The City of Arkadelphia has been awarded a $119,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) for street improvement and pedestrian safety projects.

The grant is funded through ARDOT’S Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Also known as the “Safe Routes To Schools” program, TAP provides funding to “transportation alternative” projects, or projects focusing on creating safe transportation methods for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized travelers. 

City officials plan to use the grant to address areas of concern around local school areas, including: 

• Completing significant work at the intersection of North 12^th Street and Caddo Street
• Making improvements around the Peake Rosenwald facilities at North 16^th Street and Caddo Street
• Constructing a sidewalk from Crittenden to the Department of Human Services facility on South 10^th Street

TAP is a reimbursement-type grant. ARDOT will provide an 80 percent federal share, and the City of Arkadelphia will fund the remaining 20 percent, made possible by the “Moving Arkadelphia Forward” tax initiative.

“When the citizens passed the ‘Moving Arkadelphia Forward’ initiative, we promised to leverage their money, and this is a prime example of that,” Arkadelphia City Manager Gary Brinkley says. “With this approval, we will begin to finalize the drawings and bid packages.”

Arkadelphia Police Chief Jason Jackson has long been concerned about pedestrian safety on South 10^th Street. “The hill on South 10^th Street makes it hard to see pedestrians at certain points in the road,” Chief Jackson says. “We are excited to hear it is getting addressed, and for the safe access it will create for everyone in that area.”

89 cities and towns across the state applied for a TAP grant. Arkadelphia was one of 47 selected.

City officials anticipate work will begin in the summer of 2022.