Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Overpass project starts with public meeting

Prescott residents gathered at the Collom and Carney Clinics community room to examine and comment on possible locations for a railroad overpass.

Representatives from the Arkansas Transportation and Highway Department were on hand Thursday, March 9, to answer questions as best they could. As it was pointed out, the meeting, held from 4-7 p.m., was to gather information so preliminary designs could be made for the overpass project.

Three sites were proposed, all shown on aerial maps. The maps, positioned on easels, were blown up to show greater detail of the locations. All three sites begin on Highway 371 and terminate on U.S. Highway 67. Two of the sites end at the same place, just past Washington Road. The other loops East and would encompass the local Pentecostal church along with at least part of Gilberts Cement Plant.

Two of the possible locations loop all the way around the Nevada County Fairgrounds. The main difference in these potential sites is one veers farther East than the other and would take in part of the cement plant as well.

Laura Crouch, with the ATHD, said the overpass is to help relieve traffic congestion when trains block the intersections in Prescott. I dont know if there are advantages to any one of the sites. The details arent worked out yet. There are no plans or designs and a lot of factors involved, including funding.

Langston Carr, also with the ATHD, said the public will have to narrow down the locations, which was the purpose of the meeting. From there the ATHD will begin design work and see how much right of way will be needed.

The sites crossing Washington Road, which is Arkansas Highway 332, would have to be elevated to cross that highway, coming out West of Hwy. 332. Either that, Carr said, or there would have to be an intersection at Hwy. 332. We have done no engineering.

Typically, he said, an overpass needs 20-25 feet of clearance over a railroad, and the tracks in Prescott are higher than Hwy. 67, which will add some elevation on the North side of the tracks.

Greg Harding, with the ATHD, said typically the ATHD requires 40-feet of right of way on the left and right sides of the road for overpass projects. We need a recovery area at a 6:1 slope and after we pass the recovery area we do a 3:1 slope. The overpass could be 150-200 feet wide over the track for safety reasons. According to Harding the slope ratio means the road would rise three to six feet for every foot of road.

Carr pointed out this is the first meeting, and its purpose is to let the public help make the decision on where the overpass should go. The only existing roads to tie into are 67 and 371, he said, and 371 could gain more traffic because of this.

Depending on which location is picked, Carr said, it could affect property values in that area, primarily because of the required right of way. This could take a while. Well be coming back with the designs, but all plans are subject to revision.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor wasnt picky when asked about which option he favored. I like all three, he said. Im want to get started.