40 this decade.  Nuts that it's 33% higher now than 2 years ago.

The article mentions the bridge portion will cost $330 million and $350 million for the I-49 / I-40 interchange, leaving around $320 million for the 13 miles of rural freeway, coming out to around $25 million per mile, which is fairly reasonable.

The cost issue then, would be the I-49 / I-40 interchange and the river bridge.

The interchange with I-40 is a 4 level stack, which won't be cheap, although 2 of the ramps are already built to take I-49 south to I-40 east and I-40 east to I-49 north.  Since half of the middle 2 levels are already complete, they need only the 2 I-49 south movements to/from I-40 west and the top level carrying I-49 mainline over the top of it all, which will make for a very long overpass and approaches.

That all depends on the final design of the interchange. If ArDOT decides to leave the two existing flyover ramps as-is, then they could potentially realize some cost savings over a complete reconfiguration of the interchange. Even if they do decide to keep the existing ramps to save cost, those ramps are around 30 years old, so I wouldn't be surprised that ArDOT takes the opportunity to rehabilitate the bridges carrying those ramps as part of the project to connect I-40 and I-49 North with I-49 South.

[Bobby5280]

The $350 million estimate sounds a lot like a total re-build of the existing interchange. The existing "Y" interchange between I-49 and I-40 in Alma is over 30 years old. All of the existing flyover ramps are single lane ramps. Two lane flyover ramps are becoming more common with system interchanges between two intersecting Interstates. Then there is an additional problem that the design of those existing flyover ramps did not provide any room for future expansion. There is no room for thru lanes of I-49 to continue South thru the interchange with I-40. Support pylons are all in the way. And then there is the height of the flyover ramps. They were built only high enough to leap over each other and I-40. There was no additional room reserved for an extra level for I-49 thru lanes going farther South.

Sorry to say it, but that existing interchange just has to get scrapped and re-built from scratch.

[Great Lakes Roads]

The $350 million estimate sounds a lot like a total re-build of the existing interchange. The existing "Y" interchange between I-49 and I-40 in Alma is over 30 years old. All of the existing flyover ramps are single lane ramps. Two lane flyover ramps are becoming more common with system interchanges between two intersecting Interstates. Then there is an additional problem that the design of those existing flyover ramps did not provide any room for future expansion. There is no room for thru lanes of I-49 to continue South thru the interchange with I-40. Support pylons are all in the way. And then there is the height of the flyover ramps. They were built only high enough to leap over each other and I-40. There was no additional room reserved for an extra level for I-49 thru lanes going farther South.

Sorry to say it, but that existing interchange just has to get scrapped and re-built from scratch.

And the ArDOT plan supports your claim...

[Henry]

The $350 million estimate sounds a lot like a total re-build of the existing interchange. The existing "Y" interchange between I-49 and I-40 in Alma is over 30 years old. All of the existing flyover ramps are single lane ramps. Two lane flyover ramps are becoming more common with system interchanges between two intersecting Interstates. Then there is an additional problem that the design of those existing flyover ramps did not provide any room for future expansion. There is no room for thru lanes of I-49 to continue South thru the interchange with I-40. Support pylons are all in the way. And then there is the height of the flyover ramps. They were built only high enough to leap over each other and I-40. There was no additional room reserved for an extra level for I-49 thru lanes going farther South.

Sorry to say it, but that existing interchange just has to get scrapped and re-built from scratch.

And the ArDOT plan supports your claim...

As does Streetview.

[MikieTimT]

Arkansas Department of Transportation plans to expand Interstate 49

Haven't selected contractor yet, but plan on starting actual construction from AR-22 to Gun Club Rd. starting the middle of next year, which includes the big ticket item of the Arkansas River bridge.

Some typically confused reporting by the local news crew that this phase of the project would allow truck traffic to stay on I-49 to get past Ft. Smith to US-71, but this would be only when everything is done, well into the 2030's.  It's not like trucks are going to take AR-59 and actually use Gun Club Rd., which is a dirt road in the middle of river bottom cropland.  They'll do like they currently do and continue on AR-59 to Barling, turn onto AR-22, and get on AR-549 to US-71.  This first phase isn't exactly a Section of Independent Utility.

No details on whether it's a Super-2 or 4 lane crossing either, so I'd expect to be underwhelmed by what's actually planned for this first phase as I don't see anywhere near enough budgeted in the 2023-2026 STIP for 4 lanes of a major river crossing at $256.9M.

[MikieTimT]

ARDOT fixing to do a bid letting for construction of the new I-49 Arkansas Welcome Center off of what they erroneously call Exit 100 this week.  Here's the detailed plans for the new Welcome Center:

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/090580_plans-1.pdf

[MikieTimT]

ARDOT just released the 2025-2028 Draft STIP and is soliciting public comments.  I've fired off a couple already about the disappearance of $256M in 2025 funding for the AR River Bridge on I-49, but noted that there is now funding of $141M for the I-40/I-49 interchange and Phase 1 of Future I-49 (Super 2 no doubt) from the interchange to Clear Creek Rd.  This dashes any hope of I-49 having even half the Super 2 being done this decade.  Seems the grubbing of the north end of AR-549 to the river was a complete waste of money and merely for show as it will have to be done again with the rate of vegetative growth in the AR River valley.  Pretty disappointed in the new Draft STIP.

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025-2028_STIP_Draft_General_Electronic.pdf

Looks like they're throwing Sebastian County and Scott County a small bone with a whopping $9M of 2028 funding for 12.47 miles of Future I-49 between Greenwood and AR-378, which doesn't sound like nearly enough for new build Super 2.  Project 04X537 on the above STIP, Pg. 137 of 269.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ was that the section from Barling to I-40? Is that what was axed?

[MikieTimT]

^^^ was that the section from Barling to I-40? Is that what was axed?

The AR-22 to Gun Club Rd. portion, including the AR River bridge.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ was that the section from Barling to I-40? Is that what was axed?

The AR-22 to Gun Club Rd. portion, including the AR River bridge.

For some reason I had thought a super two including the AR river bridge was a go from Barling to I-40 within the next few years.

So it seems like they just scaled the project back? Or was it always going to be phased from Barling to Gun Club RD. with the section from Gun Club to I-40 being a separate project?

Either way that is a huge bummer. ODOT does that shit all the time. I was really excited to think they'd expedite a lot of projects and add many more in the their 8 year plan last year but pretty much the opposite happened with a few exceptions.

Hopefully ARDOT adds the full Barling to I-40 segment back into the plan. Who knows.

[MikieTimT]

Apparently, they are starting from AR-22 and doing the bridge first.  The latest round of RAISE grants have Arkansas getting $25M for I-49 between I-40 and AR-22.

https://talkbusiness.net/2024/06/feds-award-25-million-grant-for-i-49-segment-in-the-fort-smith-metro/

[Razorback19]

News video about I-49 between Alma and Barling
The reporter states they are starting with a 4 lane bridge along with the roadway between Hwy 22 in Barling and Gun Club Road on the north side of the Arkansas River in Crawford County.

https://www.5newsonline.com/video/news/local/progress-on-construction-of-i-49-barling-alma-connector-road/527-1d50e6ac-4f3d-492b-b5f7-596708c809e4?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwsaNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdlOgosFOkfqycooNWaMiR_3H1NNt9Ah97fLo5l7g3aC3BF1a6gbHI34bQ_aem_SQzQ3HYLicqkF_kOB-j0jQ

[MikieTimT]

News video about I-49 between Alma and Barling
The reporter states they are starting with a 4 lane bridge along with the roadway between Hwy 22 in Barling and Gun Club Road on the north side of the Arkansas River in Crawford County.

https://www.5newsonline.com/video/news/local/progress-on-construction-of-i-49-barling-alma-connector-road/527-1d50e6ac-4f3d-492b-b5f7-596708c809e4?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwsaNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdlOgosFOkfqycooNWaMiR_3H1NNt9Ah97fLo5l7g3aC3BF1a6gbHI34bQ_aem_SQzQ3HYLicqkF_kOB-j0jQ

They'd almost certainly pave Gun Club Rd. from AR-59 to the interchange, and may change up the geometry of AR-59's curve there to make it T off Gun Club Rd. for any traffic intending to stay on AR-59 to keep the majority of the traffic free flowing to the interchange since it would probably be the new northern terminus of AR-549 for 2-3 years.

[mvak36]

It looks like there's a letting coming up for the project they were talking about in that video. There are some preliminary plans at https://www.ardot.gov/divisions/program-management/construction-contract-development/construction-contractors/currently-advertised-projects/.

[MikieTimT]

News video about I-49 between Alma and Barling
The reporter states they are starting with a 4 lane bridge along with the roadway between Hwy 22 in Barling and Gun Club Road on the north side of the Arkansas River in Crawford County.

https://www.5newsonline.com/video/news/local/progress-on-construction-of-i-49-barling-alma-connector-road/527-1d50e6ac-4f3d-492b-b5f7-596708c809e4?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwsaNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdlOgosFOkfqycooNWaMiR_3H1NNt9Ah97fLo5l7g3aC3BF1a6gbHI34bQ_aem_SQzQ3HYLicqkF_kOB-j0jQ

They'd almost certainly pave Gun Club Rd. from AR-59 to the interchange, and may change up the geometry of AR-59's curve there to make it T off Gun Club Rd. for any traffic intending to stay on AR-59 to keep the majority of the traffic free flowing to the interchange since it would probably be the new northern terminus of AR-549 for 2-3 years.

I will correct myself after consulting the plans that mvak36 pointed us to.  Gun Club Rd. is going to be bent south at its terminus with AR-59 to come to a "T".  Pg. 86 of 882

At least we now know we won't be having a Super-2 built across the river initially as this plan shows a single 4 lane bridge with barrier right before it tapers off to the forced exit onto Gun Club Rd. until the next project northward.  Pg. 113 of 882

Looks like a similar bridge to I-540 across the Arkansas River between Crawford and Sebastian County, except that curious lane on the outside shoulder of the northbound lanes that someone would have to back into.  Looks like a hidey-hole for the ASP!

[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.

At this stage of the project, it looks like from the preliminary plans they are continuing north from AR-22 with the current AR-549 mileage, the correct exit numbers from the Louisiana border.  Wonder if they'll later pull the exit numbers down and renumber like they did the Bella Vista Bypass?

[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.

At this stage of the project, it looks like from the preliminary plans they are continuing north from AR-22 with the current AR-549 mileage, the correct exit numbers from the Louisiana border.  Wonder if they'll later pull the exit numbers down and renumber like they did the Bella Vista Bypass?

I don't remember why ARDOT backed off the original renumbering north of Alma. Probably to keep stability for business advertising. Sorry, but sometimes you have to rip off the bandage.

[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

The Wedington Drive exit (AR-16W/AR-16S, Exit 64) is finally finished.  Much improved throughput with 7 lanes now between Salem Rd. and I-49 with 2 exit lanes for the northbound I-49 parclo along with 2 through lanes eastbound to go along with 3 lanes westbound with the rightmost lane a forced exit onto N. Salem Rd.

Still several confused drivers (or lots of attempted line cutters) darting over at the last minute.  The parclo is 2 lanes that zipper into 1 under the Wedington Dr. overpass with the incoming westbound Wedington/I-49 northbound onramp zippering into the onramp which becomes the exit-only offramp for Steven Carr Memorial Blvd/Porter Rd./Mt. Comfort Rd./Exit 65.  That exit has too many road names to be made into a memorial exit as well.

I'll take some video both directions the next chance I get and upload to YouTube.

The MLK exit (Exit 62) has started prepwork for its reconfiguration now.

[Tomahawkin]

How long will the MLK IH-49 interchange take to get completed? I'm starting the line at 30 months??? Im assuming both 49 N/S bridges will need to be rebuilt, to support a total of 8 to 10 lanes? What other interchange projects are set to get started on IH 49? "Tease The Folks!"

The IH 49/US 412 interchange should have been rebuilt 20+ years ago, IMO