Street Improvement Projects
$173,500,000
Bentonville continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in America with population estimates over 100,000 people by 2040. Current weekday traffic nearly doubles with incoming school and business traffic. The need to manage current traffic is significant and bonds are how we prepare and manage growth.
Street Projects - As a part of our Master Street Plan, our engineers have conducted a city-wide needs study that identified and ranked projects by safety, congestion reduction, bike, and pedestrian movements, economic development impact, cost, and construction duration. Three projects have successfully been completed, while the others are in different stages of the design and construction processes.
Completed Projects:
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South Main Street and Drainage Improvements:
This project widened sidewalks and improved roadway from SE 2nd Street to SW 8th. It also provided drainage improvements to the area.
Status - Construction complete.
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SW Bright Road - SW Regional Airport Blvd. to 28th St.
The project consisted of constructing approximately 0.55 miles of Bright Road between SW Regional Airport Boulevard and SW 28th Street into a three-lane roadway with pedestrian/bicycle facilities consistent with the City’s Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan. The project also included improvements to the existing traffic signal at the SW Regional Airport Boulevard and Bright Road intersection.
Status - Construction complete.
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SW Gator Boulevard - S Morningstar Rd. to SW Gator Blvd.
The project consisted of constructing approximately 0.57 miles of SW Gator Boulevard between S Morningstar Road and the existing end of SW Gator Boulevard into a three-lane roadway with pedestrian/bicycle facilities that are consistent with the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. This project will complete the corridor by providing a continuous east-west connection from SW H Street (Highway. 112) to S Morningstar Road. This connection provides much-needed pedestrian facilities between residential neighborhoods and schools and will improve traffic congestion on adjacent east-west corridors such as SW Regional Airport Boulevard.
Status - Construction Complete
Projects:
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SW 28th Street - SW Featherston Rd. to SW I St.
The project consists of improving approximately 1.28 miles of SW 28th Street between SW Featherston Road and SW I Street by widening existing portions and constructing new portions to provide four lanes with a raised center median. The project will include pedestrian/bicycle facilities that are consistent with the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Several public comments were received during the public input process requesting improved SW 28th Street connectivity to I Street. This project would provide this connectivity, completing the connection between Greenhouse Road and SW I Street for many residential neighborhoods and schools along this corridor. Additionally, this proposed connection would improve traffic on congested east-west corridors such as SW Regional Airport Boulevard and SW 14th Street. Contact for project is Cody Vaughn at cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Construction Start- November 2023
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Estimated Completion - Spring 2025
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S Walton Blvd. and 5th (Walmart Store 100 Entrance)
The existing intersection of Walton Boulevard and Walmart Entrance already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. It ranks in the top 10 for both existing delay and queues, with queues extending beyond 2,000 feet. It is recommended that dual left-turn lanes be added on the eastbound and westbound approaches for vehicles turning onto Walton Boulevard. The added capacity is expected to improve traffic operations and safety at the intersection. Contact for project is Cody Vaughn cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Expected construction start - Fall 2024
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SE Walton Blvd. and SE J St. Intersection
The existing intersection of Walton Boulevard and SE J Street already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. Existing queues are the 5th worst in the city, extending beyond 2,000 feet. Additionally, the intersection is in the top 10 for number of crashes. To improve safety and operations at the intersection, it is recommended that dual left-turn lanes be added for northbound and southbound vehicles turning onto Walton Boulevard, and an additional through lane with a dedicated right-turn lane be constructed on the northbound approach. The added capacity is expected to reduce queues and delays by more than 50 percent. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Construction Start - Fall 2024
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Estimated Completion - Spring 2026
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SE Walton Blvd. and SE Medical Center Pkwy. Intersection
The existing intersection of Walton Boulevard and SE Medical Center Parkway already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. Queues extending over 2,000 feet currently exist and only stand to inhibit traffic flow further without action. To reduce queues on the north and south legs of the intersection, dual turn lanes onto Walton Boulevard are recommended. A dedicated northbound right-turn lane is also recommended. These improvements reduce delay at the intersection by more than 55 percent. Additionally, the southbound queue is reduced by more than 80 percent. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Construction Start - Summer 2024
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Estimated Completion - Spring 2026
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SW 14th St. and Been Rd./Tunbridge Dr. Intersection
The existing intersection of SW 14th Street and Been Road/Tunbridge Drive already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. As part of ARDOT’s Highway 102 Study; improvements are taken from the publicly available preliminary designs. The improvements include a new dedicated northbound right-turn bay. Contact for project is Cody Vaughn cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Spring 2025
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E Battlefield Boulevard - E Central Ave. to Water Tower Rd.
The project consists of improving approximately 0.71 miles of E Battlefield Boulevard between E Central Avenue and Water Tower Road into a three-lane roadway with pedestrian/bicycle facilities consistent with the City’s Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan. Numerous public comments were received during the public input process requesting intersection improvements at E Battlefield Boulevard and E Central Avenue. This project would improve the intersection geometry and potentially signalize the intersection if further analysis showed it would warrant a traffic signal. The existing E Battlefield Boulevard is a narrow two-lane road with open shoulders and minimal pedestrian facilities. This project would bring the roadway up to current collector roadway standards and provide much-needed pedestrian facilities along this corridor. Additionally, the existing bridge across I-49 would be widened on both sides to provide pedestrian side paths on both sides of the bridge. Contact for project is Cody Vaughn cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Spring 2025
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Greenhouse Road
This portion of the project consists of improving approximately 0.38 miles of Greenhouse Road between SW Regional Airport Boulevard and SW 28th Street to a four lane boulevard with pedestrian/bicycle facilities consistent with the City’s Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan. Greenhouse Road is a vital north-south corridor between SW Regional Airport Boulevard and SW 14th Street. The existing Greenhouse Road is a narrow two-lane road with minimal existing pedestrian facilities. Numerous public comments were received during the public input process requesting Greenhouse Road be improved. This project improves this section of Greenhouse Road to arterial street standards while also bringing much-needed bicycle and pedestrian facilities to this vital corridor along the city's west side. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
Status Update - The design portion of this project is being started with a Grant from ARDOT. Plans are being reviewed by staff in Centerton and Bentonville.
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J Street Interchange - Tiger Blvd. to Interstate 49
The project consists of constructing a new interchange on I-49 and extending NE J Street northward from Tiger Boulevard across Interstate 49 for approximately 1.10 miles. This will require construction of two bridges, one across Shewmaker Creek and one across I-49. The proposed NE J Street will be a two lane boulevard from NE Tiger to the bridge over Shewmaker Creek, then four lanes with a raised center median to I-49. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities consistent with the City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will be present the entire length of the project. This project will provide access from I-49 directly to NE J Street, which currently serves as a major north-south arterial street throughout the entire city. This will result in a more direct route from I-49 to major attractions such as Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Scott Family Amazeum, and the downtown districts. A public involvement meeting was held August 29, 2024. Exhibits and materials from the meeting can be found at https://nejstreetinterchange.transportationplanroom.com/. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Fall 2025
Latest Drawings - Tiger Blvd to Proposed Interchange
Latest Drawings - I49 Interchange
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Rainbow Curve Improvements
The existing intersection of Walton Boulevard and Highway 12, commonly known as Rainbow Curve, currently has an overall intersection LOS E, which will continue to deteriorate to an LOS F prior to the 2040 Design Year. The recommended improvements primarily consist of installing a 4 leg high capacity intersection with a traffic signal. With the recommended improvements, an LOS C will be achieved for the projected 2040 traffic. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Winter 2025
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Walton Blvd. and Central Ave. Intersection
The existing intersection of Walton Boulevard and Central Avenue already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. It currently ranks in the top 10 for the existing delay, number of crashes, and existing queues, with queues extending past 2,000 feet. To improve operations and safety at the intersection, it is recommended to construct dual eastbound and westbound left turns, longer storage bays eastbound and westbound, and dedicated northbound and southbound right-turn bays. These improvements reduce delay by 50 percent and reduce queues by more than 65 percent. Contact for project is Cody Vaughn cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Winter 2024
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Water Tower Road
The project consists of improving Water Tower Road between SE 14th Street and East Battlefield Boulevard. The proposed roadway will be a four-lane road with a raised center median and two roundabouts at the intersection of Water Tower Road with 8th Street and Water Tower Road with East Battlefield Boulevard. The project will include pedestrian/bicycle facilities that are consistent with the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Water Tower Road serves as a north-south frontage road along I-49 to connect to the 8th Street interchange and provide access from I-49 to NWACC and residential neighborhoods. This project will bring Water Tower Road up to arterial street standards and improve the intersections between SE 14th and East Battlefield Boulevard. Contact for project Cody Vaughn cvaughn@bentonvillear.com.
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Phase 1 - Completed Spring 2024
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Phase 2 - Estimated Completion - Spring 2025
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Phase 3 - Estimated Start - Spring 2025
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SW Regional Airport Blvd. and SW I St. Intersection
The existing intersection of SW Regional Airport Boulevard and SW I Street already operates at an overall intersection LOS F. Queues currently extend past 1,500 feet, and crash rates are higher than the statewide average on the northern leg. Improvements are recommended on every leg of the intersection. It is recommended that dual lefts and dedicated right-turn bays be constructed on each approach. It is also recommended that a six-lane cross-section along Highway 12/SW Regional Airport Boulevard begin west of the intersection with SW I Street and continue east to the intersection with Walton Boulevard. These improvements reduce delay at the intersection by 70 percent and reduce queues more than 75 percent. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - Winter 2025
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Tiger Boulevard Overpass - McCollum Dr. to NE Grammercy Rd.
The project consists of extending Tiger Boulevard approximately 0.61 miles from McCollum Drive eastward over I-49 via a bridge overpass to tie into NE Grammercy Road. The proposed Tiger Boulevard will consist of roundabouts at McCollum Drive and NE 11th Street with pedestrian/bicycle facilities that are consistent with the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. Several public comments were received during the public input process requesting improved connectivity of Tiger Boulevard across I-49. This project would remove the barrier of I-49 and provide a continuous east-west arterial route for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists across the city's entire width, resulting in reduced traffic congestion for other east-west routes. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Estimated Start - 2025 Q4
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Highway 12 and Highway 279 Intersection
The existing intersection of SW Regional Airport Boulevard and S Vaughn Road received the 11th most traffic-related comments out of all locations in the city. The existing geometry does not meet current standards, and traffic operations will only deteriorate with expected volume increases. With the Northwest Arkansas National Airport nearby and new developments in the area, changing the geometry of the intersection to improve safety and operations is a priority. The preferred intersection control type is a roundabout, which has proven effective at improving safety and traffic operations at similar intersections. Contact for project Jarrod Brightwell jbrightwell@bentonvillear.com.
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Status Update - Preliminary design underway
Projects Under Future Consideration
