Notice to Media

        LITTLE ROCK (10-29) - Eastbound motorists traveling on I-40 between Highway 131 and the Mississippi River in West Memphis will begin using the newly constructed traffic lanes on Tuesday, October 30, 2001. 

Construction began last fall on the new lanes in the median area of the Interstate. Motorists have been limited to one outside travel lane and the outside shoulder since that time. On Tuesday, eastbound traffic will be diverted to the new lanes in the median area. This will allow the outside lanes and shoulder to be reconstructed. 

In order to move the traffic from the existing lanes to the new lanes, eastbound traffic will be narrowed to one lane beginning at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. The concrete barrier wall separating vehicular traffic from the work zone will be moved, and two eastbound lanes of traffic will be restored by late Tuesday night. 

Due to the heavy volume of traffic on this highway, motorists should be aware of the changes that will occur on Tuesday. Limiting traffic to one eastbound lane will create more congestion than usual. Motorists are urged to plan accordingly by considering alternate routes or adjusting travel times. 

The work is part of a $13.8 million contract to reconstruct I-40 between Highway 131 and the Mississippi River. Project completion is expected in mid-2002. 

Arkansas is in the middle of a five-year, $950 million Interstate Rehabilitation Program. During this time, over 60 percent of Arkansas’ Interstates are being rehabilitated or reconstructed. Motorists are urged to “Think Ahead”, “Buckle Up” and exercise caution when approaching and traveling through highway work zones. More information on Arkansas’ Interstate work zones can be obtained on the World Wide Web by logging onto www.ArkansasInterstates.com. 

####