Highway officials have opened bids for three projects in Northwest Arkansas, including the Prairie Grove Bypass and two sections of cable median barrier.
The first project is to pave 4.7 miles of the bypass, U.S. 62, and to construct the east and west bypass connections. APAC-Central of Fayetteville was awarded the $9.2 million contract.
The second project is to install a cable barrier along 4.9 miles of sections of U.S. 71 east of Bentonville. Nationwide Construction Group of Chesterfield, Mich., was awarded the $1.3 million contract. The improvements will begin at U.S. 62/Arkansas 102 and continue north.
The third project is to install a cable barrier along 10.5 miles of sections of U.S. 412 between Siloam Springs and Tontitown. Eaton Excavating of Harrison was awarded the $1.4 million contract.
Work on all three projects could begin in two to four weeks, weather permitting, according to highway officials. The cable barriers should be installed by next summer. The bypass paving and connections is expected to be done by late 2014.
Money for the projects comes from an 80-20 combination of federal and state funds, according to Randy Ort, a spokesman for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. Federal highway construction money is being used for the bypass. Federal Highway Safety Fund money is being used for the barriers.
A cable barrier system was recently completed on sections of Interstate 540 between Fayetteville and Bentonville.