Page 8 - 2025 Van Buren Chamber Community Profile

COMMUNITY

ARDOT Awards First of Four I-49

Projects Impacting Crawford County

The first of four projects to construct
the next portion of Interstate 49 (I-49),
between Highway 22 in Barling and
Interstate 40 (I-40) in Alma (I-49 Extension),
was awarded to Manhattan Road & Bridge
for $282.5 million. The Department’s
design consultant is HNTB Corporation.
This first phase of the I-49 Extension
will construct a 3.1-mile stretch of I-49
between Highway 22 in Barling and Gun
Club Road in Crawford County. It is
being funded by a combination of regular
federal-aid highway funding, federal grant
funding, Congressionally Designated
Spending, and state funds.
“I-49 is a critical corridor of our nation’s
transportation system,” said U.S. Senator
John Boozman. “I have long championed
investments for this project because it Artist rendering of new I-49 Arkansas River Bridge. Courtesy ARDOT
supports economic activity and growth in
Arkansas and will help move people and Canada. This north/south corridor will also increased traffic and facilitate economic
goods more efficiently across the region connect to six of the nation’s existing east/ development throughout the region. It’s a
and country. Working with ARDOT and west National Highway Freight Network critical piece of the I-49 Extension, and I
our congressional delegation to secure routes. The completion of I-49 will enhance am excited that the Arkansas Department
this funding was a priority, and we are international and domestic commerce and of Transportation is taking this important
all pleased to see the project coming to improve mobility in the region. step forward in turning this project into
fruition.” “Fort Smith is the third largest city in reality.”
The I-49 Extension will help close Arkansas and continues to be a hub for The I-49 Extension is estimated to cost
the 162-mile gap to completion of the exciting growth and opportunity,” said U.S. approximately $1.3 billion from design
nation’s mid-south I-49 transcontinental Representative Steve Womack. “The new to construction. This 14-mile segment
corridor, which will ultimately link the Gulf bridge that will span the Arkansas River Continued on page 10
Coast with the central United States and is necessary to relieve congestion from

8 Van Buren Chamber 2025 Community Profile vanburenchamber.org