Intersection with US 412 Bypass under construction, 2017
The highway turns north and becomes Garland Avenue, which is a median-divided highway until Highway 112S/Wedington Drive/North Street. The medians were added in 2009 after contention from the City of Fayetteville and residents. Ultimately, it was decided to have one continuous median that becomes a turn lane, with separate bike lanes on both sides.[4]
AR 112 begins at Highway 16 Spur (Wedington Drive) in Fayetteville just north of the University of Arkansas campus. The route continues as an important artery through the city. The highway serves as the southern terminus of US 71B just south of an intersection with I-49/US 62/US 71. AR 112 continues north to Tontitown as Maestri Road, intersecting US 412 in Tontitown. Continuing north through Elm Springs as Elm St., the route enters Benton County.
Arkansas Highway 112 was one of the original 1926 state highways.Garland Avenue runs through the north end of the University of Arkansas campus.
Arkansas Highway 112 was one of the original 1926 state highways.[5] The original AR 112 was unpaved and ran 2.2 miles (3.5 km) from Arkansas Highway 16 in Fayetteville north to an area south of Johnson. The route was paved in 1948, and extended north to Bentonville in 1951.[6] The Cave Springs to AR 12 segment was paved at the time of addition, with the entire length becoming paved by 1956. Arkansas Highway 112S was created in 1971 from a segment of Arkansas Highway 16.[citation needed]
In the early 2000s, an agreement between the ARDOT, City of Fayetteville, and University of Arkansas to widen Highway 112 to four lanes between Highway 16 (Fifteenth Street) and I-49 came into place. Construction began in 2006 between North Street (Highway 112S) to Janice Street and continued intermittently over the years as funding came available. As part of the agreement, ARDOT would build and pay for the widening projects, with Fayetteville accepting the road under city maintenance and control after the widening was complete. The University would maintain landscaping throughout the segment crossing the campus of the University of Arkansas.[7][8]
The route was truncated to its current northern terminus in February 2012, the route formerly continued along Highway 12 and US 71B to terminate at Highway 72 in Bentonville.[3]
The route closely follows the same path it did during the Civil War and is designated as part of the Arkansas Civil War Trail.[9] AR 112 is also designated as part of the Arkansas Trail of Tears northern route.[10]
Future
As traffic increased on I-49, AR 112 became a shortcut to avoid the interstate. However, the route quickly became congested itself due to the growing population of Bentonville and the desire to find a quicker route to reach the Northwest Arkansas National Airport.[11] As a result, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) has made plans to widen a 12 mi (19 km) stretch of the route between US 412 in Tontitown to its northern terminus at AR 12 in Bentonville.[12] In late-September 2023, the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) approved ArDOT's request for a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), allowing them to begin right-of-way acquisition for the widening of the roadway.[11][13] The project will expand AR 112 from two to four lanes with a raised median, curb and gutter, a sidewalk on one side of the highway and a side path on the other side of the highway. At least eight roundabouts will also be constructed.[14] Construction is set to being in 2025; a completion date has not been announced yet.[11]
Another 5.5 mi (8.9 km) stretch of AR 112 south of the US 412 intersection will also be widened in the same way, although this will be a separate project from the widening project to the north of US 412.[11]
^Planning and Research Division (March 28, 2012). "Arkansas Road Log Database". Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Archived from the original(MBD) on June 23, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
^ abGeneral Highway Map, Washington County, Arkansas(PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. February 6, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
^ abcGeneral Highway Map, Benton County, Arkansas(PDF) (Map). 1:62500. Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. December 13, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
AR 16S in Fayetteville
I-49 / US 62 / US 71 in Fayetteville
US 412 in Tontitown
AR 12 in Bentonville
