Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, through which all Federal funds flow, has released a Preliminary Draft of their spending plan for 2013-2016.
This is a long document--156 pages. It has the same information organized many different ways. To look for Washington and Benton Country projects skip to page 91 (as numbered) or page 129 (as printed) to find projects sorted by County.
What can you tell about the various expansions, new construction or transit projects? Do you see a project planned near your home or workplace? Would you like to know if that project contains adequate Complete Streets Provisions encouraging an attractive comfortable active commute?
You can ask about provisions for Active Transportation Planning, Active Transport Maps, Signage, bicycle parking, bicycle lanes and spot street improvements, bicycle education, sidewalks, crosswalks, mass transit etc by writing to:
Lorie Tudor
Assistant Chief Engineer - Planning
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
P. O. Box 2261
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
Telephone: (501) 569-2241
Our local Metropolitan Planning Organization has published it's own 2013-2016 Draft Plan. See page 2-5.
Experience has revealed that new roadway construction produces fewer jobs per dollar than transit spending, maintenance spending and active transportation project spending (like multi-use trails). Smart Growth America has published a clear report summarizing how the individual states compare as far as transportation spending and job growth.
Recent Lessons from the Stimulus: Transportation Funding and Job Creation contains a few clear charts showing
Arkansas at the bottom of the pack as far as the inefficacy of our transportation dollar spending. In addition, Arkansas also ranks poorly in comparison of current roadway conditions.
New roads may carry promise of increased mobility, but at a serious cost. Directing transportation dollars to mass transit, bicycles and pedestrians increases choices, equality for those unable to drive, quality of life for all, and GROWS the ECONOMY both in the short term and the long-term. Not only does each dollar of transit investment create twice the number of jobs that new roadway construction can, but the long-term business growth stimulated by the transit business keeps dollars in the local community.
