ARDOT to Host a Second U.S. Highway 412 Planning and Environmental Linkage Study Public Involvement Meeting 

BENTON COUNTY | October 9, 2023         

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) will conduct a public involvement meeting Thursday, October 19, from 4 – 7 p.m. atJohn Brown University (Simmons Great Hall), 2000 W. University Street, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.

This meeting will be the second in-person meeting discussing the U.S. Highway 412 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. ARDOT is working jointly with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to study the feasibility of a future Interstate from Interstate 35 in Oklahoma to Interstate 49 in Arkansas, approximately 190 miles.  In Arkansas, the U.S. Highway 412 corridor is under evaluation for the upgrade from the Oklahoma State Line to Interstate 49.

At the first public meeting, attendees were able to view the Draft Purpose and Need and Baseline Conditions Report. At this second public meeting, the public will be able to review the Universe of Alternatives and Alternatives Screening Methodology, which will describe how transportation solutions are being evaluated for potential implementation on U.S. Highway 412.

A PEL Study is a formal process that allows data collected at the planning stage to be utilized during the next phase of environmental review, eliminating duplication of work.

This will be an open forum meeting with no formal presentation. The public is invited to visit anytime during the scheduled hours to view exhibits, ask questions, and provide comments.  

Those who cannot attend the meeting in person will be able to review meeting content online. The public can access the online meeting materials and make comments between Tuesday, October 10, 2023, and Tuesday, October 31, 2023.

Link to Meeting Materials (click here)

To access the study information and handouts, click the link above. A Spanish translation of the study information also is available on the website.        

Participants can submit online comment forms directly to ARDOT or print the form and mail it to: ARDOT Environmental Division, 10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72209.

If you do not have internet access, please contact Daniel Byram at (501) 569-2592 or [email protected] to ask questions about the study.   

Anyone needing study information or special accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is encouraged to write to Ruby Jordan-Johnson, P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203- 2261, call (501)569-2379, fax (501)569- 2009, or email [email protected].

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION: The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) complies with all civil rights provisions of federal statutes and related authorities that prohibit discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Therefore, ARDOT does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion (not applicable as a protected group under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Title VI Program), disability, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), or low-income status in the admission, access to and treatment in ARDOT’s programs and activities, as well as ARDOT’s hiring or employment practices. Complaints of alleged discrimination and inquiries regarding ARDOT’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to Civil Rights Officer Joanna P. McFadden (ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator), PO Box 2261, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203-2261,  (501) 569-2298, (Voice/TTY 711), or to the following email address: [email protected] Free language assistance for Limited English Proficient individuals is available upon request.            
This notice is available from the ADA/504/Title VI Coordinator in large print, on audiotape and in Braille.

 

    

Contact: Ellen Coulter

NR 23-346

October 9, 2023