Project Description

Beginning in the 1980s, Van Buren, Arkansas began to experience significant growth along the Arkansas State Highway 59 corridor north of Interstate 40. One of the first areas to see residential subdivision development was Rena Road west of Highway 59 to Lee Creek. Because of increasing residential traffic, particularly school traffic at Rena Road Elementary, the City of Van Buren began considering a widening and reconstruction project in the late 1990s. In 2002, the city selected Hawkins-Weir to begin designing street and storm drainage improvements for Rena Road. Because of the cost involved with the project’s full length, the City of Van Buren broke the project into phases, with the first phase consisting of approximately one mile of roadway improvements between State Highway 59 and Broken Hill Drive. The Phase I Project included design of a roadway section widened to 37 feet to accommodate a continuous left-hand turning lane. Design also included storm drainage improvements along Rena Road, public utility relocations, coordination with franchise utilities on relocation efforts, and traffic signalization of the State Highway 59 intersection. By 2011, Van Buren secured project funding for the first phase of construction through a joint funding agreement with the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). Plans and contract documents were prepared in accordance with AHTD standards and formats for a Federal Aid Project. AHTD provided contract administration and inspection of this project during construction.