ARDOT working on $124 million worth of projects in Jonesboro

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - The Arkansas Department of Transportation is making sure it makes the lives of Jonesboro drivers easier.

It said it is working on $124 million worth of projects in the area.

District 10 Engineer Brad Smithee talked about how much activity drivers around could notice soon, starting with new construction on the I-555 to Highway 49 bypass.

“If you’re able to navigate some of the back roads and know the right places to look, there is a lot going in those what were farm fields,” he said.

Some projects like that are hundreds of millions of dollars, but others like the expansion on County Road 351 are a little cheaper, but at the same time, it is something much needed.

“That is a very busy very high traffic two lane section now, so getting that improvement can decongest that area and allows us to really improve what that intersection looks like which at peak hours is like a parking lot at times,” Smithee said.

When it comes to projects in Jonesboro, the one everyone thinks about is the construction on I-555 towards Highway 63. Smithee said that is a zone that has seen major improvements.

“Over the last two to three years, we have done two projects that span from Jonesboro city limit to city limit mostly that has reconstruction,” he explained. “That original build from was 1950′s to 1960′s concrete from the old original 63 bypass which we now identify as I-555.”

Although construction has been long and ongoing, Smithee said finally on I-555, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

“I believe by Thanksgiving or so of this year we will see work completed by there and getting things back opened up for all four lanes,” he said.

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