Bentonville residents can comment on $74 million highway widening

The Arkansas Department of Transportation is accepting public feedback on a $74 million project to widen 1.12 miles of Southeast 14 Street in Bentonville.

The segment, also known as Arkansas Highway 102, runs between the new Walmart Home Office and Interstate 49. Design plans call for expanding the roadway to six lanes between J Street and the interstate. The project includes a 27-foot wide raised median, a 12-foot wide shared-use path on the north side, and a 5-foot wide sidewalk on the south side.

An October 2026 environmental assessment by ARDOT and the Federal Highway Administration noted that approximately 32,000 vehicles travel this stretch daily. The agency stated the widening aims to increase capacity and improve accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians. Additional turn lanes will be added at intersections, where the median narrows.

ARDOT will hold an in-person drop-in meeting on Dec. 3 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Bentonville Community Center at 1101 S.W. Citizens Circle. Residents can review the plans and submit comments during the event. An online presentation is also available for those who wish to review the details remotely.

The deadline to submit comments is 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 18. ARDOT and FHWA staff will review all input received by that date. If no major impacts are identified, ARDOT will submit a document to FHWA to close the environmental process, a step expected to finish by early 2027. Right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation will follow before construction begins.