BENTON COUNTY (8-19) – Construction to build the new Highway 549 (Bella Vista Bypass) interchange with Highway 71 and Interstate 49 in Bentonville requires a temporary ramp closure at the interchange, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officials.
Weather permitting, crews will temporarily close the Hwy. 549 southbound ramp to Walton Boulevard. Hwy. 549 traffic will continue through the interchange, merging with I-49 southbound traffic. Traffic on Hwy. 549 wanting to access Walton Boulevard or Hwy. 71 will merge onto I-49 south and take Exit 88 to Hwy. 72 or return to I-49 northbound. Work will take place beginning Saturday, August 21 through mid-October.
Traffic will be controlled by signage, construction barrels, and police enforcement. 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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Contact: Krista Guthrie
NR 21-275
August 19, 2021