The future of Interstate 69 across South Arkansas was the primary topic of discussion Wednesday at the monthly board meeting of the Golden Triangle Economic Development Corporation (GTEDC) at the El Dorado Chamber of Commerce.
The GTEDC board voted unanimously to make I-69 completion our number one priority goal.
Dan Flowers, Arkansas VP for the eight states I-69 Mid-Continent Highway Coalition and former Director of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, spoke to the group concerning the future of I-69. He urged the Golden Triangle membership, local and federal elected official, business, and industry leaders to become involved in the Coalition.
I-69 has been designated a “Freight Corridor of the Future” by the U.S. Department of Transportation, one of only six such routes in the country.
“We have the best opportunity to further construction of I-69 through south Arkansas now due to the recent passage of the new federal-aid transportation act,” Flowers said. “The act contains provisions for funding grants for routes that improve the safety and efficiency of freight operations in America. If we do not take action now, other states have offered alternative routes connecting with overcrowded I-30 and I-40 bypassing the South Arkansas region completely.”
The I-69 System spans over 2,600 miles, serves as a major national freight route, and as more sections are upgraded or added it means greater connectivity for the American Heartland. He reiterated the impact completion of I-69 in south Arkansas would have on the future of the GTEDC regional economy.
Arkansas State Highway Commissioner Robert Moore also added to the meeting.
“Congress passing of the $300 Billion Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015 has led to the state’s application submission of a very significant grant application to help provide funding for I-69,” he said.
The “FASTLANE” grant has been submitted and Commissioner Moore expects to hear from the grant by late fall. “The corridor serves manufacturing and agricultural production centers plus major metropolitan areas from South Texas to the Great Lakes states. It connects to 16 key pieces of the Interstate Highway System and provides improved freight connectivity for the eastern half of the nation,” Moore said.
The Arkansas I-69 Coalition currently has 86 members from the counties of Ashley, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Columbia, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lincoln, Ouachita, and Union. The Arkansas Coalition is working closely with surrounding states Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky and Texas.
A June meeting is planned for the Arkansas I-69 Coalition with Mississippi and Louisiana, and everyone is urged to become involved and attend this informative meeting. David Rankin, GTEDC Chair, will serve as local contact for the Arkansas I-69 Coalition. More details about the June meeting will be available soon.
For more information about the Arkansas I-69 Coalition or to become a member of the Golden Triangle Economic Development Council, please call 870-235-4924 or email Deborah Lewis, dglewis@saumag.edu.
