Hot Springs to receive $20 million for bypass extension

Central ArkansasNews BriefsTalk Politics

by Roby Brock ([email protected]) December 6, 2018 6:46 pm 2,501 views 

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $20 million in grants for a bypass extension in Hot Springs.

The money will come from the $1.5 billion Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, which has replaced the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

Earlier Thursday (Dec. 6), a BUILD grant for $25 million was awarded to complete the Bella Vista bypass in Northwest Arkansas.

The Hot Springs grant will be used to complete the interchange with Highway 70 east of Hot Springs and extend north to the intersection of Highways 5 and 7.

“This announcement is great news for the greater Hot Springs community and Arkansas as a whole. This extension will help Hot Springs continue to grow, and I’m grateful to Secretary [Elaine] Chao and the Trump Administration for their dedication to improving Arkansas infrastructure,” Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said.

“This project is vital to improving regional connectivity and economic viability in the greater Hot Springs area and these funds will help make it a reality. The bypass extension will provide an alternative route to access Hot Springs which should reduce traffic and enhance the historic, revitalized downtown in addition to the jobs and economic activity it will create during and after construction. I appreciate Secretary Chao and the Department of Transportation’s recognition of how worthwhile and significant this project will be for Garland County,” Senator John Boozman, R-Ark., said.

“The bypass in Hot Springs plays an outsized role in our region’s economy and movement of goods. This grant will further support and expand the bypass, creating opportunity for additional economic development in the Ouachitas. It will also improve response time for emergency services, which will save lives. I thank Secretary Chao and the Trump Administration for awarding this grant important to our region’s expanding infrastructure,” U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, said.