Portion of Garland Avenue closed for trail tunnel construction

Staff photo
Road crews began excavating a 270-foot-long pedestrian tunnel beneath Garland Avenue on Monday. The construction project will close Garland Avenue for approximately two weeks.

Plans for the tunnel

Connection to the west

A portion of Garland Avenue closed on Monday morning to allow for the construction of a 270-foot pedestrian trail tunnel near the corner of Knapp Street.

The tunnel will begin at Agriculture Park, run beneath Garland Avenue, and end just to the north of the University of Arkansas’ Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena.

Once complete, officials say the tunnel will serve as a major component of the plan to provide a link between the city’s Scull Creek Trail and neighborhoods to the west of Interstate 540.

During the construction process, Garland Avenue traffic will be re-routed through Agri Park.

Construction of the tunnel will require extensive excavation and installation, and motorists are urged to consider alternate routes to avoid delays over the estimated two-week long project.