LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Little Rock Board of Directors is discussing how to move forward with a road improvement project on one of the city's busiest streets.
Cantrell stretches from east to west, serving as the area's main artery. Various parts of the road have already been extensively constructed.
An agenda item described selling land owned by Dillard's to the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), with $120,000 from the sale going to Dillard's.
Directors wanted clarification on the sale as it all goes to the Cantrell Road Improvement Project.
"The project is to rebuild that bridge, so that's why they are acquiring that parcel of property," Little Rock Public Works Director Jon Honeywell said.
The Gill Street Bridge near Dillard's will be one of the newest construction sites for Cantrell's improvement. ARDOT will realign the bridge, which requires more property purchases.
The other items related to the improvement project are various land sales to the Arkansas State Highway Commission.
ARDOT will receive more than $106,000 to continue widening Cantrell from Pleasant Ridge to Taylor Loop.
This project has been years in the making, starting with one of the most significant portions of Cantrell, which was widened in 2019.
That included rerouting the merging lanes to get on and off I-430 onto Cantrell, with the road expanded to six lanes. That part of the project ended last year.
The directors are expected to vote on this at the regularly scheduled meeting on March 19.