March tornadoes that ripped through Central Arkansas caused a delay in relocating overhead utilities in Arkadelphia, but Entergy linemen will soon be seen in full force as they move power poles and lines along Pine Street.

Some utility poles have already been set along Pine Street’s new right-of-way, and dozens more will be placed once Entergy returns with more manpower on April 26. “Work actually began in late March, but we needed to shift those crews to other areas due to the numerous storms and tornadoes,” Kacee Kirschvink, communications manager for Entergy Arkansas, said in an email to The Arkadelphian.

It will take crews roughly three months to add new poles along Pine Street where the road will eventually be widened to include a turning lane. Additional utility work will be done on the west end near Red Hill Road and on the east side along North 10th Street. Once Entergy adds the new poles, communications companies will transfer their lines to the new poles, Kirschvink said. “Then we will come back and remove the old poles, so that process will likely add 2-3 months to the total.”

Some interruptions to traffic and utilities are to be expected. The company said it will notify its customers in advance of any power interruptions.

Entergy will shift its operation to the Arkadelphia Bypass project once the Pine Street utilities work wraps up, Kirschvink said.

The Pine Street widening project will be the final process of major roadway construction in Arkadelphia, and will begin once the bypass is built. The projected completion date is 2027.