Local snow plows scraped off the reflective markings on part of the interstate in Fayetteville this week, causing the state highway department to close a lane over the weekend.
Officials said traffic will be reduced to one lane in the northbound direction of Interstate 540 between Wedington Drive and Porter Road at various times from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
The Arkansas Highway Commission said the lane closure is necessary to allow for replacement of the reflective pavement markings, which have been scraped off of the road by snow plows. The pavement markings are the reflective paint stripes on the road, not the reflectors that stand up off of the ground.
"We asked the contractor to come back in and get those stripes replaced as quickly as possible," said Chad Adams, an engineer with the Arkansas Highway Department.
Road crews were already working on adding a third lane to the stretch of the interstate.
Highway officials urged motorists to use care and think ahead when traveling through the work zone, which has a reduced speed limit and narrow lanes.