LITTLE ROCK — Beginning Sunday, motorists will see big changes in how traffic is routed through the Interstate 430/ Interstate 630 interchange in Little Rock.
The changes, which will last through the summer, include closing the I-630 west entrance ramp from Baptist Health Medical Center, barring motorists from making left turns from I-630 west onto South Shackleford Road and reducing I-630 west between the I-430 north on-ramp and Shackleford to two lanes.
The changes begin at 6 a.m. Sunday when Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department contractors will close some lanes on I-630, Financial Centre Parkway and Shackleford Road to re-stripe the pavement and install barriers to direct traffic onto newly constructed lanes.
Once the striping is complete, vehicles traveling west on I-630 and west on Financial Centre Parkway will be on new pavement on the outside of the existing lanes.
“We urge motorists to be very attentive to these changes,” Scott Bennett, the department director, said in a prepared statement Thursday. “What you see in place going home from work Friday won’t be the same as what you’ll see in place when you return to work next week.”
The lane shifts will also require other changes:
While Baptist Health Medical Center will remain accessible from both directions on I-630, drivers no longer will be able to directly access I-630 west from the hospital campus. Instead, they will have to take I-630 east to the John Barrow Road exit, cross the overpass and get onto I-630 west.
Lanes of I-630 will shift onto new pavement beginning at the Baptist Health Medical Center exit. Three westbound lanes will be maintained to the I-430 North exit. From that point, only two lanes will continue west across Shackleford Road onto Financial Centre Parkway.
No left turn will be allowed from I-630 west to South Shackleford Road. Drivers will be directed to take the I-430 South loop on the north side of I-630 to the Shackleford/Kanis Road exit on I-430 South.
Additional lane shifts are planned for this spring.
FEARS ‘QUAGMIRE’
Rob Richardson, a dentist who practices with two other dentists at Dental Solutions of Little Rock on the Baptist Health campus, said the interchange project hasn’t affected his commute until now.
“It’s been fairly painless to this point,” he said.
But barring motorists from getting directly onto I-630 west from the hospital campus might create a “quagmire,” Richardson said. “It’s already congested. I can’t see going back to Barrow and then west in 5 o’clock traffic.”
Richardson said he plans to take Kanis Road west to Chenal Parkway then to Cantrell Road/Arkansas 10.
The department said the changes are necessary to provide room for the contractor to begin the next stage of construction, which will include an overpass over Shackleford Road connecting Financial Centre Parkway to I-630 and connecting the flyover ramps from I-430 to I-630.
Message boards, detours and advisory speeds will be posted throughout the area.
The $125 million interchange modification project is to continue through next year.
“We know these changes affect the travel patterns for many; however, these changes should not discourage people from visiting the local shops, restaurants and other businesses near the interchange,” Bennett said.
“We’re asking motorists to be patient and find alternate routes to reach those businesses.”
Front Section, Pages 1 on 02/15/2013