The End Is Near: Bella Vista Bypass Ahead Of Schedule
The road is still on track for a late Sept/Early Oct Opening
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Updated: 9:44 PM CDT May 6, 2021
The road is still on track for a late Sept/Early Oct Opening
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Updated: 9:44 PM CDT May 6, 2021
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PROJECTS PROGRESS. WELL, IT MIGHT BE HARD TO BELIEVE BUT YOU CAN NOW COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF MONTHS UNTIL FUTURE. I-49 BECOMES JUST REGULAR I-49 AND OFFICIALS WITH OUR DOT. TELL ME THEY CAN’T WAIT TO CUT THAT RIBBON. IT WON’T BE TOO MUCH LONGER UNTIL ARKANSAS ROUTE 549 TRANSFORMS INTO INTERSTATE 49 AND AFTER DECADES OF PLANNING FUNDING UNKNOWNS AND OTHER HURDLES THE BELLA VISTA BYPASS IS MORE COMPLETE THAN NOT THE CONTRACTS COMPLETED ABOUT 82% OF THE PROJECT AND USING ONLY ABOUT 75% OF THE ALLOTTED TIME. SO SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. IT’S ALSO SLIGHT UNDER BUDGET AND THAT’S GOOD NEWS WHEN YOU REMEMBER THE PROJECT PLOWED ITS WAY THROUGH A PANDEMIC. BUT BEFORE YOU CAN ENJOY THE NEARLY 15 MILES OF NEW ROAD UP TO PINEVILLE, MISSOURI. THERE’S STILL SOME MAJOR WORK TO BE DONE. WE HAVE TO DO A ROCK CUT. SOUTH OF THE FUTURE SOUTHBOUND RAMP OFF RAMP WHERE WE’VE GOT SOME ROCK CRUMBLING ROCK THAT’S FALLING INTO THE ROADWAY BESIDES THE PORTION OF THE PROJECT THE STATE OF MISSOURI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHICH IT’S ALL SCHEDULE MOST OF THE ROAD IS DONE THE LAST MAJOR PIECE REMAINS THE INTERCHANGE AT I-49 AND HIGHWAY 71, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THAT PROJECT IS COMING TOGETHER NICELY FINISHING THAT OFF FINISHING CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAMPS, YOU KNOW, WE STILL GOT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO THERE BEFORE THE MAIN LANES JULY 49 ARE OPEN. HE ADDS MOST OF THE RETAINING WALLS THAT WILL SUPPORT THE NEW ROAD ARE DONE AS IS THE BRIDGE STRUCTURE CREWS WILL NOW SPEND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS POURING THE THOUSANDS OF TONS. CONCRETE THAT WILL MAKE UP THE BRIDGE DECK AFTER THAT. IT’S DOWN TO SIMPLE STUFF LIKE GUARDRAILS SIGNAGE AND LANDSCAPING THEN THE SO-CALLED BELLA VISTA BACKUP WILL BE NO MORE. IT IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING PARTS. IF NOT, THE FASTEST GROWING PARTS OF THE STATE AND JUST TO ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC THE CONGESTION THROUGH THE BELLA. VISTA AREA IS GOING TO BE A HUGE PLUS NOW, I WILL ADMIT THAT IT IS A STRANGE FEELING STANDING ON AN UNUSED SECTION OF HIGHWAY. TRAFFICS NORMALLY DRIVING 70 TO 80 MILES AN HOUR, BUT THE REAL THRILL FOR DRIVERS WILL COME THIS FALL WHEN THEY WILL FINALLY GET TO USE THIS SECTION OF INTERSTATE 49 AND R-DOT TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE A CELEBRATION PLAN ON