WITHIN ARKANSAS’ BORDERS ARE OVER 16,000 MILES OF

HIGHWAYS. AT AHTD, WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING THE

BEST TRAVELING EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE ALONG THOSE MILES.

Accomplishing this mission is challenging during this time of uncertain and declining

revenues. Regardless, our Department considers the traveling public our first priority

and dedicates itself to providing efficient and safe travel for our motorists.

SCOTT E. BENNETT, P.E.

Director

Arkansas State Highway & Transportation Department

/// Accomplishments

■ FHWA approval was received to sign the Future I-49 Corridor between LA and MO as either I-49 or Future I-49. I-540 from I-40 north was re-signed as I-49 in April 2014. Designation of I-49 from Texarkana to Shreveport became official at an AHTD and LaDOTD dedication event held in November.

■ A groundbreaking was held for the new Highway 412 Northern Bypass in Springdale. At $100.6 million, it is the single largest construction contract ever awarded by our Highway Commission. Part of the Connecting Arkansas Program, it will be the first east-west Interstate-type corridor in northwest Arkansas.

■ Replacement of the Highway 70 (Broadway Street) Bridge over the Arkansas River between Little Rock and North Little Rock was awarded in 2014 for $98.4 million. The bridge carries 24,000 vehicles per day. Since replacement will require closing the bridge for six months, construction will be expedited to reduce ‘out of service’ time.

■ Major strides were made this year in communicating using social media. More than 1.3 million visitors have used IDriveArkansas.com since its debut. The site has been visited 3.6 million times. The Department received two Bronze Quill Awards from the International Association of Business Communicators for marketing efforts related to the website. In addition, we currently have 21,000 followers on Twitter.

/// new Initiatives

■ AHTD began accepting applications for the new Arkansas Commercial Truck Safety & Education Program in late 2014. The program proposes improving the safety of the commercial truck industry through cooperative public-private programs focusing on increased enforcement, regulatory compliance, industry training and educational programs to ensure the safe movement of goods on Arkansas highways. In June 2015, grants totaling $4.2 million were awarded to AHTD, the Arkansas Trucking Association and the University of Cental Arkansas.

■ AHTD kicked off its first Planning and Environmental Linkages Study for widening Interstate 30 in downtown Little Rock. The study will identify and document transportation needs and potential improvements for the area. This project is part of the Connecting Arkansas Program.

■ The proposed Interstate 30 project will also be the first time AHTD has utilized the Design-Build-Finance method of contract delivery.

/// Looking Ahead

■ While DOTs struggled with funding in 2014, we worked diligently with members of the Arkansas Legislature during its latest session to find new innovative methods of generating revenue. While a solution was not reached, Governor Asa Hutchinson created the ‘Governor’s Working Group on Highway Funding’ to investigate adequate financing of the present and future needs on our State highways. Recommendations for a more reliable system of funding will be presented by year’s end.

■ Our Connecting Arkansas Program, one of the largest programs ever undertaken, began in 2014 with three projects being let to contract. In 2015, we will begin an additional three projects and eight more the next year. In 2017 and continuing in 2019, we will let 21 projects to contract. In all, 35 projects will be underway by 2019 improving a total of 200 miles for $1.8 billion.