Location and Design Public Hearing July 23, 2024

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), with support by ARDOT consultant Garver, conducted a Location and Design Public Hearing to present and discuss the design plans🔗 and Environmental Assessment (EA)🔗 for the proposed new road connecting Highway 90 and Highway 67 north of Pocahontas in Randolph County. Proposed improvements are needed to reduce heavy truck traffic and improve mobility in the Pocahontas Central Business District.

The EA promotes informed decision making in the development of a transportation solution(s) by explaining the purpose of the proposed action, evaluating social, economic, and environmental impacts, soliciting feedback from the public and decision-makers, and determining whether further analysis is necessary or if the impacts are minimal enough to warrant a Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI).

The purpose of this Public Hearing was to present the design plans and EA for the project and to solicit comments. The hearing was held from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at the Pocahontas Community Center, 300 Geneva Dr., Pocahontas, AR🔗. Citizens were invited to come and go as they please during the hours of the hearing to view the plans and exhibits, ask questions, and offer comments. This public hearing was an “open house” meeting with no formal presentations. The public comment period closed on August 7, 2024.