| Updated: 6/06/2008 9:50 am |
Published: 6/05/2008 9:31 pm |
During rush hour getting on and off the cloverleaf in west Little Rock can be a challenge. That's why the Highway Department gave the public a final look tonight at detailed renderings of changes that will be made.
Around 5:00, it's bumper to bumper on parts of 430 and 630 in Little Rock.
"I430, I630 gets a lot more traffic now get a lot more traffic now than it did when it was built in the late 1970's. It wasn't designed to handle the amount of traffic it's handling right now," says Randy Ort, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
Jill Mackenzie lives close to the interchange. “There are just too many people all in one place. Something needs to be done," says Mackenzie.
But she has questions. "How much of this is going to be cut off? This is my concern. Living there, getting to work at the VA hospital," says Mackenzie.
The highway department is answering Jill's questions and giving people a look ahead to the interchange project. The goal is to alleviate existing and future congestion. Since this is such a large project it will play out in phases.
"Phase One will provide additional lanes for commuters who are traveling west bound on 630 in the afternoon that want to go to 430 North. Right now its one lane traffic, it really backs up in the afternoons. We will be providing an additional lane there to help smooth out the traffic," Ort explains.
Another part of Phase One, when getting off of 430 south to go to Shackleford, you won't be able to go left, only right. There will be another access point to Shackleford off the loop further south.
The biggest questions are when and how much? The entire project is estimated at $90 million dollars, Phase One will cost $15 million. Construction could start as early as the end of this year. Once construction is underway, Ort estimates it will take 2 years to complete the first phase.
Other modifications part of Phase One include widening and adding to the I-430 bridge to make room for future widening of I-630. For more information, call the Highway Dept. at 501-569-2281 or email at info@arkansashighways.com.
