Springdale voters to decide on $92 million bond issue for street work, NWA cities look to renew bonds

The four largest Northwest Arkansas cities have completed more than 60 street projects with bond issues over the past decade, and some have started to look to the next bond issue as they wrap up existing projects. Springdale residents will soon have the opportunity to vote on whether to issue $92.71 million in bonds for new road projects.

On Feb. 13, a special election will determine whether Springdale voters want the bond issue, which would be paid for with an existing 1-cent sales tax. The bond issue is part of a larger $224.655 million bond issue, and voters can decide which of the six parts of the bond issue they want in the election.

“The infrastructure portion of the bond issue is the most substantial ballot question in terms of financial investment and impact,” Mayor Doug Sprouse said. “Springdale is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and it is imperative that we maintain and improve our infrastructure. If approved by Springdale voters, the infrastructure projects completed with this bond issue will help alleviate traffic congestion and encourage development in our city, all without a tax increase.”

While voters can choose which of the six parts of the bond issue they want, they must approve to pay off a 2013 bond issue with a $44.765 million bond issue before any other part of the larger bond issue can be approved. If that part of the bond issue fails, the city cannot move forward on any other part of the proposed bond issue, even if voters support them, according to the city.

The $92.71 million bond issue includes the costs associated with selling the bonds, and the actual amount of money available for road improvements will be less than the total amount, said Melissa Reeves, director of public relations. If the bond issue is approved, the city would have the total amount available for road projects after it sells the bonds in the spring. Work on the projects would start shortly after that.

Unknown are the specific projects the money from the bond issue would pay for, but if approved, the city council would determine the projects based on priority after the election. The projects that have been discussed so far include a mix of new and existing road work, Reeves said. A new road project that has been discussed as a priority is the extension of Gene George Boulevard north, from Bleaux Avenue to Wagon Wheel Road, and it would be a four-lane boulevard with a center turn lane. An existing road project that has been considered a priority is an overlay project for Huntsville Avenue that would add a center turn lane to the four-lane street.

“There are many more potential projects, and the council, with input from the public, will make the final determination after the election,” Reeves said. “If residents have any suggestions or questions, they are encouraged to contact their city council representatives or the mayor’s office. Additionally, if the bond measures pass, we plan to have public input session to get feedback from residents on potential projects.”

FAYETTEVILLE
Fayetteville has nearly spent the $65.9 million bond issue voters approved in 2006, and discussion on the next bond issue is likely a year away. The city has completed 17 projects with the funding, and several more are in the works.

“The 2006 bond issue was developed based on the 2003 Transportation Master Plan,” city engineer Chris Brown said. “With it, we have been able to leverage state, federal and private grant funds to complete over $100 million in transportation improvements, including the Rupple Road extension, Mount Comfort Road widening, Crossover Road widening, Van Asche Boulevard extension and the Highway 71B flyover. The bond issue allowed us to address some of the most severe congestion issues, and to continue to build out our major street network, while at the same time extending our bicycle and pedestrian network in multiple locations. These improvements have set the stage for growth and economic development throughout the city.”

The last projects that will be paid for with the bond issue include phase three of the Old Wire Road project, which is set to start in March; phase three of the Rupple Road project, which will start in February; and the Maple Street (Arkansas Highway 112) widening project, which should start in either April or May. The $5.57 million third phase of the Rupple Road project will be built by Crossland Heavy Construction Co.

The Zion Road and Sain Street extension projects won’t be built with this bond issue because of a lack of funding, Brown said. They will be considered in the next bond issue.

Recently completed were the second phase of the Old Wire Road project, between Mission Boulevard and Ash Street; and the second phase of the Rupple Road project, between Persimmon Street and Congressional Road.  APAC-Central completed the previous $2.575 million widening project, and Sweetser Construction completed the latter $2.538 million widening project.

Some of the other completed projects included the $7.987 million flyover, linking North College Avenue (U.S. Highway 71B) to the Fulbright Expressway and uptown Fayetteville; a $10.199 million project to widen Mount Comfort Road, between Interstate 49 and Rupple Road; and a $8.321 million project to extend Rupple Road, from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Persimmon Street.

In his 2018 state of the city address, Mayor Lioneld Jordan said the city expects to pay down the bond issue earlier than expected because of sales tax growth. “This allows us to pay off the debt some time in 2019, approximately five years sooner than anticipated and saves us from additional interest costs,” Jordan said. “I look forward to working with and collaborating with the city council and our citizens to galvanize support from everyone for the next phase of ‘Your Tax Dollars at Work,’ for the next round of the city’s growth planning.”

BENTONVILLE
Since 2007, Bentonville has issued four bonds for street projects, totaling $86.218 million. So far, they have paid for 15 projects, and seven more projects are in the works. The majority of the projects are for existing streets, but the bond money could paid for new street work as well, city transportation engineer Dennis Birge said.

The most recent bond issue was approved in 2017 for $20.98 million, and it is expected to end this year, said Birge, who was uncertain as to whether it would be renewed. He noted the city has other ongoing projects funded from sources other than bond issues.

Some of the projects in the works include phase three of the Northwest Third project, between Saddlebrook Street and Coler Creek; Walton Boulevard, 12^th Street and Tiger Boulevard intersection improvements; the Eighth Street extension and I-49 interchange project; and the replacement of the Town Vu Bridge. The Northwest Third project is expected to be completed in late fall 2018, work on the intersection improvements is set to start in summer 2018, and the bridge replacement is in the design phase. Other projects are expected to be completed with funding from the 2017 bond issue and will be determined based on the remaining amount, Birge said.

Some of the completed projects include East Central Avenue, from the Bentonville Square to J Street; widening Arkansas Highway 102 to five lanes from Walton Boulevard to Greenhouse Road; widening Arkansas Highway 72 to five lanes from J Street to I-49; widening Arkansas Highway 12 to five lanes from Shell Road to Walton Boulevard; and widening Southwest I Street to four lanes or five lanes.

ROGERS
Rogers has completed 30 projects with a $102 million bond issue that was approved in 2011, and the city looks to seek voter approval for a new bond issue in six months to a year, said Ben Cline, public relations specialist. Details for the next bond issue have yet to be set.

Some of the projects the city previously completed included Pleasant Grove Road, between Bellview Road and Champions Drive; the 24^th Street aquatics center project, Dixieland Road Sports Park project; Mount Hebron Road; and Monte Ne Road.