Arkansas DOT broke ground Wednesday on two construction projects worth a total of $308.5 million around the Northwest Arkansas National Airport, the agency said in a news release. Phase Two of the Springdale Bypass and the XNA Connector will work together to make travel to the airport more accessible and accommodate a growing population in Benton County.
“When complete, these two new sections of highway will improve traffic flow for the growing Northwest Arkansas region, providing safe, modernized roadways,” said Arkansas DOT Director Lorie Tudor in the release.
The agency awarded Phase Two of the four-phase Springdale Bypass project to Columbia, Missouri-based Emery Sapp & Sons for $180.8 million. When all phases are finished, the project is expected to span about 21 miles.
The Springdale Bypass leading to the airport is a four-lane, 7-mile divided interstate with interchanges along Highway 412 in Tontitown to the bypass at Highway 112 in Benton and Washington counties. The estimated completion date is late 2026, according to the agency.
The XNA Connector is a four-lane interstate that will stretch nearly 4 miles between the airport and the Springdale Bypass. It was awarded to Columbus, Kansas-headquartered Crossland Construction Co. for $127.7 million.
The Connector will include 11 bridges, an interchange at the project’s south end and a tie-in to Highway 264, per Arkansas DOT. Construction is set to be finished in late 2027.
The busy regional airport, also known as XNA, has been expanding over the past few years amid economic and population growth, and has purchased 350 acres of surrounding land for future projects, according to Axios. The 25-year-old facility tallied over 1 million passengers last year, per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
