GOOD ROADS The Award-Winning Magazine of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation
The Story of a Bridge in Hardy Represents American Infrastructure Issues Foundation Good Roads. Good for All.
Winter 2023
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Contents
4 From the Executive Director 7 Good Roads Annual Meeting A Success 8 Annual Meeting Photo Gallery 10 Celebrating a Job Well Done 12 Working for Economic Success Through Teamwork, New AGRF Officers Looking to 2024
“31 Projects Promised, and 31 Projects Completed”
22
the State and One City are Making it Happen
Story of a Bridge in Hardy Represents American 16 The Infrastructure Issues 22 The Great North American Eclipse Over Arkansas 29 Annual Meeting Sponsors 32 Side Roads Future I-57 Alignment ARDOT Awarded $25M Grant In Memoriam: Ron Harrod
On the Cover: The Humphries Ford Bridge (right) and the new Spring River Bridge (left) in Hardy, AR.
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Executive Director’s Message
New AGRF Officers Looking to 2024 Joe Quinn, AGRF Executive Director
business and an ArkansasDan Flowers is legendary in owned business. Lance is the the Arkansas infrastructure world. third generation in his family to He was the longtime Director lead Atlas Asphalt. Like Robert, of the Arkansas Department of he knows how to have a real Transportation before retiring. dialogue about where the state, Then he agreed to join the Good and our industry, is headed. Roads Executive Board as Bob Crafton is stepping president in 2018. No one knows aside as AGRF Secretary the history of infrastructure Treasurer but will continue to development in our state like Dan give us his quiet leadership as does. No one better understands a board member. Bob was one the nuances of how a road project of the founders of Crafton Tull is designed and built, or how Robert Moery, D.B. Hill, III, and Lance Lamberth Engineering, and he and current one strategic road or bridge can Crafton Tull CEO Matt Crafton dramatically change the quality of remain two of the biggest supporters of the work we do. life in a community. Dan is stepping aside now as a board member to spend After a number of years as AGRF Executive Board Vice President, D.B. Hill, III will take over the role as Secretary more time at his cattle ranch in North Central Arkansas. Treasurer. D.B. has long been very involved in virtually He will be missed, and we respectfully told him exactly every trade association or organization that engages in that at the Good Roads Annual Meeting in November. infrastructure issues in Arkansas. D.B.’s perspective and As Dan leaves as board president, the executive board network of contacts have great value for us. has selected a new slate of officers to take over the This new slate of officers takes over as we look ahead organization leadership. To say the least, I think we are in to a lot of good things in 2024. good hands with three engaged leaders who will be part Local leaders and ARDOT leadership have fully of an ongoing effort to keep us visible and vibrant in the embraced the summer regional meeting we have hosted future. for the past two years. We are already thinking about Robert Moery will replace Dan as President. Robert where and when to do that meeting in 2024. We will worked for Governor Asa Hutchinson before starting his remain engaged on the safety issue, and we are actively own political consulting firm. He has a huge network discussing how we can support ARDOT when the of people across the state that he knows well, and he department hosts the national SASHTO meeting in Rogers understands how to navigate obstacles to get things done. in August. Robert was the director of the Issue 1 Campaign that We also expect to be involved as ARDOT thinks passed by a wide margin during Covid, and he has been about a strategy to fund and build a memorial to ARDOT active in recruiting new members to our foundation. We workers who have been killed in roadside accidents over are lucky to have him taking over as President. the years. Lance Lamberth of Atlas Asphalt in Batesville is As you enjoy the holiday season with the people you stepping into the role of AGRF Vice President. Lance is love, please know that what you do to support our effort ideally suited for this as he is part of the new generation is appreciated. I think 2024 is going to be the best year of younger executives that design, finance, build, and put yet for Good Roads. Stay safe during the holidays, and product on our sprawling road system. Lance is also an remember…put that phone down when you are driving. ideal leader for us as he represents both a family-owned 4 Good Roads Foundation | Winter 2023
Executive Board
2023 EXECUTIVE BOARD Robert Moery President Lance Lamberth Vice President D.B. Hill, III Secretary/Treasurer Harold Beaver Graycen Bigger JoAnne Bush Bob Crafton Alec Farmer Curt Green Mark Hayes Shannon Newton Chris Villines Jim Wooten
Robert Moery President Little Rock
Lance Lamberth Vice President Batesville
D.B. Hill, III Secretary/Treasurer Little Rock
Harold Beaver Rogers
Graycen Bigger Pocahontas
JoAnne Bush Lake Village
Bob Crafton Rogers
Alec Farmer Jonesboro
Curt Green Texarkana
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.
(Non-Voting Member)
Joe Quinn, Executive Director goodroadsfoundation@gmail.com Kathryn Tennison, Editor kathryn@bestmanagement.net Celia Blasier, Designer graphics@bestmanagement.net Mark Hayes Little Rock
Shannon Newton Little Rock
Chris Villines Little Rock
Jim Wooten Beebe
Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 5
Help them make it home to their families. PROTECT OUR ROAD WORKERS.
For more information, visit:
ARDOT.GOV/SLOWDOWNPHONEDOWN @myARDOT
@idrivearkansas
#SLOWDOWNPHONEDOWN
6 Good Roads Foundation | Winter 2023
2023 Annual Meeting - Little Rock
Good Roads Foundation Annual Meeting a Success by Joe Quinn, Executive Director
The Good Roads Annual Meeting in November focused on a topic that virtually all our members are dealing with in one way or another. Workforce and hiring issues for all types of businesses in the infrastructure world are getting more complex with each passing year. The state received $3.8 billion in federal money for infrastructure development last year, and the passage of Issue 1 has secured a stable level of state funding for the near future. Of course, those are good things for our state and our business. But the flip side of the issue is that more available work means contractors need a readily available quality workforce to deliver on jobs that are successfully bid on. Recruiting and retaining a quality workforce is not as simple as it once was. In many ways, a new generation of young workers looks at employment differently. There is less concern with health care benefits and more need for flexible schedules. There is less interest in saving for retirement and more thought on, “What am I going to make this week?” Low unemployment rates mean that employers are trying to hire from a smaller available labor pool. Young people today are far less likely than their parents were to stay at the same employer for years. Turnover is common. At the annual meeting in Little Rock, ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor outlined how these trends have impacted her department. In some ways, for many years, ARDOT has always had a stable workforce with relatively low turnover rates. It’s common at ARDOT to meet people who have been there for 30 years and who have parents and grandparents who also worked there. This very large state agency is like a small town in terms of how people know each other and treat each other. To attract young engineers, ARDOT recently opened a Northwest Arkansas office as a way of making an ARDOT job more attractive to young engineers coming out of the respected University of Arkansas Engineering Department. Public and private sector employers are all
desperately in need of bright young engineers who will design the projects of the future. Tudor is also dealing with high job vacancy rates on the Arkansas Highway Police staff. The Arkansas State Police and local police agencies are facing the same shortage of available and qualified applicants for police jobs. It is not an easy life wearing a badge, and that is reflected in decreasing numbers of applicants. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is working to better position all sectors of the Arkansas economy to deal with labor issues. For the first time in state history, a Chief Workforce Officer has been created. Mike Rogers is a dynamic and thoughtful voice trying to align the efforts of the public and private sectors to create a more available and talented workforce. Rogers spent much of his career at Tyson Foods and in many ways brings a private sector approach. Rogers also spoke at the Good Roads meeting and was very well received by our membership. More than ever before, contractors in Arkansas must be extremely intentional about estimating longer term labor costs when bidding on a large project. It’s not that they haven’t always done this, but what is relatively new is that the industry can no longer work on an assumption that labor is readily available. Slow hiring or lack of applicants can rapidly change the dynamic for any employer. One thing we heard from our members at the annual meeting, and that we have also heard at the summer regional meetings we host, is that when we gather to meet, there is more value if we address very specific policy aspects of challenges related to the infrastructure business. This seems to resonate more than general conversations about the state of the industry. Our members want to hear what others are doing to address the same challenges, and as we look to 2024, we will continue to try to deliver this. Organizations like Good Roads have the most value for dues-paying members when they are willing not only to convene meetings, but to discuss real issues and challenges. Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 7
Annual Meeting Photo Gallery
Annual Meeting Photo Gallery
Photos by Rusty Hubbard, ARDOT
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Annual Meeting Photo Gallery
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Connecting Arkansas Program (CAP)
Celebrating a Job Well Done “31 PROJECTS PROMISED, AND 31 PROJECTS COMPLETED.” by David Nilles
Article reprinted with permission from ARDOT.
With ARDOT’S Connecting Arkansas Program (CAP) coming very close to completion, it was only fitting that the department held one last “hurrah” to celebrate “31 PROJECTS PROMISED, AND 31 PROJECTS COMPLETED.” ARDOT Commissioners, staff, city officials, contractors and many more gathered at 42 Bar and Table at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock on July 25 to celebrate the completion of one of the largest highway construction programs ever undertaken by ARDOT. With four-lane road improvement projects constructed across the state, this event was the fourth and final salute to everyone involved in construction of the projects. Other CAP celebrations had been held previously in El Dorado, Jonesboro and Bentonville. “The CAP program represents 200 miles of improvements on our Arkansas highways,” ARDOT
Director Lorie Tudor shared with the standing-room only crowd. “This has been a $2 billion investment and it is phenomenal that we were able to do this within a 10-year span. There are a lot of people to thank for getting us to this point.” Tudor then recognized the ARDOT staff, CAP Administrator Keli Wylie, all of the consultants involved in the program and Garver, who served as CAP manager. “I also want to thank our contractors,” Lorie added. “You can do all the planning in the world, you can design the projects and get funding into place, but if you don’t have quality contractors to deliver the work, where would we be? Arkansas is so blessed to have a wonderful contracting industry that has delivered these projects in such a great manner, and I want to recognize the success that you have brought to this program.” The 31 projects making up the program were made
(Photos by Rusty Hubbard.)
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Connecting Arkansas Program (CAP)
possible by a 2012 voter approved half-cent sales tax with revenue dedicated to road and bridge projects. Officials held public meetings across the state to introduce voters to the CAP program and answer questions local residents had about area projects. “Voters’ approval of the temporary half-cent sales tax provided a green light for alleviating congestion on our highways, increasing traveler safety and improving Arkansas’ economy,” Highway Commissioner Marie Holder told attendees. “The vital health of our infrastructure is the vitality of our community,” Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde shared. “Investing in infrastructure is essential in expanding economic opportunities and improving the quality of life for all of our citizens. Pulaski County has certainly benefitted from the Connecting Arkansas Program.”
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott shared his eagerness in seeing the benefits the CAP program will bring to Arkansas. “We still can’t fathom the impact this program is going to have on this state. This program is changing lives. It has happened because of each of you here today and I say thank you to all of you.” Mark Lamberth, who served as a member of the Arkansas Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance, reflected on attending groundbreakings for individual highway projects and being involved in ribbon cuttings for other individual projects. “I have to say that I have never been involved in an event like this where we are literally celebrating an entire package of specific projects all across the state.” He emphasized that these are projects funded by the people at the ballot box. “This is a program
that yielded tangible results. The citizens of Arkansas can actually see their hard-earned taxpayer dollars going toward improved roads and bridges that create better mobility and more safety. “Today, we are celebrating because 31 projects were promised and all 31 projects are completed or underway well within the time frame that was promised, and I think that deserves a round of applause. I tip my cap to the citizens of Arkansas. Thank you for the trust you placed in ARDOT and the highway construction industry.” Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 11
North Little Rock Roads
Working for Economic Success Through Teamwork, the State and One City are Making it Happen by Deborah Horn A few years ago, a short stretch of U.S. Highway 70 between Interstate 440’s exit 10 and I-40’s exit 161 saw mostly pickup truck traffic. It was a two-lane back road with narrow shoulders that ran through the far eastern and rural edge of North Little Rock and was rarely used by eighteen wheelers or other large commercial vehicles. That is, until a half dozen or so large distribution warehouses opened on a two-mile section of Hwy. 70 from the I-70 and Galloway exits. Since Ben E. Keith opened about six years ago, it has been joined by other giant operations like Amazon, Safeway Foods, Lowe’s, and Home Depot, and there’s at least one more (Dollar General) in the works. Both
Caterpillar, Inc. on I-440 and Remington Arms Co. on I-40 have manufacturing facilities close by. North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick said, “The North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and the city economic team have done an excellent job in developing and utilizing property throughout our city.” But economic success often comes with local traffic problems that are beyond any city’s ability to keep up with growth within existing budget realities. Hartwick and his team are working hard to anticipate and deal with road and traffic problems that come with an unprecedented number of warehouse and distribution facilities located in the city.
This screenshot was taken by North Little Rock city officials during the construction of Amazon on U.S. Hwy. 70. The 1.25 million sq. ft. distribution center opened on Labor Day 2021.
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North Little Rock Roads
Truck Traffic Because of additional warehouses, Ben E. Keith’s original 50 or so delivery trucks have mushroomed into hundreds of eighteen wheelers on that stretch of highway every day, said North Little Rock Engineer David Cook. The $140 million Amazon Distribution facility on U.S. 70 near Galloway opened Labor Day 2021, and the 1.25 million sq. ft. manages the flow of large goods and employs 1,500 people. Like other area distribution centers, it’s dependent on large incoming and outgoing delivery trucks. Prior to its opening, Amazon employees and truck traffic presence were expected to have To ensure the smooth and efficient operation of this massive facility, Lowe’s Companies, Inc. has partnered with Penske Logistics at its new North Little Rock such an impact that a dogleg$120 million distribution facility located at 13101 U.S. Hwy. 70. The facility will ship angle at the Hwy. 70 and 391 products to customers throughout the South. intersection was straightened and a traffic signal installed. It was the first joint Hwy. 70 improvement effort between the Also in the planning is a 1 million square foot city of North Little Rock and the Arkansas Department Dollar General Distribution Center, which is estimated of Transportation, with the ARDOT funding coming to cost about $140 million. It’s set to open by early through the Arkansas Economic Development 2024 and employ another 500 people. The facility Commission. The total cost of the project was about will serve as a statewide distribution point for DG $2 million, with Amazon picking up the balance of products, so between it and Lowe’s, the employee and about $400,000 at the time. truck traffic impact has yet to be fully felt, Cook said. The Boom Continues Amazon was followed by the Central Commerce Center, a multi-tenant $12 million warehouse facility built on about 13.3 acres. It currently houses the Home Depot Last Mile Delivery Center. Since then, Lowe’s opened its new 1.2 million sq. ft. distribution center. The $130 million facility, built on 115 acres, is located just off U.S. 70 near Galloway. Lowe’s partnered with Penske Logistics in this venture, and when fully staffed, they’re expected to employ as many as 185 people, with about 50 semi-trucks coming and going each day.
A Second Phase The city and state are trying to proactively deal with potential traffic issues before they happen. Cook said they already applied for additional ARDOT funding through the AEDC to help cover a portion of the estimated $2.6 million worth of improvements at the Hwy. 70 and 391 intersection. Cook said, “It’s first work done since Amazon was built there and will include the widening of a section of the intersection to three lanes with dedicated turning lanes. This will help eliminate traffic congestion there.” Funding for the project was approved earlier this
Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 13
North Little Rock Roads
Along with about six new distribution warehouse centers in the eastern end of the city, the new North Little Rock Medical Plaza is going up on the eastern edge of the city. North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick, left, and Dr. Stan Kellar, Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock Chief Medical Officer, attended last year’s groundbreaking.
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year, with the ARDOT money covering about $809,000 of the costs. The city will pay the remaining balance. While the city is responsible for the bid process, purchase of private property, utility relocation, and road construction contractor selection, Cook said, they work to ARDOT specifications. It’s not a city thoroughfare but a U.S. Highway with state and federal regulations, and “ARDOT’s input is critical,” he said. The 90th General Assembly approved such local and state partnerships through the passage of the Arkansas Highway Improvement Plan of 2019. This utilities Act 1 Surplus Funding,
North Little Rock Roads
up to $15 million, have been great “Development of this area They to support economic to work with and have is a long-term project. It’s been there every step of development and competitiveness, and this a good start, but there’s the process, whether it’s funding is available to all administrative, construction, more to be done. We Arkansas municipal cities. or dealing with regulations.” Cook encourages other would like to see more By eliminating problems city governments to look on the front end, Cook jobs and more economic added, “It’s to our mutual into this partial funding option. In fact, ARDOT development in that advantage and we’re able to provides cities with a it right the first time.” area…It has promise.” getHartwick 36-page Local Agency said, — North Little Rock Mayor Project Manual, available “Development of this area at www.ardot.gov/LPA, Terry Hartwick is a long-term project.” But said Holly Butler with already, the existing projects ARDOT’s Communications Division. The manual under construction are attracting attention from other provides step-by-step guidance and outlines the city’s distribution centers and manufacturers. He added, “It’s duties in detail as well as ARDOT’s role. a good start, but there’s more to be done. We would Most of the time, Cook said he deals directly with like to see more jobs and more economic development the District 6 engineers, adding, “They’re relatable. in that area…It has promise.”
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Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 15
Working Together
(Photo by Rusty Hubbard.)
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Hardy Low Water Bridge Replaced
The Story of a Bridge in Hardy Represents American Infrastructure Issues by Joe Quinn, Executive Director It’s difficult to visualize if you haven’t walked through the mud to stand at the end of the Humphries Ford Bridge in Hardy, Arkansas. The bridge is so low it seems to sit on top of the water. It’s narrow, and there is no guardrail. But despite all of this, until recently, hundreds of cars and trucks have been using the county-owned bridge every week to cross the river. If you had to select just one picture to show what aging infrastructure in Arkansas looks like, this might be it. On a fall afternoon when the temperature has hit 70 degrees, the bridge looks narrow but passable. But on a spring day after heavy rain when the river is moving fast, it can be treacherous. Local elected officials as well as sheriff’s deputies and police officers all mention the same thing when talking about the bridge. During periods of heavy rain, the bridge would be partially underwater, yet many drivers would plow ahead anyway. This inevitably led to accidents and calls to 911 to get rescue teams to pull people from the water. Mark Counts is the Sharp County Judge and a former sheriff. He remembers his days in uniform when he says, “I always worried during times when the river was up.” Arkansas Highway Commission Chairman Alec Farmer grew up in nearby Jonesboro. When
he was a boy, his mother would come to Hardy with her friends to rock hunt. Farmer remembers that a friend would always drive across the river while his mother closed her eyes. Farmer says, “It was a challenge to cross even in good weather. Driving across the old bridge never got less scary for some of us.” More than 15 years ago, local county quorum court members commissioned a $10,000 study to investigate the feasibility of replacing the bridge. Quorum Court member Jimmy Marler says, “We had to invest in a study to make sure a new bridge wasn’t doing anything to harm exotic fish.” Today a larger, brand new, strong-looking Spring River Bridge stands just a few yards from the old mud-covered bridge. The $3.5 million dollar structure will dramatically change local life and driving habits.
Historic Downtown Hardy
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Hardy Low Water Bridge Replaced It will make it easier for residents and tourists who come to this region in the summer. In Arkansas, tourism is one of the larger sectors of the state economy, and infrastructure that makes it easier for visitors to bring coolers, inner tubes, and dollars to Hardy matters to the local economy. Residents say the new bridge will be especially welcome on Memorial Day weekend when hundreds of people converge on this area to float the river. On busy days like that, dozens of cars would be backed up with drivers waiting for their turn to navigate the bridge. Counts says, “Today this new bridge is much safer for travel, and it is also much better for first responders who have had to navigate the narrow bridge for years to get to fires and ambulance calls.” Hardy is something of a hidden gem in Northeast
Arkansas. More than 100 years ago, wealthy families from Memphis came here in the summer to escape the heat in the city. The downtown area feels like a blend of Eureka Springs and Hot Springs in an earlier time. Ice cream shops and diners sit beside antique stores. Along the nearby Spring River are homes that have belonged to the same families for decades. Barbara Burrow Deuschle lives in Hot Springs where she and her husband Frank own a thriving restaurant. She spent every summer of her childhood in Hardy staying at her grandparents’ home on the river where her mother was raised before moving to Hot Springs. For multiple generations of her large family, Hardy is central to the family story. Grandchildren who work in other states come back at least once a year to decompress with the gentle sound of the river in the background.
(Photo by Rusty Hubbard.)
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Hardy Low Water Bridge Replaced Stories are told and retold on the big porch of the 100-year-old family home. On a humid July day there is no air conditioning or cable TV, but there is a sense that this place is something unique. A tourist attraction that has not been overrun with stores selling trinkets and fast food. The family grandchildren bathed in the Spring River while keeping an eye open for snakes. Deuschle says, “The Spring River is unique. It means everything to people who understand Hardy and who have spent time in the cool water on a hot summer day. I don’t think there is any community in Arkansas where a river is more central to life than what the Spring River means to Hardy.” While the river is a major part of life here, the Humphries Ford Bridge has always been a part of navigating over and across the river. Bridges in towns like this are a lifeline, and everyone has a story of trying to drive across this low water bridge when the water is rising, but most residents also understand the area has long needed something larger and safer. No one knew that more than the ARDOT engineers who helped the county design and build a structure that was overdue. Lorie Tudor says, “The bridge was functionally obsolete. ARDOT is able to put aside federal funding for projects like building this new bridge. Our engineers can assist the local community with designing the new bridge, letting out the bids for the work that needs to be done, and getting the permits communities needed to move ahead with the construction.” The reality facing Tudor and her team is that eroded and old bridges in rural Arkansas communities are not unusual. While ARDOT provided the expertise to build the new bridge, it is owned now by Fulton County, and the county will have to manage the maintenance and upkeep. Sharp County Judge Mark Counts says, “The synergy between ARDOT and the construction companies who did the work on the bridge has been incredible.” In some ways, Tudor is responsible for a culture change that makes projects like this easier to accomplish. There was a time when contractors and ARDOT had a somewhat adversarial approach, but Tudor has made it her practice to listen closely to what contractors need and address their challenges. That cooperation makes life easier for local leaders like
Erosion on low water bridge has been apparent for years.
Judge Counts. It also means that getting from Hardy to Cherokee Village is safe now. At a recent dedication of the new bridge, Tudor told the crowd, “We need to celebrate these projects that show where your tax dollars are being spent.” Under Tudor’s leadership, ARDOT has been aggressively working to tell road stories in a different way. The department talks in terms of how multiple projects have changed a region, instead of just discussing one ribbon cutting at a time. Going into detail on how a project like the Spring River Bridge became reality is a priority for the ARDOT communication team, not an afterthought. The new bridge means safer and more convenient travel, but it also means a lot to emergency vehicles, both in terms of how they get to the scene of 911 calls, and how often they have been called out to help people who have encountered problems while crossing the bridge. State Representative Bart Schulz represents a district north of Cave City. He also owns an ambulance service. Schulz says, “This is a tremendous step for the region in terms of safety. In some cases, the new bridge will reduce emergency response time Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 19
Hardy Low Water Bridge Replaced to patients by as much as 45 minutes. But this is not an isolated situation, there are a lot of bridges in rural Arkansas just like this.” In the 15 years that local leaders have worked on replacing the bridge, six different county judges have been involved in the discussion and planning. It took some time to get to the dedication of the new Spring River Bridge, but few roadway projects in Arkansas have probably ever had as immediate and significant an impact on a region as this new bridge has had. ARDOT District 5 Engineer Bruce Street says, “This is the biggest improvement I have witnessed in my DOT career. Going from a low water bridge to the impressive structure being built now will have a big impact on the communities to the west that depend on crossing the Spring River to get to Hardy.” At times, the discussion about improving American infrastructure can seem abstract. It’s a dialogue with dollar figures so large they can be difficult to comprehend. Thousands of aging roads and bridges across the country need to be replaced. But standing on the banks of the Spring River on a perfect fall day, the larger infrastructure dialogue can come into crystal clear focus looking at one $3.5 million dollar project that has changed life for one river town and the counties around it.
Highway Commission Chairman Alec Farmer speaks at bridge dedication.
100-year-old homes overlook Spring River.
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Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 21
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Solar Eclipse
The Great North American Eclipse Over Arkansas By Deborah Horn
Ready or not, the eclipse is coming. One thing is for certain, the April 8 solar eclipse’s path of totality cuts a wide diagonal swath across the state, starting in the Southwest corner and exiting the state near the Northeast. It will be big and possibly create bigger traffic problems—described by one ARDOT official like predicting a snowstorm. According to NASA, the Monday solar event will offer about two-thirds of all Arkansans a unique view of the upcoming celestial event. It also promises more than a partial or quick show; the duration of totality will be up to 4 minutes and 27 seconds in some areas, almost double that of the August 21, 2017 eclipse. Sevier County, including DeQueen, in the Southeast corner of the state is reported to be the best place to view the 2024 total solar eclipse. There, the maximum lunar coverage of the sun happens at 1:48 p.m., while in Russellville, more centrally located, it happens at 1:52 p.m. In these two locales, the total blackout will last more than four minutes, while in Mountain Home it will last about three minutes and in Little Rock about two minutes and 30 seconds. The expected solar sightseers are also believed to grow the state’s 3 million residents’ population by half or more overnight. Day travelers are expected from the surrounding states to the East, but there are reports of visitors traveling from around the U.S. and the world, already booking lodging accommodations. Many agencies report there are few or no hotel rooms left to book in communities, and farmers have taken to renting out their fields to pitch tents or park an RV. Large and small towns, universities, and public and private enterprises are betting big on the April solar event and going all out on their eclipse-related plans. However, like with any impending snowstorm,
the eclipse’s impact on the state is hard to predict, especially when it comes to traffic congestion on major and minor roadways, said one ARDOT Assistant Chief Engineer. It could also impact gas availability and dining options. Further complicating turnout, there may be clouds, rain, or yes, even snow — it’s not unheard of in April with the last in 2021, according to the Weather Service. Like in other emergencies, the Arkansas Department of Transportation isn’t waiting and has taken the lead on planning for the possible impact of the Great North American Eclipse over Arkansas. ASU Joins NASA Early morning on Friday, April 5, Prof. Ross Carroll will leave the Jonesboro campus of Arkansas State University (ASU), making his way to the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute at the top of Petit Jean Mountain near Russellville. The goal is to be directly in the path of the April 8 solar eclipse’s path of totality, which will pass directly over the small Arkansas town of 30,000 at about 1:52 p.m. The Associate Physics Professor with ASU’s Department of Chemistry and Physics and Mitchell Clay, a Project Program Specialist with ASU’s Department of Computer Science, and eight students are part of NASA’s Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. ASU’s two teams will join about 50 other teams from across the nation working toward the same end, Carroll explained as he walked across campus in early December. A total solar eclipse is the moon passing in front of the sun, and they will launch several balloons that are around the same size as the National Weather Service’s weather balloons, about six feet wide by Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 23
10 feet long, with 50-foot string-like appendages. These, however, are capable of lifting up to 12 pounds of equipment to altitudes over 100,000 feet to the stratosphere—that’s near to the edge of outer space. “It’s not quite to outer space,” Carroll said. They also launched balloons during the Aug. 21, 2017 partial eclipse that passed over the state, and Carroll described it as a test run for the big 2024 eclipse. “We’ll be one of the dozens of teams looking to take atmospheric measurements and live-streaming video of the moon’s shadow racing across on NASA TV,” Carroll said. He described the project as a bit “on the nerdy side, but it will be an intense, amazing experience.” According to NASA, this offers students “real-world STEM experience and contribute valuable scientific and engineering data through their projects.” Jacob Rodgers, a senior computer science major, said, “It’s an honor to play a small part in something this large, and I’m grateful for the education and experience that will come along with that.” The ASU team will be joined by an expected 1.5 million visitors on the state’s roadways, all jostling for a best position to view the 2024 eclipse as the sun races from southwest to northeast Arkansas. That means the state’s population could increase by a third or even double in the days before the Monday midafternoon event. Already, Russellville overnight accommodations have reportedly been booked for months, and none are now available. Fortunately for Carroll, his team is guaranteed rooms at the Rockefeller Institute. However, like the other expected million or so out-ofstate travelers, they’ll need food and gas, too. 24 Good Roads Foundation | Winter 2023
The 2024 Solar Eclipse It’s been deemed the Great North American Eclipse, and the total solar event promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime event for many Arkansans. It’s also believed to draw sun gazers from nearby states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee, who can probably make it a one-day trip, but there are reports of people coming from across the United States and around the world to Arkansas, said Karen Trevino, North Little Rock Parks & Tourism President and CEO. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism believes the major attraction could pull in as many as 1.5 to 2 million visitors to Arkansas alone. As in Russellville, North Little Rock is reporting that its hotels and other accommodations are full or nearly so, and the North Little Rock’s Downtown Riverside RV Park’s 75-plus spaces have been booked for months, Trevino said. While the total darkness over Russellville is predicted to last four minutes and 12 seconds, in Central Arkansas it’s about half that time or two minutes. That was enough for cities like Conway, Hot Springs, and North Little Rock to turn the weekend before and that Monday into one big solar-centered festival, Trevino said. “We wanted to give people something to do while they’re here.” The city’s downtown area, referred to as Argenta, will host events on the Arkansas River, and on Monday, Dickey-Stephens Baseball Park will open to the public for viewing. There are watch events planned at Argenta’s new Plaza on Main Street and at Rockwater Marina on
the Arkansas River, live entertainment, bicycle and kayak rentals for unique viewing opportunities from or along the river, and much more. Plans also include interactive and educational hubs for those who want to learn more about the events. While many smaller towns like Lonoke and Beebe just started talking about the eclipse and tourist possibilities and problems, Trevino said, “We’ve been planning for four years.” Record Traffic Levels Expected “With the big possibilities come bigger problems,” said Steve Frisbee, P.E., ARDOT Maintenance Assistant Chief Engineer. Based on this and the state’s projected numbers, he said, “Basically, we could have an extra 700,000 vehicles on the road.” ARDOT has been studying and discussing the impact the influx of additional vehicles could have on the state’s roadways, and Frisbee recently published and shared a document outlining practical solutions and suggestions. “It’s like we’re planning for the Super Bowl but for all over the state,” Frisbee said during a recent phone conversation. Currently, ARDOT has upgrades, renovations, and new road construction across the state, and he said they’re planning to possibly shut down worksites like the major construction work on Interstate 30. It isn’t just Central Arkansas’s roadways and worksites that concern ARDOT, but smaller fourand two-lane rural highways. “We’re worried about possible bottlenecks,” and this is part of the message they’re attempting to pass along to smaller communities. They’re relying on
Traffic Demand Models that evaluate current traffic data with the influx of vehicles expected on the eclipse day. They plan on putting maintenance personnel on the road to help with vehicle breakdowns such as running out of gas or flat tires. Frisbee said, “It will be a real challenge. We have to stay sharp. The Great Escape While people may trickle into the state in the days before the eclipse, Frisbee describes the mass exit as a big shovelful of sand trying to move through a small funnel. His team has come up with ways to reduce the stress on the state’s roadways, which includes school districts dismissing classes that day and suggesting employers encourage employees to work from home. That’s the current plan for non-essential employees at ARDOT, Frisbee said. They’re also asking distribution and other businesses that rely on big delivery trucks to consider declaring that Monday a Truck-Free Day and encouraging residents to stay home. Much like anticipating a winter storm, Frisbee can’t know for certain where and how much the snow will fall, so he suggested residents to “Be prepared, and be patient.” He said to stock up on necessities before the start of the April 5 weekend if staying home, but if traveling even a short distance, he said to keep water and snacks on-hand and an eye on the gas gauge. He added, “Travelers may experience long delays.” “We’re really working hard to get the word out,” including warning hospitals of additional patient demands, he said. ARDOT has been working with Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 25
Solar Eclipse cities like North Little Rock in order to help personnel to avoid potential in-town traffic problems. But their mission extends way beyond this, and they are also working with other state agencies such as the State Park Department, Arkansas National Guard, State Police, Highway Police, the Arkansas Department of Emergency, Homeland Security, and coordinating with surrounding states and local city and county law enforcement agencies. “It’s a huge effort,” Frisbee said. He hopes
26 Good Roads Foundation | Winter 2023
ARDOT’s extensive research and documentation will prevent or lessen the expected problems. Perhaps it’s starting to have an impact, because on Tuesday, December 12, Lonoke held a meeting to discuss the eclipse. ARDOT started their information campaign right after Christmas, and it will continue through April. Frisbee said, “I hope this is something the entire state from the highest levels on down will take seriously and embrace.”
(Photos courtesy of Ross Carroll and Arkansas State University.)
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Thanks for supporting us and helping us tell the story of why good roads and bridges matter. For membership information, please contact Joe Quinn at 479-426-5931. ACEC/A AGC Arkansas Alec Farmer APAC-Central, Inc. APAC-Tennessee, Inc. Arkadelphia Alliance Arkansas Asphalt Pavement Association Arkansas Concrete Arkansas Department of Transportation Arkansas Farm Bureau Arkansas Municipal League Arkansas Poultry Federation Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce Arkansas State Police Commission Arkansas Trucking Association Ash Grove Cement Company Association of Arkansas Counties/ County Judges Associated Builders & Contractors of AR Atlas Asphalt, Inc. (Jamestown Investments) Bank of Delight Blackstone Construction Bob Crafton Burns & McDonnell Cashion Company Clark Machinery Company Commercial Bank - Monticello Contractor’s Specialty Service Company Cowling Title CPC Midsouth Crafton-Tull & Associates Crisp Contractors Curt Green & Company, LLC D.B. Hill Contractors, Inc. Dan Flowers Delta Asphalt Dermott Industrial Development Dumas Chamber of Commerce Eagle Bank and Trust Emery Sapp & Sons
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Side Roads
Future I-57 Alignment ARDOT Press Release The Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision (ROD) identifying the Selected Alternative, or chosen route, for the Future Interstate 57 (I-57) corridor between Walnut Ridge and the Missouri State line, clearing the way for the next phase of project development. The issuance of the ROD concludes the National Environmental Policy Act process and begins the final design and right-of-way acquisition phases for the project, which will construct a 42-mile, four-lane Interstate Highway between Walnut Ridge and the Missouri State line. Design Public Hearings will be held for each construction project before construction begins to present more refined project design information. “The Future I-57 corridor is critical for commerce in Arkansas and will increase mobility between the south central United States and the Midwest,” said Alec Farmer, Chairman of the Arkansas Highway Commission. “This route also will provide a better connection to an existing and underutilized interstate bridge across the Mississippi River.” Alternatives 2 and C (see map at right) were chosen as the Selected Alternative due to the high economic growth potential, fewer impacts to properties and farms, fewer stream impacts, close alignment with Highway 67, and being preferred by the public and the Missouri Department of Transportation. The Selected Alternative begins at the Highway 67/Highway 412 interchange in Walnut Ridge, extends north across the Black River east of Pocahontas, then northeast towards Corning, and finally north to the Missouri State line. Interchanges are proposed at County Line Road (Randolph and Lawrence 32 Good Roads Foundation | Winter 2023
Counties), Highway 304, Hile Road, Duck Levee Road, Highway 67 west of Corning, Highway 67 north of Corning, and State Line Road at the Missouri State line. An interim four-lane connection to Highway 67 was included in the document to provide a short-term connection to Highway 67 should Arkansas complete its portion of I-57 prior to Missouri. The first phase of construction along this alignment will build a bypass around the City of Corning. Construction of this segment is currently expected to begin in 2025.
Side Roads
ARDOT Awarded $25M Grant ARDOT was recently awarded a grant of $25 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) program called Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE). This grant will be used to widen 3.6 miles of Highway 5 in Saline County between Highway 183 in Bryant and the Pulaski County Line. Included in this widening will be a 10-foot shared use path as well as a 5-foot sidewalk. “This project will complete the widening of Highway 5 between Benton and Little Rock as well as provide improved bicycle and pedestrian access along the busy corridor,” ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor stated. “We appreciate the U.S. Department of Transportation for recognizing this project as one
In Memoriam: Ron Harrod
Former Highway Commissioner Ron Harrod passed away on June 8, 2023. Harrod served on the Commission for ten years, from 1983 to 1993. He was appointed by then Governor Bill Clinton. ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor said Harrod “selflessly dedicated a decade of his life” to improving highways and bridges in the state.
that will improve safety and mobility for the traveling public, and we thank the Congressional Delegation for advocating for Arkansas’ infrastructure.” “Improvements to our transportation infrastructure such as this are crucial to Arkansas’ economic development and enhancing our standard of living,” said U.S. Senator John Boozman. “I’m pleased the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded this funding for projects important to Natural State communities.” The RAISE Grant program was expanded under the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. RAISE Grant funding prioritizes projects that improve safety, quality of life, mobility, community connectivity, and economic opportunity.
During his term on the Commission, more than 9,000 road miles and 900 bridges were constructed or improved. Additionally, Harrod served on many boards and commissions, such as the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, the State Insurance Advisory Examining Board, and more. According to an ARDOT news release, “He worked diligently for the betterment of Arkansas highways throughout his 10-year term on the Commission. He ended his tenure as Chair of the Commission. Throughout his term, more than 3,200 highway projects were undertaken at a cost of more than $2 billion, creating jobs and bolstering Arkansas’ economy.” Winter 2023 | Good Roads Foundation 33
Join Us, Please! Good Roads works with our members to tell the story of the need for funding and financing to help all communities develop, build and maintain roads and bridges. This drives the local economy and makes the roads safer for all of us. We have corporate and individual membership rates available. The award-winning Good Roads magazine reaches more than 1,200 key stakeholders. If you want to put your message in front of an elite audience of state legislators, mayors, county judges, Good Roads members, engineers and the companies that build roads and bridges, this is the best way to do it. This is the only in-state publication that offers you an easy way to reach this very specific audience.
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