BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace on Thursday authorized participation in a federal grant program to replace the Wagon Wheel Road Bridge west of Interstate 49 near Springdale.
The Quorum Court voted unanimously approved the county's participation in the federal Surface Transportation Block Grant program. The program would provide money for the project, if Benton County is awarded the grant, on a matching basis with the grant providing 80 percent of the money and the county a 20 percent match. Josh Beam, county engineer, said a preliminary estimate put the cost of replacing the bridge at about $1.5 million. Beam said the cost will be determined after the county has engineering and design work done on the replacement project.
County eyes industrial bonds
Benton County’s justices of the peace agreed to set a public hearing for 6 p.m. March 27 on a proposal to issue up to $400 million in industrial revenue bonds for Simmons Foods. The public hearing is required by state law as part of the bond process. Simmons Foods is planning a poultry processing facility on land near Gentry. The county would also approve Simmons’ request to participate in the Payment In Lieu Of Taxes program and agree to a 65 percent abatement of property taxes on the facility for 30 years while the company makes annual payments of just over $1 million.
Source: Staff report
Beam said the one-lane bridge was built in 1975. The road is 18 feet wide and the bridge is 60 feet long. A replacement will be at least 34 feet wide, Beam said with the span to be determined during the design phase.
Beam said traffic counts on the bridge show about 1,500 vehicles use it daily. He said there are alternative routes available to and from Arkansas 112 east to Springdale on streets north of Wagon Wheel Road.
County Judge Barry Moehring said replacing the bridge will be a multi-year project. He said the engineering would take most of 2018 and once that's done the county would have to reapply for the grant for construction. He said the competitive application process would take up most of 2019 and, if the county is awarded the money, construction would likely begin in 2020.
Moehring said the county is working to keep the bridge in service until it can be replaced.
"The Road Department is working to shore up that bridge, but ultimately that bridge does need to be replaced one way or another," Moehring said.
Moehring said the proximity of the bridge to Springdale could make the surrounding area attractive for annexation by the city once the bridge is replaced. He said he has discussed the bridge project with Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse and the city and county may work together.
"He's not able to make any commitments but there may be some possibility of working together," Moehring said. "I believe as county judge we need to be working with the cities. We're all Benton County citizens. We've got to be thinking regionally on some of these situations."
Pat Adams, justice of the peace for District 6 and chairman of the Transportation Committee, agreed the area could be annexed if it develops, as other areas in close proximity to cities have as the area's population continues to grow. Adams said the county has a responsibility to maintain roads and bridges and can't be concerned about annexations.
"We know it's going to happen once in a while," Adams said of cities annexing areas where the county has done substantial road or bridge work. "Just because it's a possibility doesn't mean we don't need to do the work."
NW News on 02/23/2018