I-30 Litttle Rock Lane Expansion

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Hello All!

I don't know how any of you feel in regards to this subjuct, but I feel as if the AHTD is dead ass broke and they need to rethink the speed at which they think they are moving and where they actually are at. The 30 Crossing expansion is honestly too much! They can't even decide on how many lanes they actually want to put in! They say 10, but wait they also want to purpose an 8 lane expansion! Why is the 630 only getting noise walls when it could use an extra lane?

Apparently, it is set in motion! Contruction is set for 2018. I'd like to see it, but at the same time I would like to see some better planning going into our state transportation as a traveler and as a furture taxpayer.

I think the AHTD needs to look at their annual budget agian... It's not the best.
But, at least our roads have come along way from where they used to be!

OK on the other hand... you'd die trying to dodge potholes! 

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[capt.ron]

I saw on the local news that they are wanting to raise the gas tax in Arkansas. I'm all for that as long as the money is going to the roads and not to one's wallet. The roads in this state are in dire need of repair and / or upgrading.
As far as the I-30 project is concerned, I wonder if they [AHTD] are biting off more than they can chew. The I-30 expansion, which also encompasses I-40 up to US 67 will be a major project.
I-630 needs expansion too, from at least the area around Children's Hospital to just past University.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

I saw where on arkansashighway.com or on InterstateGuide.com where they wanted to add the noise walls from Financial Centre down or somewhere else. But, yes they want to raise the diesel tax to continue for four or five year completion timeline. The 30 Crossing lane purposal is very spuractic 3 4 and even 5 lanes of expanding, but first they need to decide on whether it needs to be 8 or 10 lanes before they start! They could do a minimum and then expand later from those.

I want to do more research and I am looking forward to seeing what other information the media and AHTD release in regards to the upcoming date of construction.

[Tomahawkin]

I did a T-Log Research paper at the U of A on this in 2006 because the state claimed it was broke and had no funding back then, therefore I did tried to address the topic and I was Told that "I didn't know what I was talking about" SMH

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Any thoughts on the bridge rebuild and expansion? 5 to 4 lanes on the I-30 bridge with a C/D design, so in a way, expect way more colomns and girders! I hope they (the columns) don't obstruct the shipping lanes through the Arkansas River!

http://prntscr.com/ejysgm For the diagram in regards to the C/D lanes and how many lanes are in the expansion.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Thank you for your interest in the Department's 30 Crossing project.  As a Design-Build project, 30 Crossing will go through an 18 month procurement process before a Design-Build Agreement is executed.  We anticipate beginning the procurement process late this spring which will result in a late 2018 date for an executed Agreement.  Once the Agreement is executed, the Design-Builder will need to finish up final design prior to beginning construction.  We anticipate construction activities to begin sometime in the first half of 2019 and be completed by the end of 2023.

Numerous deficiencies on the 30 Crossing corridor have been identified and are documented in the Purpose and Need statement of the 30 Crossing Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study which can be viewed at the following web address https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/interstate-30-pel-report.  The primary deficiencies are mobility, safety (both highway and navigational), roadway structure and function, and bridge structure and function.  The age of this facility as well as the outdated design characteristics, increasing congestion levels, and safety concerns have made improvements to this corridor a high priority for both the Department and the local MPO for many years.  Funding made available through the Connecting Arkansas Program (a ½ cent sales tax for highways approved by voters in 2012) has provided the first opportunity for sufficient funding to address the majority of these deficiencies in a single project.  By addressing these deficiencies now, the improvements can be made as quickly and cost effectively as possible.  If deferred to a later date, the existing funding would not be available and improvements would have to be implemented as funding becomes available and would most likely be broken into numerous different projects stretched out over a 10 to 20 year time period.

Many improvement options were considered during the PEL and are documented in that Study.  Other modes of transportation including improved bus service and light rail were explored.  The transit study showed that even under the best case scenarios transit would not solve the mobility and safety deficiencies in the corridor and of course would do nothing to resolve the structural and functional deficiencies of the corridor.  It is also important to note that the responsibility for transit planning, funding, and operations is primarily the responsibility of the local transit agency which for Central Arkansas is Rock Region Metro.

There are currently no plans to implement tolling on Little Rock freeways, however tolling is always a possibility for future improvements if sufficient support exists for such an initiative.  The Department and MetroPlan have agreed to partner on a regional HOT lanes study to determine the feasibility of the use of HOT lanes to address future congestion on the freeway system.  This study has not yet begun.  30 Crossing is essentially a large extended intersection as it consists of four freeway system interchanges and numerous other high volume arterial intersections in a 7-mile section.  For this reason, it is not a good candidate for HOT lanes.  However, any improvements made to I-30 under the 30 Crossing project would not prevent the implementation of HOT lanes in areas of the Central Arkansas freeway system that are most benefited by such lanes.

Possible HOT coming in the future?

[Road Hog]

The I-30 bridge was functionally obsolete 25 years ago.