HIWASSE -- A quick snip of scissors through ribbon on a stretch of empty highway in Hiwasse on Tuesday morning officially opened the first section of the long-awaited Bella Vista Bypass and represents a huge first step toward eventual completion of Interstate 49 through Northwest Arkansas.

A bus full of dignitaries was on hand when Scott Bennett, director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, did the honors in what two years ago was a rural cow pasture beside Arkansas 72 just east of Hiwasse.

"Man, I'm glad to see this thing open. It's not a lot, but it's a good start," said State Rep. Dan Douglas, R-Bentonville. "It's going to be huge for the people of north and west Benton County."

Bennett said after the ribbon cutting Arkansas will be ready to go on the last 2.5-mile section from Benton County 34 to Missouri when Missouri is ready to do its final 7-mile section and meet at the state line. The road will be two divided lanes and plans call for it to be a four-lane, interstate-quality highway, part of I-49 that will run from New Orleans to Canada. The route initially will be designated Arkansas 549 and also has "Future I-49" signs.

"It looks a lot different than it did two years ago; there's progress on both sides," Bennett said. "It's a small piece of the puzzle, but it shows we're working toward getting it completed."

Bennett said the state will need another $50 million to complete the highway as four lanes.

Dick Trammel, state highway commissioner, said the I-49 designation is important because when federal highway officials look at funding projects, we are now part of the I-49 system and might be eligible for more highway money down the road to help finish the job.

"Missouri did it last year, it's just part of the future," Trammel said.

Officials went to north Bentonville after the ribbon cutting where a highway crew put up the first I-49 sign. Crews will be replacing all the U.S. 71/Interstate 540 signs between Bentonville and Alma over the next couple months.

Marie Blankenship lives in Gravette and has a business in Hiwasse. Blankenship said she's excited to see the highway moving forward and is looking forward to seeing the bypass completed.

"This is awesome. This is going to help a lot," Blankenship said. "It will take all those big trucks off the road and make it safer to get kids to school. More importantly, it'll help bring more business to this area, which we greatly need. I don't want to see this town die, it needs to be built up again."

Mike Malone, CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council, said credit for the new road has to go to state and local government officials and businessmen who five years ago decided they were going to go after federal grant money to make the project possible.

"This project is the result of some great partnerships," Malone said. "I'm convinced that partnership helped move the Bella Vista Bypass from a dream to construction."

The newly opened three-mile segment bypasses downtown Hiwasse to the south. The $19.9 million project was awarded to APAC-Central of Fayetteville in 2011.

"We have a $13.7 million contract under way from Hiwasse northward to Benton County 34 on the west side of Bella Vista that should be complete before the end of this year," Bennett said in a news release Monday. "And, we've just awarded a $52.6 million contract to extend the bypass east from Hiwasse to I-49 on the north side of Bentonville. We hope to be driving on that section by the spring of 2016."

The final two projects, a full interchange at I-49 in north Bentonville and the 2.5-mile section from Benton County 34 north to the Missouri line, will begin when Missouri provides a timeline to complete its final section, Bennett said.

Beginning today, Interstate 540 and U.S. 71 from Alma to north of Bentonville will be designated Interstate 49.

NW News on 04/23/2014