Arkansas Highway 72
# Arkansas Highway 72

Highway 72 (AR 72, Ark. 72, and Hwy. 72) is a designation for two east–west state highways in Benton County, Arkansas. A western route of 26.32 miles (42.36 km) runs east from Highway 43 at Maysville to U.S. Route 71B (US 71B) in Bentonville. A second route of 12.67 miles (20.39 km) begins at Interstate 49/US Route 71 (I-49/US 71) in Bentonville and runs northeast to US 62 near Avoca. The route is one of the original Arkansas state highways.

## Route description

### Maysville to Bentonville

The route begins at Highway 43 in Maysville and runs east to Gravette. Highway 72 intersects Highway 59 in Gravette near the Kansas City Southern Railway Caboose No. 383 on the National Register of Historic Places. The highway continues east past the Banks House to the community of Hiwasse within Gravette, having an interchange with I-49 just west of the community, where the highway passes the Hiwasse Bank Building. Upon reaching Hiwasse, Highway 72 has an officially designated exception of 0.52 miles (0.84 km) with Highway 279. The highway runs southeast into Centerton, having another interchange with I-49 southeast of Hiwasee. Highway 72 has a junction with Highway 102B before entering Bentonville. In Bentonville the highway becomes Central Avenue, running east through subdivisions until meeting US 71B and terminating a few blocks west of the Bentonville town square.

### Bentonville to Avoca

Highway 72 begins at I-49/US 71 in Bentonville and runs northeast to Pea Ridge. The highway has an overlap with Highway 94 through Pea Ridge before turning southeast and runs through Pea Ridge National Military Park. South of the park Highway 72 terminates at US 62.

## History

Between Bentonville and Gravette, Highway 72 follows a former alignment of U.S. Route 71. In the late 1990s Highway 72 was rerouted away from downtown Bentonville along US 71B, Highway 102, and Highway 112.

## Major intersections

The entire route is in Benton County.

| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Maysville | 0.00 | 0.00 | AR 43 | |
| Gravette | | | AR 59 north (1st Avenue) – Joplin, MO | West end of AR 59 overlap |
| Gravette | | | AR 59 south (1st Avenue) – Siloam Springs | East end of AR 59 overlap |
| Gravette | | | I-49 | I-49 exit 102; future exit 287 |
| Gravette | 15.20 | 24.46 | AR 279 south | West end of AR 279 overlap |
| Gravette | 15.72 | 25.30 | AR 279 north | East end of AR 279 overlap |
| Gravette | | | I-49 | I-49 exit 99; future exit 284 |
| Centerton | | | AR 102B (Main Street) – Centerton | |
| Bentonville | 26.32 | 42.36 | US 71B (Walton Boulevard) / West Central Avenue – Pea Ridge, Bella Vista, Rogers | |
| Gap in route |||||
| Bentonville | 0.00 | 0.00 | I-49 (US 71) / East Central Avenue – Bentonville, Fayetteville, Bella Vista, Joplin, MO | I-49 exit 88A-B |
| Pea Ridge | 6.79 | 10.93 | AR 94 east (South Curtis Avenue) – Rogers | West end of AR 94 overlap |
| Pea Ridge | 7.72 | 12.42 | AR 94 west to AR 340 | East end of AR 94 overlap |
| ​ | 12.67 | 20.39 | US 62 – Harrison, Pea Ridge National Military Park | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus |||||

## Bentonville spur

Highway 72 Spur (AR 72B, Ark. 72B, and Hwy. 72B) is a former spur route in Bentonville. Its southern terminus was at an intersection with U.S. Route 71 (now U.S. Route 71B ) with a northern terminus at an intersection with Arkansas Highway 72 (aka Central Ave) in Bentonville. Running a total distance of 1-mile (1.6 km), it was an older alignment of U.S. 71 and at one time was part of U.S. Route 71B.

