Infrastructure Discussed At Meeting, Mayor Perrin Headed To St. Louis
by October 21, 2014 10:59 pm 91 views
It will be a busy Wednesday for Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin as he tries to advance two major infrastructure projects.
Perrin will travel to St. Louis early Wednesday for a federal highway meeting, then will start the process on a $1.2 million TIGER grant to build an overpass at the corner of Highland Drive and Nettleton Avenue.
Perrin told Jonesboro council members about the trip during the panel’s meeting Tuesday night.
The meeting in St. Louis will feature federal and state highway officials from Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Perrin said he and city officials from Conway, Rogers and Springdale will make the case for Arkansas and that the meeting will discuss speeding up projects as well as improving mobility at work zones.
One of the projects involves pre-fabricated bridges, Perrin said.
The bridges are often dropped into place by helicopters and are used in many parts of the country, Perrin said.
“Imagine the time saved if one had been built at (Arkansas) 226,” Perrin said.
As for the TIGER grant, Perrin said city officials plan to start talking Wednesday with companies that have been approved by the state for work.
City officials announced Sept. 9 that the city had received a grant to do an environmental review and design plans for the overpass.
The overpass will be built over a railroad crossing at Highland and Nettleton, an area of town that can see bottlenecked traffic at all hours of the day.
Perrin said in September that the traffic concerns, as well as a train blocking the intersection while an ambulance’s siren and horn blared for at least an hour earlier this year, helped city officials to get the grant.
In addition to the $1.2 million, the city is adding $300,000 in local funding for the project.
Perrin also told council members about the grand opening for the city’s Miracle League field this Saturday.
The field, at the Southside Sports Complex near the Jonesboro Human Development Center, will be used by children and adults with special needs.
City officials and local residents spent several years raising money for the project, including hosting the annual Weiner Pig Roast in April.
The field opens at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m.