Plans For I-49 extension in River Valley move ahead
A new 13-mile segment east of Fort Smith is expected to be built in the next few years
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Updated: 5:16 AM CDT Jul 23, 2021
Plans For I-49 extension in River Valley move ahead
A new 13-mile segment east of Fort Smith is expected to be built in the next few years
Share
Updated: 5:16 AM CDT Jul 23, 2021
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40/29'S ROBERT SUHR REPORTS FROM FORT SMITH WITH THE STO. RY (ROBERT SUHR 40/29 News) "GOOD EVENING GUYSNO, W BESIDES SOME VERY SHORT AND LITTLE USED SECTIONS IN FORT SMITH, I-49 ENDS HE RE AT I-40 NEAR ALMA, BUT AR- DOT TELLS ME THEY HAVE PLANS TO BREAK NEW GUNROD HERE, TO GET YOU AROUND." AROUND FORT SMITH THAT IS. AR-DOT WANTS TO FINISH WHAT'S CONSIDERED THE MISSING PIECE OF I-49, BY EXTENDING THE INTERSTATE ANOTHER 13 MILES FROM I-40 NEAR ALMA TO HIGHWAY 22 IN BARLING. I SAT DOWN WITH AR- T DO DISTRICT 4 ENGINEER CHAD ADAMS WHO TELLS ME EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS THE BELLA VISTA PABYSS IS GETTING ALL THE ATTENTION, THEY HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE RIVER VALLEY... (CHAD ADAMS: DISTRT IC ENGINEER, AR- DOT DISTRICT 4) "IF WE COULD HAVE RUBBED THE LAMP AND MADE IT A LL APPEAR 30 YEARS AGO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT BUT THE REALITY IS IT COSTS MONEY AND IT TAKES TIME. HE ADDS THE NEW ROAD WILL ALSO INCLUDE A COULD HAVE RUBBED THE LAMP AND MADE IT ALL APPEAR 30 YEARS AGO ATTH WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT BUT THE REALITY IS IT COSTS MONEY AND IT TAKES TI. ME HE ADDS THE NEW ROAD WILL ALSO INCLUDE A LONG BRIDGE THAT WILL CROSS NOT ONLY T HE ARKANSAS RIVER, BUT A FLOOD PLAIN THAT IS ALONG THE RIVER... (SUHR) "NOW ONCE IS COMPLETE, THE NEW 13 MILE SECTION OF INTERSTATE 49 WILL DUMP YOU OFF HERE ONTO AN ALREADY COMPLE ET SECTION OF ARKANSAS ROUTE 549 THAT WILL BE EVENTUALLY RENAMED INTERSTATE 49, NOW THIS SECTION OF ROAD FROM BARLING, WHERE I AM CURRENTLY, TO HIGHWAY 71N I SOUTHERN FORT SMITH. ADAMS ADDS ONCE WORK GS ET UNDERWAY, THE EXISTING INTERCHANGE AT I-40 WON'T CH ANGE ALL THAT MUCH... (ADAMS) "IT WAS ORIGINAL LY BUILT AND DESIGNED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT EVENTUALLY THAT WOULD HAPPEN". IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE OFFICIALS ARE JUST STARTING A NEW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPA CT STATEMENT AS THE PREVIOUS ONE IS TOO OLD AND HAS ESSENTIALLY EXPIRED. THE NEW ROAD WILL BE BUILT USING MONEY FROM THE NEWLY PASSED ISSUE 1, THE HIGHWAY WILL BE BUILT SIMILAR TO THE BELLA VISTA BYPASS WHERE TWO LANES WILL BE CONSUCTRTED WITH TRAFFIC MOVING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ON THE SAME SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD WILL BE COMPLETED ONCE ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS SURECED. BUT ISSUE ONE FUNDS WONT START TOTALING UP UNTIL 2023, MEANING IT COULD BA E FEW YEARS BEFORE THE FIRST SHOVEL GOES INTO THE GROUND. (SUHR) "AND GUYS OFFICIALS TELL ME THAT ONCE ALL OF THAT CONSTRUCTION WRAPS UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS THAT THIS WILL THEN BECOME THE ENDING POINT FOR I-49, AT LEAST TEMPORARILY WHERE DITUMPS YOU ONTO HIGHWAY 71 IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF FORT SMH IT AT EXIT 187. HOWEVER AND I DON'T WANT TO GET YOUR HOP ES UP ON THIS, AFTER THAT, PLANS COULD GET UNDERWAYN O THE NEXT PHASE TO EXTEND I-49 WHICH WOULD TAKE MOTORISTS FROM THIS LOCATION IN SOUTH FORT SMITH, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO Y CITY, AND IF YOU LK OOBEHIND ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS A RE READY TO GO,