Missouri Gov. Mike Parson joined Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Thursday at the Missouri-Arkansas state line to celebrate the completion of the I-49 Missouri-Arkansas Connector.
The connector includes the final five miles of the I-49 and I-29 corridor that stretches from North Dakota to Louisiana. During a ribbon cutting opening the connector, the governors highlighted the importance of the highway that links the Gulf of Mexico to the heart of America.
“We thank our transportation partners here in Missouri and across the state line in Arkansas for completing this historic project and providing a vital connection for our communities,” Parson said. “From Kansas City to Fort Smith, travelers will have safe and efficient travel options. This high-quality roadway will help promote tourism, business investment, and workforce opportunities between our two great states.”
The I-49 and I-29 corridor consists of more than 1,600 miles of roadway, connecting Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, and provides an additional link to New Orleans ports for the transportation of various goods and services across the country.
Missouri programmed partial funding for the connector. A $25 million federal grant to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Council allowed the Missouri Department of Transportation to complete the Missouri portion of the project. The first part of the project, stretching from Kansas City to Pineville, was designated in Missouri in 2012. The final segment, which opened to the public on Oct. 1, stretches 290 miles between Kansas City, Mo., and Fort Smith, Arkansas.