It's time to revisit roads, streets and highways. Those are topics that are always relevant, just as are schools, government at every level, good-old-country and small-town living, and don't forget the weather. It's always a viable topic, something we have little or no control over, though the conflicting experts try to convince us otherwise. But back to the first-line topics: roads, streets and highways.
County roads have taken a beating during the past couple of months, but we on the west side have fared better than our neighbors in other parts of the county. Our rainfall, though more than normal, has not done as much damage as in many areas. In fact, Benton County has fared much better than much of the state.
Let's face it. Benton County has so many miles of unpaved rural roads, there is never enough money to finance many major projects. Regular maintenance is a budget buster, as are major, costly repairs on bridges, particularly historical ones such as the War Eagle bridge.
Much work and improvements have been made on county roads during recent years as more dollars have become available. But, to requote the obvious, "there is never enough," moolah, that is.
What the county needs is a real sugar daddy to pump in a multi-million-dollar grant designated for roads. Well, I can dream, can't I?
City streets? Let's just use ditto marks because the funds available are never sufficient to plan for big improvements on an annual basis. The state street turnback funds can't possibly keep up with the deterioration that is constantly in play. In Gravette, for instance, last year's resurfacing of Dallas Street and the street to the hospital were completed only because of one-time money available through a statewide bond issue that was approved several years ago. Streets in Touch-me-Not Estates were included in the projects since those streets were in the process of reverting to crumbled asphalt thoroughfares.
All, towns and cities, regardless of size, are constantly attempting to keep up with major repairs, particularly since petroleum driven asphalt costs have far outpaced the turnback income.
One interesting fact is probably unknown by anyone who wasn't living in Gravette during the late 1940s and early '50s. It was during those years that the summertime dry, dusty streets were covered with cracked walnut shells from the Gravette Shelling Company.
It was in one of those early '50s that a special improvement district was formed to pave streets in Gravette. A similar project was required to pave all the streets in town more than 20 years later. There was no sales tax money available at that time. Small towns are now better able to make repairs as needed before such town-wide projects are required.
So what about state highways? Yep, you guessed it. The bottom line is always money. There just ain't enough of it to do what needs to be done. Highway 59 through Gravette is a perfect example. Parts of 59 have received major work in recent years -- the five-lane swath from Siloam Springs to Gentry and replacement of two major bridges in the Sulphur Springs area. Minor resurfacing has been accomplished in certain areas but, somehow, the 59 strip from near Sulphur Springs south to the Decatur area has been postponed. The resulting deterioration continues to worsen, particularly in the downtown Gravette area. Heavy semi- and dump-truck traffic has certainly played a big part in the wear and tear.
Last year the Highway 59 project had been scheduled for work this year. But the money problem came into play when the project, ready for bids, was scrapped along with projects throughout the state. The Arkansas State Highway Department has also been forced to scrap several other state projects.
The one thing that could reverse the situation would be for Congress to extend the federal highway fund. This money, from taxes paid in every state, not only is less than in past years but it can also never be counted on until it is authorized by Congress. This uncertainty resulted in the AHD action.
The House of Representatives last week passed a measure to "fund the fund" through the remainder of this year. Will the Senate so respond so it can move forward? Time will tell.
In the meantime, will the big Highway 59 project be resurrected along with others which have to be considered by the AHD? Time will tell.
I wonder, do you suppose the state could find some truckloads of walnut shells?
That isn't meant to be sarcastic. It's merely a joke to invoke a little levity on a situation that not only exists here but also throughout the entire state. And the nation, if the truth were admitted.
Dodie Evans is the former owner and publisher of the Gravette News Herald. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 07/22/2015