The Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation
I49 Tunnel and Trail, Bentonville, AR
Robert Moery President
Lance Lamberth Vice President
D.B. Hill, III Secretary/Treasurer
Harold Beaver
Graycen Bigger
JoAnne Bush
Bob Crafton
George Cress
Curt Green
Mark Hayes
Jerry Holder
Shannon Newton
Philip Taldo
Chris Villines
Jim Wooten
ARKANSAS GOOD ROADS FOUNDATION
The Arkansas Good Roads/Transportation Council was established in 1975 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt and tax-deductible organization. In 2015, the council was re-established as a foundation in order to be a more visible and credible voice on behalf of the mission of the Arkansas Highway Commission and the Arkansas Department of Transportation. The purpose of the foundation is to promote adequate funding and financing for the planning, development, construction, and maintenance of a safe and efficient highway, street, road, and bridge system, including transportation enhancements. The work increases statewide economic growth, private sector job creation and retention, and improves the quality of life in all Arkansas counties, municipalities, and communities.
Joe Quinn, Executive Director goodroadsfoundation@gmail.com
Changing Technology in the Arkansas Transportation World
Joe Quinn, AGRF Executive Director
It seems like there was a time, roughly five or six years ago, when the consensus was that we were rapidly approaching a time when American auto makers would only be turning out electric vehicles. But has that changed? President Trump slowed down the federal government’s effort to link federal highway funding to states to electric vehicle infrastructure development. What I now see with my own eyes is that the vast majority of trucks and cars on the roads in Arkansas are still traditional, gas-powered vehicles.
EV power stations certainly exist in many store parking lots, but centralized charging stations available alongside the road don’t seem to be that widespread right now. When I came on as Good Roads Executive Director in 2018, a seasoned Arkansas political leader said to me, “The federal government has never had to subsidize the building of gas stations in this country, so why are they doing that with electric vehicles?”
The same month I heard that comment, another Arkansas leader told an audience one day that Arkansas was not preparing for the day three years away when it would be tough to find and buy a gas-powered vehicle.
It’s easy now to find articles based on the premise that forcing the American trucking industry to convert to electric trucks would result in massive cost increases for shipping and delivering goods. Perhaps the day is coming when all our children will be driving electric vehicles. Still, whatever policy leaders say today, it’s tough to walk or drive in Arkansas and feel like the conversion is imminent.
What is very clearly on the horizon in Arkansas is the continued expansion of technology to manage traffic flow and enhance road safety. ARDOT is making significant efforts to identify and implement technologies that improve road safety for everyone. In this issue, you will find stories about technology helping to prevent cars from traveling in the wrong direction on certain roads, as well as other traffic systems that collect a significant amount of data and transmit it to central locations.
In Arkansas, new ways to keep drivers safer remain a vibrant issue. However, you will also find in this issue an update on how ARDOT is using both policies and technology to make life safer for
the men and women who work each day building and repairing roads. In the fall, ARDOT will dedicate the new memorial to the individuals who have lost their lives while working on our streets over the past 75 years.
A profound and sincere thank you to the Good Roads members who led the effort to raise the funding to build this memorial. Our members never asked who would get the credit for funding the project; they asked what their company could do to help.
What is very clearly on the horizon in Arkansas is the continued expansion of technology to manage traffic flow and enhance road safety. ARDOT is making significant efforts to identify and implement technologies that improve road safety for everyone.
working together than arguing over things that don’t matter. This cohesive approach by the people who build, design, fund, ship cargo, and make the products that go on our roads matters more than ever. Removing politics from the dialogue and focusing on what is good for the future serves us all well.
The fundraising effort was another reminder that the Good Roads community in Arkansas operates on the simple assumption that we can get more done
If you would like to learn more about issues like this, please attend the Good Roads Summer Meeting in Hot Springs on July 24-25. We would love to have you. Look on page 28 for the registration information.
In the meantime, slow down and put that phone down while you drive.
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With Lives on the Line, ARDOT Puts Safety First
By Deborah Horn
Close your eyes and imagine sitting at your desk. Imagine you’re a skilled welder working in the factory, masked and gloved, or a warehouse forklift driver, fetching a pallet of steel tubing from the top shelf for a last-minute order. It’s noisy and hot, but with minimal distractions, except for occasional equipment malfunctions or questions from the boss.
Now, imagine it’s late Friday afternoon and you’re trying to do your job in the middle of Interstate 40 near the 30 Exit. It’s Mojave Desert hot, you’re sweating, and it’s so loud, it’s impossible to hear your boss. Hundreds of hurried, angry, inexperienced, or distracted drivers and 18-wheelers roar by at 75 mph, mere feet away and separated by a few strategically placed orange plastic cones. So close, you can feel the draft coming off the vehicles.
Over the last four years, five Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) employees have died on the job. In 2021, Kurt “Jonathan” Cottier died from injuries sustained in a work zone crash on Interstate
40, and Winfred Petty died from injuries suffered in a hit-and-run while placing road signs at a work zone on Interstate 30 the following year.
In 2023, Timothy Harris, 25, was killed while attempting to pick up a shovel that had fallen from a vehicle onto the road, and in 2024, Brandon Lee Jones, 29, died while picking up cones at a Highway 32 jobsite. He slipped from the back of the truck and fell, and the car hit him. In early 2025, Charles “Tony” Glover, 39, a member of the Lonoke County maintenance crew, was patching potholes when he was struck by a vehicle.
ARDOT plans to unveil its Fallen Worker Memorial this fall. They hope it will raise awareness of the dangers of highway construction, but that alone isn’t enough.
“It’s unacceptable, even one death is too many,” ARDOT’s upper management decided. The two 2022 deaths prompted a unified effort between ARDOT and the Arkansas Highway Commission to address work
ARDOT Puts Safety First
“ARDOT is serious about improving roadway safety. The primary theme for us during the recent (2025)
Arkansas Legislative Session was improved safety for roadway workers and the traveling public. We were successful in that regard with several key pieces of legislation.”
— Jared Wiley, ARDOT Director
zone crashes and injuries. Still, the discussion didn’t end there and continues to this day, said Steve Frisbee, P.E., Maintenance Assistant Chief Engineer, during a recent conversation with Arkansas Good Roads magazine.
Working from the Top Down
Jared Wiley, ARDOT Director, said, “ARDOT is serious about improving roadway safety. The primary theme for us during the recent (2025) Arkansas Legislative Session was improved safety for roadway workers and the traveling public. We were successful in that regard with several key pieces of legislation.”
This year, ARDOT worked with State Legislators to enact three laws that they believe will create a safer work environment for all those involved in highway and interstate construction. These include Arkansas Act 327 of 2025, which defines “mobile work zones” and allows law enforcement officers to double ticket fines for moving traffic violations within the designated area. This legislation aims to enhance safety for both road workers and drivers by emphasizing the importance of slowing down, remaining alert, and obeying traffic laws in work zones. The act clarifies the definition of mobile work zones, the signage used, and what constitutes a mobile work zone.
“It addresses the dangers of work zones,” Frisbee said.
Going Green
Arkansas Act 209 of 2025 authorizes the use of green lights on roadway construction and maintenance vehicles. More specifically, it allows for the use of amber, white, green, or combinations of these colors in oscillating, flashing, or rotating emergency or warning lights on vehicles owned by a state, county, or municipal agency, or operating under contract with such an agency, that are used for hazardous service on a roadway.
Utilizing green lights aims to enhance the visibility and safety of road workers and their vehicles, while also encouraging the public to exercise caution when encountering them. Frisbee said, “Green stands out. It enhances visibility.”
Education is Key
Arkansas Act 117 of 2025 requires that Arkansas driver’s instruction manuals and its driver’s license examination include information about safe operation in highway work zones. This means the manual provides detailed information on the topic, such as information about penalties for violations in work zones, statistical data on worker injuries, guidance on awareness and speed reduction, and new drivers are now tested on their knowledge of work zone safety. Wiley said, “The goal is to educate the next generation about work zone safety before they get behind the wheel.”
So, with that in mind, Wiley said ARDOT is also “collaborating with the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to develop a curriculum for K-12 students better to inform them on the importance of roadway safety. The curriculum will cover a range of topics, including safely crossing the street and the dangers of distracted driving. We know that Street Smart will improve safety for our young people and look forward to its launch.”
Technology at the Heart of New Safety Strategies
By Deborah Horn
A key piece of critical legislation addressing speeding in work zones was passed in 2023. According to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), the severity of injuries and the risk of death for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle are directly related to the speed of impact, and “the rate of survival in a crash decreases as the speed of the vehicle involved in the crash increases.”
Arkansas Act 707 allows the use of automated speed enforcement cameras in ARDOT interstate work zones. Over the last few years, the Highway Department has seen an increase in speeding through their work zones, which has resulted in additional accidents, Frisbee said. These specialty cameras, part of the Arkansas Highway Police’s (AHP) Jenoptik Speed Trailer, enable Highway Police Officers to
identify motorists speeding through interstate work zones and safely pull them over outside the work zone.
The goal is not to issue more speeding tickets but rather to deter speeding behavior and increase safety through ARDOT’s work zones for both construction workers and motorists, said Deric Wyatt, Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) State Maintenance Engineer.
“It’s not about making money from writing tickets. It’s about worker safety,” and Wyatt added, “Warning signage notifies drivers that photo enforcement has been added to the advance work zone signage on interstate construction projects.”
Capt. Louis Hatchett, AHP Commander of Special Services, said about the system, “It’s precision laser technology. It’s an automated, semi-stationary (speed)
The Jenoptik is a speed-reduction tool that can be easily moved. The use of the Jenoptik has greatly reduced speeding in Saline County work zones since its use in 2023.
enforcement device.” For example, Hatchett said, “When a driver goes over 70 mph through a work zone, it will take a photo that can be downloaded. Once the vehicle leaves a work zone, it’s immediately pulled over, and an officer can issue either a ticket or a warning.”
The Jenoptik is a speed-reduction tool that can be easily moved from location to location and costs about $75,000. Frisbee said a second camera is being leased from Acusensus at about the exact cost, and added, “ARDOT began using our first speed enforcement camera in August, a few months after the passage of Act 707.”
From the Virtual World to Real Roadways
From asphalt mixes designed for smoother roads and broader shoulders to fog lines and rumble strips, ARDOT has spent decades working to build smoother, safer roads for the traveling public and its employees. In that quest, they’ve increasingly relied on innovative electronic technologies, and usage has accelerated over the last five to seven years as more electronic highway-construction and safety-driven programs have come online.
Technology, coupled with artificial intelligence (AI), is revolutionizing how modern roads are built. According to ARDOT officials, intelligent products
such as wrong-way detectors and Drivewyze are already in use by their department. These electronic systems communicate with ARDOT, local emergency services, law enforcement, and even each other.
During a recent in-depth conversation, Steve Frisbee, P.E., ARDOT Maintenance Assistant Chief Engineer, discussed several technologies that ARDOT has integrated into its daily operations. He believes the use of technology on the job will likely continue to increase. Deploying certain new technologies improves the traveling public’s safety and benefits ARDOT personnel and their contractors’ employees.
The industry’s rapid and expanding developments require more tech-savvy skills from employees. Still, commercial products, such as automated flaggers, may help alleviate the staffing shortages many road construction companies are experiencing while creating a safer work environment for employees. Technology holds great promise for the years to come. The proper application can result in more durable and smoother highway surfaces that are less expensive to maintain over the long term. More importantly, it promises fewer highway-related deaths of Arkansas’s travelers and its road builders.
IDrive Arkansas—The Power of Crowd-Sourcing
IDrive Arkansas was established by the Arkansas
Drivewyze is a traffic management system that alerts truck drivers to potential hazardous situations ahead.
New Safety Strategies
Highway Commission and introduced in 2004 as part of ARDOT’s Arkansas Primary Highway Network (APHN). ARDOT maintains it and was probably their first use of publicly shared technology. The system has grown to incorporate Google Maps and WAZE. This crowdsourcing data system provides users with driving directions and up-to-the-minute live traffic and weather conditions impacting driving. It also provides travelers with real-time information such as work zone construction, accidents, and other road-related issues.
Frisbee said, “Basically, we’re able to use the eyes and ears of every driver in the state.” Once a problem is reported, it’s uploaded into the IDrive Arkansas system and available to its users, as well as those utilizing Google Maps or WAZE, and other state agencies.
Frisbee said one of ARDOT’s more recent incorporations of technology into its system is Drivewyze, a traffic management system that alerts truck drivers to potential hazardous situations ahead.
Shannon Samples Newton, President of the Arkansas Trucking Association, was instrumental in bringing Drivewyze, a traffic management system, and ARDOT together. In 2023, the Arkansas State Highway Commission approved its partnership. The goal was to provide commercial drivers with real-time information concerning traffic conditions.
An electronic onboard system or a free-todownload and use phone app alerts drivers to slowdowns or stops ahead due to work zones or wrecks. Drivers of eighteen-wheelers running into a traffic slowdown or an accident from behind may not be able to stop their rig, as a fully loaded cab and trailer, weighing about 80,000 pounds, can be challenging to control in time, often resulting in an accident.
Joseph D. Hawkins, P.E., Assistant Division Head and State ITS Engineer for the ARDOT’s Transportation Systems Management and Operations, stated about the installation of the system that relies on virtual geofences, “First, we identified all major roadways that the system could utilize.” Then, they started entering the necessary information to make the system functional for their purposes. At this time, the roadways where Drivewyze is being utilized include sections of interstates 630, 555, 530, 440, 430, 67/167,
55, 49, 49/549, 40, and 30, as well as U.S. highways 67/167, 82, and 612.
Through its CMV Traffic Alert Dashboard-AR, the ARDOT staff can analyze data such as Alert Counts by month, day, hour, and incident duration and identify the most active corridors. Drivewyze costs the state about $225,000 annually, but it is free to long-haul trucking companies and all truckers with a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Frisbee said that not only is the traveling public safer, but ARDOT employees and their contractors face fewer hazardous situations.
Wrong Way Detection—Taking it to the Streets
Technology is changing how ARDOT conducts business, and this trend is expected to continue for years to come, said Deric Wyatt, ARDOT State Maintenance Engineer. He said, “We want to make technology work for us.”
ARDOT’s wrong-way detection system, used on the state’s interstate on- and off-ramps, is one example. When the wrong-way detection system detects a driver going the wrong way on a ramp, LED lights immediately flash a warning. Hawkins said, “The system is designed to help drivers…It’s designed to get their attention.” Also, a floodlight turns on, allowing cameras to capture the nighttime event in color. Essentially, it relies on thermal sensors and infrared cameras that operate in all weather conditions, both day and night. It also uses static “Wrong Way” signs with LED borders to warn drivers. Hawkins said, “These signs are also internally illuminated at night.” The system records the event and sends an alarm to ARDOT’s Traffic Management Center (TMC).
“It’s a mistake that anyone can make. If we can get a driver to turn around, we’re very proud of it,” Hawkins said.
Frisbee said, “Because of its success (during the
New Safety Strategies
testing phase),” ARDOT purchased about 150 WrongWay Detection Systems from TAPCO (Traffic and Parking Control Co., Inc.), headquartered in Brown Deer, WI. These are being placed between Little Rock and West Memphis on Interstate 40, as well as in Central Arkansas on Interstates 30, 430, 440, and 630, and U.S. Highway 167 south of Jacksonville. The “total cost for the project is $54,698,390.43,” said Hawkins. The purchase includes all necessary components for the installation of the Wrong-Way Detection Systems, guardrails, dynamic message signs, steel support structures, communications equipment, traffic cameras, concrete, gravel, and any other related materials required to complete the job.
“Both in Arkansas and nationally, most of these (wrong-way) types of incidents happen at night; perhaps the driver doesn’t see the proper lane or is confused. Distracted driving and age are also factors, but by far, most involve alcohol or drug-impaired drivers,” Hawkins said. In a wrong-way collision, not
just one vehicle but two are usually involved. Because of the combined speeds of the two cars, this type of head-on collision is often fatal. Frisbee said, “This is a great use of technology to help drivers self-correct and save lives.”
Going Low-Tech
While most Arkansans recognize the bright orange vests worn by ARDOT maintenance crews, they added green to the mix.
“We distinguish new employees (with less than six months on the job) with green vests so more seasoned employees can keep an eye on them. We call them Green Vesters,” Frisbee said. New hires spend their first week in safety training, and later, they are brought back in for additional training. Additionally, all employees undergo annual safety training.
Working on the state’s multi-lane and interstate highway systems is a dangerous job, and new employees are often injured or killed. One of the
The Lane Blade (above) and the Gator Getter (next page) keep ARDOT personnel from entering traffic or going onto the roadways to clear debris.
New Safety Strategies
more hazardous jobs is retrieving debris, from tires (called gators) to pieces of work implements, from the roadway, Frisbee said.
Road debris occurs every day in every county of the state, and in the Little Rock area, 10 to 15 employees are solely dedicated to removing debris from the highways daily.
Timothy Harris, an ARDOT employee working in Little Rock, was killed about two years ago while attempting to remove a shovel that had fallen off a truck. Tragedies like this prompted the Maintenance Department to apply for a grant to purchase 13 Lane Blades. Much like a snowplow, it attaches to the front of a truck and scoops debris up off the road. Frisbee said, “That means employees don’t have to get out of the truck and pick up debris.”
Plans to purchase an additional 25 Lane Blades are underway, and he added, “We will have the largest (Lane Blade) fleet in the nation.” In addition, he said,
“We have purchased 17 Gator Getters at an average cost of $27,300.00 each.” These can be used on interstates to quickly and safely remove debris such as tires.
A Word from the Road
To create a safer work environment, ARDOT’s safety task force and its maintenance and engineering personnel are exploring ways to enhance on-the-job safety. Even filling a pothole on a curvy rural highway can be dangerous.
ARDOT has even emboldened its employees to make suggestions or express concerns that their bosses don’t filter, but go straight to the top. Frisbee said, “Because we lost five employees in four years, safety became paramount under former (ARDOT) Director Lorie Tudor. It continues under our new Director, Jared Wiley. One death is more than we can stand. We’re working toward zero deaths.”
5
SAFETY BY ThE NumBErS
Five is the number of Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) employees who have died on the job over the last four years.
“It’s unacceptable, even one death is too many,” said Steve Frisbee, P.E., ARDOT Maintenance Assistant Chief Engineer. The deaths prompted a unified effort between ARDOT and the Arkansas Highway Commission to address work zone crashes and injuries.
70
80,000
The weight, in lbs., of a big rig—a cab and trailer fully loaded...
327
The number of the Arkansas Act passed this year which defines “mobile work zones” and allows law enforcement officers to double ticket fines for moving traffic violations within the designated area. This legislation aims to improve safety for both road workers and drivers by emphasizing the need to slow down, be alert, and obey traffic laws in work zones.
The speed in MPH that triggers the automated camera in a construction zone to take a photo of a car’s license plate.
According to Capt. Louis Hatchett, Arkansas Highway Police (AHP) Commander of Special Services,“It’s precision laser technology. It’s an automated, semi-stationary (speed) enforcement device.” For example, Hatchett said, “When a driver goes over 70 mph through a work zone, it will take a photo that can be downloaded. Once the vehicle leaves a work zone, it’s immediately pulled over, and an officer can issue either a ticket or a warning.”
One of ARDOT’s more recent incorporations of technology into its system is Drivewyze, a traffic management system that alerts truck drivers to potential hazardous situations ahead. An electronic onboard system or a free-to-download and use phone app alerts drivers to slowdowns or stops ahead due to work zones or wrecks. Drivers of eighteen-wheelers running into a traffic slowdown or an accident from behind may not be able to stop their rig in time, often resulting in an accident.
150
The number of wrong-way detection systems ARDOT purchased and has put in place around Arkansas highways. When the wrong-way detection system detects a driver going the wrong way on a ramp, LED lights immediately flash a warning. Also, a floodlight turns on, allowing cameras to capture the nighttime event in color. Basically, it relies on thermal sensors and infrared cameras that work in all weather conditions, day and night. It also uses static “Wrong Way” signs with LED borders to warn drivers. The system records the event and sends an alarm to ARDOT’s Traffic Management Center (TMC).
ARDOT Tackles Green Book Rewrite; New Version to be Available by Year’s End
By Deborah Horn
It’s been an ongoing conversation for six years. But it was only about 18 months ago that the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) got serious about updating its “The Standard Specifications for Highway Construction.”
Often, it’s referred to as a “spec book,” which is a standard specifications document outlining the requirements for materials, equipment, and construction methods used in highway and bridge construction projects.
Rex Vines, ARDOT Chief Engineer for Operations, and Chad Adams, ARDOT Assistant Chief Engineer for Construction, plan to release a revised version of “The Standard Specifications for Highway Construction” late this year.
Rex Vines, ARDOT Chief Engineer for Operations, one of the principals managing the major revision, said, “It’s essentially a detailed guide that contractors follow to ensure projects are built according to the agency’s standards.”
The current edition is 910 pages and was completed in 2014. Vines added that it’s a critical component of every ARDOT contract job, and it’s comprehensive. The spec book encompasses the entirety of a project, covering bidding and bond qualifications, material standards, minimum performance standards, job performance expectations, timelines, penalties, payment methods for items and contracts, and more.
While some call it the Green Book, referencing
its jacket color, Vines said some people refer to it as ARDOT’s Bible. The wording often leaves it open to various interpretations. He said, “That’s a problem for contractors and our inspectors that needed to be addressed.”
Over the last decade, numerous additions have been made, primarily to accommodate new or revised state or federal regulations or to provide ARDOT personnel or contractors with clarity or more in-depth explanations. Furthermore, Vines said the way the old spec book was rewritten is somewhat “restrictive and puts a larger part of the (construction) risk on the contractor. We recognized this and the need for clarity instead of interruption. We decided it was time for a revision.”
Currently, copies of “The Standard Specifications for Highway Construction,” 2014, are available in a paper or PDF version for $12, but Vines said, “The new price will be dependent on printing costs.”
Their goal is to have the 2025 version ready by the end of this year.
It Takes a Team
The current “The Standard Specifications for Highway Construction” was printed in 2014 and will be replaced by a new version later this year.
When Vines lobbied for a significant rewrite, he thought ARDOT and its contractors would “greatly benefit from the effort.” He was given the go-ahead and put together a Spec Book Review Committee. It includes highway
construction experts from both inside and outside the highway department.
“We have about 100 people representing various areas of expertise, such as ARDOT staff and contractors and their engineers, who will have touched this book when it’s complete,” Vines said.
Keeping it Straightforward
He also works closely with Chad Adams, ARDOT Assistant Chief Engineer for Construction, on this project, which, like the 2014 version, will be available in print and digital PDF format.
“The PDF version makes it easier to search a particular subject,” he said.
First, Vines said they’re working to reduce and simplify the verbiage by eliminating ambiguity and keeping the wording easy to understand. They’re also looking for and removing redundancy. For example, when referring to a federal regulation for the first time, write it out; it will not be necessary in subsequent references.
Good Roads Executive Director Joe Quinn says, “Evaluating and redoing the spec book is another example of ARDOT work in recent years to improve communication with contractors and make the whole construction process easier for all. The culture involving ARDOT staff and contractors is much more of a partnership than it once was. High-quality work is easier for everyone to produce when all of the parties involved are clear on specifications.”
Almost every paving company has a licensed engineer on staff, so Vines said, “One of the goals is to tap into their expertise in the future. It is also designed to untie contractors’ hands and push the decisionmaking down to the lowest level.”
It is also written to take some of the financial risk off the contractor. For instance, a project delay might be outside a contractor’s ability to control. “If there’s a utility in the way that we didn’t know about. Currently, we only compensate on time, say they
have 365 days to complete a contract, which costs them 180 days. They might have additional days but no monetary compensation, so they have to carry the job.”
This will be addressed, Vines added.
Forming Partnerships
Vines also believes this will aid ARDOT and its contractor to form a more cohesive, more efficient team. “We want to work hand-in-hand with them and reduce the overall time, from design to construction completion, spent on a project.” The I-30 Crossing Project was completed about six months ahead of schedule and is an excellent example of this type of partnership.”
He hopes the rewrite will allow contractors to perform their jobs more constructively and costeffectively, with fewer on-the-job do-overs and ultimately resulting in a better product,” such as the work done at Cantrell and Interstate 430.
Finally, he said, “We hope to reduce stress on the contractor and ARDOT.”
Chad Adams
Traffic Light System Evolving
Traffic Light System Technology Evolving Seamless Interaction Between
Drivers, Pedestrians, and Light Systems
By Joe Quinn
Much of the safety discussion regarding traffic in America focuses on drivers and road workers who perform their jobs just feet from fast-moving traffic. What gets less attention is rapidly developing technology that will make intersections safer for pedestrians and more efficient for drivers. The technology connecting pedestrians, cars, traffic lights, and light system control boxes is rapidly advancing.
Good Roads member Southern Lighting & Traffic Systems is selling systems that track pedestrians when they approach an intersection. These systems will detect when a pedestrian is waiting to cross and eliminate the need for the pedestrian to push a button and wait. The technology will suitably adjust the intersection light after detecting the presence of pedestrians waiting.
Traffic flows of the future will also be improved by systems that link approaching cars to the light system at the intersection in vastly more sophisticated ways than the simple timers on many traffic lights today. The long-term goal is to reduce unnecessary waiting time when the intersection is empty and make the intersection safer for both pedestrians and drivers.
The technology linking vehicles and intersections is known as VZX systems, as the country undergoes massive changes in how and what we drive, traffic control system technology is evolving to keep pace.
Lauren Schilling is the Regional Sales Manager for Southern Lighting. She has been in the traffic
system business for over 30 years, following her education at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) and Henderson State University. Schilling says the industry’s technology is changing so rapidly that it’s challenging for cities and towns to keep pace with what’s available. Schilling says, “Technology changes faster right now than the budget and planning process. Things move so rapidly that decisions are often made based on a budget from last year when new options are already available.”
Schilling helps her clients bring new systems online, but the transition to new and intuitive technology systems can be more complex than it initially seems. Current traffic systems are like old computers. They speak their language, and they are not always interactive. Each community has a different system in place today, so conversion to a more modern system takes a certain amount of strategic planning. Schilling points out, “For years, each manufacturer has used its traffic system management language, and our team has to work with clients to help design that conversion. It’s also important to stay with the client to help with ongoing issues and maintenance. We tend to develop long-term relationships with our customers.”
As private sector companies like Southern Light & Traffic Systems examine how traffic systems interface with cars and trucks, ARDOT remains fully engaged in similar technology linkage issues. The department
is in the late stages of testing and installing new systems that trigger lights and warnings when a car is traveling the wrong way on a highway entrance ramp.
ARDOT Director Jared Wiley says, “When the system detects a wrong-way driver, it will do multiple things. It will send a notice to the control room in Little Rock and trigger the warning lights. It will also immediately transmit a warning to the large highway message boards, allowing us to inform drivers in the area of a potential problem. All of this will get better with time as we integrate AI into what we are doing.”
Traffic Light System Evolving
A head-on collision caused by a wrong-way driver is generally a severe accident. Wiley says the department’s wrong-way drive project is heavily focused on the Interstate 40 drive to Memphis. The department is utilizing a combination of federal and currently available safety funding to undertake this work.
A common theme in technology development aimed at making driving safer is intuitive interactivity. Schilling’s team is studying how a system can detect pedestrian movements on a sidewalk near an intersection to integrate the actions of both the driver and pedestrian. Wiley’s engineers are focused on multiple action steps being triggered when weather, fatigue, or impairment sends a driver head-on into traffic. Different innovative technologies will continue to make safety systems in the future less dependent on driver decisions.
Schilling says, “Our systems will help put passive and predictive pedestrian systems in highprofile corridors to increase safety for drivers and pedestrians.”
These types of technology advances from Good Roads members in both the public and private sectors will hopefully mean certain types of traffic accidents will become obsolete in the years ahead.
Taldo Begins Tenure as AHC Chair
After eight years serving on the Arkansas State Highway Commission (AHC), it’s now time for Philip Taldo to lead the group as its new Chairman.
Taldo is eager to do his part.
Taldo was first appointed to the Commission in 2017 by Governor Asa Hutchinson. He replaces outgoing Chairman Alec Farmer, who completed his ten years of service in early January.
The AHC is made up of five members who serve ten-year, staggered terms. Every two years, a Commissioner’s term ends and a new Commissioner is appointed by the Governor. Appointments are based on Arkansas’ four Congressional Districts, with one member serving at large.
with permission from ARDOT.
“Serving as Vice Chairman behind Chairman Farmer was invaluable. He was a great mentor for the chairmanship and if I can fill his shoes, I will be happy,” Taldo said.
Taldo talks about observing Farmer in the role and learning from his style of leadership.
“There is a saying ‘measure twice, cut once’ that truly describes how Chairman Farmer operated. As issues arose, he would gather opinions from fellow Commissioners and ARDOT staff before he would settle on a path forward. Then, he moved with a swift hand. I learned a lot by observing his methods of operation.”
The Commission makes the policy and funding decisions necessary for the administration of the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and they hire the ARDOT Director to oversee the day-today operations of the Department.
“Every Commissioner has their turn and I am eager to do my part as the Chairmen have done in the past,” Taldo said.
Taldo starts his new role with a strong foundation. As Vice Chairman, he worked closely with thenChairman Farmer. It is no surprise to hear that he is eager to begin.
The responsibility of serving as Chairman is not lost on Taldo, who recognizes that it places him in the public eye. He says that he feels a different responsibility as Chairman and that he must maintain a clean line of communication between the Legislature, the staff, and the Commission.
As he sees it, there are different expectations of the Chairman. The Chairman “must ensure everyone is on the same page” with integrity and honesty, while being transparent and ethical in his actions. He feels there is an expectation that the Chairman will make tough decisions and lead with authority.
“As a member of the Commission, you speak for
Reprinted
one. As the Chairman, you speak for the group. The Chairman must be a consensus builder and be willing to give and take,” Taldo said.
Before his term ends in two years, Taldo wants to see the western half of the Springdale Bypass completed and the eastern half funded with construction progressing, in addition to the completion of the XNA Connector Road.
He’d also like to see half of the Highway 112 widening project completed or at least under construction.
Looking to the future and challenges that ARDOT faces, Taldo feels that one of the greatest challenges on the horizon is continuing to maintain and increase quality staff on all levels.
“ARDOT has a reputation of being a great career agency, but it is getting more competitive with the private sector,” Taldo said. He wants to strengthen ARDOT’s recruiting tools to fill vacancies on staff.
Taldo Begins Tenure as AHC Chair
One of the tools that he sees having a positive impact on recruiting is expanding ARDOT’s satellite office in Northwest Arkansas and establishing a satellite office in Jonesboro.
Taldo would also like to continue building good relationships with contractors and legislators, something he credits former Director Tudor with having established.
“I feel Director Tudor did a great job building these relationships the past five years,” Taldo said.
Taldo lives and works in Springdale where he is a real estate broker, investor, and developer. He has been married to Mary Ann for 52 years and has three daughters and nine grandchildren.
Taldo’s advice for future Commissioners is to ask questions.
“Ask questions, not just of staff but of the Commissioners too. I have learned more from discussions than any other thing.”
Reprinted with permission from ARDOT.
Hot Springs
of Bryant all receiving Federal-aid and contributing their own matching funds for the design and construction of the Southwest Trail,” Minghua Qiu Miller, ARDOT Staff Engineer for the Local Programs Division, said.
One of the goals of the TAP program is to fund projects that provide safe access to transportation alternatives within our communities. The Booneville Pedestrian Bridge Project received $245,000 in 2024 TAP funds to build a pedestrian bridge along Highway 10 in Booneville.
In February 2024, Booneville Mayor Edgar Baker and Arkansas State Senator Gary Stubblefield wrote a letter to ARDOT requesting the pedestrian bridge be built alongside an existing bridge on Highway 10. Sidewalks existed along Highway 10 on either end of the bridge, but pedestrians had to enter the roadway to cross Booneville Creek on the shoulder of Highway 10.
“ARDOT’s Planning & Research Division performed a safety study after receiving the letter, but did not find any historical evidence of pedestrian-related vehicular crashes. In an effort to help the City find a solution to this issue, ARDOT staff suggested that TAP could be a good funding opportunity for the City,” Miller said. “The City sprung to action and submitted a TAP application that same year, which was selected for funding.”
The project will connect two existing sidewalk sections
UP NEXT
The next round of TAP and RTP grant applications were made available in February 2025. The deadline for this application cycle is April 30, 2025, which will occur after this issue of the magazine has been published. Awards will be announced later in the year.
and add a pedestrian bridge along Highway 10. The bridge, which will be 113 feet long when completed, will make the route more accessible to individuals regardless of their mobility.
While all of the TAP projects aim to fund transportation alternatives, RTP projects specifically focus on recreational trails. The Searcy Riverside Park Boat Launch Improvements Project was funded in 2024 for $330,000 as an RTP project.
After completing a two-year long master planning process, the City of Searcy identified several priority areas to develop, including the City’s largest park, Riverside Park.
“Park improvements and trail development were high on the community-identified list of priorities in the Master Plan,” Miller said. “With all of the opportunities for improvement, the City identified the park’s proximity to the Little Red River as one of the key features of the park.”
This project will improve accessibility for vehicles to the boat launch and provide access for motorized and nonmotorized boats. The City will also build an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible terrace along the river for riverside fishing with the goal of making the boat launch accessible for everyone.
The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton is celebrating its first nonacademic scholarship donation, the Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association Lorie Harris Tudor Endowment Scholarship, at her request and which was made possible in large part due to the generosity of ARDOT’s former Director. As a tribute to Tudor’s service to ARDOT and the state, AAPA approached her about naming a $5,000 grant in her name to the institution of her choice.
The Lorie Harris Tudor Endowment Scholarship
By Deborah Horn
It was a no-brainer for Tudor, and she requested that the money go toward the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton’s (UACCM) non-academic, Career-Specific Programs. Some of these certification programs are directly related to the asphalt construction industry, and one that Tudor knew well.
“I didn’t struggle with the decision. I knew immediately where it was to go,” Tudor said.
But the one-time donation wasn’t enough for Tudor, and after meeting with Jessica Allred, UACCM’s Dean of Workforce Education and Training, and discussing options, Tudor decided to add $20,000 to the original amount, bringing the total to $25,000.
“That’s the minimum amount needed for an endowment, earning about $1,000 annually, and I love the idea of the endowment continuing on and helping students in the future,” Tudor said.
The Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association Lorie
Harris Tudor Endowment Scholarship took shape, with guidelines established on eligibility, amount, and usage. First-time, readmitted, or transfer students with a 2.00 GPA are eligible, with preference given to ARDOT and AAPA employees and those pursuing a technical or professional degree or certificate at UACCM in highway constructionrelated fields. Award amounts can vary depending on the student’s needs, and while nonrenewable, a recipient may reapply.
The scholarship application must include one letter of reference from a current or past employer, teacher, school administrator, or minister who can attest to the applicant’s scholarly or professional success or strength of character.
The money isn’t applied to tuition but can be used by the student, filling a need.
“Many of our students live in other parts of the state and have to pay out-of-pocket for local accommodations like hotel rooms, and while others only drive an hour or so to attend classes, fuel costs add up quickly, too,” Allred said.
Park Estes, AAPA Executive Director, said: “It’s hard to estimate the number of lives and families that this endowment will change. We are proud to have planted this educational seed, and going forward, we would love to grow the Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association Lorie Harris Tudor Endowment Scholarship through additional gifts such as Lorie’s.”
Trails at Mena Project Permit Signed
On Friday, June 6, Governor Sarah Sanders and state officials signed a permit authorizing construction of The Trails at Mena, a lift-served mountain bike and adventure park that will ultimately connect the city of Mena to Queen Wilhelmina State Park.
“The new lift-served downhill mountain bike park here in Mena is more than a recreational asset, it’s a game-changer,” said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “This is more than a moment, it’s a movement. And we’re proud to be part of it. We know that when we invest in our natural spaces, we’re investing in the health, happiness, and prosperity of our people.”
Trails at Mena will include a range of trails, designed by Gravity Logic, for all levels of experience. There are also plans for an adventure park with a high-speed quad chairlift, zip lines, and more. Upon completion, Trails at Mena will be the biggest lift-served mountain bike park in the world that was built exclusively for mountain biking.
“This is a dream come true for Mena. This bike park will connect our city to the mountaintop, open new tourism opportunities, and create something that families from across the country will come to experience,” said Mena Mayor Seth Smith.
The project includes:
• No ski infrastructure or legacy constraints—designed entirely for two wheels, 365 days a year
• 1,200 feet of elevation drop for epic descents
• A range of trails from beginner flow to expert jump lines
• Raw, technical, and steep terrain for advanced riders
• 18–20 miles of fully designed and flagged trail in Phase I
• Year-round riding made possible by climate and terrain
Design and development will begin this summer.
Arkansas Good Roads Foundation
Summer Policy Meeting
Hot Springs, Arkansas
July 24-25, 2025
Guest Speakers to include:
Marie Holder, Arkansas Highway Commissioner
Jared Wiley, Director, Arkansas Department of Transportation
Gary Troutman, Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce
Randy Zook, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce
$16.6M in Grants Awarded to Northwest Arkansas for Transportation Projects
In June, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission announced that, through three federal programs, Northwest Arkansas has been awarded $16.6 million for improvements to roads, trails, sidewalks, and more.
Twenty-one regional transportation projects will use these funds, including Greenhouse Road, which connects Bentonville and Centerton from north to south. This road, which sees about 14,000 drivers each day, has been undergoing widening since 2023. With these new grants, the project is receiving $2.3 million to help with completion.
“We’re excited to get this project done and, you know, help move traffic because, you know, there’s a lot of traffic in this area, you know, not just in Centerton, but Bentonville at all our surrounding communities, you know, where this goes so fast. And, this, hopefully, will alleviate, alleviate some of the north-south traffic, give another connection,” said Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards.
The three federal programs providing these grants are: the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program-Attributable, the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), and the Carbon Reduction Program (CRP).
Arkansas State Highway Commission
Philip Taldo Chairman
Keith Gibson Vice Chairman
Marie Holder Member
David Haak Member
Jerry Halsey Member
Platinum Partners
$10,000 and Over
Gold Partners
$5,000 and Over
Silver Partners
$2,500 and Over
Lorie Tudor
American Concrete
Pavement Assoc. OK/AR
APAC-Tennessee
The Cashion Company
CPC Midsouth
D.B. Hill, III
APAC-Central
Arkadelphia Alliance
Arkansas Concrete
Arkansas Farm Bureau
Ash Grove Cement
Bank of Delight
Bob Crafton
Clark Machinery
Commercial Bank - Monticello
Contractor’s Specialty Service Co.
Cowling Title
Curt Green & Co.
Dermott Industrial Dev.
Corporate Members
$1,000 and Over
Emery Sapp & Sons
First Community Bank of Batesville
Golden Triangle Economic Development
Jeffrey Sand Company
Duffield Gravel Company
Jim Wooten
McGeorge Contracting Co.
Michael Baker International
Natural State Consulting and Strategies
NWA Council
Friends
$500 and Over
Dumas Chamber of Commerce
Eagle Bank and Trust
Fayetteville Chamber of Comm.
FM Structural Plastic Technology
Forsgren, Inc.
Harold Beaver
Hines Trucking Inc.
Horatio State Bank
I-49 International Coalition
Jack Buffington
Jensen Construction Co.
Jerry Holder
JoAnne Bush
Jonesboro Chamber of Comm.
LaCroix Optical Company
Larco, Inc.
Lawrence Co. Chamber of Comm.
M & T Paving and Construction
Maxwell Hardwood Flooring
Midwest Lime Company
Mobley General Contractors
Monticello Econ. Dev. Comm.
NEA Intermodal
Riceland Foods
Rogers Group
Walmart
Ohlendorf Investment Co.
Paragould Regional Chamber
Philip Taldo
Pickering Firm
Razorback Concrete
Robert Moery
Ryburn Motor Company
Scott Equipment
SN Contractors
Southern LTG
Springdale Chamber of Comm.
SW AR Plan & Dev. District
Western AR Intermodal
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At Garver, our Transportation Team’s work goes beyond designing roadways and bridges. The team also provides comprehensive planning services to communities across the state. That includes Senior Environmental Scientist
Cassie Schmidt, whose environmental assessments of critical transportation projects are opening new paths for the state’s travelers.
Cassie Schmidt | Senior Environmental Scientist
Arkansas Good Roads Foundation
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