LITTLE ROCK (2-24) – The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) is preparing a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact St atement (SDEIS) for the North Belt Freeway project in Pulaski County . 

     The project would connect the Interstate 40/Interstate 430 interchange with the Highway 67/Highway 440 interchange in order to improve local and regional traffic service.  This would be accomplished by constructing a four-lane, divided, fully controlled access, Interstate-type facility on new location.

     Alternative alignments ranging from 12.6 to 14.5 miles in length have been developed for this project.  Alternative alignments were developed based on existing highways, facilities, landforms and other know constraints.  The project development process and the alternative alignments were presented for public comment at meetings on November 14 and 15, 2005.

     Revisions to the alternative alignments presented at the public involvement meetings were made after analysis of public comments and preliminary constraints.  A public officials meeting was held on January 12, 2006, to discuss the revised alternative alignments.  These modifications included elimination of one alternative north of Gravel Ri dge and two alternatives that passed through the abandoned lead and silver mining area south of Runyan Acres.  Additionally, minor shifts were made to some of the remaining alternative alignments, and a proposed interchange near the intersection of Kellogg Road and Highway 107 has been eliminated.

     The modified alternative alignments can be viewed on the AHTD website at www.arkansashighways.com.  Under the Publications tab, locate “ North Belt Freeway Environmental St udies.”  The map is also available for viewing at City Offices in Sh e r w o o d and J a c k s o n v i l l e , as well as Metroplan and the AHTD District 6 Office in Little Rock .  These revised alternative alignments will be taken forward into the SDEIS for full evaluation.  A public hearing on the comparative analysis of the alternative alignments in the SDEIS will be scheduled later this year.

                                                                                                    #####