State Highway Commission, Seeing Progress on I-30 Widening, Holds Off on Default Action Against Contractor

Rex Vines, chief engineer for operations for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, speaks during an Arkansas Highway Commission meeting on April 4, 2024 (Arkansas Department of Transportation)

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The Arkansas Highway Commission on Thursday deferred action on a recommendation to hold Johnson Bros. Corp. of Roanoke, Texas, in default of contract over delays to the Interstate 30 widening project in Saline County.

Rex Vines, chief engineer for operations for the state Department of Transportation, told the commission during its regular meeting that there’s now “a level of effort that we feel is satisfactory” on the project. Since the department issued its default recommendation in February, Johnson Bros. has increased work hours on the project by 160%, agreed to weekly meetings with the department and promised to continue dedicating resources to the project.

Recent progress includes eastbound traffic and part of westbound traffic being switched from old pavement to new pavement.

“We’ve witnessed a much more focused and intentional effort on the project,” Vines told the commission.

The company also agreed to keep a superintendent on the project who has overseen “numerous, positive operational changes” since the default recommendation, Vines said.

Vines told Alec Farmer, chair of the commission, that replacing Johnson Bros. would extend the project’s December deadline by at least 90 days.

Farmer accepted Vines’ recommendation to hold off on any default action.

The $187.3 million project was originally scheduled to be completed in November 2022. State transportation officials granted Johnson Bros’ request to extend the deadline to April 2023, but after that date passed, the state began withholding about $77,000 a day to penalize the company.

So far, about $25.8 million has been withheld.

The contract calls for 5.5 miles of I-30, from U.S. 70 in Saline County to Sevier Street in Benton, to be widened to six lanes.

Businesses including Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort of Hot Springs have complained that the interstate work is hurting their business.

Johnson Bros, a subsidiary of Southland Holdings in Grapevine, Texas, had filed for an injunction Feb. 12 in Pulaski County Circuit Clerk to prevent ARDOT from issuing a default. Johnson Bros. withdrew its injunction request after the two sides agreed to negotiate the issue.