Two Arkansas state highway projects beginning this week will impact drivers in Crawford County.
The first involves a traffic pattern change on Highway 64, or Alma Highway, in Van Buren. The temporary changes are necessary to allow the raising of the bridge deck carrying Highway 64, westbound traffic over Interstate 540, according to the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department.
Beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, all traffic will be moved to the existing eastbound lanes of Highway 64 in the area of I-540. Westbound traffic will be diverted to the eastbound lanes using temporary median crossings.
The on ramp for westbound traffic on Highway 64 to I-540 southbound and the northbound off ramp from I-540 to westbound Highway 64 will be closed to accommodate this work.
The work is expected to be completed and traffic patterns restored to the existing lanes and ramps within 48 hours, according to the AHTD.
The second project will impact traffic on Highway 162, or Kibler Road. Starting Friday, May 10, traffic will be restricted on Highway 162 in the area of I-540 between the hours of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Traffic will be restricted to movement in one direction at a time and will be closed for up to 30 minutes at a time by flaggers stationed, according to the AHTD. The work is expected to take a week.
The restrictions will allow crews to remove the deck from the bridge that normally carries I-540 traffic over Highway 162.
