Lincoln impressed with regional intermodal progress, plans

U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln said it is “incredibly impressive” what business and civic leaders in Crawford and Sebastian counties have done and are doing through the Regional Intermodal Transportation Authority.

RITA was formed in August 2009 with the broad goal to maximize the use of all forms of transportation — rail, barge, air, interstate — so as to reduce shipping costs and increase service options for regional business and industries.

Lincoln met with the RITA board Tuesday morning (April 6) to become more familiar with the group’s short- and long-term goals and a $5 million federal funding request RITA members hope Lincoln will push. The $5 million would be combined with $3 million in local funds to improve rail and port access in the region.

Specifically, the combined $8 million includes $3.5 million to improve roads at Van Buren port facilities and to extend railroad from Arkhola to a Van Buren river port operation downstream. The remaining $4.5 million will be used on the railroad work at Chaffee Crossing.

The money also will include infrastructure support for a 50-acre economic development site at Chaffee Crossing and a 30-acre site near the Van Buren port.

“We have unlimited potential in this area,” said Mat Pitsch, intermodal project manager for the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District. “We have a chance to be a major freight hub.”

Pitsch explained to Lincoln that 1,500 jobs are real or announced on 180 acres of Chaffee Crossing property. If the density ratio is applied to the remaining 2,100 acres available for industrial development, the property could handle another 24,000 jobs. Pitsch said that job number won’t happen quickly, but said “some day this economy is going to turn around” and the region is working to be prepared for that day.

Pitsch said one of the long-term goals is to build similar collaborate relationships with Northwest Arkansas, saying the two geographically connected metro areas “can be one of the national players on the (economic development) scene” if they work together.

Lincoln agreed with Pitsch about being prepared for economic recovery, noting that the Fort Smith/Van Buren area appears focused on being able to compete on a “global scale” for jobs. She also praised the plan to “create balance” between barge, truck and rail traffic.

A freight survey conducted in early 2009 showed Fort Smith regional inbound freight patterns followed close to the national average, with about 78% of the freight coming in on trucks and about 16% on rail. However, 97% of the outbound freight uses truck, with less than 3% using rail.

Lincoln also agreed to have one of her staffers work with with RITA to help with the “puzzle” of numerous public funding options. The commitment came after RITA Board Member George Moschner asked Lincoln for her advice on what the community should be doing to seek a wide range of funding options.

“That would help us … to get the list of funding sources,” Moschner, who is the chief financial officer for Fort Smith-based Baldor Electric Co., said after Lincoln offered the staff help.

Following the meeting, Pitsch and other RITA board members took Lincoln on a tour of Van Buren and Chaffee Crossing properties involved in the $5 million funding request.