FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Department of Transportation is set to hold the first of at least three public input sessions in December on its plans to widen Arkansas 112.
The in-person public involvement meeting will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Mount Comfort Church of Christ, located at 3249 W. Mount Comfort Road in Fayetteville. It will focus on the proposed widening of 4 miles of Arkansas 112 from Howard Nickell Road to U.S. 412 through Fayetteville, Springdale and Tontitown.
Making Arkansas 112 a major north/south connection in the coming years is part of the regional Transportation Improvement Program for Northwest Arkansas. Regional planners in January 2019 agreed to move forward with a vision for Arkansas 112 as a four-lane, north/south corridor with managed access. The Arkansas Department of Transportation is responsible for doing the work.
Chad Adams, an engineer who heads up District 4 for the Transportation Department, which includes Washington County, said anyone interested in the project should try to attend the input session or view the project website.
"The meeting is to provide the public an opportunity to view the project materials and general information, visit with and ask questions to the department staff and, ultimately, submit comments for potential resolution of any problems or controversial issues," Adams said.
The work is expected to be done in phases. Work on the road could begin by early 2024, according to department officials.
Tim Conklin, assistant director at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, also encouraged people to attend and comment on the proposed widening, safety and capacity work that was identified in an earlier department study.
"The Federal Highway Administration recommended bicycle accommodations, complete streets and access management," Conklin said of the plan.
The primary purpose of the Arkansas 112 widening is to allow the road to carry significant local and regional traffic, according to the planning documents. Arkansas 112 is the only major north/south route through the metro region west of Interstate 49, which makes it critical for regional mobility as the area continues to grow, according to the document.
The region's population is projected to be close to 1 million by 2045. Bentonville and Fayetteville have already implemented raised medians, turn lanes, limited curb cuts, signal spacing and other access management strategies on portions of the road.
There are three projects involved. Plans call for the road to be widened from two to four lanes divided by a 15-foot raised median with four 11-foot lanes, a 5-foot sidewalk with a 3-foot greenspace on one side, and a 12-foot sidepath with a 6-foot greenspace on the other side.
The bridge at Clear Creek is expected be removed and replaced on a new alignment. The road is also expected to be realigned in several areas to eliminate sharp corners.
Combined, the three projects consist of seven roundabouts and multiple turnaround locations placed at quarter-mile intervals. All three projects also include storm sewer installation, erosion control, earthwork and asphalt concrete hot mix pavement.
Two more public input sessions are expected later in December to address the portion of the road from U.S. 412 north to Bentonville. More information is available on the Transportation Department's website.
• U.S. 412 to the Springdale Northern Bypass – 4-7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Elm Springs United Methodist Church, 118 N. Elm St. in Elm Springs. The comment period will run through Jan. 13.
• Springdale Northern Bypass to Arkansas 12 – 4-7 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Bentonville Community Center, 1101 S.W. Citizens Circle in Bentonville. The comment period will run through Jan. 13.
Previous input sessions have been heated at times. Residents of several expensive Bentonville subdivisions in particular have aired concerns about the proposed route including flooding and the proximity of the road to their homes hurting property values and putting their children at risk.
The Transportation Department has already made several proposed changes to its original plans in response to those concerns.