Planes, Trains, & Automobiles... Bella Vista Bypass - Interstate 49 Project Connecting New Orleans to Winnipeg

Last summer, the groundbreaking of the long-awaited Bella Vista Bypass kicked off.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe, U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department Director Dan Flowers and other state highway officials broke ground on the first project of the Bella Vista Bypass that will link freight routes and open the region to economic growth.

The Bella Vista Bypass is a multi-state project (including Arkansas and Missouri) that will become part of future Interstate 49. Total cost of the bypass is expected to be $350 million, with Arkansas’ portion at $280 million. A federal grant of $10 million got the project kick-started. The first phase is a $20 million project for a three-mile segment between Highway 72, north of Hiwasse, and Highway 72, south of Hiwasse.

The TIGER grant program promotes innovative, multimodal and multijurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation.


The Bella Vista Bypass project will construct a three-mile two-lane segment between two interchanges as well as an access road near the city of Bella Vista, Ark. When the 19-mile bypass is fully constructed, it will complete a link in the Interstate 49 corridor, connecting the Port of New Orleans with a number of interstates and improving the movement of goods to the Great Lakes and Canada. The new bypass also will separate commercial traffic from local traffic, improving the safety of the existing route through downtown.

“The economic benefits of the bypass will positively impact the entire region and allow those who live in the area to spend less time in their cars and more time doing things they enjoy,” says Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “In addition, it will be safer for local traffic because critical freight shipments will move through the area on a separate route.”

In May, State highway officials had a bid in hand to build a second section of the Bella Vista Bypass.

Kolb Grading LLC of St. Charles, Mo., was the apparent low bidder for the 2.4 mile, phase two of the project at $13.5 million. The section is 2.4 miles and will connect with County Road 34.  The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department opened bids Wednesday in Little Rock.  The 18.9 mile project is designed to relieve traffic congestion on U.S. 71 through Bella Vista. It will reconnect with the highway in Missouri.

Construction on the first, three-mile section around Hiwasse began last summer. The bid for that section was $19.8 million.

Return to our website - www.arkrealestate.com

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles... [a new series about the infrastructure and transportation of Northwest Arkansas]

Here at the Fineberg office, we have been thinking through some of the key areas that make Northwest Arkansas a great place to work, live, and play.

One thing that is often overlooked, but plays a major role in the effectiveness and efficiency of our community is our infrastructure...

Our roads, our transportation, our importing and exporting of product from some of the nation's head corporate offices such as Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt, our railway systems, and the increased use of our airport for both local residents and corporations that travel here weekly for business.

When thinking through all of these areas, it made sense for us to highlight our community's transportation and logistics. 

Please join us over the next few weeks, as we take a deeper look into the current transportation in our community, and some upcoming project improvements that should make Northwest Arkansas an even better place to work, live, and play.

New faces... get to [know]: Grant West & Frances Travis

It would only make sense that the week after we close out our blog series about getting to know our staff that we hire two fresh faces to our team, :)

We did not want them to go unrecognized, so we want to welcome and introduce Grant West, our new Office Manager, and Frances Travis our new Administrative Assistant!




We took a few minutes to this week to get to know these two for what life looks like outside of work!

Get to know... Grant West, Office Manager


Q:  Where did you grow up?

A:  I grew up in Fayetteville, AR


Q:  What does life look like outside of work?

A:  I live with my girlfriend, Suzanne, and her 3 yr. old daughter, Ruby.  We love to cook and eat interesting food together.  Suzanne is a pastry chef.  I enjoy teaching Ruby all the little wonders of the world, and I love her learning spirit.  I love to read, especially non-fiction, though I am currently engrossed in an endless fantasy novel.  I am a diehard basketball fanatic.  I play when I can and watch far too much NBA.  Recently, I also coached youth basketball in Fayetteville.  I love to laugh and joke and I always appreciate dry sarcasm and wit.  I love a good conversation over beer. 

Q:  What are you most proud of?

A:  I am most proud of things that I make or build.  Cooking a delicious meal that others enjoy always makes me feel good.  I’m proud of the garden Suzanne and I made.  I’m mostly just proud I get to enjoy my life with the close family and friends that I have. 

Q:  Where do you like to vacation?

A:  I like to visit the great cities of the world.  I have travelled in recent years to New York, Chicago, Hong Kong, Rome, Brussels, and Berlin.  Breaking from the norm, however, Iceland is currently the object of my future-vacation eyes. 

Q:  What are some random/silly facts about yourself?

A: 

- I often wear athletic shorts under my pants so that I can be ready to play basketball at a moment’s notice. 

- I am a dancing machine.

-  I suppose I could probably burp the “Star Spangled Banner” if I felt so inclined.

Q:  What is your life’s motto?

A:  "Against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand."  –Mark Twain

Get to know... Frances Travis, Administrative Assistant

Q:  Where did you grow up?

A:  Cleburne County, Arkansas, I was raised in a small town north of Heber Springs, Arkansas.  After high school I married a gentleman who lived in Heber Springs area and resided there for 12 years.


Q:  What does life look like outside of work?

A:  We are very active in our church.  We attend and work a lot of horse events.  We love the outdoors, fishing, riding horses, riding 4-wheelers, and yard work!

Q:  What are you most proud of?

A:  My relationship with God, my daughter, my husband, my family, and friends!

Q:  Where do you like to vacation?

A:  I love Gulf Shores, Alabama.  I love the ocean breeze and relaxation of the ocean itself.  I love how you can get lost in the sand and stars!

Q:  What are some silly or random facts about yourself?

A:  I love crafts.  I like to make it instead of buying it.  I can see a diamond in the rough, make a few changes to something old and create a new purpose for it.

Q:  What is your life's motto?

A:  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Me" - Philippians 4:13

Always keep a smile on your face; you never know whose day you will change with it!

get to [know]: Our Team

This moment will be the best part of my day, because I get to talk about my colleagues and team members. 

I cannot overstate how much I enjoy working with and appreciate our team members.  I spend a great deal of my day working to create situations and scenarios where all parties win, where the parties at the end of a negotiation believe that their  position will be improved by doing the deal.


I do NOT want to consider how difficult this effort would  be absent our team.

Team means to me "a group of people voluntarily working independently in a coordinated effort for their individual success, and for the success of the whole."

When I think of music or a sports team,  I see a at team work. Every player striving to do their best, and so it is in a business setting.
This is my view of the team at Steve Fineberg and Associates.  Everyone doing his or her personal best, and in coordination with the whole.  I appreciate and love our team, and respect their ideas and energy that they exude.  They so often go beyond, it is my honor to work with them.

get to [know]:: Elissa Sontag

This week we took a few minutes to get to know our Property Manager, Elissa Sontag.  We are grateful for all she does on our team, and enjoyed hearing about her life outside of work.

Q:  How long have you worked for Steve Fineberg & Associates?

A:  I've known Steve and Ida for ten plus years, but I have only been here about six.  I started at the front desk.





Q:  What interests you in property management?

A:  Problem solving... Anything and everything can happen when you are dealing with rental property.


Q:  Where are you from?

A:  I was born in Little Rock, and have been in Northwest Arkansas for the past twenty-two years.  I live on a twenty-five acre mini-farm in Bentonville now.


Q:  What do you like to do outside of work?

A:  I enjoy spending time at home.  There is always something to be done!  We have an animal rescue and haven that I enjoy.  We have places 30(+) dogs in safe and loving homes in the past few years, and also recently got 10 chickens.  Hopefully, we will start having eggs in the next few months also.


Q:  What scares you?

A:  Spiders and taxes


Q:  What are some random or silly facts about yourself?

A:  I love to mow the yard, something about it relaxes me.  I have been known to run head first into tree branches though, OUCH!!  :)


Q:  What is your life motto?

A:  The greatest danger isn't that our aim is too high and we miss it.  It is that our aim is too low and we reach it.

get to [know]:: Ron Palmer

This week we took a few minutes to get to know Ron Palmer.  Ron is a Commercial Realtor for Steve Fineberg and Associates, and long-time friend of Steve and Ida.  We appreciate all he does on our team!


Q:  Where are you from?

A:  I grew up in Chicago, Illinois and received both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.  I also have my Ph.D. in Psychology and spent time teaching at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois.

Q:  What brought you to Northwest Arkansas?

A:  I had a business opportunity to come to this area where I bought some commercial land and commercial lots to develop.  I also purchased and developed the AQ Chicken Houses at that time.

Q:  How long have you worked with Steve Fineberg & Associates? 

A:  I have worked for the company for about 3.5 years, but I have known Steve since he first came to this area in the late 1990s and we have been friends ever since.  I am lucky to be part of his team.  Steve is an independent hard-working entrepreneur who has carved out a unique niche in commercial real estate in Northwest Arkansas.

Q:  What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

A:  I am a motor home traveler and motorcycle enthusiast.  I also love going to the gym and I have been a racquet ball player for quite some time.

Q:  Where do you like to vacation?

A:  I always head west instead of east.  My favorite states are Colorado and Montana.  I also enjoy Idaho and Southern California.  My wife Shona and I are lucky enough to have a daughter who lives in San Diego, California, so we get the opportunity to go visit her there often.  I have three other daughters scattered in Springfield, Missouri and Kansas City, Missouri and one here in Fayetteville.  We enjoy travelling and spending time with each of our children.

Q:  What are some fun or random facts about yourself?

A:  The first is that I have owned and rode a motorcycle for forty five years and have lived to tell about it.  J  I also have always had a unique interest in architecture and have been fortunate enough to build several custom homes.

get to [know]:: Ida Fineberg

This week we sat down with Ida Fineberg, Vice President and Executive Broker for Steve Fineberg & Associates.. And of course, wife of Steve.  :)  We wanted to take a moment to get to know Ida outside of her responsibilities at work.


Q:  Where did you grow up?

A:  I was born in Havana, Cuba and lived in Cuba until I was nine years old.  My family left Cuba and we went to Dallas, Texas.  We were there for a year before moving to Los Angeles, California.  After several years my family moved back to Dallas.  So you might say that I grew up all over.

Q:  What brought you to Northwest Arkansas?

A:  In 1998 I married Steve and moved here.  I have loved living here the entire time I have been here.

Q:  How long have you worked in real estate?  What made you get into real estate?

A:  My real estate career began in 1998.  My previous profession had been teaching, so real estate was quite a change.  When I moved to Arkansas I knew that I needed a job that would give me more flexibility of schedule and real estate was a natural fit.  I also had some prodding from this guy that caused my move to Arkansas.

Q:  What do you like to do when you aren't working?

A:  Really I love to cook and that has become sort of my therapy.  I also love to read and explore this great place where I am so fortunate to live.  Also, as time permits I love to travel and with Steve I have a terrific traveling partner because we look at our travels as our own personal adventures.  When we go to a new place we do not go on tours we just explore and learn on our own.

Q:  Tell us a little about how you volunteer in the community...

A:  Volunteering is something that I feel I really need to do as much  for me as for those organizations in which I am involved.  Presently I am honored to be on the Foundation Board for Open Avenues.  Open Avenues is an organization that helps mentally and physically challenged adults become contributing members of our community through employment opportunities and recreational activities.  They are truly a miraculous organization.  Also, I have recently been asked to join the board for Havenwood which provides reasonably priced housing and educational opportunities to single parents who want to improve their lives.  I am very much looking forward to being part of this group.  Also, I was fortunate enough to have gotten in on the beginnings of the Rogers Community Support Center.  This group’s goal was to involve members of the Rogers community become involved  in the community via educational opportunities, learning about the city government and its leaders and some terrific recreational functions.  This group began the International Festival which grew from about 100 people coming to the festival to now several thousand.  For this opportunity I have to thank Steve Womack, then mayor of Rogers, now a member of Congress for his vision with this group.

Q:  What is your favorite restaurant?

A:  Being in real estate and knowing quite a few people here I am not going to name a favorite local restaurant.  But I really like what goes on in my own kitchen.

Q:  What are you most proud of outside of work?

A:  Have you seen our three grandchildren?  Perfection if you ask me!  Also, I am very proud of our children because they are all good and hardworking people.  I must say that I have tremendous respect for my parents who came to the United States with nothing but always provided a very good life for my brother and me.  Finally, I am always proud of Steve and how he has built our company Steve Fineberg & Associates, Inc.  Also a good marriage is always something for which to be grateful and proud.

Q:  What are some silly or random facts about yourself?

A:  You mean like when I turn up the salsa music really loudly and dance around the house by myself?  Or how about the fact that even though I am a really good swimmer I can’t stand to go underwater.  Go figure.  Also, under no circumstances will I eat calamari.  Steve does not understand that one at all.  I like to do laundry, there is a certain feeling of accomplishment seeing all the clothes all neatly folded and smelling fresh – weird, I know.


Q:  What is your life motto?

A:  I don’t think I have a motto because life changes so much.  But I did say to a group to which I spoke that EVERYBODY, no matter the circumstances in your life, has something for which they should always be grateful.  So think about whatever that is when things get tough and it will make the tough time go by faster.