Penn Gives Update On Road Project

FARMINGTON —A project to improve Double Springs Road from Main Street to Rheas Mill Road and improve

drainage in that area should be finished by the end of the month, according to Mayor Ernie Penn.

Penn gave an update on the project at the City Council’s meeting Monday night.

Penn said the project was delayed four weeks by the Arkansas Department of Health while the city waited to get results from water samples sent to the department from a new water line.

Penn said he finally called state Rep. David Whitaker

for assistance and Whitaker made a few calls on behalf of the city. Penn said approval came back the same day.

That section of Double Springs Road has been

closed to traffic during the project. Penn said he’s asked residents who use the road to be patient, but admitted, “I’ve been more frustrated than anyone else honestly.”

The project includes widening Double Springs so it will have two 12-foot travel lanes, replacing and installing new sidewalks on Double Springs, curb and gutter, a storm-water sewer system and increasing the capacity of the detention pond near

the middle school.

The city and Arkansas Department of Transportation have been working to get this project completed during the past five years and accepted a low bid of $671,710 from APAC Central of Fayetteville for the project.

Of the total costs, State Aid to Cities is paying $400,000 and Farmington is paying the balance of $271,710. The city also was responsible for the cost to relocate utilities and dedicated $200,000 for those expenses.

The main purpose of the project is to improve drainage on and in the area around Double Springs Road,

according to officials with the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

As part of the project, Farmington School District granted a right-of-way and utility easement to the city of Farmington along the west side of Double Springs. The drainage improvements are expected to prevent flooding that has occurred along that side of the junior high campus during major rain events.

In other action, the City Council voted to remove a 2009 Ford F-350 from the public works inventory. The truck was traded in on a 2020 one-ton Ford F-350 and received an $8,500 value toward the purchase.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Double Springs Road from Main Street to Rheas Mill Road continues to be closed because of a drainage improvement project. Mayor Ernie Penn said work should be completed by the end of the month.