Little Rock Closed Kanis Road for Construction

Construction crews have started a five-day project to install pedestrian improvements at a major intersection.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Construction

Isometric editorial illustration of a construction site with orange traffic cones, steel barriers, and an excavator at an urban intersection. — Little Rock has closed the intersection of Kanis Road and John Barrow Road for five days to implement new pedestrian safety and accessibility improvements. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you find road construction detours in your local area to be poorly managed?

Little Rock crews have closed Kanis Road at the John Barrow Road intersection to install pedestrian access improvements. Traffic on John Barrow Road has been restricted to a single lane in each direction.

Why it matters

The project aims to improve safety and accessibility for pedestrians navigating the busy Little Rock intersection. These changes will require commuters to navigate detours for nearly one week.

The construction project is scheduled to last for a total of 5 days. During this time, traffic on John Barrow Road is reduced to 1 open lane in each direction.

The details

Crews have completely closed Kanis Road at the John Barrow Road intersection while implementing new pedestrian access features. Motorists are directed to use local residential streets, including Michael Drive, Labette Drive, and Kanis Park Drive, to bypass the site.

Construction and road closures officially began on Monday, October 5, 2026.
The construction period and traffic detours will continue from October 5, 2026 to October 10, 2026.

Market Landscape

This project reflects a broader push by municipalities to modernize aging infrastructure to meet modern accessibility standards. These upgrades position the city to comply with federal requirements while shifting local traffic flow patterns during the construction phase.

Drivers in Little Rock should anticipate significant delays when navigating the John Barrow Road corridor. Access to local businesses on Kanis Road remains available, though customers should plan for extra travel time due to redirected traffic on residential streets.

The takeaway

Commuters should utilize the designated detour routes on Michael Drive and Labette Drive to avoid the intersection. Local businesses in the construction zone remain open and accessible throughout the five-day work period.