SALINE COUNTY | February 13, 2024

At the Arkansas Highway Commission’s February 13 meeting, The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) officially recommended to the Commission that Johnson Brothers Corporation, A Southland Company, be placed in default of contract on the current project to widen 5.5 miles of Interstate 30 in Saline County to six lanes from Highway 70 to Sevier Street (Job CA0601).

“This is unprecedented territory for us, and it’s not something we arrived at lightly,” said ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor. “This is in the best interest of those who are affected daily by this work zone.”

Johnson Brothers Corporation began the $187 million project in May 2019 with an original completion date of November 2022. Change Orders were added to the contact due to unforeseen field conditions, which adjusted the estimated completion date to April 2023. The latest estimated completion date based on the Contractor’s progress is now set at January 2025.

ARDOT believes the action to place the Contractor in default status is necessary to ensure Job CA0601 is progressed to completion in a timely manner.

The Contractor has a period of time to respond to the recommendation before final action is taken. “The Arkansas Highway Commission will consider the facts presented by ARDOT and any proposed remediation by the Contractor before making a final decision on whether to grant ARDOT’s recommendation,” said Alec Farmer, Chairman of the Arkansas Highway Commission. “The ultimate goal is to complete this project as expeditiously as possible and provide a safe road for the traveling public.”