Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Holiday Travelers Warned Of Construction

With the holiday season here, motorists need to think more about driving than normal.

This is because of the vast amount of highway construction underway in Arkansas.

According to Dan Flowers, director of the Arkansas State Highway Commission, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department is in the midst of its most ambitious interstate highway rehabilitation program ever.

In fact, over a five-year span, the AHTD will be working to improve and upgrade some 380 miles of Arkansas' interstate highway system.

All this means is there will be a lot more construction zones motorists will be dealing with as they go to and fro this holiday season, and drivers need to be more alert than ever because of the work going on.

There are sections of interstate being worked on in Clark and Nevada counties on I-30, going into Hot Spring County.

Most of the other work currently underway will be on I-40, running pretty much from the Oklahoma border at Fort Smith to the Tennessee border at West Memphis.

This translates into the possibility of there being as many as 300 work zones in Arkansas at one time while this massive project is underway.

Once done, though, 60 percent of the state's interstate system will have been rebuilt.

At this time, there are 12 sites being worked on by the AHTD, with 35-40 new sites to be added in the next few years. Completion of the project is planned for 2005.

One of the main reasons to be more careful when driving through work zones is safety of those in the vehicle and those working on the road.

In Arkansas, an average of 22 fatalities with 940 injuries occur annually in work zone wrecks.

According to statistics from the AHTD, almost five times as many accidents occur from Monday through Friday than on weekends. The two main causes are not paying attention and driving too fast.

Flowers said the benefits of the improved interstates and highways will include safer traveling conditions, less wear-and-tear on vehicles and a more efficient movement of goods and services.

This project far and away overshadows former highway construction jobs. For the next three years, the AHTD will average about 125 miles of interstate reconstruction, as compared to 15 miles of construction a year in the past.

"By 2002, all 380 miles of construction work will be underway," Flowers said, with completion scheduled by 2005. Right now, as the 2000 holiday season approaches, there are already 14 construction sites on interstates throughout the state where motorists may encounter delays.

These projects were made possible through an innovative financing concept known as GARVEE bonds. The Arkansas Highway Commission will use future federal monies to retire $575 million worth of bonds passed by the Arkansas General Assembly and approved by Arkansas voters by a 4:1 margin in 1999.

Some suggestions given by the AHTD for motorists approaching construction zones include merging left, as all work zones in the state will begin by merging into the left lane.

This should be done as quickly as possible to avoid bottlenecks.

The AHTD urges motorists to plan ahead to allow time to slow down as they travel through work zones.

Follow the posted speed limits and don't resume normal speed until completely out of the work zone. This will be designated by a sign reading "End of Road Work."

Stay alert and watch for warning signs and changing conditions. Avoid cell phone or distractions from other outside sources, such as radio.

Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you, as well as between your car and the traffic barriers on the road.

Stay calm. Don't allow impatient or speeding drivers to cause you to alter your driving habits.

And, most importantly, wear seat belts. First, this is state law, and it's also a good idea when driving during the holidays, especially through construction zones.

For more information about the construction areas, the AHTD has a web site for people to visit. The site is www.ahtd.state.ar.us or call at 501-569-2227. The email address is info@ahtd.state.ar.us.