Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Overpass project getting closter to becoming a reality

Prescott is one step closer to getting an overpass connecting Highways 67 and 371.

Fourth Congressional District Representative Mike Ross (D-Ark.) announced the U.S. House of Representatives approved funding in the amount of $2.64 million for the project. This was done under the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), which is the official title of the Transportation Reauthorization Act.

The Transportation Reauthorization Act provides funding for federal highway projects over a six year period. Ross said the Act should have been approved last year, but there were disparities between the House and Senate versions. The bill also didn't make it to the conference committee where the differences are normally worked out.

"I am proud to announce the House has approved my request of $2.64 million to develop a railroad overpass that connects Highway 67 and Highway 371 in Prescott during the first phase of the transportation reauthorization process," Ross said.

"More than 60 trains traverse this area each day, creating a dangerous situation for drivers and difficulty for emergency response vehicles."

Ross said he expects the House and Senate to be able to work out any differences in their versions of the Act. If not, he added, the problems can be worked out in the conference committee.

The passage of the House version of the bill, he said, is the first phase in it becoming a law. The Senate must also pass its version and then the conference committee will intervene to work out any differences. This committee, he added, is expected to meet in a few weeks.

Once it get out of committee the measure must again be approved by both chambers. From there it will be sent to the President for his signature, thereby making it a law.

Overall, Ross said, there is more than $280 billion in the transportation reauthorization bill.

"The Arkansas Highway Department," he said, "made a commitment to do the project and not wait for all the money." The money for the project will be paid out over six years  the life of the Transportation Reauthorization Act. Normally the AHD waits until it has all of the funds in hand for federal projects before starting to work on them.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said the AHD signed a minute order with Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor last year and will get started once the President signs the bill into law.

"I think the Highway Department should begin property acquisitions within a year of the bill being signed. It'll be a great thing for Prescott and I'm glad Congressman Ross could help out."

Ross said he thinks the project can be completed in about two years from start to finish, once the bill becomes law. "We've had fatalities in the past, and it's tough for emergency vehicles to get across. We have more train traffic now than we had 10 years ago.

"This funding is, therefore, important to the health and safety of Prescott residents, as well as those who are traveling on these roads. This funding will also help our economy here at home by creating jobs for the construction of these projects and economic opportunities for the future. This demonstrates my commitment to my hometown and to being an economic ambassador for Arkansas."

Along with the funding for the overpass project, the bill includes funding for the I-49, I-69 and I-530 projects in Arkansas.