Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Helps Break Ground on Bella Vista Bypass in Northwest Arkansas

Thursday, August 1, 2019

LITTLE ROCK – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department Director Dan Flowers and other state highway officials to break ground on the first project of the much anticipated Bella Vista Bypass that will link important freight routes and open the region to economic growth.

“Arkansas has waited a long time for this project and thanks to Recovery Act funds and the dedication of state and federal transportation partners, the wait is over,” said Secretary LaHood. “This project will help jumpstart economic development in Northwest Arkansas and bring much needed jobs to the region.”

The $19.9 million first segment on the bypass is funded with $10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program.

Bella Vista Bypass

The project will construct a critical three-mile two-lane segment between two interchanges as well as an access road near the city of Bella Vista. When the 19-mile bypass is fully constructed, it will complete a link in the I-49 corridor, connecting the Port of New Orleans with a number of interstates and improving the movement of goods to the Great Lakes and Canada. The new bypass will also separate commercial traffic from local traffic, improving the safety of the existing route through downtown.

“The economic benefits of the bypass will positively impact the entire region and allow those who live in the area to spend less time in their cars and more time doing things they enjoy,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “In addition, it will be safer for local traffic because critical freight shipments will move through the area on a separate route.”

The TIGER grant program promotes innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation. The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the selection of $1.5 billion worth of TIGER grants for 51 projects as part of the one-year anniversary of the Recovery Act on February 17, 2010.