Arkansas Highway 12 (AR 12) is a designation for two state highways in Northwest Arkansas. One segment of 26.0 miles (41.8 km) runs from the Oklahoma state line east to Highway 112 in Bentonville. A second segment of 29.9 miles (48.1 km) runs from US 62 in Rogers east to Highway 23 near Clifty.

Highway 12 marker
Highway 12
Route information
Maintained by ArDOT
Existed1926–present
Section 1
Length26.0 mi[1] (41.8 km)
West end SH-116 at the Oklahoma state line
Major intersections AR 59 / AR 264 at Gentry
East end AR 112 in Bentonville
Section 2
Length29.9 mi[1] (48.1 km)
West end US 62 / AR 94 in Rogers
East end AR 23 east of Clifty
Location
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
CountiesBenton, Madison
Highway system
AR 11 AR 13

Route description

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Oklahoma to Bentonville

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Highway 12 begins at the Oklahoma state line as a continuation of OK-116 and runs east, crossing Highway 43 before entering Gentry. Highway 12 meets Highway 59B (Collins Avenue)[2] and Highway 59 (Gentry Boulevard)[2] before leaving the city. The highway continues east through Springtown and Highfill, meeting Highway 264 in south Highfill. Highway 12 angles north past Northwest Arkansas National Airport to Vaughn before meeting Highway 112 in Bentonville, where it terminates.

Rogers to Clifty

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Highway 12 in east Rogers.

The route begins at US 62/Highway 94 in Rogers. Highway 12 leaves Rogers, heading east a winding two-lane road with several steep grades and hairpin curves around Beaver Lake. The route meets Highway 303 near War Eagle and Highway 127 near Clifty, when the route terminates at Highway 23.[3]

From Rogers east to Clifty, the Scenic Highway 12 East Association maintains a website which outlines various points of interest on this segment of highway. Hydrologically, Highway 12 lies within the Arkansas River catchment basin.

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmi[4][3]kmDestinationsNotes
Benton0.00.0 
 
SH-116 west – Colcord
Continuation into Oklahoma
0.50.80  AR 43 – Maysville, Siloam Springs
Gentry5.89.3  AR 59B (Collins Avenue)
6.09.7  AR 59 (South Gentry Boulevard) – Gravette, Siloam Springs
Highfill14.022.5 
 
  AR 264 east – Cave Springs, Northwest Arkansas National Airport
Western terminus of AR 264
Regional Avenue – Airport
Vaughn20.132.3 
 
 
 
AR 279 north (South Vaughn Road) to AR 102
Southern terminus of AR 279
Bentonville26.041.8 
 
AR 112 south (Southwest I Street) – Cave Springs
Eastern terminus; northern terminus of AR 112
Gap in route
Rogers0.00.0   US 62 / AR 94 – Eureka Springs, Little Flock, Pea Ridge, FayettevilleWestern terminus
North 2nd Street – FayettevilleFormer US 62B/AR 12
11.518.5 
 
AR 303 north – Rocky Branch Recreation Area
Southern terminus of AR 303
Lookout16.526.6 
 
AR 127 south
Northern terminus of AR 127
Madison23.537.8 
 
 
 
AR 45 south to US 412
Southern terminus of AR 45
28.746.2 
 
AR 127 north
Southern terminus of AR 127
29.948.1  AR 23 – Eureka Springs, HuntsvilleEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

History

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Highway 12 was one of the original 1926 state highways.

The route from Oklahoma to Rogers was originally designated as Arkansas State Road B-27 in Arkansas' initial state highway system of 1924.[5] The route was unpaved. Upon redesignation in 1926, Arkansas Highway 12 was the major east–west route of north Arkansas, running from Oklahoma to Ash Flat via Harrison.[6] This Highway 12 was a precursor to U.S. Route 62 in Arkansas, which supplanted Highway 12 almost entirely in 1930.[7] The portion not replaced by US 62 remained Highway 12, and is very similar to the present-day alignment. The routing was changed slightly in August 2010 when Highway 12 replaced US 62B in east Rogers.[4]

Despite no major routing changes since 1930, Highway 12 has seen major change along its shoulders. Running through small mountain towns at inception, today Highway 12 serves America's sixth–fastest growing metropolitan area. [8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "[Arkansas] State Highways 2009 (Database)." April 2010. AHTD: Planning and Research Division. Database. Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Gentry, Arkansas." Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. AHTD Gentry, AR map[permanent dead link] Retrieved on November 11, 2010.
  3. ^ a b Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. AHTD Madison County map Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on July 3, 2009.
  4. ^ a b General Highway Map - Benton County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map) (4/27/07 ed.). Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  5. ^ Map of State of Arkansas Showing System of Primary and Secondary Federal Aid Roads and Connecting State Roads and Progress of Improvements (Map) (December 31, 1924. ed.). [Arkansas] State Highway Commission. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  6. ^ Map of State of Arkansas Showing System of State Highways (Map) (1926 ed.). [Arkansas] State Highway Commission. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  7. ^ Official Highway Service Map (Map) (March 1930 ed.). [Arkansas] State Highway Commission. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
  8. ^ Metros Ranked by Rate of Population Growth, 1990-2000 (Map). Census Scope. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
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