As soon as the promised $560,000 grant hits the bank, the Pine Bluff Arsenal and the city of White Hall can get started on road improvement designs for Arkansas Highway 256.
The money will pay for plans that include improvements to about a 2-mile stretch of Arkansas Highway 256, also marked Hoadley Road, from the Pine Bluff Arsenal Plainview Gate to where the road intersects with Dollarway Road, said Larry Wright, consulting engineer for the city of White Hall and the grant project manager.
The funding is coming from the Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) and is the second phase of a three-part improvement plan.
It will address a range of problems that will ultimately "promote compatible economic development in support of the Arsenal's mission," according to an April 27 White Hall news release.
More specifically, Wright said, the goal is to turn the Pine Bluff Arsenal's Plainview Gate into a commercial and employee vehicle entrance and exit.
There are approximately 740 civil and military employees working on the Arsenal's property, with about 11,000 tons of shipments passing through the gates annually, said Cheryl D. Avery, the Arsenal's public affairs office chief.
Currently, the Dexter Gate entrance is the only one that can be used by commercial vehicles, but a railroad crossing near that gate is considered a hazard, Wright said.
The Plainview entrance is considered safer because an elevated viaduct for vehicles crosses over the tracks, he said.
But Hoadley Road brings its own obstacles. The two-lane road has narrow shoulders, and there's a small, old bridge, number 2280, that crosses Caney Bayou. In 2019, the bridge, built in 1942, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, White Hall Mayor Noel Foster said.
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program oversees the National Register of Historic Places in the state, and Ralph Wilcox is the national register and survey coordinator.
It was built just before or in conjunction with the construction of the Arsenal, and at that time, the bridge was "an important access point," Wilcox said.
Although it's listed on the national register and as long as no federal funds are involved, he said, "There are no restrictions placed on it."
This includes demolition or tearing it down and replacing it. If federal funds are used in this process, Wilcox said his office would be required to review the plans.
The bridge probably couldn't support modern commercial weight requirements, Foter said. As well, this area is also prone to flooding.
Design plans will look at replacing the old bridge over Caney Bayou, as well as possibly elevating the road in certain places and reinforcing its ability to carry heavier weight loads such as commercial delivery vehicles.
The Hoadley Road renovations "would benefit commercial and employee vehicles," Wright said.
Bidding process
Once an account is set up for the second phase of this project and the money is deposited, Wright said they can start the bid process.
They will be looking for a design team with civil engineering and land use planning capabilities that will be needed to handle a multifaceted project like this.
"This would be a positive change for Pine Bluff and White Hall," and, Foster said, "The County Judge (Gerald Robinson) and (Pine Bluff) Mayor (Shirley) Washington were instrumental in bringing the first phase to its conclusion."
Their input was invaluable, Foster said.
From Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the local level, Foster said, "It's nice to have this type of support."
Once the designs are completed, expected to take at least 18 months, the group can start looking for funding.
Wright said they might consider approaching the state Department of Transportation about possible funding. In which case, the department would be involved in the design and construction progress.
The completion of the highway improvements are probably "years in the future," Foster added.
Public partners
The city of White Hall formed a Military Affairs Advisory Committee in July 2016 to focus on the needs of the Arsenal, and they received a $300,000 OLDCC grant for the first phase in 2019.
The committee asked for improvement recommendations from the public and local elected officials, and it was completed in March.
The OLDCC grants were made possible by the Governor's Military Affairs Steering Committee and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC).
The AEDC provides technical and financial assistance to the Department of Defense (DOD).
The state and local governments have a long-standing tradition of partnering with the Arsenal and supporting its future growth, Foster said.