Drivers who frequent Samples Road will need to plan for a major traffic disruption. A section of the roadway is scheduled to be closed around the clock for six weeks to allow crews to connect to a newly constructed bridge, according to a statement from ARDOT.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) will close the road beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27. It’s expected to remain closed through 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, weather permitting.

During this period, workers will replace a portion of the existing roadway to safely link it to the new bridge structure. Samples Road will remain open to local traffic only on either side of the construction zone, but through-traffic will be completely blocked.

The Detour:

A signed detour will be actively maintained to guide motorists around the construction site. Depending on your direction of travel, ARDOT has outlined the following official routes:

• To bypass and reach the North Side: Take Samples Road south to Zuber Road, turn east onto Zuber Road to Snow Lane, and then take Snow Lane west back to Samples Road.
• To bypass and reach the South Side: Take Samples Road north to Snow Lane, head east on Snow Lane to Zuber Road, and then take Zuber Road south back to Samples Road.

Construction barrels, barricades, and detour signage will be heavily utilized to alert drivers and keep the work zone safe. Local motorists are encouraged to give themselves extra travel time during the morning and evening commutes while traffic adjusts to the detour.

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