Arkansas to Add Cable Median Barriers to Freeways

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department says it will begin installing cable median barriers on nearly 400 miles of Arkansas freeways over the next three years.

The agency says crews will begin installing the barriers early next year. The projects will be paid for with $74 million in federal funds.

The agency says crashes where a vehicle crosses into oncoming traffic are among the most dangerous and difficult to predict. The agency says a before-and-after analysis of traffic fatalities showed a sharp decrease in median crossover deaths after the barriers were installed.

The highway department now has cable median barriers in place on 37 miles of Arkansas highways. An additional 68 miles are currently under construction.