Think back to the days when U.S. 71 was the primary route off Interstate 40 into Northwest Arkansas and how the opening of a four-lane, interstate-quality (with a tunnel thrown in for good measure) Interstate 49 changed things.
Once that highway opened in 1998, the trip up or down "The Hill" didn't seem like a burden or leave anyone feeling that one move or reaction could mean the difference between life and death. For decades, that curvy, mountainous route represented a stranglehold on the potential of the region.
Beaver Lake, the regional airport and projects to deliver quality water supplies to a larger portion of Northwest Arkansas combined to make today's growth possible, but without ease of access on the ground, this corner of the state would still face serious limitations on its future.
So it is with a sympathetic mindset a lot of folks in Northwest Arkansas can appreciate the desire of residents, businesses and community leaders to the east across north Arkansas who want to see U.S. 412 expanded and upgraded. The highway runs across many of the state's northern-most counties for a distance of nearly 300 miles. It connects Siloam Springs to Springdale, Harrison, Mountain Home, Walnut Ridge, Paragould and into the Missouri Bootheel.
Travelers, whether for business or pleasure, often travel north or south to interstate-quality highways to get from east to west more easily. For folks interested in developing business and jobs in north Arkansas, the conditions along U.S. 412 represent an obstacle.
A recent study of a 285-mile stretch through seven counties detailed the biggest obstacle of all: The estimated price tag to complete a four-lane build-out across the top of Arkansas is $2.3 billion.
Don't expect it to happen anytime soon.
Right now, about 125 miles of the highway are four lanes. Another 42 miles is built as three lanes (with the third lane used for passing in key areas); and the remaining 118 remain two lanes. And those two lane stretches can be challenging as a result of terrain.
Supporters of a completed, upgraded highway have an uphill climb on their hands, but if Northwest Arkansas knows anything, it's that making noise with decision-makers must be a constant activity. And getting highway work done is always a discussion about years, sometimes decades.
It seems anyone connected with highways in Arkansas appreciates the goal and shares a belief in the benefits of upgrading U.S. 412, but the piecemeal fashion isn't likely to end given the state's other demands.
For now, as one travels east from Northwest Arkansas on U.S. 412, it would be appropriate if the radio blared a little ditty from the Beach Boys: "Wouldn't it be nice ..."
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What’s the point?
The desire to expand U.S. 412 across the northern part of Arkansas is shared by many, but the costs make such a project unlikely for many years.