This thread has been established to track information regarding Interstate 30 happenings within the Little Rock area, related to further news of meetings and future construction schedules. Here is something I ran into (admittingly a bit late)
QuoteLITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The largest highway project ever proposed in Arkansas is moving forward.
The 630 million dollar I-30 expansion project called 30 Crossing, jumped its final hurdle Wednesday, as Metroplan board members gave regional approval.
All board members approved the project, except Wanda Crawford, the Rock Region Metro Interim Executive Director.
"Honestly I can't see a world when transit folks would be interested in any kind of expansion of highways when there are other alternatives that can be put forth that meet more peoples needs in the community," Rock Region Metro Representative Becca Green said after the meeting.
The 3 week public comment period before Wednesdays meeting yielded more than 150 letters.
Forty-one letters were supportive of the 30 Crossing project, 127 were against.
The much anticipated Environmental Assessment of the 30 Crossing project has not yet been released. It is expected in early 2018.
There are two I-30 expansion designs currently being considered, the Single Point and Split Diamond designs.
The Metroplan board members are giving preference to the Split Diamond design. Learn more here.
"I think ultimately is better than what we've got now, where we dump all the traffic both north and south on to the second street interchange. That will be eliminated. For these people who say all that's happening is building a great big, bigger freeway, actually we're eliminating a large portion of that freeway and creating a 17 to 18 acre park," Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola said.
Which design is chosen will be dependent on the Environmental Assessment. A 45 day public comment period will then open once the EA is released.
Wednesdays vote was the last action taken by Metroplan and its board members regarding this project.
The Federal Highway Administration will also have to sign off on the project. ~ ArkansasMatters.com (http://www.arkansasmatters.com/news/local-news/i-30-expansion-project-receives-final-local-approval/884961648)
Personally, I am confused on how they plan to change/enhance Cumberland and 2nd Street. 2nd is what appears to be a bi-directional one way, meaning, at Rock St. traffic can turn left or right, but towards Cumberland (right) 2nd is clearly marked as a one way street.
Here is a link to video renderings: https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/30-crossing-3d-simulations#.WkVJW9-nEdW
I think it's hilarious in the renderings they have excessive traffic back up in the 8 lane version but things flow so much better with the 6 lane and C/D lanes. They should make it 8 lanes with C/D lanes if traffic is that bad. They clearly will pick the 6 lane + C/D which seems fine.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 28, 2017, 02:47:25 PM
Here is a link to video renderings: https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/30-crossing-3d-simulations#.WkVJW9-nEdW
I think it's hilarious in the renderings they have excessive traffic back up in the 8 lane version but things flow so much better with the 6 lane and C/D lanes. They should make it 8 lanes with C/D lanes if traffic is that bad. They clearly will pick the 6 lane + C/D which seems fine.
I wonder if they skewed the simulation? :hmmm:
That is very interesting... Well, if they predicted 3rd as is depicted in the simulation, that whole street will be a clusterfuck! They'll have to do something drastic like with I-430 and AR 10.
Well, it speaks to me that they have a strong preference for the 6 lanes plus C/D system which I'm guessing will work. I don't know enough about the Little Rock area to judge the proper number of lanes for this stretch of freeway.
I was just surprised at the drastic change in the amount of traffic between the two renderings. One is a freeway lovers dream and the other is a nightmare lol.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on December 28, 2017, 06:59:56 PM
Well, it speaks to me that they have a strong preference for the 6 lanes plus C/D system which I'm guessing will work. I don't know enough about the Little Rock area to judge the proper number of lanes for this stretch of freeway.
I was just surprised at the drastic change in the amount of traffic between the two renderings. One is a freeway lovers dream and the other is a nightmare lol.
Checking back, it doesn't give preference to how many lanes will be used, but the simulation is a bit fishy, but I agree.
I was on a more thorough inspection of the CAP website; specifically the 30 Crossing page and this is what I found: "Project Updates
Draft Environmental Assessment
Progress continues in preparing the draft Environmental Assessment. The following documents will be included in this report and will be made available for public review prior to the next public hearing. A public hearing is currently anticipated for late 2017 or early 2018.
Indirect Effects Technical Report
PEL Traffic and Safety Report
Alternatives Technical Report
PEL Public Involvement Summary
EA Public Involvement Summary
Community Impacts Technical Report
Phase I Cultural Resources Survey
Section 4(f) Evaluations
Noise Study
Utility Technical Memorandum
Visual and Aesthetics Technical Report
Hazardous Materials Report
Streams and Wetlands Report
Water Quality Technical Memorandum
Floodplain Technical Memorandum
MSAT Analysis report
Cumulative Effects Technical Report
Draft Interchange Justification Report (IJR)
Modifications to entrance and exit ramps throughout the corridor are proposed as part of the 30 Crossing project. To address these changes, an Interchange Justification Report is being prepared to justify the new or revised access points on the interstate. This report includes information on conceptual design, traffic results, safety analysis, and signing plan. This report is currently in progress.
Design-Build Procurement
In May, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (formerly AHTD) issued notice that it was seeking Statements of Qualifications from firms desiring to design and construct the project. The SOQs were due at the end of June, and AHTD is currently reviewing the submittals. A short list of firms is expected in September with a Request for Proposals issued in early 2018." CAP website-30 Crossing
It looks like things are going to really pick up in early 2018!
iPhone
Here is some information regarding this topic:
Quote from: Benjamin Browning, P.E. | Alternative Project Delivery Director | Arkansas Department of Transportation
Trenton,
The Project status for the I-30 (30 Crossing) project is accurate. Although we are not yet able to set a firm date for the Environmental Public Hearing, we do anticipate that it will be held during the summer of this year.
This Project is being delivered using the Design-Build delivery method rather than the traditional Design-Bid-Build delivery method. For this reason, the Project will not be included in a Letting. Rather, the Design-Builder will be selected through a two-phase qualifications based selection process. We have already concluded the first phase of this process in which we issued a Request for Qualifications and Short-listed three firms with the highest qualifications for the type of construction necessary for this Project. The next phase will be to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) to the three short listed firms. These firms will respond to this request with a submittal that will contain commitments on how they propose to construction the Project within the fixed budget. We will not release this final RFP until after the Environmental process is complete. Once the RFP is released, the Proposers will be given 3-6 months to respond to the RFP with their Proposals. The Department will then score the Proposals and select the Design-Builder who presented the best value proposal. After selection, the Department will enter into a contract with the selected Design-Builder and they will complete the design and start construction on the project. At this time we anticipate final design starting the early part of 2019 and construction beginning in the summer of 2019.
Key Points:Environmental Public Hearing, anticipation for summer of this year.
No Letting - RIP
Anticipate final design starting the early part of 2019 and construction beginning in the summer of 2019.
No final RFP until after the Environmental process is complete.
Have any more to add? Those are main ones to me!
Quote from: https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/9/i-30-pulaski-county/#.W0Z6OtJKhPY
Public Hearing — Thursday, July 12, 2018
A 30 Crossing public hearing will be held Thursday, July 12, 2018, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock. Public hearing materials are available for review by visiting the Public Hearing Page. Information includes the Environmental Assessment and the proposed preliminary design.
So, I found the ftp server of a site belonging to a company I believe to to have a stake in the 30 Crossing project:
Here is the PDF I found: ftp://ftp.bridgefarmer.com/144-07/CA0601_Revised%20Plans_2018-08-09.pdf
30 Crossing contractor selected today:
http://ardot.gov/news/2019_news/NR%2019-008.pdf (http://ardot.gov/news/2019_news/NR%2019-008.pdf)
Seems like a different way to get the project done than is typically done in the state.
Any updates on this? I haven't been through Little Rock in awhile.
I like their implementation of the C/D system. It reminds me somewhat of the "auxiliary lanes" on I-5 in SoCal.
Quote from: https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/9/i-30-pulaski-county/#.Xcsp5tm9LToProject Updates
FONSI
Based upon the Environmental Assessment (EA), additional information included in the FONSI document, and the Disposition of Public Comments for the Location and Design Public Hearing, FHWA concludes that the proposed project will not have a significant impact on the environment.
No additional NEPA documentation is required for this project. FHWA in cooperation with ARDOT identifies Alternative 2B as the Selected Alternative for the project. If, during design or construction, changes in laws or regulations occur that affect the project, or there are major design changes that result in greater impacts than those evaluated in this document, a reÂevaluation of this EA will be performed.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation has completed the assessment of the proposed project and the Federal Highway Administration issues a Finding of No Significant Impact for the 30 Crossing Project in Pulaski County, Arkansas.
Click here to visit the FONSI page for more information and to download the report.
The construction should be underway; looking at the timeline, it started around the first quater of 2019.
Breaking News:
The state Supreme Court says ARDOT can't use the half-cent tax revenue for the I-30 widening.
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/oct/29/half-percent-sales-tax-cant-be-used-i-30-project-s/
Yikes...what a nightmare
Though when I heard of the lawsuit, it was a slam dunk this would happen. So they should've come up with a plan in the intervening months
How did they fund the 6-laning of I-49 in NWA then?
Quote from: MikieTimT on October 29, 2020, 07:18:34 PM
How did they fund the 6-laning of I-49 in NWA then?
Federal grants, I think.
Quote from: US71 on October 29, 2020, 08:08:26 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on October 29, 2020, 07:18:34 PM
How did they fund the 6-laning of I-49 in NWA then?
Federal grants, I think.
Going off of this site (https://www.connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/5/i-49-washington-benton-county/#.X5uFz1BOnIU), I was thinking it was because of the sales tax.
Does this ruling mean they can't do any widening on I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis with the sales tax funds? I know they were planning on doing a few selected sections of that stretch if the ballot measure passed.
Quote from: mvak36 on October 29, 2020, 11:23:50 PM
Quote from: US71 on October 29, 2020, 08:08:26 PM
Quote from: MikieTimT on October 29, 2020, 07:18:34 PM
How did they fund the 6-laning of I-49 in NWA then?
Federal grants, I think.
Going off of this site (https://www.connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/5/i-49-washington-benton-county/#.X5uFz1BOnIU), I was thinking it was because of the sales tax.
Does this ruling mean they can't do any widening on I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis with the sales tax funds? I know they were planning on doing a few selected sections of that stretch if the ballot measure passed.
I don't think that would be excluded. What it sounds like is legalese contradicting each other.
So, I found a game plan for this year and the next. Due to the Design-Build model of this particular project I don't have to the minute play-by-play letting plans, as they aren't treating each section as it's own job (so: no job, no job number). But, I have with me a snippet of a preliminary stage map (https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/downloads/452/30-crossing-milestone-dates-map/). Also, I am late in saying I missed the kickoff of things, as (pre)construction has been ongoing since September 18th.
So I guess that means this project will happen regardless? If so that is great news as it is sorely needed.
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on November 22, 2020, 05:40:39 AM
So I guess that means this project will happen regardless? If so that is great news as it is sorely needed.
Yes, lane closures are going on and some dimolition/detours have happened recently. From the stage map, the N & S terminals will be late 2021.
If I read the pdf right, it looks like the 360 degree and the 450 degree ramps near 2nd Street are going away?
Quote from: Finrod on November 28, 2020, 06:39:19 AM
If I read the pdf right, it looks like the 360 degree and the 450 degree ramps near 2nd Street are going away?
Yes. The helixes will disappear one day soon...
Judge in the case refuses to reconsider:
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/sep/15/judge-denies-states-request-to-reconsider-30/
I was bored and reviewing the plans for this project and I was actually surprised just how big this project is; it's been awhile since I looked at the plans. So from the website it says the project is proceeding as usual even though there are lawsuits against it. Is that correct?
Also, it got me thinking about the streetcar I had forgot exists in LR. At one point I recall this project was going to adversely affect it is that still the case? I can't find anything about it on the website.
Update:
QuoteA record-setting $188 million project that will widen almost 5.5 mi. of Interstate 30 is under way in Saline County, Arkansas. Crews also are tasked with reconstructing three interchanges and replacing five existing bridges.
https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/188m-i-30-project-is-largest-ever-for-arkansas-highway-commission/55282
Did I read it correctly that the end result of that I-30 project will be lanes only 11 foot in width rather than the normal 12? If so, that really sucks. I really despise skinny lanes. They might be fine driving in a tiny econo-box car. But so many Americans prefer driving in big vehicles, like pickup trucks and SUVs. I'm one of those "jerks" who drives a full size pickup truck (although I don't consider myself a stereotypical redneck). Anyway, when driving a big vehicle in an 11 foot wide lane it feels like you're going to trade paint with vehicles in adjacent lanes at the slightest wiggle.
We're going backwards in highway design standards with these 11 foot wide skinny lanes.
Quote from: Bobby5280 on February 06, 2022, 10:17:21 PM
Did I read it correctly that the end result of that I-30 project will be lanes only 11 foot in width rather than the normal 12? If so, that really sucks. I really despise skinny lanes. They might be fine driving in a tiny econo-box car. But so many Americans prefer driving in big vehicles, like pickup trucks and SUVs. I'm one of those "jerks" who drives a full size pickup truck (although I don't consider myself a stereotypical redneck). Anyway, when driving a big vehicle in an 11 foot wide lane it feels like you're going to trade paint with vehicles in adjacent lanes at the slightest wiggle.
We're going backwards in highway design standards with these 11 foot wide skinny lanes.
No, the 11-foot lanes are only being used temporarily throughout the construction zone. It will definitely be three 12 foot travel lanes in each direction once construction is complete later this year.
Regarding this project? And this might be OT but will Arkansas ever step into the 21st century and add toll lanes? They are much needed to fund future projects and maintainence on IH 49, 40, 55, 30, 630, 57 555 and many state routes. Even a 50 cent or 1 dollar toll limit would generate a lot of revenue in that state. IMO, Arkansas has the worst road conditions in the South behind Louisiana...tolling IH 30 west of the 430 interchange would be a start, even at a 50 cent cap limit
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 07, 2022, 09:23:24 PM
Regarding this project? And this might be OT but will Arkansas ever step into the 21st century and add toll lanes? They are much needed to fund future projects and maintainence on IH 49, 40, 55, 30, 630, 57 555 and many state routes. Even a 50 cent or 1 dollar toll limit would generate a lot of revenue in that state. IMO, Arkansas has the worst road conditions in the South behind Louisiana...tolling IH 30 west of the 430 interchange would be a start, even at a 50 cent cap limit
I think there would be a strong case for adding the third lane on I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis as a toll lane. That stretch has the traffic volume to support tolling. Not sure if there are any other highway segments that have the amount of traffic required to generate enough toll revenue to make them self-sustaining.
I did the Little Rock to Memphis drive during Xmas, and I concur that it needs to be 6 lanes total through there because of all the truck traffic. To say that drive sucked is an understatement.
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 09, 2022, 10:53:33 AM
I did the Little Rock to Memphis drive during Xmas, and I concur that it needs to be 6 lanes total through there because of all the truck traffic. To say that drive sucked is an understatement.
Still nothing compared to Dallas to Shreveport on I-20.
Quote from: bwana39 on February 09, 2022, 10:58:05 PM
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 09, 2022, 10:53:33 AM
I did the Little Rock to Memphis drive during Xmas, and I concur that it needs to be 6 lanes total through there because of all the truck traffic. To say that drive sucked is an understatement.
Still nothing compared to Dallas to Shreveport on I-20.
Maybe Dallas to Tyler on I-20, but east of that, I-30 has more. And I-40 from Little Rock to Memphis has I-20 beat hands down on truck traffic.
From 7 years ago, but I'm sure growth trends haven't changed appreciably.
(https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/freight_analysis/nat_freight_stats/images/hi_res_jpg/nhslnghultrktraf2015.jpg)
It looks like I-80 across Iowa and Nebraska needs to be in a 3x3 lanes configuration rather than the usual 2x2 of rural Interstates.
Quote from: Bobby5280 on February 11, 2022, 12:08:54 AM
It looks like I-80 across Iowa and Nebraska needs to be in a 3x3 lanes configuration rather than the usual 2x2 of rural Interstates.
I've driven on I-80 through Iowa and Nebraska quite a bit before I moved down to KC. Even though that map shows a lot of truck traffic, I haven't had too many issues.
I've actually seen worse traffic on I-70 between here and St. Louis. Probably because there's a lot more people in their personal vehicles traveling the corridor.
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 09, 2022, 10:53:33 AM
I did the Little Rock to Memphis drive during Xmas, and I concur that it needs to be 6 lanes total through there because of all the truck traffic. To say that drive sucked is an understatement.
If that stretch of interstate was a coronary artery, the nation would be suffering extreme angina if not the big one.
I think we are trying to make TRUCK TRAFFIC analogous to traffic: period. While a greater volume of truck traffic can make it more difficult for light trucks and cars to travel, the real issue is total traffic. There is a lot of heavy truck traffic going from New York to California and vice versa. This map would seem to suggest most of it follows I-80 From the eastern seaboard to I-76 then it spreads out some.
Again, heavy trucks and additionally this map is Long Haul, which I believes means over 250 miles. So even the local heavy truck traffic is disregarded.
Quote from: abqtraveler on February 09, 2022, 10:13:47 AM
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 07, 2022, 09:23:24 PM
Regarding this project? And this might be OT but will Arkansas ever step into the 21st century and add toll lanes? They are much needed to fund future projects and maintainence on IH 49, 40, 55, 30, 630, 57 555 and many state routes. Even a 50 cent or 1 dollar toll limit would generate a lot of revenue in that state. IMO, Arkansas has the worst road conditions in the South behind Louisiana...tolling IH 30 west of the 430 interchange would be a start, even at a 50 cent cap limit
I think there would be a strong case for adding the third lane on I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis as a toll lane. That stretch has the traffic volume to support tolling. Not sure if there are any other highway segments that have the amount of traffic required to generate enough toll revenue to make them self-sustaining.
I seem to remember that there was an idea floated around a few years ago about making a toll lane from LR to Memphis. Having driven that quite often a few years ago, that route needs an extra lane, but I'm not sure the idea of a toll route would have the level of support.
Quote from: bwana39 on February 11, 2022, 08:13:29 AM
I think we are trying to make TRUCK TRAFFIC analogous to traffic: period. While a greater volume of truck traffic can make it more difficult for light trucks and cars to travel, the real issue is total traffic. There is a lot of heavy truck traffic going from New York to California and vice versa. This map would seem to suggest most of it follows I-80 From the eastern seaboard to I-76 then it spreads out some.
Again, heavy trucks and additionally this map is Long Haul, which I believes means over 250 miles. So even the local heavy truck traffic is disregarded.
Little Rock and Memphis are more than a little intertwined economically, so local truck traffic only makes the picture worse than the above picture indicates. And I-40 has lots of auto traffic going to and coming from the southeast through Memphis by way of I-55, I-40, and I-22, which makes it pretty difficult when adding all that together to average 70, much less the 75MPH speed limit.
Quote from: msunat97 on February 11, 2022, 08:56:55 AM
Quote from: abqtraveler on February 09, 2022, 10:13:47 AM
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 07, 2022, 09:23:24 PM
Regarding this project? And this might be OT but will Arkansas ever step into the 21st century and add toll lanes? They are much needed to fund future projects and maintainence on IH 49, 40, 55, 30, 630, 57 555 and many state routes. Even a 50 cent or 1 dollar toll limit would generate a lot of revenue in that state. IMO, Arkansas has the worst road conditions in the South behind Louisiana...tolling IH 30 west of the 430 interchange would be a start, even at a 50 cent cap limit
I think there would be a strong case for adding the third lane on I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis as a toll lane. That stretch has the traffic volume to support tolling. Not sure if there are any other highway segments that have the amount of traffic required to generate enough toll revenue to make them self-sustaining.
I seem to remember that there was an idea floated around a few years ago about making a toll lane from LR to Memphis. Having driven that quite often a few years ago, that route needs an extra lane, but I'm not sure the idea of a toll route would have the level of support.
I don't know about support in the state for toll roads in general as it's been studied for every portion of I-49 that has recently been completed or has yet to be completed, but that stretch of I-40 between Little Rock and Memphis has the highest non-urban traffic in the entire state, so if it happens anywhere in Arkansas, it would happen there.
I can't comment about Arkansas, but I do know that the LADOTD has sent out feelers about converting the inside shoulder of I-12 between Baton Rouge and just west of Hammond into a managed toll express lane, and possibly extending it to I-10 from Baton Rouge south to near Gonzales. That would complement the additional third general purpose lane in each direction that was completed on both roadways.
I'd think that approach might go better on AR's I-30 than merely building a tolled 3rd lane.
Quote from: Anthony_JK on February 11, 2022, 01:45:38 PM
I can't comment about Arkansas, but I do know that the LADOTD has sent out feelers about converting the inside shoulder of I-12 between Baton Rouge and just west of Hammond into a managed toll express lane, and possibly extending it to I-10 from Baton Rouge south to near Gonzales. That would complement the additional third general purpose lane in each direction that was completed on both roadways.
I'd think that approach might go better on AR's I-30 than merely building a tolled 3rd lane.
If there's that much traffic then they should build two manage tolled lanes each way using a P3. If not just add a 4th general lane.
I agree, but here's the thing? Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Benton area of IH the fastest growing area in Little Rock? The rush hour traffic combined with the truck traffic en route to Texas makes 4-6 lanes total totally antiquated. Having frontage roads on both sides makes this issue even more complex and a tougher issue than a "Quick Fix"
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 11, 2022, 07:59:10 PM
I agree, but here's the thing? Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the Benton area of IH the fastest growing area in Little Rock? The rush hour traffic combined with the truck traffic en route to Texas makes 4-6 lanes total totally antiquated. Having frontage roads on both sides makes this issue even more complex and a tougher issue than a "Quick Fix"
It's already 6 laned with full frontage roads from Little Rock to Benton because of the local traffic necessitating that happening last decade. When they get done with the construction of I-57 past Jacksonville with the additional lanes there, more of the LR metro growth will go that way, but for now, it's along I-30 past Benton. They are in the process of extending the 6 laning down to US-70, so within a couple of decades, Hot Springs will likely join the LR metro area as that's where the more well-to-do will move toward.
The growth around Little Rock will happen regardless of the number of freeway lanes. ARDOT is just playing catch-up.
Speaking of growth when are they are extending I-440?
I think the North Belt Freeway is on hold, waiting for funding.
Extending 440 isn't a priority. It's a decent bypass for traffic from up north to Texas As Is. IMO, ARDOT doesn't have the money for it and will not for 10+ years! Widening 30 and finishing IH 49 should be top priority as far as where road funding is allocated to...With that said I don't think 40 will be 6 lanes between Memphis and L. Rock until the end of the decade
The North Belt is basically nothing more than a local route to help Gravel Ridge and the backsides of Jacksonville and Sherwood. It may take some I-430 traffic off I-40, but I don't think it will be enough to make it worth it.
Because it will likely have to avoid Camp Robinson and Burns Park, it will cut through subdivisions and be hideously expensive. I'm sure the cost-benefit analysis was done on this 25 years ago and it will only be worse.
Quote from: Road Hog on February 11, 2022, 03:45:38 AM
If that stretch of interstate was a coronary artery, the nation would be suffering extreme angina if not the big one.
Speaking of arteries (https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/smdfx5/24_hours_of_highway_traffic_in_the_united_states/)
Update on this project: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/improvement-project-on-i-30-in-little-rock-ark-hitting-key-milestones/57447
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on August 13, 2022, 02:55:56 AM
Update on this project: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/improvement-project-on-i-30-in-little-rock-ark-hitting-key-milestones/57447
Now we get to the real phase of detours choking the transit around L.R./N.L.R..
Quote from: MikieTimT on August 13, 2022, 09:28:55 AM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on August 13, 2022, 02:55:56 AM
Update on this project: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/improvement-project-on-i-30-in-little-rock-ark-hitting-key-milestones/57447
Now we get to the real phase of detours choking the transit around L.R./N.L.R..
Welcome to Arkansas ! :pan: :pan:
Bridge change over begins soon:
QuoteLITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Little Rock corridor highway project is about to go through some changes.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation has announced the change-over from the old to the new Arkansas River Interstate 30 bridge will take place in three phases beginning Sept. 1.
Once the final phase is accomplished, crews will demolish and replace the old river bridge.
Read more here: https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/ardot-announces-plan-timeline-for-little-rock-i-30-bridge-project-change-over/
Grant awarded for the park cap:
https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 21, 2023, 03:56:23 PM
Grant awarded for the park cap:
https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/
They had to get a grant just to plan it. Do you honestly think they will put the money together to actually build it. They cannot get that done in DFW.
Quote from: bwana39 on February 21, 2023, 03:59:14 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 21, 2023, 03:56:23 PM
Grant awarded for the park cap:
https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/
They had to get a grant just to plan it. Do you honestly think they will put the money together to actually build it. They cannot get that done in DFW.
Every other country seems to have it figured out. I'm sure we can here too. I'm sure the one Dallas will be built. I prefer to be optimistic and push to get these things done and not stick to the status quo of everything always being to expensive to build in the USA.
Quote from: bwana39 on February 21, 2023, 03:59:14 PM
Quote from: Plutonic Panda on February 21, 2023, 03:56:23 PM
Grant awarded for the park cap:
https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/us-dept-of-transportation-awards-little-rock-2m-grant-for-deck-park-over-i-30/
They had to get a grant just to plan it. Do you honestly think they will put the money together to actually build it. They cannot get that done in DFW.
Article says that USDOT will award annual construction grants for the next 4 years, so it sounds like funding has been lined out. In Arkansas, whatever Little Rocks wants, Little Rock gets. NWA will make due with 1 Interstate and NEA will make due with 0.75 Interstate, but Little Rock will get 3 Interstates widened and a cover park before anything changes elsewhere.
About 1 in 5 people in Arkansas live in metro Little Rock. admittedly that is close to the same in NWA. I agree that Arkansas has always shown favor to Little Rock. It used to be that over 10% of all Arkansans lived in metro Little Rock.
Metro Little Rock has expanded over the years to include some real stretches like Dallas and Lincoln Counties in its CSA, as well as mountainous Perry County, pop. barely 10,000. Its total CSA population is getting close to a million, if it hasn't gotten there already. That's quite a bit more than 1 in 5 or 1 in 10. More like 1 in 3.
I can't explain the Census Bureau methodology but I can tell you that Little Rock is definitely the hub of the state still.
Little Rock remains the legacy big city in the state and its TV print and radio media still have an outsize influence on the rest of the state, as it has had for years. Little Rock proper suffers from a little St. Louis syndrome in that it's landlocked by suburbs, with nowhere else to grow but west into the mountains west of I-430. That kills the main city population. But west is where the high dollar development is headed. And all the new private schools too.
Having said that, NWA is on the rise as well. I've given my opinion on NWA before and I'm rooting for it.
Ever since the early 2000s hasn't the population expansion in NWA outnumbered The Little Rock area 4 to 1? With all the major corporations in NWA it would seem as if that area is the bellow of economic boom and expansion in the state? IMO downtown Little Rock looks the same as it did 35 years ago with the only development happening on the west ends of the IH 430 and 30 corridor?
Quote from: Tomahawkin on February 26, 2023, 11:16:12 AM
Ever since the early 2000s hasn't the population expansion in NWA outnumbered The Little Rock area 4 to 1? With all the major corporations in NWA it would seem as if that area is the bellow of economic boom and expansion in the state? IMO downtown Little Rock looks the same as it did 35 years ago with the only development happening on the west ends of the IH 430 and 30 corridor?
Pretty much. Little Rock is the slowest growing metro in the state other than Texarkana, and not due to lack of road capacity as it's pretty well represented for a metro its size. I lump W. Memphis in with Memphis, TN. Even Fort Smith, which is pretty much almost been stagnant for the better part of my lifetime, has a faster growth rate than the LR metro. Crime is the reason that most everyone with a choice either moves in to the west side of LR, or one of the suburbs.
Huh. I would have thought Texarkana would have been growing faster.
Quote from: Rothman on February 27, 2023, 08:45:22 PM
Huh. I would have thought Texarkana would have been growing faster.
Reminds me of a classic line from Smokey & the Bandit:
Cletus: "Big town, ain't it?"
Bandit: "Wonder what they do around here for excitement?"
Cletus: "They probably sit around, watch the cars rust!"
Quote from: Rothman on February 27, 2023, 08:45:22 PM
Huh. I would have thought Texarkana would have been growing faster.
Maybe if it was one town (it's two, technically).
Quote from: US71 on April 03, 2023, 08:36:59 PM
Quote from: Rothman on February 27, 2023, 08:45:22 PM
Huh. I would have thought Texarkana would have been growing faster.
Maybe if it was one town (it's two, technically).
Technically two who don't get along. Texarkana Texas also has 3 (technically 4) contiguous suburbs. Nash, Wake Village, and Red Lick. With the last TT round of annexations, Leary is also now contiguous. While Texarkana Arkansas is in a single school district , Texarkana Texas is partially in The Texarkana Texas ISD, Liberty-Eylau ISD, Pleasant Grove ISD, Red Lick ISD, Both Redwater ISD and Leary ISD miss by a few hundred yards.
Texarkana is poor. Texarkana Ar shows a roughly 60% white majority, but the school system is 55% black. Texarkana Texas is majority minority and beyond that is HIGHLY economically segregated. TTISD is 70% minority. Liberty Eylau is 70% minority, Pleasant Grove and Red Lick have significant white majorities.
You have heard me drone on about commercial real estate. A handful of people own most of the undeveloped land in Texarkana and Bowie county. Property sales values before the past 5 years or so were higher in Bowie County than in Hunt County (50 miles from Dallas). As a whole, these people hoard the land and really bank it for the future. There is lots of land that has either lain fallow or has been leased for grazing for decades. Housing development is on some of if not the worst properties in the area. Find a sloppy slough, clean it up, build a lake (big pond) and put houses in. Sometimes with really good roads, often with little better than a rocked path. The one positive is the lots are probably twice the size of normal subdivisions elsewhere. As to why property values in Hunt County have passed Bowie county is the quality of property available AND the fact the sprawl of DFW is starting to reach out. Existing home prices in Texarkana and Bowie County still outstrip the Greenville area when neighborhood types and age are considered.
Texarkana is an expensive place to live and do business. There are minimal opportunities for our kids when they grow up. Texarkana is a small town. There are better small towns. It feels similar to the city but lacks much more than a precursory selection of city type enticements. There is almost as much to do in Marshall or Greenville which are half the size and are less than 50 miles from a bigger town that does have things to do.
I will add one other thing. Virtually no one born in the 1960's stayed here. I am not sure what that is about.
I will add one thing. Socioeconomics are a bigger reason for the demographics than the anything else. The the poorer people tend to stay put while the more affluent move toward perceived greener pastures.
Texarkana sounds a little bit like Lawton. Our real estate situation is pretty screwy. Housing costs are pretty high in relation to local wage scales. The "balance" is not sustainable.
For starters, Fort Sill as well as its East and West ranges takes up a lot of area. Then the KCA tribes have a great deal of trust land. Much of that land sits unused and wild. Cache Creek divides the East and West sides of town; quite a bit of land near it is in the flood plane. The Medicine Park area North of Fort Sill has seen its real estate market get absurd due to out-of-town people "discovering" the place. The Elgin and Cache areas are very costly due to demand; people who can afford to move there do so to be in those better funded school districts. Much of the remaining real estate that can be developed is owned by a small number of people.
We have soldiers reporting to Fort Sill who have a hard time finding any available housing in the immediate Lawton area to rent or buy. Some are having to commute from as far away as Duncan. A lot of kids who grow up in the Lawton area usually leave town after college or trade school. Opportunity is kind of limited here. We're already short on teachers and health care professionals. All this culture war crap going on lately makes Oklahoma an even less desireable place to teach or practice medicine.
Japan is dealing with all sorts of consequences, thanks to decades of high living costs. Their population has been shrinking due to very low birth rates. Now the country is dealing with a new kind of real estate crisis: abandoned homes, mostly in rural areas but the issue is spreading. They coined a term for these abandoned homes, "Akiya." Elderly people pass away and often have no living heirs to take the property. And then if there are surviving relatives they often don't want the property. It usually carries a substantial tax bill. It costs too much to fix up the homes in order to list them; and there's hardly any buyers. The government is bulldozing a lot of these old, abandoned homes. By the 2030's as much as one third of Japan's residential real estate could be vacant.
This same crap might happen here in the US. Here in Lawton the only new homes getting built are these giant-sized, high priced "McMansions" on the far East and West sides of town. Every one of the home buyers assumes they'll be able to sell those homes 20 or 30 years from now for a nice profit. These people don't have a clue where American demographics are headed. We're in the early stages of a baby bust and it could be just as bad as it is in Japan or South Korea. A child-less, single adult isn't going to need a 3,000 square foot house that includes giant sized bills for utilities, maintenance and property tax. Lots of American adults in the future are going to be living smaller. It's very possible bulldozers could be demolishing a bunch of these "rich" neighborhood developments in the not too distant future.
Quote from: Bobby5280 on April 22, 2023, 12:30:49 PM
This same crap might happen here in the US. Here in Lawton the only new homes getting built are these giant-sized, high priced "McMansions" on the far East and West sides of town. Every one of the home buyers assumes they'll be able to sell those homes 20 or 30 years from now for a nice profit. These people don't have a clue where American demographics are headed. We're in the early stages of a baby bust and it could be just as bad as it is in Japan or South Korea. A child-less, single adult isn't going to need a 3,000 square foot house that includes giant sized bills for utilities, maintenance and property tax. Lots of American adults in the future are going to be living smaller. It's very possible bulldozers could be demolishing a bunch of these "rich" neighborhood developments in the not too distant future.
This probably to avoid the same fate as the other "millionaire's row" of the past in various American cities. https://www.youtube.com/@ThisHouse/search?query=millionaire%20row
Millionaires' Row along the edge of Central Park was an escalation of progress, newer and taller buildings replacing the old ones. Today we have Billionaires' Row in roughly the same place. The situation there is a little more absurd. Many of the properties in that location are not bought as actual living spaces, but rather physical investment assets. There is a bunch of property in Manhattan just sitting empty for no other purpose than functioning as an asset class.
Manhattan has key advantages over a typical suburban upper-middle-class housing development -namely location, location and location. If the United States does experience a sustained baby bust and shrinking population the Manhattan real estate market will probably still weather the consequences with little trouble. But in places like my town those big "McMansion" houses may end up abandoned to slowly deteriorate into ruin, unless a bulldozer comes in to clear the space.
Update on this project: https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/arkansas-633m-30-crossing-project-to-improve-safety-relieve-congestion/61373
Any word on a completion date on the IH 30 widening SW of Little Rock? IMO it needs to be a minimum of 6 lanes total all the way to the Hot Springs connector interchange...
Quote from: Tomahawkin on June 21, 2023, 03:35:09 PM
Any word on a completion date on the IH 30 widening SW of Little Rock? IMO it needs to be a minimum of 6 lanes total all the way to the Hot Springs connector interchange...
Most recent status update has it completed 6 lanes down to US-70 Late 2024.
https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/i-30-saline-county/ (https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/i-30-saline-county/)
Quote from: MikieTimT on June 21, 2023, 05:12:47 PM
Quote from: Tomahawkin on June 21, 2023, 03:35:09 PM
Any word on a completion date on the IH 30 widening SW of Little Rock? IMO it needs to be a minimum of 6 lanes total all the way to the Hot Springs connector interchange...
Most recent status update has it completed 6 lanes down to US-70 Late 2024.
https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/i-30-saline-county/ (https://connectingarkansasprogram.com/corridors/i-30-saline-county/)
Compared to the north part of the 67-167 project, this project has been crawling.
Quote from: Road Hog on February 25, 2023, 12:55:43 AM
Little Rock proper suffers from a little St. Louis syndrome in that it's landlocked by suburbs, with nowhere else to grow but west into the mountains west of I-430. That kills the main city population. But west is where the high dollar development is headed.
Any reason why the city cannot expand toward the south along I-530? I can understand why the bottomlands along the river would not see development, but the area to the west of that looks reasonably developable from first glance.
Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on June 21, 2023, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: Road Hog on February 25, 2023, 12:55:43 AM
Little Rock proper suffers from a little St. Louis syndrome in that it's landlocked by suburbs, with nowhere else to grow but west into the mountains west of I-430. That kills the main city population. But west is where the high dollar development is headed.
Any reason why the city cannot expand toward the south along I-530? I can understand why the bottomlands along the river would not see development, but the area to the west of that looks reasonably developable from first glance.
Only reason I can think of is that it puts you closer to Pine Bluff, and that's even worse than living in Little Rock. Lower real estate prices won't draw people toward Pine Bluff to get closer to the crime and decay found there. I see the development between Benton and Sheridan taking off sooner than anything along I-530.
Quote from: MikieTimT on June 22, 2023, 01:07:55 PM
Quote from: Urban Prairie Schooner on June 21, 2023, 09:46:01 PM
Quote from: Road Hog on February 25, 2023, 12:55:43 AM
Little Rock proper suffers from a little St. Louis syndrome in that it's landlocked by suburbs, with nowhere else to grow but west into the mountains west of I-430. That kills the main city population. But west is where the high dollar development is headed.
Any reason why the city cannot expand toward the south along I-530? I can understand why the bottomlands along the river would not see development, but the area to the west of that looks reasonably developable from first glance.
Only reason I can think of is that it puts you closer to Pine Bluff, and that's even worse than living in Little Rock. Lower real estate prices won't draw people toward Pine Bluff to get closer to the crime and decay found there. I see the development between Benton and Sheridan taking off sooner than anything along I-530.
The primary reason is that each county has differing quality of schools. Pulaski county in many areas has decent schools.
Sheridan in Grant County is growing rapidly, although it's already a big school district. Like a few other towns in Arkansas, it's a 6A school in a 4A town.
White Hall, Greenbrier, Vilonia and Beebe are pretty similar towns – there's about a 35-mile radius from Little Rock where people are willing to commute and raise families. Cabot, Bryant and Conway have graduated to full-blown suburbs. There are others.