by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Metroplan has awarded nine cities and two counties surface transportation block grant grants totaling $17.35 million, to design or construct transportation projects around Central Arkansas. The projects include a $400,000 grant for the city of Benton to design improvements to Congo Road from Shenandoah Road to Longhills Road.

The city of Bryant was awarded $220,000 for design on the Bryant Parkway Trail. Cabot will receive $480,000 to design improvements to Kerr Station Road from Campground Road to Highway 321.

Conway was awarded $1 million in supplemental funding for the Salem Road Bridge. The city also received $1 million for additional design on the upcoming Connect Conway trail project.

Metroplan awards $17.35 million for road projects in Central Arkansas

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Northwest Arkansas will add about 11 miles of interstate-style freeway to the region when nearly $310 million in highway projects are completed over the next three years.

On Wednesday (April 17), Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) officials and area leaders gathered at Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill to break ground on phase two of the Springdale Northern Bypass and a connecting road from the bypass to XNA. Combined, the contract values of the two projects exceed $308.46 million.

“Both of these projects represent a total cost of $410 million,” said ArDOT Director Lorie Tudor. “Of that is right-of-way, design and construction. Construction is $310 million, so that just gives you an idea of how much it costs to get a project ready to break ground on.”

ArDOT kicks off $310M in road projects in Benton, Washington counties