Rock Blasting Requires Lane Closures for Construction of the Bella Vista Bypass

BENTON COUNTY (03-13) – Construction to build new lanes and an interchange on the Bella
Vista Bypass with U.S. Highway 71 in Bentonville requires rock blasting operations and
intermittent lane closures, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT)
officials.

Weather permitting, crews will be performing rock blasting operations Monday, March 16
through Saturday, March 28, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.,
excluding Sundays. During
the blasting, crews will temporarily stop traffic for up to 15 minutes as a safety precaution in the
following locations:

  • Interstate 49 from north of the bridges over Slaughter Pen Road to State Highway 549
    (Exit 93).
  • State Highway 549 from the roundabout to the bridge over Peach Orchard Road.
  • U.S. Highway 71B (Walton Boulevard) just south of the roundabout.


The Arkansas State Police will handle traffic control. Watch for warning signs and safety
personnel in the area. Motorists are encouraged to consider alternate routes as delays will occur.
The public is advised to be cautious when traveling in the work zone.

This project (Job CA0903) is part of ARDOT’s Connecting Arkansas Program and includes
constructing approximately 2.8 miles of roadway with bridge structures on U.S. Highway 549,
including a new Bella Vista Bypass interchange with U.S. Highway 71 in Bentonville. More
information on this $66.6 million project is available at ConnectingArkansasProgram.com.

Drivers should exercise caution when approaching and traveling through all highway work
zones. Additional travel information can be found at IDriveArkansas.com or ARDOT.gov. You can
also follow us on Twitter @myARDOT

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