Public input sought on Northwest Arkansas north

GRAVETTE -- A study by the Arkansas Department of Transportation says a connector road is needed to move ever-increasing traffic on the west side of the region between Interstate 49 in Bella Vista and U.S. 412 or the Springdale Northern Bypass via the Northwest Arkansas National Airport but whatever is ultimately done will be years away.

Well over a hundred residents of the Gravette area were on hand early during a meeting Monday afternoon the Highway Department held to explain their study and gather public input about the idea.

"This study determined that there is a long-term need to improve north-south travel between Gravette, Centerton, Highfill and Tontitown," according to a handout for the meeting. "A new road would primarily be used by residents of the adjacent communities, with little through traffic."

Early plans are to build to arterial highway standards, such as Arkansas 102 or Arkansas 112, with moderate travel speeds.

"In many cases, existing highways could simply be widened with minimal impacts," according to the handout. "A high-speed freeway is not recommended because it would have very high environmental and property impacts."

"We didn't come out of this saying we're going to build a freeway," said Dave Parker, a spokesman for the Highway Department. "There's just not going to be a new Interstate 49 running through the western part of Arkansas. All this study proved to us is the need for an improved roadway in this area is definitely there because of the population boom and we've got to get something done and we are way early in this thing."

Parker said there are no plans for the project yet; the study only shows a general area of where a road might someday be located. And, there's no money for the project at this stage.

Parker said what may happen is that the cities, counties and Highway Department could get together and look at using north-south roads in the area, with improved intersections and widening in some places.

"We've got 112 and 49 over on the east so we've got to get something here," Parker said.

Lisa Parsons-Ross and Angie Stacy attended the meeting to better understand what is being proposed for their community.

"We live in the area and we just wanted to know if we were going to be affected or what part of this area would be affected," Stacy said. "It'll be near our home but not in a bad way. I think that we'll be far enough that we'll only benefit from it; we won't see any of the ramifications."

Stacy added with the region's growth moving west all the time, such a road is inevitable.

"It has to happen," Parsons-Ross said. "With these side roads and stuff, there's no good access to the airport."

Paul Keith lives on his family's farm on Arkansas 279 near Gravette. Keith said he gave property for improving that road from dirt to pavement but he's not supportive of the new plans.

"They said last time that this was a study and that's what they're saying about this," Keith said. "It was pretty clear last time that everybody in that corridor didn't want a major highway through their land."

Keith said the corridor is now filling up with multimillion dollar homes and property value is rising almost daily. He also worries about the environmental impact on springs in the area feeding the Illinois River.

"I think they're already missed the boat for fixing that route," Keith said. "I'm not for going through anybody's land if they don't want it through it. That's just how I think about it."

Highway officials were also addressing opposition they received when the study was first announced two years ago, according to Parker.

"We had a meeting back in '21 where we did show three lines, essentially, and we had to do that to kind of give people an idea where it might go," Parker said. "I know that got some people concerned, rightfully so, and we tabled the idea for a while. We've recently heard from some folks in the 59 and 72 area that want something built because it's getting busy."

Two other sessions are planned this week -- in Lowell today and Wednesday in Centerton.

The study started in the summer of 2019 to determine if a highway is needed, to identify feasible alternative routes and to develop cost estimates. The department came up with alternatives that were presented for public comment in August 2021.

The study looked at an oval-shaped area west of Bentonville and Arkansas 112 and east of Springtown, Decatur and Gravette. It stretches from the Bella Vista Bypass on the north to U.S. 412 on the south. The airport sits roughly in the middle.

The 2040 Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Transportation Plan proposes north-south corridor improvements within the study area west of Interstate 49. Census data and estimates for small cities in or near the study area show large population increases since 2010 and population estimates are for a million people to be living in the region by 2045.

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Meetings

The Arkansas Department of Transportation will hold two more public involvement meetings to discuss the preliminary findings of the Western North-South Connector study in Benton and Washington counties.

Today from 4-7 p.m., Lakeview Baptist Church, 1351 E. Lowell Drive in Lowell.

Wednesday from 4-7 p.m., Centerton Community Room, 290 N. Main St. in Centerton.

Both meetings will be identical in content.

The public may view meeting material and provide written comments online. The link to the meeting material should be active after Mondays session.

Comment form availability ends at 4:30 p.m. on July 6.

Heres the link to study information: www.ardot.gov/publicmeetings .

Submit online comment forms, or print the form and mail it to: Environmental Division, 10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, Ark., 72209.

People without internet access may contact Karla Sims at (501) 569-2949 or [email protected] to ask questions about the proposed project.

Source: Arkansas Department of Transportation

Print Headline: Public getting a look at connector road ideas

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