LITTLE ROCK (7-14)

Crews working on the new location of Highway 65 north of Harrison plan to open the new highway on Thursday, July 16, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials. Weather permitting, the six-mile section between Burlington and Bear Creek Springs will open to traffic but will still have some work to complete at the two ends of the project. According to highway officials, that work can safely be done with the new lanes opened, but drivers should use caution and expect some del ays.

“Highway 65 will now be four lanes between the Missouri state line and Harrison, providing easy travel for those going from Branson to Harrison ,” Arkansas Highway Commissioner Dick Trammel joked at a recent dedication ceremony. State and local officials chose to dedicate the long-awaited project even though the contractor still had some final paving to complete. This final $11 million base and surface phase of the project was let to Leo Journagan Construction in the summer of 2007.