Notice to Media

AHTD to Hold Public Hearing on Proposed Widening of Hwy. 425

November 17, 1997 -- The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) will hold an open forum public hearing from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 25, 1997, according to AHTD Director Dan Flowers.

The hearing will be held at the Jefferson County Area Maintenance Headquarters on Highway 425, ½ mile south of the junction of Highway 65 and 425 in Pine Bluff. The Arkansas State Highway Commission is planning a project to improve a section of Highway 425 from Highway 65 to the south for 4.1 miles.

The proposed project generally consists of a four-lane divided highway from Ladd for approximately 3.1 miles that transitions into a five-lane section for approximately one mile before it intersects U.S. Highway 65. Proposed improvements to U.S. Highway 425 at the divided section will consist of constructing two new travel lanes on one side of the existing highway separated by a 60-foot median. The final cross-section will consist of four 12-foot travel lanes with eight-foot outside shoulders and six-foot inside shoulders. Median crossings will be provided at selected roads and turnarounds at 1/2-mile intervals. The new right-of-way required for this section would be 80 feet for a total width of 200 feet.

The section that transitions into the junction of U.S. Highway 65, will consist of widening the existing roadway from a two-lane to a five-lane facility. The final cross-section will consist of two 12-foot outside travel lanes with two 11-foot inside travel lanes with a 12-foot left turn lane and eight-foot shoulders. The new right-of-way for this section will be 40 feet for a total right-of-way width of 160 feet.

The open forum hearing allows citizens the opportunity to attend anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Personnel will be on hand during those hours to answer questions and take written or oral comments about the project.

Preliminary plans, information relative to environmental studies, proposed right of way acquisition, and other pertinent information relative to the proposed project, as well as written statements received from interested persons, agencies or groups, are available for public inspection and copying at the office of the District Engineer, AHTD, U.S. Highway 65 South, east of the junction of Highway 425 and 65, in Pine Bluff.

Anyone wishing to submit written statements or other exhibits in place of, or in addition to, written statements made at the public hearing may submit them to the District Engineer, AHTD, P.O. Box 6836, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71611-6836. Such submissions must be received no later than Friday, December 5, 1997.

For Further Information Contact:

Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72209
Tel: 501-569-2000
FAX: 501-569-2400
e-mail: info@arkansashighways.com