Missouri money woes delays bypass work
Missouri will push back finishing the missing link in the Bella Vista Bypass section of Interstate 49 at least a year because officials don’t have the money to build their portion.
Frank Miller, a planning manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Southwest Division said MoDOT is just trying to maintain the infrastructure it has with the money available.
“We do an asset management plan that tells us this is how much money it takes us to keep the system in good condition and we do have a little money left over, but not enough to close the funding gap for the Bella Vista Bypass,” Miller said. “We’ll be moving partial funding for Bella Vista back each year to keep it in the fourth year of our program until we’re able to find a way to come up with additional funds to actually fund the project.”
Arkansas opened a two-lane section of the Bella Vista Bypass in April, but is holding off on the other two lanes until Missouri is ready, according to planners. The current end of the bypass in Arkansas is northwest of Hiwasse, 2.3 miles from the state line.
Arkansas Department of Transportation spokesman Danny Straessle said that ArDOT plans include $53 million to build the remaining pair of lanes.
A contract is expected to be issued in the next five years for this work, he said, which will include earthwork, which was previously only performed for the two lanes that were built.
The bypass, currently designated Arkansas Highway 549. will probably keep its current endpoint, he said, and not reach the Missouri border until Missouri can meet Arkansas there because the department would prefer not to build roads that won’t be used right away.
“Our hope is that Missouri will find the money to meet us at the state line for their portion of the project soon,” Straessle said.
MoDOT officials in January said finishing the missing portion of the Bella Vista Bypass is their top priority, they just need $32.2 million to do the four lanes from Pineville, Mo., to the state line.
Missouri has acquired the right of way, done an environmental study, designed the road and has about $18.4 million set aside for the $50.8 million project.
MoDOT needs $32.3 million more for demolition of structures in the right of way, moving utilities and construction.
The other unfinished part of the project in Arkansas consists of interchange improvements at I-49 and U.S. 71 in Bentonville, where the Bella Vista Bypass heads west. That work is planned for 2020 and expected to cost $43.1 million.
MoDOT officials asked the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission to amend the region’s Transportation Improvement Plan, which also includes McDonald County, and schedule the project for 2021. The plan is a list of federally funded transportation projects proposed by various communities, transit
providers, the commission and the Arkansas and Missouri transportation departments.
“We’ve done this before, just moving it and we continue to communicate with ArDOT and MoDOT about about the need,” said Tim Conklin, senior planner. “It’s all within our region, it’s all in the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission’s planning area.”
The gap in I-49, also being referred to now as the I-49 Connector, has been a contentious issue for years. At one point Missouri had money set aside and Arkansas didn’t, so MoDOT used the money on other projects. Then, Arkansas voters passed a sales tax in 2012 dedicated to road construction, including I-49 improvements. Now, Arkansas has the money set aside and Missouri doesn’t.
“This project, this TIP amendment, it’s about 4.81 miles but the entire project is 18.9 miles.” Conklin said of the Bella Vista Bypass. “The major hold-up to complete a 265-mile corridor between I-40 and Kansas City is funding.”
Conklin said everything else is in place.
“The designs are complete. All the right of way has been acquired. The environmental documentation is complete,” Conklin said. “The main hold-up to complete all 18.9 miles of the project is funding in Missouri. The project’s completely funded in Arkansas. It’s been allocated, but it’s been delayed due to the fact that MoDOT cannot find the funds to complete the entire funding package.”
Miller said MoDOT plans to demolish several dilapidated structures on its right of way this year.