SPRINGDALE, Ark — The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) is moving forward on a project that will make a lot of people’s trips to Northwest Arkansas National Airport quicker and easier, but it will also require ARDOT to acquire some land.
Highway 612, known as the Springdale northern bypass, ends right at highway 112. In the next five years, it will connect all the way to the Northwest Arkansas National Airport.
“This highway will be much more efficient, much quicker, just a safer road for our passengers getting to XNA coming from the south on up to the airport,” Alex English said.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation held a design public hearing last night to hear the public’s comments on the project that includes a four-lane access highway between highway 612 and highway 264. In order to build this access highway, ARDOT will have to acquire land from residents. One question they were asked is when landowners will be notified, and will they be paid for their land. ARDOT says they will start the land acquisition process early in 2022.
“If you believe you are impacted in any way you need to convey that to ARDOT and that kind of determination can be made on a case by case basis as to whether you are impacted and how you are impacted,” ARDOT said.
This project will cost $85.6 million including land acquisitions and constructions costs. These funds will be coming from a half-cent sales tax voters approved. Alex English with XNA says this project has been a long time coming and they’re happy people will soon have a more reliable way to get to the airport.
“It has been an issue for some passengers with the road we currently have. It’s not the most dependable if we have bad weather, if something causes a blockage it really does hinder efficient access to the airport,” she said.
ARDOT is still taking online comments from the public on the project until November 10th. Click here for that website.