Residents of Greenwood can look forward to smoother commutes as the first stage of the Greenwood bypass opens on Thursday. This new 1-mile stretch of road, located south of Highway 10, is designed to alleviate the heavy traffic that often clogs downtown Greenwood.
Improving Local Traffic Flow
City leaders will inaugurate the bypass with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a significant milestone in the city’s infrastructure development. The bypass provides an alternative route for truck traffic, which previously had to navigate through the congested downtown area. Dave Parker from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) emphasized the benefits for the trucking community and emergency responders, who will now have a more efficient route.
“A lot of truck traffic that doesn’t need to go through downtown now has the option to get out,” Parker stated. “It’s great for them. It’s great for the trucking community; they can save time. The emergency responders now have a better option. That’s key in this. And then people who want access to downtown, the local people, they can stay on that main road and, you know, not have to deal with all the other traffic.”
Ensuring Safety and Accessibility
The bypass also includes a connector to Main Street, ensuring that residents and visitors can still access downtown Greenwood conveniently. Mayor Doug Kinslow highlighted the importance of this project for local safety, particularly in emergencies.
“If ever we were to lose a bridge on that stretch and we couldn’t get to the east side, that’s about a 40-minute go-around to get to that side,” Kinslow explained. “We do have a fire station over there; it’s not manned full-time, so everybody would have to go around. Our ambulance services, police, emergency services would have to go around. So this is going to provide a whole other avenue to get over there for safety, and that’s huge for the city.”
Next Steps and Community Involvement
With the opening of the bypass, the second stage of the project begins, involving the closure of a section of Highway 10 for necessary road and bridge repairs. These repairs are expected to be completed by June 2027. The total cost of the project is estimated at $60 million, with $5 million funded by Greenwood taxpayers following a bond issue approved by voters.
ARDOT urges drivers to remain patient and adhere to road signage during this transition period. The improvements promise to enhance safety and efficiency for all road users in Greenwood.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
