Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Cities seek funds for Apple Blossom improvements
SPRINGDALE — A request for federal funding to improve Apple Blossom Road from Goad Springs Road near I-49 to Arkansas 265 has been approved by both the Springdale and Lowell city councils.
The application will be considered by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission along with other regional infrastructure projects as the commission prioritizes spending of about $12 million in federal Surface Transportation Block Grant money.
All applications for the funding were due by midnight Thursday, and the commission staff will begin the review process immediately, according to Tim Conklin, executive director.
According to the application for Apple Blossom Road, the two cities are asking for a total of $4 million in grant money to begin the design phase of the project. Each city would contribute $400,000 in matching funds if the grant is awarded. Lowell would provide $400,000 from the city’s general reserve funds, according to the application. Springdale’s $400,000 share would come from the city’s 2023 street bond fund.
Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said the Apple Blossom Road project would provide a needed east-west connection to the area’s local road network and benefit the region’s transportation network.
While the route of the planned U.S. 612 roughly parallels Apple Blossom Road, Sprouse said the proposed U.S. 612 is a controlled access highway meant to carry a different traffic load than local streets and roads.
“It’s important to both Springdale and Lowell and to the region as well,” Sprouse said. “We heard at the City Council meeting about the growth plans of J.B. Hunt and how they want to grow their campus over the next 20 years.
Regardless of what happens with U.S. 612, Apple Blossom is going to be a very busy route for people in Northwest Arkansas. It’s an important way that people can get to where they live and work.”
Lowell Alderman Steve Whitehead represents Ward 4 on the City Council, which includes the J.B. Hunt campus and part of Apple Blossom Road. Whitehead agreed the project was of regional importance.
“It just happens to be in Lowell. Apple Blossom is a pretty heavily traveled road, and that’s only going to increase,” he said. “There are more and more people moving into the area. I would expect to see more business growth, and there are several subdivisions planned for that area.”
J.B. Hunt Transport has access to Apple Blossom Road on the south side of the existing campus. Frank Broadstreet, director of engineering with J.B. Hunt, said the company has plans to expand its facilities. Broadstreet said in a presentation to the Springdale City Council the company has been growing rapidly in the past two decades and decided to develop a 20-year plan to deal with the growth.
The company had about 2,100 employees on its campus in 2001, about 2,400 in 2010 and more than 5,000 in 2020, according to Broadstreet’s presentation.
A conservative estimate from the study indicates the company will have more than 7,000 employees on campus by 2030 and more than 11,000 by 2040, he said.
The company’s nonconservative growth estimate shows the campus growing to 20,000 employees by 2040. Broadstreet said the growth will require several new office towers, parking decks and parking garages, and the company has plans to include a food center, a health center and possibly other retail space on its campus.
Conklin said the Regional Planning Commission has typically had more requests for money than money available.
He said the applicants will make presentations to the commission’s Technical Advisory Committee on April 18. A decision on which projects will be funded will be made in May by the commission’s Board of Directors, he said.