The "Hiwasse bypass" has taken on a much grander designation.

The short stretch of two-lane highway in Benton County got the nickname back when it the bid was let for this first part of the long-awaited Bella Vista Bypass, which is eventually supposed to relieve serious traffic congestion in Northwest Arkansas.

Now that it has actually been constructed and opened to traffic, the three-mile bypass that connects an existing highway on one side of Hiwasse with the same road on the other side of the small town is now part of Arkansas 549 and will ultimately be part of Interstate 49.

The reason this particular stretch of road was done first mostly has to do with federal requirements for the use of what money was available at the time.

However it happened, it happened and a lot of officials turned out last week to see the ribbon cut near Hiwasse and to watch the first of the I-49 highway signs go up in Bentonville.

"It's a small piece of the puzzle, but it shows we're working toward getting it completed," said Scott Bennett, director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department

He and others among the dignitaries there for the ribbon cutting expect the road improvements to be huge for Northwest Arkansas.

Anyone who has driven south of the Missouri line into Arkansas, particularly on that bottleneck in Bella Vista, understands the need to the larger Bella Vista Bypass. It is eventually to be a four-lane, interstate-quality highway to route heavier traffic out of the cities and into the rural countryside.

Or, the traffic will initially cross through rural countryside. Development is already occurring along the roadway and more will come as pavement goes down to extend the highway beyond Hiwasse.

Last week's festivities might seem like a lot of fuss over such a small start on the bigger bypass.

But the work had to start somewhere and there is apparently purpose behind the new designation.

So, what's in a name?

According to State Highway Commissioner Dick Trammel of Rogers, the I-49 designation is important because it might make a stronger impression on those with money to direct to road projects.

When federal highway officials look at what to fund, he said, Northwest Arkansas' proposals would officially be part of the I-49 system and might be eligible for more federal highway money to help finish the job.

The future I-49 will pass through western Arkansas as it eventually connects Canada to New Orleans. It will be a major north-south artery for all the affected states.

That's what is really behind the grand designation of I-49, even if realization of it is far off in the future.

Interstate 540 and U.S. 71 from Alma to north of Bentonville will soon have signs all along the way designating the route as I-49.

Meanwhile, construction will continue, bit by bit.

First came the $19.9 million Hiwasse bypass.

Next up is a $13.7 million project from Hiwasse northward to Benton County 34 west of Bella Vista. Work to the Missouri line will happen when Missouri is ready with its southernmost part of the Bella Vista Bypass project.

Highway commissioners have also awarded a $52.6 million contract to extend the bypass east of Hiwasse to I-49 on the north side of Bentonville.

And work is underway at several Northwest Arkansas interchanges in anticipation of other improvements down the line.

It might be just a Hiwasse bypass today, but much more is coming down this road.

BRENDA BLAGG IS A FREELANCE COLUMNIST AND LONGTIME JOURNALIST IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

Commentary on 04/27/2014