$13.8M Grant Could Bridge the Gap for Delta Heritage Trail

Boosters of the Delta Heritage Trail in east Arkansas hope to hear good news very soon that the second time was the charm to land a momentous check from Uncle Sam. The $13.8 million federal grant request, a follow-up to an unsuccessful 2020 effort, could fill the last big piece of a funding equation to complete the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism’s 84.5-mile biking-hiking trail.

That money would be combined with other financial sources to trigger a historic gift from Bentonville’s Walton Family Foundation: a $20 million matching grant, representing the biggest ever for Arkansas State Parks.

Tied to completing the project by 2025, the foundation’s potential gift is an attention-grabbing component of the state’s grant application with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“There aren’t a lot of other people out there with $20 million in cash waiting,” said Jordan Thomas, chief park planner at Arkansas State Parks.

That leveraging opportunity was in the forefront of the 32-page application filed July 8 with DOT, which is administering the discretionary grant program Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE).

“We’re expecting word any day,” Thomas said. “We haven’t gotten any follow-up from them other than a request for additional economic information.”

The Walton Family Foundation grant and the RAISE grant are key sources to help pay for the most expensive parts of the rail-to-trail project, modifying railroad bridges for cyclists and pedestrians.

The Benzal Bridge over the White River and Yancopin Bridge over the Arkansas River will provide links to traverse the 10,268-acre Trusten Holder State Wildlife Management Area.

In addition to the river bridges, future work will retrofit a 400-foot trestle spanning Hole in the Wall Lake north of the White River to accommodate bicycle and foot traffic.

This water crossing is in the Phase IX area, a 9-mile section from the Desha County community of Snow Lake to the White River. The southern end of this stretch borders a swath of bottomland forest, the 160,756-acre Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge.

Once renovated, the series of bridges will open the heavily wooded wetlands and forested wildlife management areas to visitors along the Delta Heritage Trail.

Gaining Ground

Pioneer Civil Construction of Crossett completed work in June on a $1.1 million contract to extend the trail 3.7 miles north from Watson to Yancopin in Desha County.

All told, completed construction totals 20.5 miles south from Lexa in Phillips County and 28.1 miles north from Arkansas City in Desha County. Bids on portions of the remaining 35.9-mile gap are in process.

During the next four weeks, the state will take bids for work on a 9-mile section south from Elaine to Mellwood in Phillips County, known as Phase VII.

“Once we get the bids in from Phase VII, we’re ready to bid Phase VIII, but if the bids come in higher than expected, we may have to wait,” Thomas said.

Phase VIII covers a 12.1-mile section from Mellwood to Snow Lake. Hopes are that whoever lands the Phase VII contract will provide a more competitive bid on Phase VIII with crews and equipment committed to the adjoining work.

“We’ll see how it goes this fall with the bids and find out about this federal grant,” Thomas said.

The Delta Heritage Trail

84.5 Miles from Lexa to Arkansas City

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