Notice to Media

Lanes to be Temporarily Closed on I-40

LITTLE ROCK (6-22) -- Construction on a project to widen the Highway 365 overpass on I-40 at Morgan will force temporary closure of the Interstate’s eastbound lanes beginning Monday night, June 28, 1999, according to Dan Flowers, Director of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD).

Beginning at approximately 10:00 p.m., the eastbound lanes will be closed at the Morgan exit. A contractor for the AHTD will be hanging steel beams over the Interstate and will periodically close the eastbound lanes for up to 15 minutes, weather permitting. All closures will be complete by 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Starting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday evening the contractor will begin hanging the steel beams over the westbound lanes, weather permitting. Periodic lane closures will continue on the westbound lanes until 2:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The Morgan exit will remain open throughout the process.

While the beams are being attached, the contractor will also close the southbound lanes of Highway 365 on the overpass. Flagmen will provide traffic control through the overpass during the lane closure. Motorists may want to use alternate routes or allow extra time during the lane closures.

The overpass is being widened as part of a project to widen Highway 365 (Old Conway Highway) to five lanes from Highway 100 (Maumelle Blvd.) to the I-40 interchange. Mobley Contractors of Morrilton was awarded a $4.5 million contract for the work which is expected to be complete by mid-2000.

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