Arkansas drivers frustrated because they say road work ruined their vehicles

Pulaski County, Arkansas – Drivers said the road work down Kanis Road or Ferndale Cutoff has ruined their cars and they want something to be done about it.

“There are just piles of rocks and tar I mean I can’t even pull that off because it’s stuck on there so much,” Driver, James Douglas said.

According to Douglas, he was just one of the dozens in the Ferndale area that have dealt with this. “I’ve talked to other members of the community who are having engine troubles and brake troubles and just all these different things,” he added.

Now, he and other drivers want to reach out to Pulaski County officials for help. “What do we do? We’re left with a mess. You know, who’s responsible? Is it the county? Is it the company? And how do we move forward? I just want to the public discourse of what we can do,” he asked.

According to the Pulaski County Road and Bridge Director, Shane Ramsey: “When you get something on your vehicle, you can give us a call. And we will get you in touch with the contractor and they will come to look at it,” Ramsey said.

Workers with the construction company, Intermountain Slurry Steel, will come to clean the tar and gravel off your car if they believe the road work caused it, Ramsey added. “They actually washed seven vehicles out there Saturday, for those that showed up and they got them really clean,” he said.

Douglas is also concerned about safety when out and about. “If I hit a bump going down the highway, or if I’m traveling at a normal speed, those rocks are gonna come off, you know, they can hit somebody else’s vehicle,” Douglas said.

The technique they have been using, is less expensive than re-paving, and it could make the existing asphalt last anywhere from 6 to 10 more years, Ramsey explained. “It’s a new process that has been approved by ARDOT. And they’re using it extensively. We’re trying it out on some county roads, as opposed to repaving the entire road,” he described.

Ferncliff Road, Stewart Road, Ferndale Cutoff, Kanis Road, and Sparks Road are some of the areas that have been impacted by road work.

According to Douglas, the project will be finished this week.