🛣️ Bentonville Eyes the Future with Multimillion-Dollar Infrastructure Projects
Bentonville’s future is being shaped in concrete, steel, and strategy. At the May 13 City Council meeting, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) presented a sweeping update on regional transportation and infrastructure—highlighting more than $100 million in recent federal grants and a growing network of interchanges, corridors, and trails.
At the heart of the update was the Forward2050 Plan, which forecasts a population of over 1 million residents in Northwest Arkansas by mid-century. That projection includes a 2.5% annual growth rate for Benton County. To handle the surge, NWARPC is directing funds toward major projects like:
Highway 612 and the future I-42 corridor, including new bypasses and interchanges near Springdale and Siloam Springs.
The J Street Interchange in Bentonville, a joint project with ARDOT that will improve access to I-49.
Expanded bike and pedestrian trails, including contributions to the Razorback Greenway Corridor and Vision Zero safety planning.
The city alone has secured over $16 million in NWARPC grants over the past decade, funding projects like the 8th Street expansion and Walton Boulevard intersection improvements.
As Bentonville braces for exponential growth, city leaders appear committed to investing early—and aggressively—in the infrastructure that will carry its next generation.
