Arkansas Highway 112


Highway 112 is a north–south state highway in Northwest Arkansas. The route of runs from Highway 265 north through Fayetteville, across Interstate 49/US 62/US 71 to Highway 12 in Bentonville. The route serves the University of Arkansas, and thus a portion is named Razorback Road.

Route description

The route begins at the northern end of Cato Springs Road under the I-49 overpass in south Fayetteville. The route runs briefly north with access to U.S. Highway 71 with AR 265 before AR 265 becomes Cato Springs Road again and continues east. AR 112 continues north as Razorback Road and runs north to run concurrently with AR 16, starting near Baum Stadium and continuing until AR 180. AR 112 continues through the University of Arkansas campus, passing John McDonnell Field and Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
After the stadium, AR 112 turns east and becomes West Maple Street and passes Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and the Pat Walker Health Center. 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. AR 112 continues north through Fayetteville, intersecting Wedington Drive just north of campus. The route continues as an important artery through the city, crossing I-49/US 62/US 71 south of the Fayetteville Teardrop. AR 112 runs north from the expressway to Tontitown as Maestri Road, intersecting US 412 in Tontitown. Continuning north through Elm Springs as Elm St., the route enters Benton County.
AR 112 runs north in a brief concurrency with AR 264 in Cave Springs before entering Bentonville and terminating at AR 12 near the Bentonville Municipal Airport.

History

Arkansas Highway 112 was one of the original 1926 state highways. The original AR 112 was unpaved and ran 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. 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.
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.
The route closely follows the same path it did during the Civil War and is designated as part of the Arkansas Civil War Trail. AR 112 is also designated as part of the Arkansas Trail of Tears northern route.

Future

Plans are underway to expand AR 112 to four lanes through the University of Arkansas campus. The project would be completed in summer sections when the student population has decreased, with the first portion for completion being widening from AR 180 north to Leroy Pond Drive. Right of way has already been obtained from the University for this part of the project. The segment of Highway 112 between Wedington Drive and Melmar Street is in the process of being widened to four lanes via transportation bond program funds.

Major intersections

Fayetteville spur

Highway 112 Spur is a highway in Fayetteville. Locally known as Wedington Drive, its western terminus is at Interstate 49 with the road continuing west as Highway 16 towards Siloam Springs. Its eastern terminus is at Highway 112 with the road continuing east as North Street in Fayetteville, which eventually intersects Highway 45. The route was listed in the 2006 AHTD needs study as needing to be widened to four lanes. The highway is now entirely four lane.