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Jacksonville officials say to expect traffic delays ahead of air show

Thousands are expected to head to Jacksonville this weekend for the air show. With construction ongoing, police are preparing for the influx of traffic.

JACKSONVILLE, Arkansas — If you've driven to Jacksonville, Ark., recently, you might have noticed signs that say things like "road work ahead" or "be prepared to stop." 

These signs are there because of the construction of the highway expansion, a project that's been going on for a while now.

The Jacksonville Police Department wants to ensure people remember the changes as they make their way to the air show this weekend.

"Even if you're from here, there's a lot of changes to the roads," Jacksonville Police Lt. Ray Jones said. "If you're coming from out of town and don't know the area, it's easy to get turned around."

Jones said they'll have different signs on the highway to let drivers know which exits to take.

"That's going to indicate whether they need to get off on exits 10B and 11B if they're northbound traffic, coming from Little Rock," Jones said. "That's going to be where the traffic is going to be able to flow the best... If they're coming southbound, it'll be exit 11 from the Cabot area."

Jacksonville police said they've worked closely with other police departments because people are expected to travel from different areas.

"Between us, Cabot PD, Pulaski County and State Police, along with Sherwood as well, we've had a lot of meetings... throughout this process," Jones said.

With thousands expected each day this weekend and several other significant events happening in Central Arkansas, Jones said they want cars to be prepared for potential traffic jams.

"Making sure that their gas tanks are full, tires are properly inflated, have a spare tire in case they get a flat tire," Jones said. "If they have children, maybe some snacks and water inside the vehicle because there's going to be delays on those roadways."

If you get stuck in some traffic, Jones said do not get out of the car to check on the holdup.

"Safety is important to us," Jones said. "One of the best ways to do that is to ensure we keep traffic flowing."

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