SEBASTIAN COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Arkansas Department of Transportation will soon begin construction on a future Interstate 49 between Barling and Alma.

ARDOT will kickoff construction with a groundbreaking ceremony in Barling at what will be the I-49/Highway 22 interchange. The ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13.

When complete, this new section of I-49 will be 13.6 miles long and include a new bridge over the Arkansas River. The work is expected to be done in multiple phases over the next several years, ARDOT said.

An estimated $270 million from the recently-passed Issue 1 will fund the project.