RES NO 07-07-2018 CITY OF VAN BUREN,ARKANSAS
RESOLUTION NO. 7 - 7 - 2018
BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR THE CITY OF VAN BUREN,
ARKANSAS, A RESOLUTION TO BE ENTITLED:
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION TO THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S 2018
BETTER UTILIZING INVESTMENTS TO LEVERAGE
DEVELOPMENT (BUILD) TRANSPORTATION GRANT PROGRAM
FOR THE INTERSTATE 40 / STATE HIGHWAY 59 INTERCHANGE
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Van Buren City Council recognizes that BUILD grant funds are available to help
communities revitalize their surface transportation systems while also increasing
support for rural areas; and
WHEREAS, the Interstate 40/Highway 59 Interchange Improvements Project is located in Van
Buren,which is the first urban city on the Highway 59 southern approach to Interstate
40, from the more rural areas immediately north; and
WHEREAS, the Interstate 40/Highway 59 Interchange Improvements Project impacts dozens of
small rural Arkansas communities that rely on Highway 59 as a main arterial for
access to medical care, shopping, and other basic necessities; and
WHEREAS, the Interstate 40/Highway 59 Interchange Improvements Project is a partnership
designed to positively impact community safety, economic competitiveness,
environmental protection,the state of good repair, and overall quality of life; and
WHEREAS, the Van Buren City Council fully supports the Arkansas Department of
Transportation's application to the BUILD 2018 Discretionary Grant Program for the
Interstate 40/Highway 59 Interchange Improvements Project.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF VAN
BUREN,ARKANSAS,THAT:
SECTION 1: The City of Van Buren will participate in the Interstate 40/Highway 59 Interchange
Improvements Project, in accordance with the project partnership, as expressed in the
2018 BUILD application.
SECTION 2: The Mayor and City Clerk/Treasurer are hereby authorized and directed to execute all
appropriate agreements and contracts necessary to expedite the BUILD application
and any follow up documentation required or requested by the United States
Department of Transportation related to this application and project.
SECTION 3: The Van Buren City Council pledges its full support and hereby authorizes the City
of Van Buren to cooperate with the appropriate national, state, and local authorities to
implement this application and any necessary supporting documentation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the City of Van Buren,Arkansas, by its City Council,did pass,
approve, and adopt,by a vote of (.p for and 0 against the foreg•' 'esolution at it's regular meeting
held on the 23'day of July 2018.
ti
Ro,ertD`~ �� • � =
Mayor
ATTESTED: A' 'RO � FO' •
" FA
Pmas Candice A. Settle
City Clerk/Treasurer City Attorney
PARTNERSHIP
This grant request is the culmination of years of efforts on behalf of the local community in Van
Buren and Crawford County to have this particular interchange updated. As noted earlier, the
study was initiated in 2008 at the request of and with the assistance of those communities.
Since that time there have been multiple meetings to discuss the needs of the area to find a
solution.The Van Buren Chamber of Commerce has proven invaluable in providing information
necessary to evaluate the project area, and the local community has been supportive of the
efforts of their governmental leadership, as well as the work and analysis performed by ARDOT.
Most telling is the commitment by the City of Van Buren, evidenced by their February 3, 2017,
correspondence wherein Mayor Bob Freeman stated:
"The City of Van Buren would like to be considered for a partnership with the [Arkansas
Department of Transportation] for improvements to the Interstate 40/Highway 59
interchange...Although [ARDOT] has not completed the plans for the project, we believe
it is vital to the community's health,safety, and welfare to initiate such a partnership."
As will be more fully explored in the next section on Non-Federal Revenue for Transportation
Infrastructure Investments, the City committed to funding 20% percent of the cost, up to $3
million.This significant share of the project costs establishes community support for the project.
VAN - r.,.
{
AR1JL7T
_
` 'N� r� ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION
ARKANSAS
NON-FEDERAL REVENUE FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
As noted,the City of Van Buren has offered to partner with ARDOT by providing 20%of project
cost, up to$3 million. I
The next step to obtaining this funding is to update the planning study and conduct a more in-
depth environmental analysis to determine a preferred improvement alternative. Once the
preferred alternative is identified, design will begin. At that stage,the Department and the City
will finalize the partnership agreement by settling upon a design, expected cost,and when work
can be scheduled.
The timeline for the project can be derived from the above steps, as outlined in the Project
Schedule, on the following page. Partnering funds, in conjunction with this grant request,would
put the project on track for construction beginning in late 2020.
13