Camden city leaders met Thursday, at 10 AM. with representatives from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) 
to review a formal traffic safety study of the Fairview Road and Mount Holly intersection.

Leading the presentation was Travis Brooks, Division Head of Planning and Research for ARDOT. Brooks said his team reviewed crash history, traffic counts, speed data, and federal signal warrants under the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Why ARDOT Says No to a Traffic Signal

According to ARDOT’s findings, the intersection does not meet federal thresholds required to install a traffic light using federal funds.
Brooks explained the agency must follow national standards to qualify for funding and that traffic volumes did not trigger any of the eight-hour, four-hour, or peak-hour warrants.

A speed study showed the 85th percentile speed aligns with the posted speed limit.

Brooks emphasized that traffic signals are not strictly safety devices. While they can reduce angle crashes, they often increase rear-end collisions, particularly involving heavy trucks.

ARDOT’s Proposal: Reduce from Four Lanes to Three

Instead of installing a signal, ARDOT proposed converting Fairview Road from four lanes to three between Cash and Topper Hill.
The proposal would create one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane.

Brooks said reducing lanes can:

• Improve visibility at the intersection

• Shorten crossing distance for side street traffic

• Reduce angle crashes

• Provide a safer area for left-turning vehicles

• Slow overall traffic flow by removing the passing lane

ARDOT reported approximately 4,000 vehicles per day travel the corridor, with five to ten percent truck traffic.
Brooks said three lanes can handle significantly higher volumes than that.

City Leaders Cite Peak Traffic and Real-World Conditions

Local officials questioned whether the study captured real-world conditions during peak periods.

Ward 4 Alderman Gerald Castleberry pointed to heavy morning and evening traffic tied to defense plant shifts in East Camden.
He described times between 5:30 and 7:00 a.m. when all four lanes are filled with bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at or slightly above the speed limit.

Alderman Josh Steed argued that crash reports do not capture frequent near misses that locals witness regularly.

Chief Jeremy Covington of the Camden Fire Department described recurring serious crashes at the location, including rollovers and a bus crash. He said the hill west of the intersection creates visibility challenges, particularly when large trucks approach at speed.

He stated that many drivers are yielding properly but cannot see oncoming traffic cresting the hill.

School and Youth Traffic Concerns

Camden Fairview Superintendent Tara Armstrong raised concerns about school traffic, including pick-up and drop-off times and past bus accident at the intersection, thankfully no students were present and the driver wasn't hurt.  

She noted that many new residents are warned about that intersection when they move to Camden.

Seasonal Traffic from Sports and Fairgrounds

Mike Sherman, representing the Camden Sportplex, highlighted the impact of youth sports. He said game nights bring hundreds of vehicles, with parking lots filled and traffic entering from multiple directions.

Sherman noted that baseball season alone includes more than 300 registered players, not including family members.
Soccer season creates similar traffic surges.

Missy Chambers, representing the Ouachita County Fair Board, added that the fairgrounds also generate heavy seasonal traffic.
The county fair and other large events draw significant crowds to that same corridor.

City leaders questioned whether ARDOT’s study accounted for these seasonal spikes and concentrated traffic surges.

Funding and Flexibility Questions

Steed pressed ARDOT representatives about whether exceptions or alternative funding paths could allow installation of a signal if the city made a strong case.

ARDOT officials stated they could not use federal funding for a signal that does not meet warrants. While funding itself was not described as the primary barrier, eligibility requirements tied to federal funds limit what projects can move forward.

There was also discussion about whether a full traffic light once existed at the intersection years ago. ARDOT officials said they were not aware of that history and agreed to look into it.

What Happens Next

Originally, Mayor Charlotte Young requested a public meeting. ARDOT chose to meet first with city leadership but agreed to hold a public meeting in the near future at The Events Center at Fairview Park. A date and time will be announced.

For now, ARDOT’s official recommendation remains the three-lane conversion with a center turn lane.

City officials made clear they are not yet convinced that reducing lanes is the right answer for one of Camden’s most discussed intersections.

The conversation will now move to a broader public forum.