US-412 / I-42 freeway projects in Arkansas: The thread

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Is anyone here still on Wikipedia? I moved the other I-42 to "Interstate 42 (North Carolina)", but seeing that the I-42 in Arkansas is signed, there needs to be an article for "Interstate 42 (Oklahoma–Arkansas)".

I went ahead and moved AR 612's page over, since AR 612 is gone.

Side note - I-42 is entirely signed on the entire corridor, based on a YT video - even on I-49, US 412, and intersecting highways.

[moabdave]

Is anyone here still on Wikipedia? I moved the other I-42 to "Interstate 42 (North Carolina)", but seeing that the I-42 in Arkansas is signed, there needs to be an article for "Interstate 42 (Oklahoma–Arkansas)".

In this forum you're more likely to find people who edit on the AARoads wiki (i.e. our own wiki) at https://wiki.aaroads.com/ A good number of us left Wikipedia because the toxic culture that has developed there in recent years. I still edit Wikipedia but have moved all of my roads editing to our wiki.

[hurricanehink]

Is anyone here still on Wikipedia? I moved the other I-42 to "Interstate 42 (North Carolina)", but seeing that the I-42 in Arkansas is signed, there needs to be an article for "Interstate 42 (Oklahoma–Arkansas)".

In this forum you're more likely to find people who edit on the AARoads wiki (i.e. our own wiki) at https://wiki.aaroads.com/ A good number of us left Wikipedia because the toxic culture that has developed there in recent years. I still edit Wikipedia but have all of my roads editing to our wiki.

Here's hoping that, much like I-42 in Arkansas will merge with roads in Oklahoma, that these efforts will be merged one day Also thank you I-69 Fan.

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Is anyone here still on Wikipedia? I moved the other I-42 to "Interstate 42 (North Carolina)", but seeing that the I-42 in Arkansas is signed, there needs to be an article for "Interstate 42 (Oklahoma–Arkansas)".

In this forum you're more likely to find people who edit on the AARoads wiki (i.e. our own wiki) at https://wiki.aaroads.com/ A good number of us left Wikipedia because the toxic culture that has developed there in recent years. I still edit Wikipedia but have all of my roads editing to our wiki.

Here's hoping that, much like I-42 in Arkansas will merge with roads in Oklahoma, that these efforts will be merged one day Also thank you I-69 Fan.

My pleasure! AR 642 is also up. It's a start on it, there's probably still some more that needs moved over, but it's nice to see this highway open.

Has anyone here driven on the road yet?

[moabdave]

Here's hoping that, much like I-42 in Arkansas will merge with roads in Oklahoma, that these efforts will be merged one day

I think we all want that. Speaking for myself, I hate this split work and re-inventing the wheel. However, while everybody agrees there's a problem, the solutions so far have been comically bad.

[MikieTimT]

Is anyone here still on Wikipedia? I moved the other I-42 to "Interstate 42 (North Carolina)", but seeing that the I-42 in Arkansas is signed, there needs to be an article for "Interstate 42 (Oklahoma–Arkansas)".

In this forum you're more likely to find people who edit on the AARoads wiki (i.e. our own wiki) at https://wiki.aaroads.com/ A good number of us left Wikipedia because the toxic culture that has developed there in recent years. I still edit Wikipedia but have all of my roads editing to our wiki.

Here's hoping that, much like I-42 in Arkansas will merge with roads in Oklahoma, that these efforts will be merged one day Also thank you I-69 Fan.

My pleasure! AR 642 is also up. It's a start on it, there's probably still some more that needs moved over, but it's nice to see this highway open.

Has anyone here driven on the road yet?

Just uploaded my dashcam timelapses for I-42 in each direction and AR-642 in each direction.

Eastern terminus of I-42 to US-412 at the western end of Tontitown:

West end of Tontitown back to I-49, northbound:

XNA Connector (AR-642) from I-42 westbound to XNA entrance:

XNA Connector (AR-642) from XNA exit to I-42 westbound:

[TheBox]

Wait, is the Springdale bypass open already?

I thought that was just Google Maps putting it early in advance

[ozarkman417]

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for these projects was held today and drew a nice turnout despite the heat.



Evidently, as shown by @MikieTimT, the highway opened for business shortly after.

[MaxConcrete]

Photo from Instagram

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

The bypass around Siloam Springs will probably be the last portion of the Western I-42 to be built. By the time they get around to farting with the project there will probably be so much housing built both North and South of the US-412 corridor that they'll have no choice but to bulldoze their way straight thru on the existing alignment.

Basically, it's less controversial to displace a bunch of commercial businesses along an existing highway than it is to plow through a residential neighborhood. Large scale displacements of commercial properties have happened a lot of times in the past. Look how much had to be cleared alongside I-10 for the massive Katy Freeway expansion in Houston.

Complicating matters worse: the terrain North and South of Siloam Springs is not quite mountainous, but there is a lot of hills. A new terrain bypass that swings well around town will have to deal with lots of challenging grading work. A tunnel or two might not be out of the question either. The cost of that is another factor that makes upgrading US-412 along the existing alignment ever more likely.

I never even knew of this Interstate until today, I heard no construction rumors or anything. Oh well I guess it's another Interstate I don't recognize.

[PColumbus73]

Signing I-42(W) this early flew under the radar for me. I assumed any interstate designation would take place after US 412 was upgraded across Oklahoma.

[TheBox]

Signing I-42(W) this early flew under the radar for me. I assumed any interstate designation would take place after US 412 was upgraded across Oklahoma.

I guess I'll consider renaming this thread to Interstate 42 in Arkansas then

[Bobby5280]

I assumed any interstate designation would take place after US 412 was upgraded across Oklahoma.

We have multiple disconnected segments and stubs of I-69 related routes across multiple states. North Carolina has disconnected segments of I-74 (and it may never get connected to the original I-74 route farther West). At least a couple or so more examples exist in the current Interstate system. With that in mind, I see no problem with officials in Arkansas moving to sign I-42 on the completed section of the Springdale Bypass.

Actually, I'm wondering what the hold-up is with Oklahoma on not yet signing the Cimarron Turnpike as I-42. As far as I can tell, all the work needed to bring it fully up to current Interstate standards has been finished. ODOT could probably get away with signing I-42 on US-412 running thru Tulsa since it connects to other Interstate routes.

[The Ghostbuster]

Google Maps and Apple Maps now show Interstate 42 designated along old AR 612: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.2062078,-94.2217244,9198m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDkxMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D; https://maps.apple.com/frame?center=36.213835%2C-94.244968&span=0.079782%2C0.169710&map=hybrid.