Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — March 5, 2025 — In front of a sold-out crowd Wednesday, Mayor Harold Copenhaver presented a new plan to prepare Jonesboro for population growth in the 2025 State of the City address.
During the roughly 30-minute address held at Embassy Suites, Copenhaver presented Destination 100K, a plan for Jonesboro’s growth as the population nears 100,000. The city currently has a population of around 82,000.
In preparing for Destination 100K, Copenhaver said the city staff studied cities with populations of 100,000 that also act as “regional hubs” such as Jonesboro. He added that the typical 100,000 populace city has an average land area of 52 square miles, whereas Jonesboro has 80, and that those cities’ budgets are twice that of Jonesboro’s.
The City Council approved in January the 2025 operating budget, which is $84 million.
“Our large land area means we already have more roads to maintain and keep clean. We have longer routes for our first responders to travel. More streets for our law enforcement to protect. Larger sewer systems. More infrastructure to build. Longer bus routes. More trash to pick up. More greenery to trim,” Copenhaver said.
Copenhaver said in order for the city to serve a population of 100,000, it would need a 25% increase of everything from vehicles, workforces, waterways, sewer drainage and more.
“All of this needs to be prepared and planned for, because all of it is going to have to be paid for with dollars, time and energy,” he said.
To handle the long-term expansion, Copenhaver spoke about funding an engineering and infrastructure Master Growth Plan that will work with the city’s connectivity blueprint and its Master Parks Plan. The city’s master street plan will also be updated.
“After an in-depth study in my first term, we began to drastically increase the investment in infrastructure, reaching a record investment of $3.5 million in 2024. It’s a healthy funding for overlays, drainage, sidewalks and lighting that were desperately needed for a city our size,” Copenhaver said. “If we want a city that can support our flow of people in traffic, one that attracts commercial developments, infrastructure is critical.
Copenhaver added he will be asking the City Council for $6 million worth of pedestrian infrastructure, although he did not indicate when that would happen.
Additionally, Copenhaver presented a Key to the City to Mary Housewright for her work with Project SEARCH and Project CARE, which helps people with developmental disabilities learn skills to gain independence and employment.
“Jonesboro is a better place because of your dedication, compassion and unwavering belief in the potential of every human being,” Copenhaver said. “On behalf of the city, thank you for all you do. We are fortunate to have you as a part of the Jonesboro community.”
Copenhaver also provided updates on various completed and upcoming city improvement projects.
He said there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the 200,000 square-foot Jonesboro Sportsplex, which the Steering Committee announced Tuesday was tentatively slated for April 11. In addition, he spoke about the completion of a new dog park, Bark Park, which opened Aug. 13, and the opening of a new pool at Parker Park.
He also spoke about the Jonesboro Economic Transit System’s (JET) new trollies, which Copenhaver said had over 100,000 people “hop on board,” in 2024.
Copenhaver concluded by asking the audience to imagine the “Jonesboro of their dreams.”
“It’s time we start putting some of our collective dreams and visions in the world. That $33 million in reserve I mentioned earlier, it’s time we start using some of that,” Copenhaver said. “All these ideas and opinions that we all have, it’s time to put politics and agendas aside. It’s time to put words into works.”
Copenhaver previously delivered the State of the City address to the City Council Tuesday night, which can be viewed here.