ARDOT Awards $300,000 to Crooked Creek Trail Expansion

ARDOT's Transportation Alternative Program granted $300,000 to the expansion of the Crooked Creek Trail system in Harrison.

Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has awarded Harrison $300,000 for the Crooked Creek Trail Expansion project through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP).

According to a press release eligible projects for TAP funding can include construction of on-road and off-road trail facilities that include sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, pedestrian and bicycle signals, lighting and other safety related infrastructure.

Wade Phillips, Director of Harrison Public Works, said , “We just made the decision to go ahead and put in for a couple of different grant opportunities through the DOT. And, they were up to $500,000, but we weren’t optimistic that we’d get the full amount… it’s a good shot in the arm for the project especially as we’re watching construction prices and material prices continually increase. It helps give us cushion to make sure that we can do everything we planned on doing with it.”

The expansion of the Crooked Creek Trail system was part of the plan in the sales tax issue passed in the spring of 2021 by Harrison voters to build the Creekside Community Center. The overall estimated cost for the trail expansion is $2,000,000 to $2,500,000. Once completed the Crooked Creek Trail system will extend from Lake Harrison up to Goblin Drive.

The project is broken down into two phases and the TAP grant will go toward the first phase of construction which is expected to start sometime in the summer of 2022. Phillips said the city will continue to submit for more grants for the second phase of construction as well. 

Phillips remarked, “It’s always good to get those federal and state tax dollars that we all pay in here coming back and getting spent on something here.”

ARDOT also awarded funds to Bull Shoals and Mt. View for sidewalk projects. In all the TAP granted $10,300,000 to 47 projects across Arkansas.

ARDOT’s Recreational Trail Program (RTP) also awarded a total of $1,211,000 to 12 projects across the state including ones in Cotter, Gassville, Yellville, and Flippin.