SPRINGDALE -- Two projects to extend Arkansas 265 north through Lowell to downtown Rogers are nearing completion and should provide an option for drivers on the east side of the metropolitan area.
"It seems to be going really well, and it's going to help address the traffic issue we have on the east side of town," said Patsy Christie, Springdale planning director. "It needs to connect all the way through. The more of this we get done -- the more we create a north-south route east of 71 --the more it helps traffic all the way around."
A little history
Arkansas 265 is a designation for three state highways in Northwest Arkansas. The southern segment of 19.70 miles runs from Arkansas 170 near Strickler north to I-49/U.S. 71/Arkansas 112 in south Fayetteville. Another segment of 12.07 miles runs north through east Fayetteville from Arkansas 16 and, until the latest extension into Rogers, stopped at Arkansas 264 in Springdale. Further north, a third segment of 3.33 miles runs from Arkansas 94 in Pea Ridge north to the Missouri state line. Parts of all three segments are former lengths of the Butterfield Stagecoach Route that was established in 1857 that carried U.S. mail from St. Louis to San Francisco.
Source: Staff report
The project from Arkansas 264 near the Benton-Washington county line north through Bethel Heights and Lowell to First Street in Rogers is open for traffic, even though it's not officially finished. A ribbon cutting is tentatively set for Friday.
"We're almost there. The tie-in work up on the north end at Pleasant Grove Road is being done. That's tying into an existing three-lane on First Street. First Street is going to become Highway 265 up to its junction with Highway 94 upon completion of that project," said Steve Lawrence, Arkansas Department of Transportation engineer for District 9, which includes Benton County.
Lawrence said crews are pushing to finish details before the road opens.
"The signal is in operation now, and we've got the new highway open across the bridge from Frisco Cemetery Road going north up to Pleasant Grove Road where that signal is, but it's just open to two lanes," he said.
"What we lack is the final surfacing from Frisco Cemetery Road up to Pleasant Grove Road. Once we get it on there, then we'll do the final striping and get that section of road to a three-lane section like the rest of it from Frisco Cemetery Road south."
Lawrence said the actual anticipated completion date is Dec. 31. Some corrective work to a bridge delayed the project, he said.
"We had an estimated completion date of the end of the year, and, if we have good weather, they could get done, but it's going to be very weather dependent," Lawrence said. "Laying the hot-mix and the striping are both temperature sensitive activities. We're going to have to have some good weather to finish it."
Improvements to Arkansas 265 between Arkansas 264 and Pleasant Grove Road in Benton County, about 4 miles of the Arkansas 265 corridor between Fayetteville and Rogers, cost about $15 million. Crossland Heavy Construction submitted the low bid on the project in December 2015 at $15.4 million.
Planning and environmental studies for the project began more than a decade ago.
Lawrence gave credit to outgoing Highway Commissioner Dick Trammel, whose term ends at the end of the year, for his long-term support of the corridor project.
"When Mr. Trammel got on the commission, the completion of that eastern north/south corridor was one of his priorities that he talked about from his get-go on the commission," Lawrence said. "So, I'm glad that we're getting that done before he goes off."
Trammel credits voters who approved money to improve the state's roads.
"What has happened is people are beginning to appreciate the need for improvements in our infrastructure all over the state, but particularly in our area," Trammel said. "What I am proud of is the commission and the department are doing exactly what we promised the people we would do."
The other project is just south of the county line and is changing the highway alignment slightly to the west where it will connect to the northern project at Arkansas 264.
A 1.9 mile section of the highway, which is Old Missouri Road in Springdale, north from Randal Wobbe Lane, will be moved. APAC-Central was the low bidder at $10.2 million.
The project was let in November 2017 and is expected to be completed this spring, according to Chad Adams, engineer for District 4, which includes Washington County. The project is the culmination of years of work in Washington County, he said.
"I started in 1996, that was before the turn of the century. We started on the south end from Arkansas 16 up to Arkansas 45 and did that widening up to five lanes and just progressed to the north from there," Adams said.
"I know that just traffic-wise, the movement of traffic, it's been a huge success moving cars and keeping up with the growth of the area."
Fayetteville asked the Transportation Department to design the parts of Arkansas 265 in town with access management in mind, Adams said. The design limits left turns and allows traffic to flow more freely, he said.
Springdale wanted a different design on its section.
"I know Fayetteville partnered with us on at least one of the jobs, but even without the partnering, I know we've worked with the cities to try to meet their desires as well as to keep it in line with the highway standards," Adams said.
"An example of that is at the Fayetteville/Springdale line. South of that line, Fayetteville wanted the boulevard type, so that's what we have, Springdale did not, so we have the five lane, center turn section there in Springdale."
A traffic corridor on the east side to ease congestion on U.S. 71B and provide another north-south route east of the metropolitan area has been on wish lists since at least 1973.
The corridor is designated as a major artery in the region's long-term highway plan. Traffic models have shown the road will get a lot of use.
There are now three north-south corridors in the region: Interstate 49, U.S. 71B and Arkansas 265. Arkansas 112 is being designed as a fourth north-south corridor.
NW News on 12/30/2018