FY2024

Project Name: Arkansas Highway 10 – Greenwood Bypass

Request Amount: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient: Arkansas Department of Transportation

Address of the Intended Recipient: 10324 I-30 Little Rock, Arkansas 72209

Explanation of the request: This project will relocate AR-10 to a newly-constructed four-lane divided, partially access controlled route between Arkansas Highway 96 and Coker Street, widen to four lanes AR-10 from Coker Street west to Arkansas Highway 71, and extend Main Street south as a city street to intersect the relocated AR-10. This project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it is vital to Greenwood, the second largest city in Sebastian County, Arkansas, and to the region as many Greenwood residents commute to nearby Ft. Smith, the third largest city in the State of Arkansas. The current AR-10 is a choke point in the City of Greenwood that can be exacerbated by weather, accidents, or maintenance. Backups on the current AR-10 require an additional 28-mile trip for commuters.

Project Name: Arkansas Highway 412 Corridor Improvements

Request Amount: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient: Arkansas Department of Transportation

Address of the Intended Recipient: 10324 I-30 Little Rock, Arkansas 72209

Explanation of the request: This request supports improvement of the portion of Highway 412 that interfaces with Interstate 49. This interchange is the most congested interchange in Northwest Arkansas and ranked #1 in the top twenty most congested roads in the region based on the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission's Congestion Management Process. Highway 412 is a nationally-significant East-West corridor that traverses 12 counties in Arkansas. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it supports the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas area, Interstate-49, and the Highway 412 Corridor. These major improvements will enhance safety at the interchange while also improve the ability of Highway 412 and I-49 to move people and freight.

Project Name: Black Bass Dam Rehabilitation

Request Amount: $1,500,000

Intended Recipient: City of Eureka Springs

Address of the Intended Recipient: 44 Main Street Eureka Springs, Arkansas 72632

Explanation of the request: This project would allow the city to restore and repair Black Bass Dam by building stone retaining walls in a stairstep structure, which would diverge water flow into an expanded spillway in the event of flooding. If the dam were to fail and flooding occurred, the rush of water would destroy a pump station that provides all the water for the western part of Eureka Springs. This project is a priority because it would ensure that the major water supply system for the city’s residents and businesses is protected, medical and fire services for regional residents and tourists remain operable and inevitable infrastructure damage that would cost taxpayers dearly, is avoided.

Project Name: Gravette Sanitary Sewer Extension

Request Amount: $7,235,993

Intended Recipient: City of Gravette

Address of the Intended Recipient: 202 Main Street NE, Gravette, Arkansas 72736

Explanation of Request: The City of Gravette’s existing sanitary sewer system is in need of an expansion to accommodate residential development, foster economic growth, and adapt to increased traffic volume. This request from the City of Gravette will extend the sanitary sewer approximately 4.5 miles east along Highway 72 in Gravette to near Interstate 49. Extending the sewer would improve the health and safety of residents and protect the local environment from the risk of wastewater contamination. This sewer extension project would allow for residential and commercial connections opening undeveloped land for residential and commercial development, including the possibility of light manufacturing or light industrial development that, in turn, could bring competitive-paying jobs to the area and increase the local tax base. The Arkansas Department of Transportation has plans for a state welcome center located along the sewer route that is projected to have 80,000-100,000 annual visitors. Additionally, the sewer would support the Gravette Public School District accommodate future student enrollment in Gravette, as they have purchased two large tracts of land for future schools along the sewer route. The project will fund the core components of the gravity sewer expansion including sewer pipes, forced mains, manholes, and four lift stations.

Project Name: Lake Wedington Recreation Area

Request Amount: $4,700,000

Intended Recipient: Ozark-St. Francis National Forests

Address of the Intended Recipient: 605 West Main Russellville, Arkansas 72801

Project Explanation: Lake Wedington Recreation Area is a recreation area on the National Register of Historic Places located on Lake Wedington, and currently closed until further notice due to deteriorating infrastructure conditions. This project would address the outdated conditions of the water and wastewater systems of the recreation area to ensure there is access to potable water and the wastewater treatment plant meets current environmental standards. By completing this project, the forest service can ensure that visitors of Lake Wedington Recreation Area have access to potable water and wastewater systems would be up to date and ready for use.

Project Name: White River Basin Study

Request Amount: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Little Rock District

Address of the Intended Recipient: 700 West Capitol Ave Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Project Explanation: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) owns and operates six dams in the White River Basin. The dams are operated as a system to reduce frequency and severity of floods, provide water supply, generate hydroelectric power, and provide minimum environmental flows downstream of Bull Shoals and Norfork lakes. The study will provide a comprehensive water resource management strategy for the White River Basin which seeks sustainable water resource management while taking into consideration flood risk management, environmental protection, water supply, hydropower generation, agricultural practices, and social well-being.

Project Name: 13th Street Bridge Repairs/Improvements

Request Amount: $ 1,248,527

Intended Recipient: City of Little Flock

Address of the Intended Recipient: 1500 Little Flock Drive Little Flock, Arkansas 72756

Explanation of the request: This project will refurbish and improve the 13th Street Bridge in Little Flock, Arkansas. This bridge serves one of the main thoroughfares in Little Flock, 13th Street. This street sees a high volume of commuter traffic as it runs roughly north to south and sits between two large Northwest Arkansas cities, Pea Ridge and Rogers. 13th Street is labeled as a collector street in Northwest Arkansas. Little Flock itself consists of just over 3,000 citizens and its Street Department revenue in 2022 was $436,355. If it had no other road expenses the whole year it would take three years for the City to be able to pay for bridge repairs and improvements. The city has been informed that the bridge requires repairs and upgrades within the next 5-6 years. The bridge has experienced flash flooding events in recent years which has closed the road. The project would upgrade the bridge to account for the increasing commuter traffic and for the structural integrity necessary for flash flooding events. Without repairs and improvements the bridge and road will become unusable forcing residents and commuters to find alternate routes in an already congested area.