Metroplan dedicates more than $5 million to Southwest Trail

The Metroplan board of directors approved funding to the following applicants for the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) and Highway Improvement Program (HIP).

The biggest portion of the awards is for the Southwest Trail, a recreational bike trail that connects Hot Springs and Little Rock.

Pulaski Co. Southwest Trail – $3,000,000
Saline Co. Southwest Trail – $1,200,000
Benton Southwest Trail – $1,040,000
North Little Rock Pike Avenue – $3,000,000
Bryant Parkway – $3,000,000
Sherwood Gap Creek Signal – $276,000
Lonoke Highway 31 Overpass path – $436,000
Conway Salem Road reconstruction – $750,000
Sherwood Powerline Trail – $750,000
Benton Congo Shenandoah roundabout – $1,184,000
Jacksonville West Main Street realignment – $1,158,000
Little Rock Jonesboro Children’s Trail – $750,000
Shannon Hills Drive Bridge replacement – $200,000
Rock Region Metro super shelters – $256,000

The Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and Highway Improvement Program are federal-aid transportation programs, administered by the Federal Highway Administration that provide funding for transportation improvement projects.

Metroplan awards funding to qualifying projects based on applications from member jurisdictions and a rigorous review process.

The list of awarded projects reflects the Metroplan Board’s commitment to investments in the Central Arkansas Regional Greenways system.

The projects also address several safety and congestion issues at intersections, as well as new super shelters for several Rock Region METRO bus stops.

Metroplan is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the four-county region of Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline counties.