[whitebutterfly]

Have you visited or lived in Mena Arkansas? What do you like and dislike. When I retire, I may move there.

I have read the history on the net, no need to talk of the past. I'd like to hear what you know in 2008.

What about that new highway? Will to go through Mena? Is it going to follow Rt 71? Are they talking 5 years or more? If I was to buy a house there, I sure wouldn't want to buy right on that highway!

[Capt. Dan]

What highway?

[whitebutterfly]

I49 they say will run from Fort Smith to Texarcana, sounds like it might follow route 71 or near there, if they ever get funding for it. http://www.city-data.com/forum/arkan...-arkansas.html

[luvarkansas]

That would be great, it would give us a new way to get to the cabin, might be faster. We have to follow a lot of little roads and go through a lot of red lights before we get to Little Rock and the interstate.

[Hassayampa Slim]

Luv, You did mean "Wait at a lot of red lights" right

Originally Posted by luvarkansas

That would be great, it would give us a new way to get to the cabin, might be faster. We have to follow a lot of little roads and go through a lot of red lights before we get to Little Rock and the interstate.

[Capt. Dan]

My question is why do you want to turn a beautiful, scenic route like US 71 into another superhighway? Whats the hurry? One of the best things about western Arkansas is its rural, small town feel. Is it ALWAYS best to rush from point A to point B?

[Hassayampa Slim]

You are so right. That's why I appreciate Arkansas slow funding of this route. If we can find our place around Mena, I'm sure we'll be long gone before I49 would disturb our peace and quiet.

Originally Posted by Capt. Dan

My question is why do you want to turn a beautiful, scenic route like US 71 into another superhighway? Whats the hurry? One of the best things about western Arkansas is its rural, small town feel. Is it ALWAYS best to rush from point A to point B?

[Stormcrow73]

If the plan for I49 resembles anything like I540 up to NWA then I49 will not replace US71 but roughly parallel it. I540 has actually cut off some of the communities on US71 and made them more isolated.

[Hassayampa Slim]

That might not be bad... If they could keep the separation enough to be out of view, it might give the best of both; I49 for those in a big hurry, and US71 for us who would just as soon stay off the beaten track.

Originally Posted by Stormcrow73

If the plan for I49 resembles anything like I540 up to NWA then I49 will not replace US71 but roughly parallel it. I540 has actually cut off some of the communities on US71 and made them more isolated.

[luvarkansas]

Originally Posted by Hassayampa Slim

Luv, You did mean "Wait at a lot of red lights" right

Oh, uh, yeah, yeah.....that's what I meant.

Seriously, about what the others said about superhighways ruining small towns....I never thought about that, but if it's like the others said about it just paralleling 71, then that would be good. I know that I40 from Little Rock to Ft. Smith mostly parallels 64 and you can still get onto that and enjoy a back road for a while, then get back on the interstate when you're ready to fly. We drove it once on the way home, from Ozark to Clarksville...it goes through Altus, which is a neat little town, and through some pretty rural landscape. Ahh, I love Arkansas!