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[Plutonic Panda]

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.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update:

A 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

[Bobby5280]

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.

[Great Lakes Roads]

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.

[Tomahawkin]

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

[abqtraveler]

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.

[Tomahawkin]

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.

[bwana39]

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.

[MikieTimT]

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.

[Bobby5280]

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.

[mvak36]

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.

[Road Hog]

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.

[bwana39]

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.

[msunat97]

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.

[MikieTimT]

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.

[MikieTimT]

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.

[Anthony_JK]

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.

[Plutonic Panda]

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.

[Tomahawkin]

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"

[MikieTimT]

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.

[Road Hog]

The growth around Little Rock will happen regardless of the number of freeway lanes. ARDOT is just playing catch-up.

[Plutonic Panda]

Speaking of growth when are they are extending I-440?

[Bobby5280]

I think the North Belt Freeway is on hold, waiting for funding.

[Tomahawkin]

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

[Road Hog]

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.