The new I-49 bridge over the Arkansas River at Barling is one of four major projects that are part of the current I-49 expansion in Arkansas. The new bridge is funded with a blend of federal and state dollars. The Manhattan Road and Bridge Company is managing construction, and the design work is being done by Arkansas Good Roads member HNTB.

The ARDOT communication staff hosts a steady stream of local events to celebrate the start and finish of road and bridge projects across the state. But some projects like 30 Crossing in Little Rock, the Bella Vista Bypass, and now a new I-49 bridge at Barling just seem different. There are only a select few very large projects that will clearly have long-term statewide impact. Projects that are universally applauded that impact multiple regions of the state.
On August 22, a group of local and state leaders gathered on a dirt road in sweltering heat for the groundbreaking of the new bridge. The bridge project involves 3.1 miles of work from Highway 22 to Gun Club Road. The work is the first phase of the 14-mile gap between Highway 22 and Interstate 40. At the groundbreaking, ARDOT Director Jared Wiley said, “This project means safer roads and economic development. The federal government has designated this a high-priority project.”

The groundbreaking is a reminder that major projects like this take decades to come together. The I-49 corridor was designated a priority by Congress in 1991. Many of the people at the ceremony were not alive when Congress took that action 34 years ago. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the audience, “There are big projects in the infrastructure world that don’t happen overnight. They take many years. I-49 has been critical to connecting Northwest Arkansas to the rest of Arkansas, and now it will connect the River Valley.”

The governor went on to recognize the generations of local and state leaders who have aggressively supported the expansion of I-49 and the economic and recreational benefits it means for the state. Sanders said, “I remember when we all went to Fayetteville, using the pig trail, and I remember the day when my dad dedicated the I-49 tunnel. Thank you to the hundreds of unsung heroes who have worked so hard to see this project through. There has never been a better time to get this project completed.”

In a written statement, Arkansas Highway Commission Vice Chairman Keith Gibson said, “The I-49 Arkansas River Bridge is a significant milestone toward our goal of completing the I-49 corridor from Fort Smith to Texarkana. When finished, I-49 will offer a safer and more efficient highway. The convergence of I-49 and I-40 in the River Valley will form a crossroads from the Canadian border to the Gulf Coast.”

U.S. Congressmen Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman both spoke at the groundbreaking event. Both talked about the unique blend of state, local, and federal leadership that it takes to bring a project like this from the drawing board to reality. Both are enthusiastic and articulate believers that the continuing effort to complete all the I-49 expansion work matters not just to Arkansas, but to the entire country.

The work on the new bridge is expected to be completed in early 2029.