BENTON COUNTY (4-23) – Rock blasting to build the new Highway 549 (Bella Vista Bypass) interchange with Highway 71 and Interstate 49 in Bentonville requires lane closures, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials.

Weather permitting, crews will perform rock blasting operations Monday, April 26 to Friday, April 30 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. During the blasting shots, crews will temporarily stop traffic for up to 15 minutes as a safety precaution in the area of the interchange on Interstate 49, Highway 71, Highway 549 (Bella Vista Bypass), and Walton Boulevard.

Watch for warning signs and safety personnel during the work. The public is advised to be cautious when traveling in the work zone and watch for slower traffic speeds.

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 @IDriveArkansas for traffic and @myARDOT for everything else.

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