The Arkansas Department of Transportation said Wednesday that inclement weather has forced a delay in opening the newly widened Highway 70 east between Hot Springs and Interstate 30 until after the Memorial Day weekend.
The department said early Wednesday it planned to have the roadway open in advance of the holiday weekend, but later in the day sent out a news release stating that, due to inclement weather that has impacted completion of the project, all travel lanes are now expected to be open after Memorial Day.
Also, "due to necessary adjustments," activation of the new traffic signal at the Highway 128 intersection also has been delayed until Wednesday, May 30, weather permitting, the release said.
The new traffic signal began operating in flashing mode only earlier this week.
In preparation for opening all travel lanes, various traffic lane shifts and closures will be in place over the next week between Exit 111 on Interstate 30 and the interchange with Highway 70 Business in Hot Springs, the department said.
As work is completed, traffic barrels will be removed to allow use of all lanes, it said.
The $78.5 million, 17.5-mile project widened Highway 70 to two travel lanes in each direction with a continuous center turn lane.
McGeorge Contracting of Pine Bluff began work on the project in January 2017. In addition to widening the highway and reconstructing four bridges, the project improved safety conditions by straightening highway curves, flattening ditch slopes, eliminating the limited-length passing lanes, providing a continuous center turn lane, and installing the traffic signal, the release said.
The project is three months ahead of schedule. The department has said it plans to hold a ribbon cutting on June 1 to celebrate the completion of the project.
The speed limit on the new roadway will be 60 mph.
Highway 70 east was one of several projects the 2016-2020 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program has planned or underway for almost every approach into the city. The STIP includes $5 million for development of the 5.49-mile extension of the King Expressway from the Highway 70 east interchange to the junction of highways 5 and 7.
Local on 05/24/2018