6 Laning I-40

[MikieTimT]

Knowing how ARDOT works, about the time they finish 6-laning, it will need 8-laning.

You must drive I-49 between Fayetteville and Rogers often, lol. I said that when they widened it, go for 8 lanes or build the bridges and overpasses to accommodate it later.

Same here.  Thankfully they're doing some of it with the Wedington and MLK interchange projects, but that's only for Fayetteville.  It's pretty much already needed anywhere from the Don Tyson exit up to Exit 86.  And it already needs 6 laning from the Pea Ridge exit to the US-71 exit at Bella Vista.

[razorback0308]

Knowing how ARDOT works, about the time they finish 6-laning, it will need 8-laning.

You must drive I-49 between Fayetteville and Rogers often, lol. I said that when they widened it, go for 8 lanes or build the bridges and overpasses to accommodate it later.

Same here.  Thankfully they're doing some of it with the Wedington and MLK interchange projects, but that's only for Fayetteville. It's pretty much already needed anywhere from the Don Tyson exit up to Exit 86.  And it already needs 6 laning from the Pea Ridge exit to the US-71 exit at Bella Vista.

I couldn't agree more with the bold part (hopefully I bolded it from the IPad) I drive that section regularly.

[US71]

Same here.  Thankfully they're doing some of it with the Wedington and MLK interchange projects, but that's only for Fayetteville.  It's pretty much already needed anywhere from the Don Tyson exit up to Exit 86.  And it already needs 6 laning from the Pea Ridge exit to the US-71 exit at Bella Vista.

IIRC, Wedington will be a Diverging Diamond

[MikieTimT]

Same here.  Thankfully they're doing some of it with the Wedington and MLK interchange projects, but that's only for Fayetteville.  It's pretty much already needed anywhere from the Don Tyson exit up to Exit 86.  And it already needs 6 laning from the Pea Ridge exit to the US-71 exit at Bella Vista.

IIRC, Wedington will be a Diverging Diamond

Not unless they made significant changes to the plan, which was a parclo loop for northbound I-49 from eastbound Wedington.

https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4753/BB0411-_Exit64_Exhibit?bidId=

https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/DocumentCenter/View/22355/040847---I49--Wedington-Interchange-Bid-Plans

[rte66man]

Knowing how ARDOT works, about the time they finish 6-laning, it will need 8-laning.

You must drive I-49 between Fayetteville and Rogers often, lol. I said that when they widened it, go for 8 lanes or build the bridges and overpasses to accommodate it later.

I was shocked that OTA did actually provide for an expansion to 8 lanes when they widened I-44 between Kellyville and Sapulpa. All bridges are already wide enough and all overpasses have piers set back far enough so the future expansion will be a breeze. I say that because maybe there's hope for ArDOT to wake up to this.

[MikieTimT]

Knowing how ARDOT works, about the time they finish 6-laning, it will need 8-laning.

You must drive I-49 between Fayetteville and Rogers often, lol. I said that when they widened it, go for 8 lanes or build the bridges and overpasses to accommodate it later.

I was shocked that OTA did actually provide for an expansion to 8 lanes when they widened I-44 between Kellyville and Sapulpa. All bridges are already wide enough and all overpasses have piers set back far enough so the future expansion will be a breeze. I say that because maybe there's hope for ArDOT to wake up to this.

The White River bridge on I-40 is built for 6 lanes even though it's striped currently for 4.  Same thing for 1 of the 2 St. Francis River bridges.  They are waking up, slowly but surely.  These are the greatest hurdles for 6 laning between LR and Memphis, so it's starting to sink in, apparently.

[MikieTimT]

A pretty sobering picture of the quantity of truck traffic on this stretch.  Glad I'm not driving anywhere in northern Arkansas today.

https://htv-streaming.hearst.io/8d513013-64c6-40d1-808b-041c47c7a101/video_rover_16x9_480p_sd_1675184977_13674.mp4

[US71]

A pretty sobering picture of the quantity of truck traffic on this stretch.  Glad I'm not driving anywhere in northern Arkansas today.

https://htv-streaming.hearst.io/8d513013-64c6-40d1-808b-041c47c7a101/video_rover_16x9_480p_sd_1675184977_13674.mp4

Forrest City is eastern Arkansas , but it seems like a lot of accidents occur in that area.

[Wayward Memphian]

A pretty sobering picture of the quantity of truck traffic on this stretch.  Glad I'm not driving anywhere in northern Arkansas today.

https://htv-streaming.hearst.io/8d513013-64c6-40d1-808b-041c47c7a101/video_rover_16x9_480p_sd_1675184977_13674.mp4

You should see how many drive US 70 along side I-40 even without traffic tie ups on I-40.

[CoreySamson]

A pretty sobering picture of the quantity of truck traffic on this stretch.  Glad I'm not driving anywhere in northern Arkansas today.

https://htv-streaming.hearst.io/8d513013-64c6-40d1-808b-041c47c7a101/video_rover_16x9_480p_sd_1675184977_13674.mp4

Forrest City is eastern Arkansas , but it seems like a lot of accidents occur in that area.

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

[MikieTimT]

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

Imagine what it'll be like when closing a lane in either direction for construction?

[Road Hog]

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

Imagine what it'll be like when closing a lane in either direction for construction?

I experienced it about 11 years ago driving back from Tennessee when they were widening the White River bridge. The backup stretched from the bridge all the back to the Brinkley exit. And this was on a Sunday in mid-June.

[MikieTimT]

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

Imagine what it'll be like when closing a lane in either direction for construction?

I experienced it about 11 years ago driving back from Tennessee when they were widening the White River bridge. The backup stretched from the bridge all the back to the Brinkley exit. And this was on a Sunday in mid-June.

It doesn't matter what day of the week with that stretch.  It's mostly interstate traffic, so the bulk isn't made up of commuters anyway.  May get a little slower at night with truckers pulling off to sleep, but during daylight hours, it doesn't seem to matter much.

[rte66man]

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

Imagine what it'll be like when closing a lane in either direction for construction?

I experienced it about 11 years ago driving back from Tennessee when they were widening the White River bridge. The backup stretched from the bridge all the back to the Brinkley exit. And this was on a Sunday in mid-June.

Used to hop off at Brinkley WB thru DeValls Bluff and rejoin I40 at Hazen. ArDOT even resurfaced 70 because of all the extra traffic.

[Wayward Memphian]

Last month I was stuck in a jam like that for 70 minutes without moving in that general area. Not good that this is happening so often.

Imagine what it'll be like when closing a lane in either direction for construction?

I experienced it about 11 years ago driving back from Tennessee when they were widening the White River bridge. The backup stretched from the bridge all the back to the Brinkley exit. And this was on a Sunday in mid-June.

Used to hop off at Brinkley WB thru DeValls Bluff and rejoin I40 at Hazen. ArDOT even resurfaced 70 because of all the extra traffic.

Hence why it has become a default route for many truckers.

[armadillo speedbump]

Getting the ball rolling on widening 28 miles east of Little Rock within the next 3 years.  In the Draft 2023-2026 STIP, ARDOT has 17 miles from AR-440 to AR-31 at Lonoke and 12 miles from Jennette to W. Memphis scheduled for project development funding.  Now for the remaining 92 miles...

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2023-2026_STIP_Draft_General_Electronic.pdf Pg. 2 (Slide 33)

That is welcome news.  And then a "passing lane" type section of 3rd lane somewhere in between would make a huge difference, 10 miles of "No trucks in left lane" where the back up of cars can get around all the 67 mph trucks that insist on slogging past 65 mph trucks. 

Wheatley/78 to Palestine/261 Main St would provide almost 12 miles of a passing zone for probably the lowest cost per mile, as there are no bridges to widen in that stretch and all the overpasses have room for another lane each way.  That would break up the 90.5 mile Lonoke-Jeanette combat zone into 32 miles east of Palestine and 46.5 miles west of Wheatley.  Extending the 6-lane east from Lonoke-Hazen/63 might make the most economic sense for the following phase, 18.5 miles with also no bridges to widen.

In the meantime, the lowest cost and fastest way to relief would be to create several "No truck passing zones".  Without widening, how about placing "No trucks in the left lane the next 10 miles" signs on 3 to 5 segments of the 117 miles between I-440 and I-55?  Immediate relief and increased capacity for just the cost of signs.

Better yet, put enforcement cams in those segments.  The fines on all those impatient and rules flaunting FedEx drivers should soon cover the cost.

[MikieTimT]

Getting the ball rolling on widening 28 miles east of Little Rock within the next 3 years.  In the Draft 2023-2026 STIP, ARDOT has 17 miles from AR-440 to AR-31 at Lonoke and 12 miles from Jennette to W. Memphis scheduled for project development funding.  Now for the remaining 92 miles...

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2023-2026_STIP_Draft_General_Electronic.pdf Pg. 2 (Slide 33)

That is welcome news.  And then a "passing lane" type section of 3rd lane somewhere in between would make a huge difference, 10 miles of "No trucks in left lane" where the back up of cars can get around all the 67 mph trucks that insist on slogging past 65 mph trucks. 

Wheatley/78 to Palestine/261 Main St would provide almost 12 miles of a passing zone for probably the lowest cost per mile, as there are no bridges to widen in that stretch and all the overpasses have room for another lane each way.  That would break up the 90.5 mile Lonoke-Jeanette combat zone into 32 miles east of Palestine and 46.5 miles west of Wheatley.  Extending the 6-lane east from Lonoke-Hazen/63 might make the most economic sense for the following phase, 18.5 miles with also no bridges to widen.

In the meantime, the lowest cost and fastest way to relief would be to create several "No truck passing zones".  Without widening, how about placing "No trucks in the left lane the next 10 miles" signs on 3 to 5 segments of the 117 miles between I-440 and I-55?  Immediate relief and increased capacity for just the cost of signs.

Better yet, put enforcement cams in those segments.  The fines on all those impatient and rules flaunting FedEx drivers should soon cover the cost.

There should be some periodic 6 lanes segments in the middle section to help with micropassing, but it would only work if trucks were banned from the leftmost lane.

Enforcement cameras don't exist in Arkansas except in Little Rock (FLOCK cameras for fictitious tags likely involved in car thefts) and now for speeding in construction zones.  And I'm good with keeping it as is.  The real solution is more lanes with the truck counts on I-30/eastern I-40.  Crazy high percentage of trucks (~60% trucks when outside of the metros) with AADTs between 35K and 40K.

[Road Hog]

Getting the ball rolling on widening 28 miles east of Little Rock within the next 3 years.  In the Draft 2023-2026 STIP, ARDOT has 17 miles from AR-440 to AR-31 at Lonoke and 12 miles from Jennette to W. Memphis scheduled for project development funding.  Now for the remaining 92 miles...

https://www.ardot.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2023-2026_STIP_Draft_General_Electronic.pdf Pg. 2 (Slide 33)

That is welcome news.  And then a "passing lane" type section of 3rd lane somewhere in between would make a huge difference, 10 miles of "No trucks in left lane" where the back up of cars can get around all the 67 mph trucks that insist on slogging past 65 mph trucks. 

Wheatley/78 to Palestine/261 Main St would provide almost 12 miles of a passing zone for probably the lowest cost per mile, as there are no bridges to widen in that stretch and all the overpasses have room for another lane each way.  That would break up the 90.5 mile Lonoke-Jeanette combat zone into 32 miles east of Palestine and 46.5 miles west of Wheatley.  Extending the 6-lane east from Lonoke-Hazen/63 might make the most economic sense for the following phase, 18.5 miles with also no bridges to widen.

In the meantime, the lowest cost and fastest way to relief would be to create several "No truck passing zones".  Without widening, how about placing "No trucks in the left lane the next 10 miles" signs on 3 to 5 segments of the 117 miles between I-440 and I-55?  Immediate relief and increased capacity for just the cost of signs.

Better yet, put enforcement cams in those segments.  The fines on all those impatient and rules flaunting FedEx drivers should soon cover the cost.

I like the idea of passing lanes in the middle, but realistically the segment from Lonoke over the White River is probably next due to costs. The new bridge is 6-lane ready.

[sprjus4]

Without widening, how about placing "No trucks in the left lane the next 10 miles" signs on 3 to 5 segments of the 117 miles between I-440 and I-55?

All it takes is one truck going 58 mph to slow down the 14-15 trucks stacking up behind doing 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 63, etc.

They stack up a couple dozen over this 10 mile segment, then the second it ends, all 24-30 trucks all jump into the left lane and spend the next hour passing each other.

Of course in reality, it's either that situation or straight non-compliance.