Transit times trimmed
With Arkansas Highway 549 open for traffic, people are making substantially faster trips to the Highlands.
Economic development manager Travis Stephens said he timed the trip and, from the traffic circle at Interstate 49 to the Highlands Golf Course via U.S. Highway 71 and Lancashire Boulevard, he came in at 26 minutes and nine seconds, covering 17.3 miles. Taking the newly-opened stretch of highway, he said, he came in at 13 minutes and 13 seconds, with a distance of 12.9 miles.
“So basically it took 13 minutes off the time,” he said.
He took these trips at the same
time of day and in similar conditions, he said, to ensure they were as comparable as possible.
With this in mind, he said, the Highlands may prove a more attractive segment of the city for potential residents because the area now has far-more-convenient access to the interstate and neighboring cities.
“It’s just a whole lot more convenient to live in Bella Vista than it was two months ago,” he said.
In addition to providing residents living in western Bella Vista with better access to Bentonville and the interstate, he said, the highway provides people in neighboring cities better access to the Highlands, which could mean more rounds of golf played by out-of-towners.
Traffic counters were put down on Rocky Dell Hollow Road and Forest Hills Boulevard, he said, to measure traffic prior to the segment’s opening. Rocky Dell Hollow, he said, saw approximately 900 vehicle trips per day prior to this road opening, while Forest Hills had roughly 4,900.
Counters will be put out again soon, he said, to measure the new stretch of road’s impact.
The infrastructure, he said, could draw more traffic, which in turn may draw more developers to the area. Just by virtue of opening, he said, the highway has already generated some buzz around Bella Vista.
“Our theory is it’s going to shift a lot of traffic pattern from (U.S. Highway) 71 to Forest Hills,” Stephens said. “And we think that’s an opportunity for a lot more commercial activity, specifically around the Highlands Gate area.”
He said the area could benefit from the addition of a pharmacy and a small grocery store. There’s a significant amount of viable land for development off Forest Hills, he said.
But it’s important to remember, he said, that Arkansas 549, while open, is still a dead end.
“I wouldn’t say we have enormous expectations,” he said, “but I think we’re going to see a lot more activity and interest.”