Airport task force calls for access road

HIGHFILL — A group tasked with completing an access road to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport met for the first time Friday and brainstormed how to get the project moving.

Environmental concerns and getting state and federal officials to agree on the need for the road have stymied the project for years.

Mike Johnson, chairman of the task force, said he wants “a realistic schedule to road completion” identifying the steps supporters must take.

“Our job then becomes trying to shorten up that timeline,” Johnson said.

The group consists of board members from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority. They want meetings with state and federal highway officials and entities such as the Northwest Arkansas Council to make sure they support the project.

The group wants to get consultants on board by December who can coordinate work on the project, through preparing traffic studies, environmental documents, construction design and planning.

Task force members also want to start on a financial study to determine how to pay for the project.

It hasn’t been decided whether it will be a dedicated, limited access road, a general access road that would also serve western Benton County or improvements to Arkansas 112 and Arkansas 264.

Members said Friday they’re leaning more toward a road that could help the surrounding community as well as the airport.

Members said improvements to Arkansas 112 and Arkansas 264 are probably doable, but likely wouldn’t meet the airport’s needs.

Task force member Stan Green said a shared road promoting better access to western Benton County could benefit area cities and the airport in their development efforts and generate public support for the project.