$17M Highway 71 Project to Lift Flood-Prone River Crossing

Ashdown, AR · October 20, 2026

Cool air has settled beneath an overcast sky this morning. If your daily routine takes you south across the river, relief is on the horizon.

The Lead

The Arkansas Department of Transportation has officially awarded a $17.1 million contract to McGeorge Contracting Co. to raise U.S. Highway 71 by as much as eight feet north of the Red River. The project tackles a critical 1.47-mile stretch running from the river bridge up toward Ogden—the exact low-lying area around the weigh station that submerged during the severe 2015 floods.

For commuters and freight haulers traveling between town and Texarkana, those historic high-water closures cut off direct transit for two straight weeks and forced grueling detours through Foreman or Interstate 30. Raising the roadbed will ensure that even major flood stages no longer sever the county’s vital southern lifeline. The contractor bid 440 working days to finish the elevation, with preliminary engineering surveys and work zone staging rolling out before heavy earthmoving equipment arrives on site.

Local Pulse

Keep Ashdown Beautiful Plans Saturday Drive Community Volunteers can collect cleanup supplies at 440 West Main Street this weekend to tidy up neighborhood roadway corridors.
Historic Quilt Trail Adds Downtown Landmark Parks A newly installed hand-painted pattern along Constitution Avenue gives county route travelers another vibrant cultural stop to view.

Today's Outlook

High 77°F · Low 45°F — Overcast
- Keep a light jacket handy for the crisp morning before mild afternoon temperatures take over.

What's On Around Town

Today

Landowner Rights Educational Forum Barbara Horn Civic Center (1411 N Constitution Ave), 6:00–8:00 PM · Free Practical legal guidance and refreshments covering rural property boundaries and easements.
Winthrop City Council Meeting Winthrop City Hall (810 Post Rd), Winthrop, 7:00 PM · Free Regular municipal agenda and open forum for neighboring county residents.
Evening Sounds Season Opener Williams Memorial United Methodist Church (4000 Moores Ln), Texarkana, 7:00–8:30 PM Choral repertoire joined by featured guest saxophonist Lauren Goodman.

Tomorrow

Extension Gentle Fitness Central Baptist Church, 10:00–11:00 AM · Free
First Methodist Fall Festival First Methodist Church (5801 Summerhill Rd), Texarkana, 5:30–7:30 PM · Free

Thursday

Neal McCoy Benefit Concert Four States Fairgrounds (3700 E 50th St), Texarkana, 7:00 PM · Paid

Spotlight & Story

The Flower Shoppe & Gifts
- For nearly four decades, Angela Smyth has kept East Hamilton Street stocked with fresh blossoms, custom sympathy arrangements, and seasonal gifts. When spring recitals and high school milestones overlap, work begins at dawn to hand-tie every ribbon and bow.

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