Fort Smith group expands beautification project on Fort Smith I-540 interchanges

Work has begun on a long planned beautification project at the intersection of Interstate 540 and Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith.

According to Beautify Fort Smith President Nancy Smreker, the project – once completed – will have planted more than $100,000 in natural improvements into one of the city's busiest intersections. She said the project, first announced in December 2013, was only possible because of the efforts of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, who owns the land that will be used to plant more than 1,700 shrubs and roses, 2,100 lirope plants, 85 trees and 4,300 square yards of Bermuda grass.

"They provided the permits," she said, adding that the AHTD was also responsible for boring the area for irrigation for the plants being installed.

"In the past, they would not let us bore and get water on these quads. So they're really the reason it's all possible because (the AHTD) was very cooperative.”

The project, with a total estimated price tag of $110,000, received all labor supplies at cost from landscaper Frank Sharum, whose crews are also installing the plants, trees and irrigation systems, which cross under Rogers Avenue at two different points, Smreker said.

"His portion (is costing) about $84,000 and includes landscaping, sod and irrigation for the whole four quads," she said.

The quads she mentions are on the four different sections where on and off ramps connect to the interstate and were paid for through donors.

The two largest quads were sold for $30,000 each. One was sponsored by First National Bank of Fort Smith President and CEO Sam Sicard, while another was sponsored jointly by Arvest Bank, the Walton Family Foundation and a $20,000 grant from the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District made possible through Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith.

Two other smaller quads were sponsored for $15,000 each by businessman Bennie Westphal and a the Family Enterprise Center at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Additional funding for the project came from boring Steve Forsgren did for irrigation at a cost of $33,000 with no profit. He donated an additional $5,000 to the project.

Smreker said all installation is being handled by Sharum Landscaping instead of volunteers with Beautify Fort Smith.

"No volunteers are allowed in those quads. They're all paid employees and have to be bonded and wear safety gear," she explained.

The first project many commuters along Rogers will notice is the installation of lirope plants between the bridges of I-540 next to Rogers Avenue, which has already begun. Once all projects are complete, the city of Fort Smith will pay $12,000 per year for Bowers Landscape to maintain the property at the interchange.

Work is expected to be complete on the project by mid-November, Smreker said, and added that it was just the beginning of work the new city commission is beginning in the area. A project still underway at exit 13 (I-540 and Jenny Lind) includes the already completed clearing of brush and a planned tree trimming provided by OG&E.

"OG&E will come in next week and trim the canopy of the pine trees and they're doing that at no charge. I think it will be several thousand dollars they're donating to get it done thanks to Dean Powell and Rob Ratley (with the energy company). They did another tree trimming at Old Greenwood and 540 and they're wanting to do their part to keep the three canopy pretty in Fort Smith.”

The other group taking part in the process is the Fianna Hills Property Owners Association, which has paid Elwin Hoover's land clearing company to come in and clear the brush at an unknown price.

"He has the equipment and he was able to actually mow down (old and dead) trees and mulch them at the same time andhe took care of the undergrowth and that sort of stuff," she said, adding that Fianna Hills Property Owners Association was partnering with Bradford and Udouj Realty to fund the project.

Other projects the Beautify Fort Smith commission has in the plans for the next year include:
• Installation of welcome signs at all Fort Smith city entrances;
• Adding Christmas lights to trees along Garrison Avenue during the holidays;
• Partnering the citywide litter pickups in April and October with tree giveaways;
• Planting trees at all city street interchanges; and
• Getting all interstate interchanges in the city under agreement with the AHTD for contractors to mow the property multiple times per month instead of just a few times per year.

Smreker said the Rogers Avenue interchange will be the only one under a contract for mowing once it is completed next month.

"We want all nine of the (exits) to be professionally mowed. We're trying to get funding for that. That's about as far as we got. We want it mowed and litter picked up and weedeated and edged around the curbing. That would be from where the interstate onramp starts and ends and to the fence line on both sides. It's exactly where the highway department mows three times a year. We want it to be two times a month."