Eastbound traffic lanes will be moved onto the westbound roadway due to the resurfacing of a section of I-30, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials.
Starting Tuesday, March 22 eastbound traffic will be condensed to one lane and routed onto the westbound roadway for about 4-5 miles, starting around mile marker 18 in Fulton.
“What we are doing is we are about to take eastbound traffic and route it onto the westbound lane. We will be putting up a median barrier wall which is a pretty common practice for us,” explained District Engineer Steve Frisbee. Traffic will use median crossovers at each end and concrete barrier walls will separate eastbound from westbound traffic.
According to District Engineer Steve Frisbee, traffic will remain in this arrangement until the end of the year, as each lane will require around 3 months of construction. Traffic will remain in this configuration for approximately 3 months while the eastbound roadway is reconstructed.
After this stage of construction, westbound traffic will be routed onto the eastbound roadway in a similar manner, allowing the westbound roadway to be reconstructed. This project is estimated to be completed in late 2016, weather permitting.
According to Frisbee, this reconstruction will take place between Fulton’s 18 mile marker continuing for five miles to the 23 mile marker. “We expect high traffic volumes to be backed up for 6-8 miles so we are urging drivers to exercise caution while driving in this area,” said Frisbee. “We do have alternate route signs up at Mandeville, Exit 7, and Exit 12 for the eastbound lane and for westbound lane, exit 30.”
“We have quite a bit of work going on through the summer, and we hope to get this project completed by the end of this year,” said Frisbee.
Drivers should exercise caution when approaching and traveling through all highway work zones. Additional travel information can be found at IDriveArkansas.com or ArkansasHighways.com.
