Meetings offer look at bypass funded by tolls

Missouri to use $80 million on hand to build its section

By Bill Bowden

Posted: August 4, 2009 at 7:34 a.m.

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LITTLE ROCK — In March, state Rep. Jonathan Barnett, R-Siloam Springs, said success of Arkansas' application for an economic stimulus grant depended on Missouri also designating the Bella Vista bypass as the only project for which it was seeking a grant.

However, Missouri is planning to ask the federal government for $200 million to reconstruct 30 miles of Interstate 70 in that state, said Becky Baltz, a district engineer with the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Scott Bennett, assistant chief engineer for planning with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, said he understood Arkansas would request a grant for $250 million to build its 15-mile segment of the proposed Bella Vista bypass. A five-mile section of the bypass is in Missouri, and Baltz said the state has $80 million in hand to pay for that construction. Missouri is participating in the joint application for a grant for the Bella Vista bypass, but is requesting no funds to build its section.

"I think it enhances our position with the feds," Barnett said Monday. "I don't think it hurts it. I think it looks good when Missouri is paying for their portion. I think it strengthens our position for them to do it that way."

When the Arkansas Highway Commission voted in March toapply for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, Barnett said it was important for both states to apply together for only one grant.

"My assumption, and some other people's assumptions, was that they were not going to use cash on hand to pay for that, but they are," Barnett said.

Barnett left the Highway Commission in January after serving for 10 years and spearheading the effort to get the Bella Vista bypass built.

Applications for the grants are due in September. Grant award notifications are expected in January.

The $1.5 billion available is through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grants are for projects that range from $25 million to $300 million.

The Highway Department will hold two meetings this week to take public input on a proposal to build the Bella Vista bypass as a toll road.

A meeting will be held Wednesday at Riordan Hall, 7 Kingsdale Lane in Bella Vista. The second meeting will be held Thursday at Gravette High School, 325 Lion Drive in Gravette.

Both meetings are 4-7 p.m. The public can drop in between those hours to gather information, view displays, ask questions and leave comments.

Construction of Arkansas'15-mile section is expected to cost $225 million. Right of way acquisition has cost about $25 million.

The Highway Department is studying the feasibility of building the bypass as a toll road. A study done last year indicated construction bonds for a toll road would generate between $110 million and $130 million, leaving a shortfall of about $100 million to build Arkansas' section of the bypass. If Arkansas receives an economic stimulus grant for the project, it may not need to build the bypass as a toll road, Barnett said.

The Bella Vista bypass could siphon off one-third of the traffic that often clogs U.S. 71 in Bella Vista. Traffic counts show about 33,000 vehicles per day travel U.S. 71 just south of Bella Vista.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7, 8 on 08/04/2009

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