Marion accepts quarter-million dollar grant

Funds will be used to augment features of widened Military Road

news@theeveningtimes.com

Marion City Council authorized Mayor Frank Fogleman to sign the paperwork accepting a $250,000 grant from Arkansas Department of Transportation to add sidewalks and bike lanes to Military Road when the road is widened.

The funds are part of a federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant which provides funding for small scale transportation projects such as pedestrian and bike facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school and other projects. The grant provides an 80 percent federal share of the cost and requires a 20 percent cash match for project construction.

Arkansas Department of Transportation is planning to widen Military Road from three lanes from the Intersection of I-55 to the railroad tracks where the roadway meets Highway 77. ARDOT agreed to incorporate Marion’s request to add a landscaped median, turn lanes, decorative lighting and landscaping into its design plans, but the city would have had to pay for the sidewalks and bike paths at its own expense.

Mayor Frank Fogleman said Marion’s share will cost about $62,500 to $107,000.

“We have some additional expenses on our part to meet the conditions of the grant,” Fogleman said.

“There are other things like hiring and engineer to oversee the right of way acquisition.”

Councilman Cliff Wood asked whether it is worth the cost to add bike paths and sidewalks.

“What would it cost us without all of their hoops to jump through if we didn’t accept the $250,000?”

Wood ask. “Would it be less than $107,000?” Fogleman said the city would not be able to afford to add the bike paths and sidewalks without the grant.

“If we didn’t accept it for the sidewalks and bike paths we would have to pay for those,” Fogleman said. “And I would think it would cost us more than $62,500.”

“I’d like to see us not do the bike paths,” Wood added. “It looks to me like there are a lot of conditions that come with the money.” Fogleman said he believes the city is getting a good deal because the state is going to widen the roadway no matter what the city does. The City asked the state to include bike paths and sidewalks in their design.

“I still think we are getting more for our money,” Fogleman said. “The expectation by the state is that every city has to make a contribution toward the cost. We are trading $62,500 up to $107,000 for a $250,000 value. That’s what the Highway Department estimates it at. And I think they are pretty good at cost estimating.”

The state is expected to put the project out to bid next summer.