HIGHFILL — A proposed access road from U.S. 412 to the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is still mired in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerns about the Cave Springs recharge area, even though the preferred route is not within the boundaries of the area.
The federal agency has ordered a study to look at the cumulative environmental effects of development on the springs, which are home to several endangered species, including the Ozark cavefish. Regional planners haven't yet selected a company to do the study.
The issue first arose because of plans to widen Arkansas 264, the highway between Lowell and Interstate 540 and Cave Springs. Depending on the outcome of the study, several other major
At A Glance
Firm Financial Footing
The airport board recently refinanced two series of revenue bonds, almost $34 million worth, and now has one, fixed-rate debt to deal with, saving interest and freeing money for more projects. The move is expected to save $797,000 a year in interest. The interest rate on the bonds is 4.24 percent. “It’s going to be a positive all the way around,” Van Laningham said. “We hit the window perfectly as far as the interest rate.”
Source: Staff Report
projects could be affected. Part of the airport is within the recharge area, including an area where officials want to add a runway.
Scott Van Laningham, CEO of the airport, would like to get approval to proceed with the access road from the federal highway department before the recharge study is done. The department can’t give its approval without a nod from fish and wildlife, Van Laningham said.
“We’d like to respond that we’d do all the best management practices they recommend on the airport property, even though we don’t know what those will be, if they’ll let us go ahead,” Van Laningham told the board Thursday.
In other action, the board approved plans to address a flooding issue with the airport’s northern access road and new facilities for rental car companies.
Kelly Johnson, executive director, said Regional Avenue, which is on airport property, has flooded three times this year, leading to numerous missed and cancelled flights. The road was closed for six hours during one storm.
“Three times in one year, that got our attention,” Johnson said. “We can’t calculate the dollar value lost.”
A 10-foot by 10-foot box culvert under the road can’t handle the amount of water generated by recent rain. Plans call for adding six culverts that should be sufficient to handle a 25-year flood.
Estimated cost of construction is about $400,000. Installation of the culverts shouldn't require closing the access road.
The board approved a task order, not to exceed $50,000, for design of the drainage work.
Johnson said it’s possible the airport could qualify for a grant of up to $300,0oo from the state Aeronautics Board for the project.
The board also approved plans for a new car wash for rental vehicles along with 120 rental car parking spaces and improved access roads. The money for the $3.6 million project will come from concession payments to the airport by the rental car companies.
The board kept open the possibility of enlarging the project to include a drainage ditch using box culverts and another 250 parking spots for rental car storage. Engineers will ask the low bidder on the project to allow the board another 45 days to decide, which would increase the total project to $4.3 million.
According to staff members, the rental car companies would rather see the money put toward a parking deck near the terminal. A parking deck would allow the rental companies to provide more convenient service to premium customers and make more money. But, board members see an opportunity to make the area easier and cheaper to develop in the future.