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 Arkansas mulls spending $3.6B on road improvement projects

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 Arkansas mulls spending $3.6B on road improvement projects
Baptist Hospital - University Ave. (Widening) I-630 D6 District 6 County: Pulaski County Length: 2.2 Miles Location: Log Mile 4.7 - 6.86 Work Began: June 2018 Est. Completion: Early 2020 ARDOT Job Number: CA0608 RE Office: 62 Contractor: Manhattan Road & Bridge Co. Contract Amount: $87.4 Million Description: The purpose of this project is widen 2.16 miles on I-630 in Pulaski County.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  — The Arkansas Department of Transportation is proposing spending $3.6 billion on 31 capital and congestion relief projects, including nearly $500 million over 20 years to widen sections of Interstate 40.

The department also wants to spend another $350 million on improving I-30 and I-40 in downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock over the same period, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

The Arkansas Highway Commission got a first look at a draft map that outlines the potential projects at their regular meeting Wednesday in Little Rock.

“To me, this is a very good map,” said Robert Moore Jr., a member of the commission from Arkansas City. “I think we always have to keep in mind that we do not have enough money to do everything we want to do.”

The plan is still in the beginning stages, and nothing is set in stone.

The money for the roadway construction plan is largely contingent on the continuation of a half-percent sales tax that must be approved by voters. In 2012, voters approved the tax on a temporary basis to fund a $1.8-billion road construction program. If voters decide to make the tax permanent, the move would net the department an additional $205 million annually.

“More importantly, this is not going to be a regional vote to pass the half-cent sales tax,” Moore said. “It would be a statewide vote. Of necessity, we have to make sure we’re looking at the needs of everyone in Arkansas.”

Department of Transportation Director Scott Bennett said the department never gets enough money, but that the proposed construction program will be significant for the state.

“This will make a lot of progress,” Bennett said.

More than half of the state’s 16,000 miles of highways have pavement rated as D or F on an A to F grading scale.

About $3 billion would be spent over 10 years on repaving to extend their lifetime before more extensive rebuilding of the road is required, according to the DOT.

Bennett said he will present the draft plan to Gov. Asa Hutchinson, adding that he expects to have a final draft by September.

 

 

 

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The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. The Trucker Media Group is subscriber of The Associated Press has been granted the license to use this content on TheTrucker.com and The Trucker newspaper in accordance with its Content License Agreement with The Associated Press.
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