Fort Smith street and bridges funding projected to decline in next five years

The five year capital improvement plan (CIP) for Fort Smith streets, bridges and associated drainage program calls for a decline in spending annually.

The plan, presented to the Fort Smith Board of Directors at a study session Oct. 17, includes a variety of projects across the city, including neighborhood overlays, major street projects, drainage improvements and intersection and traffic signal improvements, which are funded by a one-cent sales tax, said Stan Snodgrass, the city’s director of engineering.

The plan calls for $57.085 million in spending in 2025; $40.676 million in 2026; $36.769 million in 2027; $30.501 million in 2028; and $31.032 million in 2029.

While it shows projected revenue going up a few hundred thousand each year, the plan has expenses exceeding revenue and dipping into the department’s fund balance with the ending balance for the department in 2029 being $865,548.

Snodgrass said the department is budgeting funds from the significant balance in the Streets, Bridges and Associated Drainage Sales Tax Fund to fund the CIP projects. The excess balance in the fund is primarily the result of staffing shortages of project engineers, he said. The department has zero of four project engineer positions filled and is using engineering consultants to assist with the work so they can finalize projects for construction, he said.

“We have multiple large projects slated for construction in the upcoming years which is causing the decrease in the fund balance,” Snodgrass said.

However, the 1 cent sales tax dedicated to streets, bridges and associated drainage provides for the resurfacing of the city streets and allows for the additional projects as outlined in the CIP, he said.

“We currently budget approximately half ($15 mil +/-) of the sales tax revenue towards the street overlays/reconstruction projects. Based on current costs, to resurface the streets every 30 years is approximately $16 million per year,” Snodgrass noted.

Determination of projects is based on numerous factors including pavement ratings of streets, interdepartmental requests, citizen input, economic development, and input from the Board of Directors, Snodgrass said in a memo regarding the plan. He said many of the projects in the plan, especially those in 2025, are carryover projects started in previous years.