The welcome center on U.S. 49 in Helena-West Helena is closed until further notice to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus, the Arkansas Department of Transportation announced Friday.
The department had announced March 20 that the lobbies of the state's 13 welcome centers would be closed but that restrooms would remain open, partly as a convenience for truck drivers.
The decision to close the welcome center at Helena-West Helena, which is across the Mississippi River from Mississippi, was made after it was determined tractor-trailer rigs are unable to use its parking lot, said Randy Ort, an agency spokesman.
Restrooms at two of the state's 18 rest areas -- six on interstates and 12 on U.S. highways -- also are closed until further notice. They are on U.S. 167 at Salado Creek in Independence County and on U.S. 79 in Cleveland County. Trucks also can't use their parking lots.
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Metro on 04/04/2020