LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An upgrade to Interstate 40 marked the first project to be completed under a $1.8 billion road construction program approved by Arkansas voters.

A section of Interstate 40 was widened between Interstate 430 and Arkansas 365, making it a six-lane route between North Little Rock and Conway. The $38.4 million project also added lanes to and from Conway at the I-430/I-40 interchange in North Little Rock, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (https://bit.ly/2fWAKdi ) reported.

“It’s a lot less stress and a lot less delay than it used to be,” outgoing Conway Mayor Tab Townsell said. “I’d like to hope it’s a lot more safer than it used to be.” Townsell is also the incoming executive director of central Arkansas’ long-range transportation planning agency, Metroplan.

The Connecting Arkansas Program aims to improve connections between cities, increase highway capacity, improve safety and reduce congestion. It’s one of the largest such programs the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has undertaken.

The department has scheduled eight projects to be awarded contracts under the program next year.

Voters jump-started the program in December 2012, when they approved an amendment to the state Constitution giving a temporary half-percentage-point increase in state sales tax to fund the program. The department aims to complete all of the projects within the next 10 years, which is how long the tax is in place.

A mix of state and federal fuel taxes usually fund the department’s regular construction program.

___

Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, https://www.arkansasonline.com

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.