SALINE COUNTY, Ark. — The project to widen about five and a half miles of highway on I-30 started in 2019 and was supposed to be completed two years ago.
Now, the project has been pushed to an estimated end of 2024.
Hundreds of drivers expressed that they're not just tired of the construction— but they're also worried for their safety.
Tracy Bright got a new tire just this week after she got a flat while driving over metal plates on I-30 near Benton.
"It's scary to go through there, almost had a wreck going through there before. I didn't really realize I had gotten a flat until I had just come out of the construction. And right there is when it started," Bright said.
She's not the only one that has been dealing with issues. Hundreds of people reached out with complaints of blown-out tires, broken axles, and driving over metal scraps. This has kept tow companies like East End Towing busy.
"The other day I saw probably four or five that were lined up... back up, grab it, and go next one come in backup grab it and go it was one right after the other," said Public Relations Officer for East End Towing, James Harrison.
Three tow truck companies across the area all told us that they've gotten dozens of calls to the same stretch of highway over the last few weeks.
"If they break down in between those walls, yeah, it's practically impossible. Because once they're broke down, it's down to one lane," Harrison explained.
The construction to widen that part of I-30 is years behind schedule and ARDOT said the contractors are getting fined for the delay.
"The project has, I think it's fair to say, has not gone as expected by the contractor or by us," ARDOT Public Information Officer, Dave Parker said.
Even with hundreds of Facebook complaints, including people who have told us that they've changed jobs to avoid the highway, and people who have shared stories of accidents— ARDOT said they haven't gotten many.
"We haven't had a lot of complaints about people hitting those lead plates and thus having potholes. I'm not saying it hasn't occurred. But I haven't had the number to such that we would change anything," Parker explained.
Though if you have damage, there is action you can take to get it fixed.
"If you're in a construction zone, find out who the contractor is and reach out to them directly," Parker said.
In this case, that contractor is Johnson Brothers Construction Corporation.
While their phone number isn't posted on Google, we did reach out to their parent company for this story but did not hear back.