ARKANSAS, USA — After nearly four years of construction, ARDOT is updating Arkansans on the I-30 Crossing Project— and they’re saying it should finish sooner than expected.
According to Dave Parker with the Arkansas Department of Transportation, it's the most traveled stretch of interstate in Arkansas.
"That area where 30, 40, and 630, and all that come together, gets about 120,000 cars a day,” Parker explained.
Before giving an update on the timetable, Parker discussed what the project will do, and called it the biggest project ARDOT has ever undertaken.
"Take it from six total lanes to 12 total lanes,” Parker said. “To improve the exit and on-ramps, all those sorts of things. The two bridges were nearing a point where they were going to have to be replaced."
All that work led to a hefty price tag of $540 million so far, with the final amount expected to be over $600 million, according to Parker.
He said the safety improvements will be worth it and said what was expected to be a five-year project should be done much sooner.
"We believe all the major components of the project are going to be done by the end of this year, 2024,” Parker said. "Easily, several months ahead of schedule."
As the project has moved along, Parker believes Arkansans have seen its value and are just as ready as he is for improvements on I-30.
"We don't get as many calls about it,” Parker said. “We don't get the criticism. We get more, if anything, ‘Hey, when's it gonna be done’ or ‘We’re excited about it.’ Versus, you know, ‘What the heck are you doing?”
Parker did note that while the majority of the project is now expected to be finished this year, there will still be a few things that could wrap up in 2025, such as some paving and final cleanup.