Interstate 49 and I-540 work on Arkansas’ ‘ready-to-go’ projects list (updated)

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department submitted Wednesday (Dec. 10) a $1.1 billion project list for consideration as Congress prepares to push an infrastructure stimulus plan. Of that, $116 million is for Fort Smith regional projects, including $43.92 million for construction of Interstate 49 through Fort Chaffee and a $53 million rehab of I-540 through Fort Smith.

The state list has five categories for the projects.
• Bridge, 16 projects, $90.09 million
• Widening, 24 projects, $310.94 million
• New location, 11 projects, $423.23 million
• Reconstruction, 59 projects, $285.84 million
• Safety & traffic engineering, 20 projects, $10.36 million

Fort Smith regional projects on the list are:
• Hurricane Creek/Crouch Branch street improvements (Crawford County), $1 million
• Arkansas 59/Arkansas 255 widening, (Sebastian County), $13 million
• Franklin County line/Paris passing lanes, $4.76 million
• Road projects at Chaffee Crossing (I-49 work), $43.92 million
• Interstate 540 drainage improvements (Sebastian County), $555,000
• Arkansas 22/I-540 improvements (Sebastian County), $53.1 million

However, AHTD Spokesman Randy Ort cautioned against assuming all items on the list will get funded. According to his contacts involved in the process, Ort said the best case scenario would direct up to $120 million in funding to Arkansas — or about 10 percent of the total request.

“I don’t want to give anyone the false impression that this list is what we are going to do if the stimulus package passes,” Ort said Wednesday morning.

There is also the problem that funding could come with federal strings attached, which would limit the state’s flexibility in how it funds the projects on the list, Ort explained.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is lobbying Congress to “uncategorize” the funding so that state highway officials can direct the money to areas of greatest needs.

Also, Ort said the “ready-to-go” projects list is based on projects on which funds can be obligated within 180 days.