Bennett Horne
Special to the Times Record
There might not be much going on in Cecil, Ark., but for one organization what is happening there is very important.
Located at the intersection of Highways 41 and 96 in Franklin County, just over seven miles west-southwest of Ozark, Cecil boasts a population of around 390 residents, a count which includes the Western Arkansas Youth Shelter.
The 14-bed facility (currently set up for eight girls and six boys) is overseen by Comprehensive Juvenile Services, Inc., and provides emergency 24-hour shelter care for youth whose circumstances or behavioral issues make it necessary for them to spend time away from home for up to 60 days.
Times Record
Estimated costs of constructing the I-49 bridge and a possible bridge to reroute traffic away from downtown Fort Smith aren t cheap, but one state official says there s a lot to be considered in the projections.
Halff Associates estimated the cost of constructing a bridge in eastern Oklahoma to reroute trucks off of Garrison Avenue would be $225 million. It s less than the estimated cost of the I-49 bridge to connect Chaffee Crossing to Alma, which Arkansas Department of Transportation District 4 Engineer Chad Adams estimated would cost between $300 million to $400 million.
These estimates come as ArDOT has launched an 18-month traffic study that will assess how to best alleviate truck traffic in downtown Fort Smith, including the possibility of a bridge. It also comes on the heels of the passage of Issue 1, which Arkansas Highway Commissioner Keith Gibson said will secure $270 million in the next 10 years toward I-49 through the extension of the state s 0.5% sta