Truck Stops · Arkansas · October 25, 2026

Arkansas Lands $23 Million for 130-Truck Parking Area on Future I-49

Drivers who run western Arkansas could get a new place to shut down for the night. A $23 million federal grant will pay for a truck parking and rest area along future Interstate 49 in Crawford County, according to The Trucker.

The Trucker reported the news Oct. 22, based on an announcement from the Arkansas Trucking Association.

Where it will go

According to The Trucker, the grant was awarded to the Arkansas Department of Transportation through the U.S. Department of Transportation's INFRA program. It will fund final design and construction of the facility between the Gun Club Road and Clear Creek Road interchanges on future I-49.

The facility is planned to hold approximately 130 trucks and 50 passenger vehicles, The Trucker reported. Arkansas is one of 12 states receiving funding, according to the report.

No construction schedule or opening date was given.

One space for every 11 drivers

Nationally, there is approximately one truck parking space for every 11 truck drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations, as cited by The Trucker. The report noted that limited parking forces drivers to spend valuable time searching for open spaces, or leaves them with few safe options when their allowable driving hours run out.

What the state trucking group says

The Arkansas Trucking Association welcomed the funding and credited U.S. Rep. Steve Womack for making truck parking a federal infrastructure priority, according to The Trucker.

"Safe, accessible truck parking is not a convenience for our industry," said Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association. "It is essential that drivers have a safe place to get meaningful rest. Congressman Womack understands how directly that affects driver's lives and our industry's ability to deliver."

Newton added that the project "will make a meaningful difference for truck drivers, improve safety for everyone traveling on our highways and strengthen Arkansas's position as a vital link in our nation's supply chain."

The association also said, as quoted by The Trucker, that Womack "has consistently prioritized dedicated truck parking funding in transportation appropriations legislation," and that "the I-49 project brings that commitment home to Arkansas."

What this does and does not do

• It is funding for final design and construction, not a finished lot. No timeline was announced.
• About 130 truck spaces will not close the national gap, but they add parking in a specific corridor in Crawford County.
• The grant went to the state DOT, which will carry out the project, according to The Trucker.

Finding parking in the meantime

Until new spaces open, the Big Rig Daily guide to truck parking tips and apps covers ways to find a spot before the clock runs out, and the truck stop and weigh station map shows stops along a route.

Drivers planning a 30-minute break or a 10-hour reset can check the timing with the hours of service break calculator.

A question for readers

With roughly one space for every 11 drivers nationwide, any new lot gets noticed.

Should every new interstate project be required to include truck parking from day one?

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