LITTLE ROCK (5-19) The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) will hold a Public Involvement Meeting in Texarkana to discuss plans for proposed improvements to Highway 196, according to AHTD officials.

     The meeting will be held Thursday, June 1, 2006, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the College Hill Elementary Magnet School, 200 Artesian Street, in Texarkana.

     Plans call for reconstructing three miles of Highway 196 in Texarkana, extending from Highway 71 eastward to Greenwich Village.  The section from Highway 71 eastward to Highway 245 is planned to include two travel lanes with a continuous left turn lane.  The remainder, from Highway 245 eastward to Greenwich Village, will feature two 12-foot travel lanes with six-foot shoulders. 

     The public is invited to visit anytime during the scheduled hours to view displays, ask questions and offer comments.