XNA access road construction to begin this summer

Construction is expected to start this summer on a four-lane, interstate-style divided highway to run between Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill and the Springdale Northern Bypass, or Highway 612. The $127.67 million project should be completed by summer 2027.

On Jan. 21, Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT), awarded the XNA connector, or access road, project to Columbus, Kan.-based Crossland Construction. According to the project bid, construction is expected to take 1,080 days or about three years to complete.

Jared Wiley, chief engineer – preconstruction for ArDOT, said the nearly 4-mile project will include 11 bridges. An interchange will be completed at the project’s north end, which ties into Highway 264 at the south entrance of XNA. The interchange with Highway 612 will be built at the project’s south end as part of the Highway 612 extension between Highway 112 and U.S. Highway 412. Tudor awarded the Highway 612 project on Nov. 6 to Columbia, Mo.-based Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. for $180.87 million.

Construction of the access road and Highway 612 extension are expected to take place concurrently. The latter is a 6.9-mile project that will include a four-lane, interstate-style divided highway, 16 bridges and three interchanges. The contractor expects to complete the project in 833 days or about 28 months.

Asked about the timeline to complete the access road compared to the Highway 612 extension, Wiley said he expects the bridges on the access road project to take longer, including the lengthy bridges over Osage Creek.

Dave Parker, public information officer for ArDOT, said a groundbreaking ceremony is being planned for both projects and is likely to take place April 17.