GENTRY -- Numerous paving projects are slated to begin soon and be finished in early September. Among those is the half-mile paving of a new street, Crowder Avenue, linking Arkansas Highway 12 at WPA Road with SWEPCO Road, west of the Gentry High School and Oaks Subdivision.
According to Kevin Johnston, Gentry mayor, the paving will be done with a state street-aid grant for $250,000 to pave or repave 2.5 miles of streets in Gentry. Other streets to be paved as a part of the project include Shankle Road, east of Arkansas Highway 59 to the edge of city limits; East Main Street, from Highway 59 to the east city limits; Robin Road from Shankle Road to Main Street; Parks Circle; and Ringo Drive.
On Nov. 6, 2012, Arkansas voters approved Issue #1, a constitutional amendment which temporarily increased the state sales tax by 1/2 cent to fund surface transportation improvements and permanently dedicated one cent per gallon of the existing motor fuel tax to the State Aid City Street Fund. The state street-aid grant is funded through these increases.
According to Johnston, a change order on Crowder Avenue construction will make the street usable for truck traffic to Flint Creek Power Plant and ease the flow of truck traffic on Pioneer Lane by making the base 6 inches, with a 3-inch binder and a 2-inch overlay. The change order increased the city cost by approximately $70,000 but will make the road suitable for heavy trucks and will add years to the street's life.
General News on 08/19/2015