SILOAM SPRINGS -- Transportation department officials from Arkansas and Oklahoma are hosting public involvement meetings next week to discuss planning and environmental studies related to making U.S. 412 part of the interstate system.
The U.S. 412 study area covers about 190 miles from Interstate 35 in Oklahoma to Interstate 49 in Arkansas.
Connecting Northwest Arkansas and north-central Oklahoma with an interstate highway would encourage economic development along the corridor and expand opportunities for employment in the region, according to officials in both states.
The Oklahoma and Arkansas transportation departments said the public is invited to learn about the next phase of the study, ask questions and submit feedback.
The meetings will be open-house-style with people invited to arrive at any point between the times specified. There will be no formal presentation.
The study is focused on:
Complying with legislation passed by Congress to convert U.S. 412 to an interstate highway.
Addressing safety.
Improving mobility.
Enhancing system linkage by connecting rural and urban communities, national airports and inland ports and freight supply chains.
Oklahoma is planning two meetings: one in Tulsa on Tuesday and one in Pryor on Wednesday.
The single Arkansas public meeting will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at John Brown University, Simmons Great Hall, at 2000 W. University St. in Siloam Springs.
At a previous public meeting, attendees were able to view the draft purpose and need and baseline conditions report for the project. At this second round of meetings, the public may review the documents, which will describe how transportation solutions are being evaluated for potential implementation on U.S. 412.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Arkansas Department of Transportation are studying the project in coordination with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority and Federal Highway Administration.
Most of the 170 miles of the highway in Oklahoma are already built to interstate standards, with four-lane divided highway and controlled access. Of the 20 miles in Arkansas, the only portion built to interstate standards is the completed section of the U.S. 412 Springdale Northern Bypass -- designated Arkansas 612 -- between I-49 and Arkansas 112. Work on the segment between Arkansas 112 and U.S. 412 in Tontitown is expected to begin soon.
The idea of making the route part of the interstate system surfaced in 2021 when the Indian Nations Council of Governments in Tulsa passed a resolution seeking support for the change from Oklahoma and Arkansas transportation and elected officials.
Congress in November 2021 included the high-priority, future interstate designation in its infrastructure bill.
U.S. 412 intersects with I-35 about 80 miles west of Tulsa. I-35 runs from Laredo, Texas, north through San Antonio, Dallas, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kan., to Interstate 70 in Salina, Kan. It continues north to Duluth, Minn.
An interstate highway would help major retail and industrial employers in the region, including Walmart in Northwest Arkansas and numerous energy and aerospace companies in northeast Oklahoma, according to Indian Nations Council officials.
U.S. 412 also directly serves the major inland ports of the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and Oakley's Port 33 on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System and provides, or will provide, access to Tulsa International and Northwest Arkansas National airports.
In case you missed it
A self-guided virtual presentation and comment forms will also be posted on both Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Arkansas Department of Transportation project study webpages. Those that cannot attend a meeting in-person may view the virtual meeting materials and submit comments. The virtual meeting materials and survey will be active through Oct. 31.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation websites events feed can be found at https://www.ardot.gov/events-feed/?_sft_category=public-meetings
Source: Arkansas Department of Transportation