Location and Design Public Hearing August 29, 2024

The City of Bentonville, in cooperation with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), conducted a Location and Design Public Hearing to present and discuss the design plans 🔗 and Environmental Assessment (EA) 🔗 for the proposed new interchange at Interstate 49 (I-49), extending NE J Street northward from Tiger Boulevard across I-49 for approximately 1.1 miles in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The EA promotes informed decision making in the development of a transportation solution(s) to provide an interchange at I-49 that would connect to NE J Street, resulting in a more direct route from I-49 to major attractions and the downtown district, and provide connectivity to bicycle and pedestrian trails located on the south and north sides of I-49. Improvements to NE J Street would generally consist of two lanes with a raised grass median and then transition to four lanes with a raised grass median to the proposed I-49 interchange; a roundabout at the intersection of NE J Street and Chapel Hills Drive/NE Heights Lane would also be included.

The purpose of this Public Hearing was to present the design plans and EA for the project and to solicit comments. The hearing was held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at the Bentonville Community Center, 1101 SW Citizens Circle Bentonville, AR 🔗. Citizens were invited to come and go as they please during the hours of the hearing to view the plans and exhibits, ask questions, and offer comments.

The design plans and EA are available for public review and comment, online and in-person, in the following locations:

• Website: NEJStreetInterchange.TransportationPlanroom.com

• Bentonville Public Works Facility, Engineering Department, 3200 SW Municipal Drive, Bentonville, AR  72712 🔗