Notice to Media

AHTD to Hold Public Hearing on Proposed Forrest City Bypass

LITTLE ROCK (9-25) -- The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) will hold an open forum public hearing from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 29, 1998, at the St. Francis County Courthouse, 313 South Izard Street, in Forrest City. The hearing offers citizens the opportunity to express their views on the proposed construction of a Highway 1 bypass west of Forrest City.

The proposed project begins south of Forrest City, passes west of the new Federal Correctional Institution, across Interstate 40 and then continues in a northerly direction before rejoining existing State Highway 1 near Caldwell.

The proposed highway will be a four-lane divided facility with partial control of access. Interchanges are planned at I-40 and Highway 70, with at-grade access proposed at selected other public roads.

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 64, west of Junction of Highway 1 North, in Wynne.

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 278, Wynne, Arkansas 72396-0278. Such submissions must be received no later than Friday, October 9, 1998.

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