Texarkana Gazette:

By Greg Bischof

Potentially positive economic prospects coming to Texarkana by way of two new interstates, a relatively new business park and a revived regional airport sparked U.S. Sen. John Boozman's interest Monday.

The Arkansas GOP senatorial candidate, who is seeking a second term in the upcoming Nov. 8 general election, stopped by the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce to listen to area business leaders and municipal and county officials speak about the chance for strong, positive regional economic development once Interstate 49 and Interstate 69 intersect with Interstate 30.

Boozman collected information on the effect the north-south route route would have on Texarkana if its 1,200-mile stretch between New Orleans in the south and Winnipeg, Canada, in the north could be finished in the next few years.

The only remaining unfinished link of I-49 is a 150-mile stretch between Fort Smith, Ark., and Texarkana. Apart from intersecting with I-30 to the north, I-49 intersects five other interstates running east and west across the U.S. These include interstates 10 and 20 in Louisiana along with interstates 40, 44 and 70 running further north.

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