Traveling truck drivers in Arkansas can now take advantage of a brand-new parking solution. The Arkansas Department of Transportation has just completed Phase 1 of the I-40 Truck Parking Expansion Project, transforming a former welcome center into a $6 million truck parking lot.
This new facility offers a whopping 84 additional parking spaces to help ease the nationwide shortage of parking spots for large vehicles. Best of all, the new lot is conveniently located in West Memphis, Arkansas, on I-40 Westbound, just west of mile marker 275.
Director of ArDOT, Lorie Tudor, calls the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility a significant moment for the state.
“It symbolizes safer travel on our Interstates, so that more truckers can find a safe place to park and get the rest they need,” Tudor said. “It also shows our support of an industry that is vital to our economy and to delivering the goods we all want and need, but sometimes take for granted how they get to us.”
According to Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, 87% of Arkansas communities rely solely on trucks to deliver essential goods.
“The trucking industry is the lifeblood of commerce – connecting business, communities and consumers across the country and across the state,” Newton said during the ceremony. “These spaces will provide a safe and convenient resting place for more than 20,000 dedicated truck drivers who pass through West Memphis each and every day.”
Although the facility is now open, there is still more work to be done to improve it. The next phase of the expansion project, which has a $1 million budget, will focus on adding restrooms and an Arkansas State Police substation to enhance the site’s functionality.
Bidding for this project is set to begin in June. This project is made possible by grants amounting to roughly $7.1 million, which were provided by the Arkansas Commercial Truck Safety and Education Program.
This program was established in 2013 to promote roadway safety in Arkansas by improving commercial truck safety through public-private cooperation. As part of the initiative, stakeholders from the trucking industry agreed to a 15% increase in registration fees for certain trucks operating in Arkansas.
The first $2 million generated by this increase is directed towards projects that benefit the trucking industry.
Source: Land Line
