Find Alternate Routes for I-540 Construction
On Jan. 21, one of the state’s biggest road projects will begin on Interstate 540 in the River Valley, closing one lane of traffic each way.
While work is being done on I-540, the highway department is asking drivers to find alternate routes into Fort Smith to avoid the congestion. 
Different options for drivers include the Garrison Avenue bridge, the Midland Boulevard bridge and the Highway 59 bridge at Barling, according to Joe Shipman, District Engineer for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
The more than $78 million project will include resurfacing seven miles of roadway and replacing nine bridges. The bridges on I-540 affected by the project include Rogers Avenue, Grand Avenue, Clayton Avenue, Arkansas River, and Union Pacific Railroad Overpass.
