City Council approves spending a million dollars toward airport connector road project

Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – April 16, 2024 – The Jonesboro City Council voted 10-2 Tuesday night to spend $1 million to help fund an Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) project to build a connector road from Highway 49 (Red Wolf Blvd) to Highway 351 (Airport Road). Councilmen David McClain and L.J. Bryant voted against the resolution approving the spend.

JonesboroRightNow first published news about the proposed project on April 1.

Mayor Harold Copenhaver said the new road will pass the proposed new Veterinary School planned for construction on the Arkansas State University farm property and opening in 2026.  He said the 30,000 square feet building that will house the new school will educate 120 new students each year. Copenhaver added that pedestrian paths are part of the road project’s design.

Councilman David McClain asked City Engineer Craig Light whether there had been any traffic studies done on the project that established a “need” for the project. Light said the project had been on a list of projects the city desired for over a decade but said “I’m not aware of any specific studies that were done on this project.” McClain also expressed concern about the possibility the city’s cost for the project could exceed the designated one million dollars in the event the cost of the project exceeds estimates. Light responded saying “anything over the cost of the project…they’re responsible for it.”

Councilman John Street said he has been involved in talks with the city through the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization), the city and the airport commission about a road connecting Highway 49 (Red Wolf Blvd) with the airport for at least 17 years “to facilitate a better, really nice entrance to the airport due to the economic impact it would have on the people who come here. For some it’s the only part of the city they see.” Street said the airport is probably as important “as any interstate that comes through the city.”

Richard Wang, 101 University Drive, opposed the proposed project. He told council members the land being considered for the project is irreplaceable. “Most cities would defend a piece of property like this,” Wang said. “You can’t recreate this.”