RITA board seeks local government support

The board of the Regional Intermodal Transportation Authority formally approved Wednesday (Nov. 10) the request of $25,000 each from Crawford County, Sebastian County, the city of Fort Smith and the city of Van Buren.

The combined $100,000 would help fund RITA through Dec. 31, 2011.

With approval from the aforementioned governments, 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.

RITA officials have taken the lead in working with federal and private-sector officials to fund and build railroads and improve port facilities in the Fort Smith region. The group also pulled off a lengthy meeting in June with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and others to directly lobby for funding of Interstate-49 and other RITA funding requests.

In addition to seeking more I-49 funding, RITA officials have an $8 million infrastructure plan of which they seek $5 million in federal funds. The $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 is for railroad work at Chaffee Crossing. U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., has submitted appropriation requests for the funding.

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

RITA was launched in late 2009 thanks to $325,000 from Arkansas secured primarily through the efforts to Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren. The start-up funding was to last two years, but it is expected to support RITA for 2.5 years, said Mat Pitsch, intermodal project manager for the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District (WAPDD).

Pitsch told The City Wire that the group is also asking the regional Legislative delegation to seek more funding during the upcoming 88th General Assembly.

“We chose not to give a very specific amount to the delegation, because they have to go down there and see what is available,” Pitsch said, adding that it will take at least $300,000 to fund the efforts for another two years.

RITA board members and officers will conduct a “brainstorming session” in December focused on developing a five-year financial and operating strategy, Pitsch explained. A goal is for RITA to be like the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, which was dependent early for government funding, but is now largely financially independent.

Pitsch said he has received favorable indications from the four local governments that they will meet the funding request. Fort Smith has included $25,000 in its non-departmental general fund budget for RITA in 2011.