BENTONVILLE — Southwest 14th Street’s widening will be finished by the end of April.
The $9.2 million project, which has been ongoing since July 2008, widens the road from two lanes to five with a center turn lane, said David Nilles, spokesman with state Highway and Transportation Department.
The portion of Southwest 14th Street being widened stretches from Walton Boulevard to Greenhouse Road. About 22,000 vehicles travel that stretch each day, Nilles said.
Curt Clark of Bentonville said he will be happy when the work is finished, although he doubts it will happen by April’s end.
“I’ll cut the ribbon and throw the party if it’s done by April,” Clark said. “I just don’t see any way possible that it will be done by April.”
Nilles said construction was 75 percent complete as of Thursday.
The project was supposed be done in 2010, but was delayed because of winter weather, Nilles said, noting those are the only delays on file with the department.
Clark, who works at Action Bail Bonds on Southwest 14th Street, said he believes widening the street will reduce traffic accidents.
He said he sees at least one wreck a week from his office across from the Benton County Jail and is frustrated crews are not working faster.
“The aggravating part is they work for two or three days on the east end by Walton and they disappear to the other end down toward Centerton,” Clark said. “They could get more opened up if they would just work in one place.”
There were eight traffic accidents on Southwest 14th Street between Walton Boulevard and Greenhouse Road between Jan. 24 and Feb. 24, according to the Bentonville Police Department.
Mike Churchwell, city transportation engineer, said the road’s improvement will help ease traffic and allow the lights at Walton Boulevard and I Street to work better.
More construction will soon follow on Southwest 14th Street after this widening project is complete.
There are two more phases of widening. The next phase will widen street from two lanes to five from Greenhouse Road to Main Street in Centerton. The third phase will widen it from Main Street to North Vaughn Road in Centerton, Nilles said.
Phase two and three have yet to be scheduled or bid on because the state has not secured money for the projects yet, Nilles said, noting work will begin as soon as money becomes available.