Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Dec. 12, 2024 – The Finance and Administration Council Committee discussed reapplying for RAISE Grant funding on Tuesday, which would see Jonesboro, Paragould and Brookland partner to expand “regional connectivity” between the cities.

According to the resolution, the United States Department of Transportation announced the opportunity to apply for up to $25 million in funding for surface projects under the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) FY2025 grant program.

As the lead applicant, the City of Jonesboro will submit a grant application with the City of Paragould and the City of Brookland to formulate a partnership, officially known as the Red Wolf Ridgeway Partners.

If the RAISE FY2025 grant application is successful, Jonesboro will request up to $5 million for design, environmental studies, right-of-way acquisition plans, utility relocation plans, traffic studies, and a cost-benefit analysis for the future Red Wolf Ridgeway that will traverse through all three partner cities.

Committee Chair Joe Hafner said this meant the City would request the $5 million as planning funds to get a complete set of plans for the project.

Grants and Community Development Director Jeremy Biggs explained that, after being denied last year, they were told in a debriefing by the USDOT that they needed more planning to create the proposed regional connection through the Red Wolf Ridgeway.

“The project is just five to ten percent designed,” Biggs said, noting the need for more studies such as traffic studies, stormwater mitigation studies, NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) studies, etc.

Committee member David McClain inquired about how long it would take to complete the planning process, to which Biggs said it would take about eight months.

“The project will be ready to go to construction after this is completed,” Biggs stated.

Hafner also noted that the corridors have not changed, and the City will continue to do what it was already doing right now as far as putting in trails.

City of Jonesboro Chief Administrative Officer Brian Richardson said there were recognizable benefits to this partnership between the cities.

“Obviously, there are both resident and political benefits of combining really large cities and the region together on a shared approach,” he said. “Working together gives you more political push on a national level, also what’s good for Brookland is good for Jonesboro and vice versa. Even if we would have gotten the funding last year, we would have still had to do the planning anyway, which would have cost $3 million to $4 million.”

The committee unanimously passed the resolution, so it will now continue to the full City Council on Dec. 17.

Other items discussed included a resolution to authorize the mayor and city clerk to grant a utility easement to City Water and Light, a resolution to adopt a revised employee handbook for all employees for the City of Jonesboro, a resolution to enter into a contract to acquire property located at 1700 disciple drive from the Journey Church, and a resolution to waive competitive bidding and authorize a contract with Pareto Captive of Tennessee, LLC and Blue Advantage Administrators of Arkansas to provide medical insurance.

To see the full meeting, click here.