ROGERS, Ark — City officials cut the ribbon on the Uptown Overpass, bridging the gap for their busiest district.
With continued growth in Northwest Arkansas, City engineers say it's critical to connect their city's infrastructure.
"I-49 has separated the two sides of Rogers. And so it's important for us to connect those back together in a way that allows our citizens to easily access both sides," Deputy Director of Engineering Lance Jobe said.
Uptown is one of the busiest districts for Rogers with the Promenade and Walmart Amp. Its district is split by the interstate causing issues for traffic.
"Just driving out there, it's apparent that those interchanges are congested, especially at peak hour times," Jobe said.
Two overpasses do exist in the district with New Hope Road and Pauline Whitaker Parkway. However, they may be better known as exits 82 and 83.
"They're designed for people to get on and off of the interstate. So they are very congested," Jobe said.
The overpass also features a large bike-friendly sidewalk making it accessible for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. Mercy spokesperson Nate Kuester explains that access is crucial in a time of life or death.
"When every second counts, access is critical, especially for hospitals, where lives are on the line," Kuester said.
The Walmart Amp and Mercy Hospital were once separated by I-49, but they are now directly connected by the overpass.
"The amp is a very popular draw for attractions. And so with this in place before that, it wasn't really easy to get here from there. And now it is," said Kuester.
Rogers plans on implementing a grid infrastructure system in uptown as Northwest Arkansas continues to grow. Jobe says, "Having the grid allows it to be more resilient and able to be redeveloped easier and be more useful for more people. So it's it's about, you know, sustainability for the city in the long term."
Rogers is continuing to update its infrastructure with the growth making this one of many other projects. Another big project going on is the Oak Street overpass which once done will connect Downtown Rogers to Highway 112. According to the deputy director of engineering, it should be wrapped up in the spring.
Jobe also explained that they're working with existing infrastructure in the area to implement the grid system. He explains that the curvilinear roadways will limit them to a degree, but they're "rectifying it where we can."
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