U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Thursday announced $32.9 million in grants for roadway improvement projects in Arkansas.
Little Rock was awarded $25 million for the Little Rock Safe Streets For All project, which aims to improve safety along five major corridors. Pedestrians accounted for 31% of roadway fatalities in Little Rock from 2017-2021, an issue that the project hopes to address by adding bicycle lanes, crosswalk visibility enhancements, medians and pedestrian refuge islands.
Other safety upgrades include dedicated left- and right-turn lanes at intersections, roundabouts, retroreflective backplates, and lighting enhancements, according to a news release on the grant awards.
Springdale was awarded $5.2 million for the Dean’s Trail Phase IIIB project to construct a multi-use trail segment. The trail segment is the last section to complete Dean’s Trail, which connects to the 40-mile Razorback Greenway.
The current gap in the trail network requires users to travel along four-lane, high-speed arterial roadways without facilities to accommodate cyclists, the release said. The project will separate pedestrians and cyclists from motor vehicle traffic and close the gap in regional active transportation facilities.
Arkansas also received $2.7 million for seven safety planning and demonstration projects. The projects, locations and grant amounts are:
| County/City | Project | Description | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County | Boone County County-Wide Safety Action Plan | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $392,000 |
| City of Batesville | Batesville Demonstration Activities | Conduct Demonstration or Other Supplemental Planning Activities (only) | $616,024 |
| City of Russellville | Russellville’s Vision for Safe and Inclusive Roadways | Develop or Update an Action Plan and Conduct Demonstration or Other Supplemental Planning Activities | $463,680 |
| City of Searcy | Safety Action Plan for Searcy, Arkansas | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $400,000 |
| Columbia County Road Department | Columbia County County-Wide Safety Action Plan | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $280,000 |
| Drew County | Drew County County-Wide Safety Action Plan | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $260,000 |
| Izard County | Izard County County-Wide Safety Action Plan | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $120,000 |
| Marion County | Marion County County-Wide Safety Action Plan | Develop a new Comprehensive Safety Action Plan | $120,000 |
The Safe Streets and Roads for All grants are a portion of $1 billion awarded to 354 local, regional, and tribal communities across the country for safety upgrades on rural and urban roads.
Funds come from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
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