SPRINGDALE -- Regional planners approved a resolution Wednesday to nominate a portion of U.S. 412 from Interstate 49 to the state line expected to be a future interstate highway as an alternative fuel corridor for electric vehicles, even though state agencies have declined to make the nomination.
Planners then approved a resolution to have Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission staff do the required paperwork in-house and submit the nomination to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The designation would make the 22-mile section of highway in Arkansas eligible for grant money from the new federal Infrastructure Bill to install electric vehicle chargers. The designation is already pending on the portion of U.S. 412 in Oklahoma.
"Why this is important is Arkansas is expected to receive $54 million, over five years, for an EV charging infrastructure network in the state and there's also an opportunity for a discretionary grant program for $2.5 billion," said Tim Conklin, the commission's assistant director. "Being on the map is critical to
participating in this program."
According to the resolution, U.S. 412 is designated as a critical freight corridor that connects interstates 35, 44 and 49, facilitating the movement of freight, improving connectivity to national airports and inland ports, and enhancing economic development opportunities.
"We're trying to complete that 22-mile gap basically from the casino over to Cracker Barrel, to put it into perspective," Conklin said. "Twenty-two miles in that gap, everything else is designated."
Conklin likened it to finishing the gap in I-49 from Bentonville to Pineville, Mo.
U.S. 412 is now designated as a future interstate on the National Highway System from I-35 in Noble County, Okla., to I-49 in Springdale.
The resolution asked that Arkansas' Highway and Transportation Department and Department of Energy and Environment make the nomination but the Regional Planning Commission, as the metropolitan planning organization for Northwest Arkansas, can also submit the nomination.
Brad McCaleb, with the Highway Department, said Wednesday his agency and the Department of Energy are working on a statewide plan that includes all the current interstate highways and they don't want to designate small portions of other roads in various parts of the state at this time.
"Our position at this point is that we would not be submitting any additional corridors for nomination and the reason for that is because the guidance specifies a priority on interstates and we have Interstate 30, Interstate 40 and Interstate 49 already designated, so I'm thinking this would build those corridors out," McCaleb said.
The Highway Department will look at additional corridors to nominate in the future, he said.
Nelson Peacock, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council, listed in a letter to Regional Planning a number of reasons to support the designation, including the number of electric vehicles registered in Northwest Arkansas -- 39% of the state's electric vehicles are registered in Benton, Madison or Washington counties -- and to increase the region's competitiveness for federal grants.
"Automobile manufacturer Canoo announced in November that it will move its research and development operation and its world headquarters to Northwest Arkansas, meaning this region will become the first site in Arkansas for electric vehicle manufacturing," Peacock's letter stated. "Additionally, Canoo will put its largest manufacturing facility in the MidAmerica Industrial Park, which is located on U.S. 412 in Oklahoma. The park is just 41 miles from Siloam Springs. Having this federal designation to align with what Canoo is bringing to the region makes sense."
Peacock said the move would give motorists confidence they'll be able to charge when they drive into Arkansas and lessen "range anxiety," a deterrent to purchasing electric vehicles.
"As you are aware, Arkansas has several interstates designated as alternative fuels corridors, including I-49 in Northwest Arkansas. It is important that these designations also include our state's busiest U.S. highways," Peacock wrote. "The 22-mile section of U.S. 412 between Siloam Springs and Springdale is located in one of the state's fastest-growing regions, and it should be added as an alternative fuels corridor."