Map shows current and future projects for HWY 412 in north central portion of state
The future expansion and development of the Highway 412 corridor through northern Arkansas led a discussion Tuesday between local and state elected officials in Mountain Home.
The meeting, hosted at the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce, was organized by Richard Sheid, a founding member of the North Arkansas 412 East/West Corridor Association. In attendance were Arkansas Senator for District 23 Scott Flippo; Arkansas State Representative for District 3 Stetson Painter; Arkansas State Representative Jason Nazarenko; Baxter County Judge Kevin Litty; Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Dani Pugsley; and retired manager of the Jacob Wolf Historic Site Marlon Mowdy.
Rep. Painter discussing HWY 412 future with collegues Tuesday
Sheid presented information he hopes local and state officials will further research as they consider long term transportation needs along the Highway 412 corridor. The Arkansas section of U.S. Highway 412 spans 252 miles, with about 140 miles remaining two lanes. Portions of the highway are four lanes on the eastern and western ends, with additional four-lane sections running through Boone County; between Yellville and Mountain Home; between Ash Flat and Hardy; and around Walnut Ridge.
Sheid said he does not see it as practical to convert the entire highway to four lanes statewide, but emphasized the need for additional passing lanes and for previously delayed projects to be reinstated.
Senator Flippo also raised concerns about traffic bottlenecks in the City of Harrison and discussed the long debated need for a city bypass. While some businesses in Harrison have opposed a bypass, Mountain Home was cited as an example of a community that built a full bypass and continues to experience strong economic growth.
A current project between Bellefonte and Yellville is adding new passing lanes, with two similar projects proposed east and west of Pyatt before 2030. Further expansion of passing lanes west of the White River near Cotter is being planned but remains unfunded. Several passing-lane projects are also being proposed east of Mountain Home near Henderson. The largest proposed improvement would widen the corridor from west of Alpena into Huntsville, an area that has already seen significant construction work through the years.
Sheid said that for north central Arkansas to continue growing economically, road infrastructure must expand to meet the needs of larger companies and a rising population. Increased traffic has led to bottlenecks and unsafe conditions that he said must be improved. He compared the region’s needs to the development of Highway 82 in southern Arkansas, noting that state leadership has focused heavily on the Delta region even as its population has declined.
Sheid provided large packets of data to the officials. Representative Painter noted that he enjoys deep diving into data and planned to review the materials thoroughly. Senator Flippo said that while he does not expect to see a fully four lane Highway 412 across Arkansas in his lifetime, reducing bottlenecks and improving safety remain priorities for him and his colleagues. Sheid added that he hopes the three younger members of the state legislature would work together to advocate for the highway’s continued development in northern Arkansas.
During the presentation, Marlon Mowdy appealed for continued attention to the historic Wolf House in Norfork. He said the site, one of the few surviving federally constructed buildings of its type west of the Mississippi River, has fallen into mismanagement since his retirement as site manager and should remain a priority for preserving Arkansas and U.S. history. Representative Nazarenko discussed how he was working with his collegues to bring more attention to the historical and tourism impact the area has demonstrated in the past.
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