Dear Mahatma: I do not normally talk to my TV, but recently drivers were told that because construction on Interstate 630 is causing backups to find alternate routes like Kanis Road. That road is a disgrace. -- Sweet Little Old Lady
Dear Sweets: The city's Board of Directors on Sept. 4 approved a contract to improve Kanis Road from Shackleford Road to Embassy Suites. This contract is for $4.2 million.
Jon Honeywell, the city's public works chief, told us shortly after the vote that construction would begin in the next 45-60 days. So it gets ever closer.
The timeframe for the project, he said, is one year with additional time built in for weather or other unforeseen delays.
Honeywell said the city currently has three more phases of Kanis Road being prepared for construction. The next section from Embassy Suites to Bowman Road is scheduled to be bid at the end of this year for construction to start in 2019.
The last two sections are from Bowman Road to Point West Drive and then Point West to Gamble Road. These two sections have significant utility relocations that will likely take until 2020 for completion, Honeywell said. Once the utilities are relocated the city will proceed with bidding and construction.
Dear Mahatma: We travel frequently to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The streets around the hospital are so bad it would seem to be an embarrassment to the state and city, but it's been that way for years. Does no one ever think about a resurface job on the streets, such as Cedar Street, that lead to the most prestigious hospital in the state? -- All Shook Up
Dear Shook: Thank you for the Elvis reference.
Back to Jon Honeywell. He said Cedar Street in the area of UAMS is being considered as a reconstruction project by the city and UAMS. The city and UAMS continue to work on the design, but no final decisions have been made. If there are potholes or other concerns with the condition of the road, folks are encouraged to contact 311 to request repairs.
Dear Mahatma: How much was the bill to change vehicles from Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department to Arkansas Department of Transportation? Seems like changing a name doesn't seem like a priority. -- Wondering Eddie
Dear Eddie: We asked David Nilles, indefatigable spokesman for the department.
He said the name was changed to bring it into the mainstream of the vast majority of transportation agencies across the country, and to align the name with specific language in federal law that refers to state "departments of transportation."
Nilles declined to estimate a cost for the name change. The new logo is slowly being put in place. It won't appear on letterhead until all the old stuff is used up. Same for vehicles. When old logos fade away, or the vehicles are replaced, the new logos will appear.
Vanity plate on a Honda Fit: PITCH A
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Metro on 09/29/2018