The Arkansas Department of Transportation has authorized a study of the area west of Interstate 49 to identify the need for, and feasibility of, a western connection between the U.S. 412 Springdale Northern Bypass, I-612, and the Bella Vista Bypass, I-549.
The study will look at possible new road alternatives in the vicinity of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. While the goal is better north/south traffic flow through the region, airport officials said they would like motorists to be able to connect to an access road to any new construction in the area.
A study in 2011 concluded a western beltway from the Bella Vista Bypass to I-49 in the Greenland area will be needed in the future but said there was no money identified to pay for the project at that time. The new study will likely look at the northern part of that proposed corridor.
"The difference between the two is you're going to see different routing of the roadways and the potential is there for the access road to be an element of that, going back to 612," said Mike Johnson, an airport board member.
Metro on 02/25/2019