Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce Community Profile and Membership Directory

TRANSPORTATION A Nationwide Network
Russellville and the
Arkansas River Valley
area is blessed by being
connected to a nationwide
transportation network involving all
modes of transportation including:
interstate, federal, and state
highways; coast-to-coast rail service
and a short-line railroad; the year
around, ice-free Arkansas River; and
a municipal airport.
Interstate 40, a main east/west highway
corridor that traverses the nation,
passes through Russellville. Four
Russellville exits provide convenient
access to the entire network of local
highways. U.S. Highway 64 and
State Highways, 7, 124, 247, 331,
and 326 make up an area network of
highways allowing motorist numerous
routes to destinations such as Hot
Springs National Park, the beautiful
Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, and
the entertainment capital of Branson,
Missouri.
Travelers love to drive Scenic
State Highway 7, the first “scenic”
designated state highway in Arkansas.
From Russellville, Scenic Highway
7 takes drivers on a beautiful trip
through the Ouachita Mountains to
the south and through the Ozark
Mountains and the Buffalo National
River to the north.
Several industries take advantage of
the area rail network to ship products
worldwide. The Union-Pacific Railroad’s
east/west main line passes through
Russellville and the River Valley. This
rail line provides rail service to ports in
all areas of the United States.
Russellville also has the added
advantage of a short-line railroad. The
Dardanelle and Russellville Railroad
(D&R RR) is a five mile long short-line
railroad that connects directly to the
Union-Pacific Railroad in Russellville.
The D&R RR was originally
constructed in 1883 to provide a way
to deliver goods from the Arkansas
River to what is now Russellville and
the Union-Pacific Railroad. Today, the
D&R RR serves numerous industries
and the Port of Dardanelle on the
Arkansas River.
The Port of Dardanelle, located
on the Arkansas River between
Russellville and Dardanelle and
served by State Highway 7 and the
D&R RR, offers transfer and storage
(both general warehousing and grain
storage) and provides automatic
loading and unloading capabilities.
The Port is served by several barge
lines carrying commodities such as
bauxite, grain, chemicals, fertilizer,
steel, rubber, wood and paper
products, and stone.
The Russellville Municipal Airport
boasts a 5,100 foot runway that is 75
feet wide. Non- directional beacon
and GPS approaches allow aircraft
operation in inclement weather with
cloud ceilings to as low as 275 feet.
The airport can accommodate up to
the largest general aviation business
aircraft. A maintenance facility,
aviation gasoline and jet-A fuels, a
reception area, and conference room
are available. The airport is staffed
during most daylight hours (7 to 7 in
the summer). After hours service is
available with prior arrangement.
Russellville is located conveniently
between three commercial airports
with full instrument landing systems
(ILS) and airline service. Bill and
Hillary Clinton National Airport is
about 80 miles to the southeast, the
Fort Smith Regional Airport is 80
miles to the west, and the Northwest
Arkansas Regional Airport is 95 miles
to the northwest. All are accessible
via Interstate.
www.RussellvilleChamber.org 21