A long-awaited traffic light may soon be coming to Cotter, following a recent traffic study by the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT).
According to a Facebook post by Cotter Mayor Mac Caradine, ARDOT has determined that the intersection at U.S. Highway 62B and U.S. Highway 412 meets the criteria for a traffic signal based on a study conducted in March.
Caradine spoke with KTLO, Classic Hits and the Boot News and says the process has been a long time coming.
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Caradine says it has been something the City of Cotter has pursued for over 20 years.
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The next steps include ARDOT designing the traffic light and preparing a cost estimate for the project. Caradine says they hope the project will qualify for the Intersection Improvement Program (IIP) Grant, a federally funded initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation, ARDOT, and Cotter. The grant covers up to $1 million per project on an 80/10/10 cost-sharing basis.
Representatives from ARDOT say the timeline can be extensive and remains unknown. They said once a design and cost estimate is available, they will reach back out to the city to determine if their preference would be to pursue a contract to install the light, install it via a permit or possibly no action.
Not many realize the intersection is a part of the Cotter city limits.
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Caradine thanked residents Linda McCarthy, Linda Collier, Shannon Anitoni, and others for helping gather more than 500 survey responses demonstrating community support. Appreciation was also extended to State Representative Jason Nazarenko for advocating for the project with state officials.
Further updates will be provided as the project progresses.
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