Overnight lane closures that are part of a $187.3 million project to widen part of the major corridor between Hot Springs and Little Rock will get underway Monday, the Arkansas Department of Transportation said Friday.
The project will widen a 5.5-mile stretch of Interstate 30 to six lanes in Saline County, from Sevier Street in Benton to Highway 70 east leading into Hot Springs.
Weather permitting, eastbound and westbound I-30 will alternately close lanes in various areas between Exit 116, Sevier Street/South Street, and Exit 111 at the Highway 70 east interchange for pavement striping, barrier wall placement and pavement operations.
Lane closures are expected to begin Monday night and take place during nighttime hours for around three weeks.
Westbound I-30 will alternately close the inside and outside lanes beginning Monday night. Lanes will be closed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The I-30 on-ramp west of Carpenter Street will be closed on May 20 and 21 only. Traffic can use the on-ramp west of South Street.
Eastbound I-30 will alternately close the inside and outside lanes beginning Tuesday night. Lanes will be closed between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
During this three-week period, no lane closures will occur during the Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 24, at 6 a.m. to Tuesday, May 28, at 9 p.m., or on Saturday nights into Sunday mornings.
Interstate traffic will be controlled with construction barrels and signage. The public is advised to be cautious when traveling in the work zone, the department said in a news release. Areas adjacent to the interstate may experience noise impacts during nighttime hours.
The project is part of the Connecting Arkansas Program.
The 18-mile section of Highway 70 between I-30 and Hot Springs was widened to five lanes from two as part of a $78.5 million project under the Connecting Arkansas Program. It was completed last year.
During last year's ribbon cutting on the Highway 70 east project, department Director Scott Bennett said the agency would do its best to keep two lanes of traffic open at all times during the I-30 project.
"It will be in a work zone so we'll reduce the speed a little bit, but if people pay attention and take their time, that job will go smoothly and we'll be able to have six lanes from Little Rock down to Highway 70, five lanes here, still have five lanes from Highway 270 from Malvern to Hot Springs. We think it's great for Hot Springs to have so much connectivity," Bennett said last year.
More travel information can be found at http://www.IDriveArkansas.com or ARDOT.gov, or by following the department on Twitter, @myARDOT.
Local on 05/18/2019