Springdale City Council Approves Application For Federal Money To Be Used To Widen And Extend 56th Street

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

— The Springdale City Council approved a resolution Monday that directs officials to apply for federal money to widen and extend 56th Street.

At A Glance

Area Of Expansion

The area of 56th Street that Springdale officials would like to widen and expand is south of Arvest Ball Park and between Don Tyson Parkway and Johnson Mill Boulevard. Fifty-sixth Street runs parallel to Interstate 540 and is surrounded by farmland and residences.

Source: Staff Report

Officials from Springdale and Johnson want to use federal money allocated to the region for the project that would connect 56th Street at the Deering Road intersection in Springdale to Johnson Mill Road in Johnson.

The cities are turning in a joint application, said Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse. Johnson City Council approved the application for the money at its last meeting.

“It really ties several interchanges together for another north-south route,” he said.

The request is for $500,000 for design work and environmental studies. Applicants must agree to pay 20 percent of the project, in this case $100,000. That cost would be split with Springdale paying $70,000 and Johnson $30,000. The split comes from the length of the proposed street in each city, according to the council resolution.

Eric Ford, alderman, said the federal money is needed to do the extension. Receiving the money will make the project more of a priority.

Projects are already under way to extend 56th Street from Sunset Avenue to Elm Springs Road and improve existing sections of the street. Sprouse has proposed extending 56th Street north from Elm Springs Road to connect with an existing section at Bob Mills Road.

The proposed extensions — and other Springdale projects — would create a connection along 56th Street from Johnson to Wagon Wheel Road. The connection would give motorists an alternative for a north-south route paralleling Interstate 540 and Arkansas 112.

Ford said the extension will benefit the area because it will relieve traffic. It will also help with economic development in the area around Arvest Ball Park, he said. Springdale officials are working on an overlay district for the area around 56th Street south of Sunset Avenue. The area, centered on Arvest Ballpark, is expected to become an important development area for the city.