West Memphis getting set for major road work

City streets getting a fresh layer of asphalt

news@theeveningtimes.com

The Arkansas Department of Transportation was happy to help West Memphis rework a stretch of East Barton — for another $200,000. City council approved the expense during its last regular July meeting. City Engineer Amanda Hicks told councilmen the expense for the work on a section between Ingram Blvd. to 18th street was set by ARDOT limits in helping communities with additional overlay projects. “It’s a state aid program,” said Hicks. “The issue with this area is it was built in the 1930s and we still operate off the original plans.

The sidewalks were set 50 feet from the center-line.

This area has not been touched in a while. The curbs are turned up, the drainage is horrible.”

The area is old and dotted with many vacant houses.

“They’ll have to under-cut the road 18 inches to replace the road in the correct manner,” said Hicks.

Because of the age of the area, curbs and sidewalks must be improved to disability standards. Cut curbs at corners were planned by the state to make the project comply with the Americans With Disabilities in higher than expected.

The state offered $250,000 in aid and asked the city to pick a project. The high cost to fix the street coupled with the city’s population added into the formula, creating a need for the city to fund another $202,930 to get it done.

“ARDOT designs it and sends out the bid,” said Hicks. “The agreement is that if the bids come in over the $250,000 and the population is over 25,000, it’s not just a 10 percent match for the city, it’s whatever is left.”

The entire project cost the $200,000 balance to move the project forward.

The city was set to gain better than two for one on the money for the street replacement.

The cost came back higher than expected to the city for one main reason.

“Any city street with sidewalks on it has to be ADA compliant to receive federal funds,” said Hicks.

“That puts a huge, huge number on this.”

“This has happened to us before,” said City Treasurer Frank Martin.

Act requirements.

Bids for the re-work came

“The issue with this area is it was built in the 1930s and we still operate off the original plans. The sidewalks were set 50 feet from the center-line. This area has not been touched in a while. The curbs are turned up, the drainage is horrible.” —

West Memphis City Engineer Amanda Hicks

was set at $452,000 leaving the city to pay