Efforts that once pushed for U.S. Highway 412 to be a completely four-lane roadway are now taking a different approach, according to Arkansas Department of Transportation Director Scott Bennett.
In a visit last week to Mountain Home, Bennett says the previous push has led to marked improvements along the federal highway.
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Prior to addressing the Mountain Home Rotary Club, Bennett met with a group to discuss local needs, including continued improvements to Hwy. 412.
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Bennett’s visit to Mountain Home came on the heels of the release of a special report from Arkansas Legislative Audit. While securing sufficient funding to address the state’s transportation needs is an ongoing endeavor, the special report’s findings point to an even greater need.
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The special report also noted Arkansas is leaving federal matching dollars on the table. Bennett says federal funding may be more important to Arkansas than many other states.
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The Arkansas Highway Commission said in June it would pursue a ballot initiative for the 2018 general election that would raise up to $400 million annually for road construction.
Whether the endeavor will be an initiated act or a constitutional amendment remains to be seen.
The commission’s decision follows failed efforts to convince members of the legislature to support new taxes to address the state’s long-term funding needs.
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