Arkansas Highway 612
 Highway 612 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springdale Northern Bypass | ||||
 Open segment as of 2023 in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by ArDOT | ||||
| Length | 4.8 mi[1][2] (7.7 km) | |||
| Existed | 2018–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  AR 112 in Springdale | |||
| East end |    I-49 / US 62 / US 71 near Lowell | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Arkansas | |||
| Counties | Benton | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Highway 612, known as the Springdale Northern Bypass, is the temporary designation of the future U.S. Route 412 (US 412) bypass around Springdale in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It currently consists of a four-lane freeway from a temporary at-grade intersection with Highway 112 south of Cave Springs to an interchange with Interstate 49 (I-49) at Lowell.
Once completed, the highway is planned to act as a bypass of US 412 around Springdale, relieving traffic and improving travel between the city and Northwest Arkansas National Airport. The highway is planned to be a four-lane Interstate-standard divided freeway which will eventually be designated as I-42. There is no funding to complete the bypass entirely.
Route description
[edit]As of 2023[update], Highway 612 begins at a partially completed diamond interchange with Highway 112 within the city limits of Springdale signed as exit 9. The two halves of the roadway come together and become a four-lane freeway traveling east. The highway crosses over Spring Creek and passes to the north of a quarry. The freeway currently ends at a partially completed stack interchange with I-49 and US 71 just outside the limits of Lowell.[1]
Once completed, Highway 612 is planned to run from an interchange with US 412 west of Tontitown to US 412 east of Sonora and just west of Beaver Lake. The route will run near the Northwest Arkansas National Airport and bypass Springdale to the north.[citation needed]
History
[edit]Construction of the highway began in April 2015 after getting funding through a 10-year, half-cent sales tax generated from a 2012 vote.[3] The highway cost $100.6 million and was the most expensive of 36 projects funded by the tax.[4] The first 4.5-mile (7.2 km) section was planned to be finished by mid-2019, but the entire route was completed a year ahead of schedule. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 18, 2018, and the highway officially opened to traffic on April 30.[2][5]
On October 18, 2018, Highway 612 was designated the "Springdale Officer John T. Hussey Memorial Highway" in honor of the Springdale Police Department officer kidnapped and killed after a traffic stop on December 21, 1975.[6]
Future
[edit]In November of 2023, a contract for the extension of US 412 to AR 112 was awarded to Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. for $180.87 million. Construction has begun on the project, and signs warning of the start of construction having already been posted along the highway near Tontitown. The completion of the 6.9-mile project is expected to take approx. 833 days.[7] Another contract for a second portion of the extension, a connection to Northwest Arkansas National Airport, was awarded to Crossland Construction in January of 2024. The contract was bid at $127.67 million and is expected to take approx. 1080 days.[8] Both started April 17th.[9] The remaining segment, a connection from I-49 in Lowell to AR 265, is still in the planning phase.[10]
The portion of US 412 from I-49 in Springdale to I-35 in Noble County, Oklahoma is planned to become I-42.[11]
On May 25, 2023, a ARDOT announced the proposal of a new north-south route to connect AR 612 near the Northwest Arkansas National Airport to the Bella Vista bypass (I-49) near Centerton.[12]
Exit list
[edit]The entire route is in Benton County.
| Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 0.0– 0.0 | 0.0– 0.0 | 1 |  US 412 – Siloam Springs | Proposed western terminus; to open in 2026 |
| | 0.0– 0.0 | 0.0– 0.0 | 8 | XNA Access Road  | Proposed; access to Northwest Arkansas National Airport; to open in 2027 |
| Springdale | 0.0– 0.4 | 0.0– 0.64 | 9 | AR 112 – Elm Springs, Cave Springs | Current western terminus; at-grade intersection |
| 3.8– 4.8 | 6.1– 7.7 | 13 | I-49 / US 71 (US 62) – Lowell, Springdale, Fayetteville | Current eastern terminus; exit 77 on I-49; former I-540 | |
| — |  US 71B (North Thompson Street) | Proposed | |||
| — |  AR 265 (Old Wire Road) – Springdale | Proposed | |||
| | — | US 412 – Huntsville | Proposed eastern terminus | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Arkansas Highway 612" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ a b Jones, Melissa (April 30, 2018). "Springdale Northern Bypass Opens to Traffic". 5News. Fort Smith, AR: KFSM-TV. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Della Rosa, Jeff (April 18, 2018). "Crowd Welcomes Completion of $100 Million Section of US 412 Bypass". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Northwest Arkansas Council (April 18, 2018). "New Highway Investment Will Improve Trip to XNA". Northwest Arkansas Council. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Roberts, Adam (April 18, 2018). "Highway 612 in Springdale to Open April 30". 40/29 News. Fort Smith, AR: KHBS-TV. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Joenks, Laurinda (October 19, 2018). "Highway honors fallen Springdale officer". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock, AR: WEHCO Media. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ Rosa, Jeff Della (December 14, 2023). "Arkansas Department of Transportation approves $180.8M bid to extend Springdale Northern Bypass". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ Rosa, Jeff Della (March 13, 2024). "XNA access road construction to begin this summer". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "ARDOT to hold groundbreaking on XNA Connector, Springdale Bypass". katv.com. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Rosa, Jeff Della (February 20, 2023). "ArDOT wants comments on $116 million Highway 612 extension". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ "Arkansas, Oklahoma to partner on U.S. 412 interstate engineering study". Herald Leader. February 9, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ Rosa, Jeff Della (May 25, 2023). "ArDOT to release findings on proposed $250M highway west of I-49". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Arkansas Highway 612 at Wikimedia Commons
