LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Highway 70 widening project is quickly wrapping up, and ahead of schedule by several months. 

But it’s not just drivers that are excited, businesses are too.

While some may argue they’ve taken a hit from the construction, others say they’ve benefited. 

“This is Cross Bar C Cowboy Church,” says Rev. Greg Spann. 

When you walk inside, you feel right at home on the range. 

“We started about 10 years ago and we were at the fair grounds when we first started,” says Rev. Greg Spann. 

The non-traditional Southern Baptist Church prides themselves on a positive atmosphere. Welcoming anyone and anything to worship with them. 

“God said it we believe it and that’s settles it,” says Rev. Greg Spann. 

The church sits right off Highway 70 in Saline County just a few feet away from the Highway 70 Expansion Project. 

For the most part, it’s quiet and peaceful inside the church. 

And outside, even with the Highway 70 Construction Project in progress, Reverend Greg Spann sys it’s been the same. 

“It’s been a great experience,” says Rev. Spann. 

The Cowboy Church says they’ve had a positive experience with the construction, and have helped out where they can. 

“They didn’t have a place to meet so we opened up our facility for them to meet to have safety meeting and management meetings,” says Rev. Spann. 

“We are ahead of schedule we anticipate wrapping this project up this summer,” says Danny Straessle.

Danny Straessle with the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) says with two mild winters, construction has been quick. 

“The bridge on the far west side of the project is still under construction. We expect to wrap that up pretty soon,” says Straessle. 

When complete, Highway 70 will be five lanes, connecting Hot Springs and I-30 in Benton. 

“Anytime you have an interruption in the normal flow of traffic it’s going to interrupt commerce, but it’s part of growth,” says Rev. Spann.

Reverend Spann says he could gripe about the annoyances of the construction, but says he’d rather look at the positives, just like he does in his church. 

“The church is in the business of saving lives and so what would be more natural than for us to embrace a company in a project that is intended to save lives,” says Rev. Spann. 

To put things into perspective, here’s how the construction was projected to go. 

Right now ARDOT says the project is 79 percent complete. 

Construction started at the end of 2016 and should be finished by this summer. 

The project in its entirety is just under 18 miles and costs just under $80 million.