HIGHFILL, Ark. — Traveling to the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) can be a hassle for some people, especially if they are running late. There is currently one way into the airport and one way out, on a two-lane highway.
In the coming years, that is all about to change.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 17 at XNA to mark the beginning of construction on portions of what officials are calling the Northwest Arkansas National Airport Access Road.
“Anytime you can help an area that's thriving and growing, people are going to appreciate the bypass— getting around quicker, safer, and more efficiently,” Public Information Officer for the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) Dave Parker said. “People going to and from the airport are going to be happier, not have to worry as much about missing a flight.
The two projects that were highlighted during the ribbon-cutting ceremony were the Springdale bypass and the XNA connector.
According to ARDOT, the Springdale bypass was awarded to Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. for just over $180 million. According to a press release from ARDOT, the 7-mile bypass will be a four-lane divided interstate and connect Highway 412 in Tontitown to the Springdale bypass at Highway 112 in Washington and Benton counties.
Arnold added that his crews will move around three million yards of dirt to make the land usable for roads.
The Springdale bypass is expected to be completed in late 2026.
“We as the contractor get to do the fun part, which is build the road,” Paul Arnold, executive vice president for Emory Sapp & Sons, said. “For the next two and a half years, we'll be working on being good neighbors to the community. We want to build it swiftly, of course, so we can get the facility open and get people using the roadway.”
The XNA connector portion of the access road will stretch four miles between XNA and the Springdale bypass. According to ARDOT, it will span four miles, including 11 bridges and tie-in to Highway 264. The XNA connector is expected to be completed in late 2027.
According to Director of ARDOT Lorie Tudor, the projects are being funded by the Renew Arkansas Highway Program that voters approved through the extension of the half-cent sales tax.
“It takes everybody to get these projects off the ground,” Tudor said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Both of these projects represent a total cost of $410 million.”
Tudor added that when the entire access road is completed, it will span 21 miles and cost around $1 billion.
XNA's Public Affairs Manager Olivia Tyler said she makes the trip from Fayetteville to the airport every day for work, and she is looking forward to construction on the access road being complete.
“I'm just waiting for the day that this groundbreaking becomes a ribbon cutting,” Tyler said.
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