The Finance and Administration Council of the City of Jonesboro on Oct. 15, 2025, voted to forward to the full City Council a resolution to enter into an agreement with Bridge Farmer and Associates, Inc. for professional services to complete a citywide rail‑crossing study. The committee was presented a $1,365,683 contract scope and was told the study is funded primarily by a FY 2024 Federal Railroad Administration railroad crossing elimination grant worth $1,200,000 plus required local match funding.

The study covers 18 public at‑grade rail crossings along the BNSF South Subdivision within Jonesboro. According to staff, the consultant will develop alternatives and conceptual plans and will advance prioritized projects to 30% design. Council members and staff said the 30% design level is intended to produce the technical package needed to seek capital construction grants for overpasses, crossing consolidation, signal upgrades or related rail‑separation projects.

Staff told the committee BNSF has agreed to contribute up to $150,000 toward the local match. The contract figure presented to the committee was $1,365,683; staff and council discussed that the federal grant is $1,200,000 and the remainder will be covered by the local match and the BNSF contribution noted in the record.

Council members asked whether 30% plans would trigger additional city funding; staff said that further design to 100% and construction would require additional funding and future grant-seeking. Staff also described the geographic extent of the study as the Burlington Northern track from Henson Road to Cottage Home Road and said the consultant would evaluate potential treatments that include consolidation of crossings, grade separations (bridges), or other rail‑reduction options.

A council member summarized the practical purpose of the planning work: producing the technical information that grant reviewers typically expect before awarding major capital funding for overpass or rail‑reduction projects. The committee moved and seconded the resolution to forward the contract authorization to the full City Council for final approval.

Why it matters: A completed 30% design package for prioritized crossings will position Jonesboro to pursue state and federal capital grants to construct expensive rail‑separation projects; the study therefore represents a critical planning step that precedes any construction commitments and additional city spending.

The committee asked staff to clarify funding sources as the item moves to the full council; staff confirmed the funding will come from the U.S. Department of Transportation (Federal Railroad Administration) grant and local match funds, including the BNSF contribution as described in the record.