I-49 section gets $5 million; far less than requested

Folks at the Arkansas Highway & Transportation Department are a little puzzled as to what to do with $5 million they received from the feds for a section of Interstate 49 that will cost $350 million to build.

The road section is known as the Bella Vista Bypass that would connect Arkansas and Missouri with an interstate highway that will eventually be part of I-49. The proposed bypass will be approximately 20 miles in length, extending from Highway 71 just south of Bella Vista to Highway 71 near Pineville, Mo. It will be a four-lane divided, fully controlled access facility (toll road), filling a gap between the Interstate-type highways located north and south of the proposed bypass. Arkansas’ portion is approximately 15 miles in length, while the Missouri section will be about 5 miles.

AHTD officials submitted a $145 million application to the TIGER — Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery — grant program managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. AHTD Spokesman Randy Ort said $145 million would cover the cost of the project not funded by bonds and other limited federal proceeds.

On Wednesday (Feb. 17), the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the Bella Vista Bypass would get $10 million — $5 million to the Arkansas portion and $5 million to the Missouri side. The DOT announced $1.5 billion in grants for 51 “high-priority” transportation projects.

While Arkansas highway officials are grateful for the consideration, the amount is of uncertain practical value considering the size of the project.

“With 1,400 applicants, we were happy this project was one of only 51 selected. … but we are disappointed in the amount,” Ort told The City Wire. “It’s unclear how we’ll proceed with these funds.”

However, a statement from the offices of U.S. Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Mark Pryor, D-Ark., suggested the grants would result in jobs.

“I am pleased to announce this investment that will create local construction jobs and help lay the foundation for long-term economic expansion in the Bella Vista area and throughout Arkansas. I will continue working to ensure this project has the funding it needs,” Lincoln said in the statement.

Mike Malone, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Council, said he was disappointed in the amount but was pleased to be part of the TIGER list.

“It’s not enough to get us over the hump, but it’s $10 million more than we had yesterday,” Malone said, adding that being one of 51 selected from more than 1,400 applicants is “an acknowledgment at the federal level that this (I-49) is a national priority project.”

Malone said he talked to staffers at several Arkansas Congressional offices Tuesday and they are “going to keep pushing for additional funds.” He said the reauthorization of the federal highway bill expected later this year should bring more funding opportunities for the bypass project and for other I-49 sections.

He added that an important intangible benefit of submitting the application is that it drew  more than 50 business and civic groups from Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas together to “work collaboratively” at different levels.

“People really understood the importance of this far beyond these two counties,” Malone said.

The I-49 route stretches from Texarkana, up through Dequeen, Mena and Waldron, into Fort Smith and on through Northwest Arkansas. All that stands in the way of this interstate reality is several small segments at the Arkansas-Louisiana and Arkansas Missouri borders and a large 185-mile segment between Texarkana and Fort Smith that posts a price tag of around $3 billion.

Of the $352 million Arkansas recently received as part of the federal stimulus package, $71.6 million was dedicated to portions of I-49.