The city of Monette will soon install a traffic signal at the intersection of state highways 139 and 18, addressing safety concerns that locals have raised for years.
Monette Mayor Bob Blankenship said the intersection, which opened in November 2017, has been the site of numerous crashes. Residents blame high speeds for exacerbating the danger.
Following a traffic study conducted by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), the agency plans to install a new signal system at the intersection as part of a $2.2 million project. Most of the funding will come from state and federal sources, with Craighead County committing $500,000 and Monette contributing just under $300,000.
According to Blankenship, the improvements will include more than just a stoplight. "Each intersection will have an exit lane," he said. "[ARDOT] calls it a de-acceleration lane. So, you will be able to pull up and make a right turn without having to worry about the flow of traffic coming at you."
Blankenship also noted the intersection’s critical role as a connector to Blytheville, Jonesboro, and Missouri. Traffic in the area has steadily increased in recent years due to Monette's growth, the mayor said. Blankenship estimates the intersection sees approximately 14,000 vehicles each day.
“We’re growing to the tune of probably five to six new homes being built per month and being occupied almost as soon as they’re completed,” he added.
The traffic project is expected to be completed by August 2027.