Paving Projects Completed In Farmington

Official Seeks To Widen South Hunter

FARMINGTON — Two projects to repave Rheas Mill Road and South Holland Drive in Farmington have been completed and all that’s left is to put the finishing touches on both roads.

Floyd Shelley, Farmington public works director, said he was pleased with the work.

Rheas Mill was funded by the state through its State Aid City Street program for $ 169,000. Hutchens Construction of Cassville, Mo., repaved 1.2 miles, from Main Street to the city limits.

“On Rheas Mill, I think it will be a very nice road,” Shelley said. “The state was very accommodating and did more than we expected at the intersection of Rheas Mill and Double Springs.”

South Holland Drive was a city funded project. The original contract with Hutchens Construction was to repave 2,540 feet, just under one-half mile, for $116,230. Floyd said the street had subsoil issues and another $6,000 was added to the cost to build up the road.

The original street was a chip and seal project completed by the county and it was sinking in several places, Shelley said.

“We came up with a very good road that will have no complications for 10 years,” Shelley said.

The city does not have any major projects pending. The next project will be to improve drainage on Rheas Mill Road but Shelley said he is waiting to receive information from engineers on this.

The severe winter weather damaged two roads, Jimmy DeVault and Archie Watkins, and Shelley said the city probably will chip and seal these roads again in the future.

He has received some informal bids for the work but does not know if the city can afford it in this year’s budget.

Bobby Morgan, chairman of the city’s Street Committee, said he attributes the work on Rheas Mill and South Holland to Shelley’s and the engineer’s attentiveness to the projects.

Morgan said one question out there is what to do with Highway 170 or South Hunter Street. Farmington School District is building a new basketball arena and fine arts center on South Hunter and the property is the site of a future high school, possibly five years away.

“It’s not something we can keep putting off,” Morgan said.

His vision is to widen South Hunter from Southwinds Drive to Spring Mountain Road but he said he realizes that would cost a lot of money and would have to be approved and paid for by the Arkansas Highway and Transporta- tion Department.

“I know that road can’t handle all the traffic ( of a new high school). And imagine when we have kids driving out there,” Morgan said.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Chris Brisher, left, and Jake Fleetwood with Time Striping of Van Buren prepare to stripe pedestrian walkways on Rheas Mill Road between the high school campus and Ledbetter Intermediate.