Hope Kiwanis Club Hears Program From Arkansas Department of Transportation

The Hope Kiwanis Club heard from District Engineer William Cheatham and Construction Engineer Jeremy Thomas of the local office of the Arkansas Department of Transportation.  Thomas gave a rundown of current jobs in Hempstead.  There are three currently active.  Thomas talked first about a $2.99 million dollar job by McGeorge Contracting to replace 3 bridges on highway 195 south of Blevins.  These bridges will be replaced with box culverts.  One has been finished and the next location will start late this week or early next week.  Thomas also talked about a $4.2 million dollar job awarded to Catcher International for Highway 195 flood repair north of McCaskill.  This will replace two bridges with box culverts.  There is also a $3.4 million dollar job to replace two bridges on US 371 south of Blevins.  Work should begin in February.  Thomas also detailed work scheduled for highway 29 where there was flood damage several years ago.  Two bridges on this highway will be replaced with box culverts.  The bidding will close on that project this week.

Thomas detailed some pavement replacement projects set for 2026.  This will include overlay of highway 29 from Lewisville to Hope.  Another project for 2026 is overlay on highway 29 from county road 16 to Blevins.  Work is planned for 2026 for highway 29 B and 73. This will be specifically for highway 73 to be overlaid from US 67 to the Nevada County line.  On the west side of the county, repaving is planned next year on highway 32 from Beard’s Bluff to state highway 355.  A project through Hope will be on US 67 an ultrathin bond on pavement they did several years back.  This is a skid resistant covering.  Other planned jobs include overlay on highway 73 from 355 to 278, highway 174 and 355 from 67 to Spring Hill and then heading east on 355 to highway 29.  Another planned job is highway 278 from highway 29 to Rosston.  These jobs should go to contract in 2026.

Thomas and Cheatham detailed the ArDot preparation for the recent ice and snowstorm.  Thomas says preparation begins in October.  Preparation for this month’s event came with the highway department putting out salt brine.  After the event starts, ArDot plows and puts down rock salt.  ArDot works 24-hour days split into 12-hour shifts during the event.   Now the department is cleaning up tree debris and working on potholes.

The Kiwanians had plenty of questions and appreciated the update from Cheatham and Thomas.