Signage warns motorists of Hwy. 70 improvements
Nearly $10 million project being done in five sections
Motorists traveling Highway 70 between Palestine and Wheatley will notice signs placed along the route by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department reminding drivers that work is being done to resurface the highway.
Arkansas Department of Transportation officials said work on the 13-mile section is scheduled to begin Monday, March 28, the same day students and staff return to classes in the Palestine-Wheatley School District following this week’s spring break.
Highway officials urge motorists to use caution when traveling through this area over the next few months.
“For the most part, traffic will be controlled by flagging operations that will have warning signs leading up to the area being flagged. Keep your eyes out for this and stopped traffic,” cautioned Jeff Adams, who is in charge of construction projects in ARDOT’s District 1, which is headquartered in Wynne.
In July, ARDOT awarded the project to APAC-Tennessee at a price tag just under $10 million.
The Highway 70 project is being done in five sections, starting near Brinkley and continuing east to the Crittenden County line.
“This is the initial plan and the contractor may change course during the work,” Adams warned.
The project near Brinkley covers a 1.75-mile section, according to ARDOT officials. In that area, contractors are working on approach gutters with plans to start the asphalt milling and paving this summer.
The original plan is for the first three sections of this project to be completed from Brinkley to the west side of Forrest City.
The original project paperwork shows section two will be work on the highway from Wheatley to the east in St. Francis County, taking in 13.39 miles. Section three will be a 2.92 mile section west of Forrest City, and section four will be a 3.29 mile section of the highway from Madison to Widener. The final section of the project will be the remaining 11.12 miles of Hwy. 70 in St. Francis County.
“This project will include a total of five different sections of Highway 70 totaling approximately 32.5 miles from just west of Brinkley to the Crittenden County line,” said Adams. “There can be preliminary patching work that may take place over the various sections. Other approach gutter work that will occur may precede paving operations in various sections.”
Adams also said ARDOT is scheduled to let bids in May to resurface Highway 1B through Forrest City.