Pulaski County, Arkansas – Motorists in parts of Crittenden and Pulaski counties will face temporary overnight ramp closures this week as transportation officials begin testing new wrong-way detection systems designed to make Arkansas highways safer. The work is scheduled to take place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on three consecutive nights, starting Tuesday, August 19, and continuing through the early morning hours of Friday, August 22.
The closures will be intermittent and carefully coordinated. Crews plan to shut down the designated off-ramps in two-hour intervals, completing three to four ramps each night. Importantly, only one ramp will be closed at a time to keep traffic disruptions to a minimum. Emergency vehicles will still be permitted to enter or exit as needed, but all other drivers will be directed to alternate routes.
The schedule, weather permitting, will affect multiple interstates across two counties. In Crittenden County, the ramps impacted include Interstate 55 Southbound at Exit 4 and Exit 7, as well as Interstate 40 Westbound at Exit 279A. In Pulaski County, drivers should prepare for closures at Interstate 440 Eastbound and Westbound at Exit 3, Interstate 430 Southbound at Exits 5 and 8, and Highway 67/167 (Interstate 57) Northbound at Exit 1A.
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Highway Police will manage traffic control during the closures. Motorists can expect to see barrels, electronic message boards, and temporary signage directing them away from the work zones. Officials emphasize that while the closures are brief, they are necessary to ensure the wrong-way detection technology is operating correctly.
The system itself is built with several layers of technology. Vehicle sensors, closed-circuit television cameras, hardware controllers, and warning devices are all part of the setup. These tools work together to quickly recognize when a motorist mistakenly enters a ramp in the wrong direction. Once a wrong-way movement is detected, LED lights immediately flash to warn the driver to turn around.
The safety measures do not stop there. “If the sensors detect a motorist traveling in the wrong direction, LED lights will flash to notify the motorist of their mistake. In addition to this, there is an alarm that will be sent to the Arkansas Department of Transportation Traffic Management Center so crews can report and track the motorist,” officials explained. This quick notification process allows both the driver and authorities to respond in real time, reducing the risk of a head-on collision.
Wrong-way driving incidents, though less common than other types of crashes, are often among the most dangerous. By installing and thoroughly testing these detection systems, the Arkansas Department of Transportation aims to create an added layer of protection on some of the state’s busiest roadways.
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Officials note that the timing of the closures—overnight hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.—was carefully chosen to minimize inconvenience for daily commuters and reduce traffic congestion. Still, drivers are advised to plan ahead, especially those who regularly travel the affected routes late at night or early in the morning.
For the most up-to-date information on the closures and alternate routes, motorists are encouraged to visit IDriveArkansas.com or ARDOT.gov, where live traffic updates and detour information are posted.
With only one ramp being tested at a time and crews moving efficiently through multiple sites each night, transportation officials expect the work to be completed within the three-night window. Once the testing phase is over, the wrong-way detection systems will be fully operational, adding another safeguard to keep Arkansas roads safe for all who travel them.
