TEXARKANA, Texas – Ark. – The initiative to widen I-30 to six lanes is moving into the next stage. On June 12, the Texas Department of Transportation revealed that the traffic flow on a section of I-30 heading east will change as the contractor moves into the next stage of the project. Both lanes of eastbound I-30 mainline traffic in Texarkana will be moved to the Frontage Road at the State Line Avenue exit.
From there, interstate traffic will have the option to re-enter the main lanes west of State Line Avenue or continue to access State Lane Avenue. The speed limit for main lane traffic will be reduced to 55 miles per hour in that area.
Heather Deaton from TxDOT says Frontage Road traffic will be restricted to one lane.
“There will be plenty of space for people to maneuver. They will have 12-foot wide travel lanes,” Deaton said. Concrete barriers will separate interstate traffic from Frontage traffic.
Frontage Road traffic that needs to get onto I-30 will go through the interstate at State Line Avenue and join I-30 main lanes at the entrance ramp in Arkansas. North Park Road in the area under I-30 will be closed to all vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Texarkana Texas police say they are prepared for the new traffic pattern.
“We anticipate some accidents as people adjust to the new traffic pattern, but we will have our officers out there as needed with an increased presence to try and reduce those accidents,” said Sgt. Kris Smith.
Work during this stage is expected to take 12 months to finish.
Bad weather or other unexpected issues could cause delays or changes.
During this stage, crews will construct 4,000 feet of a new eastbound lane and replace a section of the eastbound interstate bridge across the railroad.
“TxDOT reminds local commuters that the I-30 Frontage Road system allows traffic to travel eastbound from FM 989/Kings Highway to US 71/State Line and westbound from US 71/State Line to FM 989/Kings Highway, continuously, without ever stopping at a traffic signal,” statement from TxDOT.
