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The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department held a Public Hearing Tuesday evening at the Sadie Johnson Community Center, to allow public input, as well as answer some questions about the proposed plans for a bypass of Monticello for the future I-69.
Approximately 90 area residents attended the informational meeting, to ask questions about their land, houses, and community. I was able to go through the process of question and answers with a couple who are losing their home of 12 years to the new roadway, as they visited with one of the approximately 9 AHTD representatives who were present for the forum, representing different departments of the AHTD.
The official name of the “Monticello Bypass” is known as “job 020471”, and will begin near the “dead man’s curve” area of HWY 278 East, and continue to it’s end, on HWY 425 South, near the Drew Central Bus Shop.
AHTD brought to the meeting 3 16 foot long maps, showing in great detail the exact area, down to storage sheds, that will be directly affected by the construction.
Interchanges will be built at the 278 East and HWY 425 connection points, as well as it’s crossing with HWY 35 South/HWY 35 East.
3 overpasses will be built where the new roadway comes into the Old Deane Road, Old Troy Road, and Midway Route areas of construction.
The 8.6 mile project will also be raised over the crossing of the Arkansas Midland Railroad.
The project could begin as early as acquiring properties with the next year, and beginning the bid process for construction in the Fall of 2010. The project will begin as a 2 lane highway, and will be expanded into a 4 lane divided roadway in the future. Read the rest of this entry »
Two representatives with Murray and Company provided preliminary sketches of the phase modernization plan. The Board voted to begin work on Phase I, the allied health building, shown in red in the photo.
Monticello Fire Chief Steven “Blue” Faulkner 
