Parker Road Project Moving Ahead

A $2.2 million project to extend Parker Road all the way to Washington Avenue in Jonesboro will cut down on traffic time as well as providing a link from U.S. 63 to downtown Jonesboro, officials said Monday.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department hosted an event at the Jonesboro Municipal Center about the project, which is still in its infancy stages.

AHTD District 10 Engineer Walter McMillan said the meeting was held to gather information on where to extend the road.

“The ultimate goal is to provide a link to downtown Jonesboro for something other than Southwest Drive,” McMillan, who is based in Paragould, said.

The city of Jonesboro and AHTD would share in the cost of the project, which is one of several under consideration in Jonesboro.

The city received a $1.5 million federal grant last year to complete an environmental study to build a railroad overpass at the intersection of Nettleton Avenue and Highland Drive.

The grant is part of an overall $16 million project. City officials are also working on a plan to widen Caraway Road to five lanes, south of the U.S. 63 overpass to LaTourette Street.

PARKER ROAD
Annette Smalley, a project engineer with North Little Rock-based Garver Engineering, said a 2013 study showed nearly 4,000 vehicles already traveling on Parker Road at U.S. 63 each day (1,867 vehicles going west and 1,992 vehicles going east).

The study also estimated that an additional 2,500 vehicles a day would travel on the road once it was expanded.

Smalley said engineers attempt to do studies based on 20-year traffic patterns, looking to the future.

As for the present, Smalley said nearly 20% of the traffic on Parker Road is headed to downtown Jonesboro.

Also, Smalley said the extension of the road would help with safety issues.

“There is an advantage. People who try to get on Washington Avenue have to get on U.S. 63 for a short period of time,” Smalley said. “It will be a lot safer.”

Smalley said the extension would also help avoid traffic concerns through several nearby neighborhoods.

People interested in commenting on the project can email [email protected].