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City staff seeks direction on ARDOT plan to replace Lincoln overpass and add traffic signal at Kenwood; city share ~ $5M
Summary
City staff presented ARDOTplans to replace the Lincoln overpass over Highway 412 and install a signal at Lincoln and Kenwood, saying combining the bridge and intersection work into one $14 million project would reduce overall cost but require a roughly $5 million city contribution paid over five years. The board gave staff direction to pursue a partnership and asked for a later resolution.
City staff on Sept. 16 presented a joint Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) proposal to replace the Lincoln overpass on Highway 412 and to add a traffic signal where Lincoln meets Kenwood. The state would lead a combined bridge-and-intersection construction project estimated near $14 million; staff said the citywould be asked to cover roughly $5 million of the cost, payable over five years to preserve the cityStreet Now fund.
The presentation, led by Christina and staff, said ARDOT agreed the intersection warrants a signal and proposed including the traffic light and a new pedestrian/bike side path as part of the bridge replacement. Christina warned that "one more vehic ve vehicular incident hitting that bridge could potentially put it out of service," emphasizing safety risks for fire and other large vehicles. Staff noted the city currently has about $5.6 million in the Street Now account and described an option to amortize the city's share at approximately $1 million per year so annual street work would not be depleted.
Why it matters: The intersection and the Lincoln bridge carry significant local and regional traffic; a combined state-led project would lower the city's upfront cost compared with building the signal alone but would obligate multi-year payments and could delay other planned street rebuilds the board had been considering.
Board members asked for more detail on elevations and clearance for trucks, coordination on a proposed side path to improve north-south pedestrian/bicycle connectivity, and the potential effect on the master street plan. Several directors said they were inclined to pursue the partnership but asked staff to return with a formal resolution and a financing plan before committing. Reed and Mindy both supported pursuing the partnership for safety and connectivity; Brad and others asked staff to ensure the Street Now fundimpact was clearly shown in the next budget cycle.
Public input and related street work: Earlier in the meeting, Park House owner Elma Sanchez told the board a recent wrong-way near-collision on North College Street sent a vehicle onto her sidewalk and nearly hit patrons, urging clearer signage or other safety steps. Staff said they would follow up with the street department on signage and short-term mitigation while the larger ARDOT project is explored.
Next steps: Staff will continue conversations with ARDOT, prepare a recommended partnership resolution and funding schedule for the boardand return for formal approval if the board wishes to proceed.
