Texarkana, Ark., seeks $25 million bond approval for street upgrades

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) – Texarkana residents on the Arkansas side will soon get the chance to vote on an infrastructure bond the city says is badly needed.

“The city doesn’t hide the fact that we’re not happy with the condition of our infrastructure,” says Texarkana, AR City Manager Tyler Richards.

The city says decades of under-funding have put them in this position. Although they are now able to dedicate more money toward maintenance, a significant influx of capital is needed to catch up, which is why they are asking voters to approve a bond that would raise around $25 million.

“Most of that is going to go to streets, but we’ve got some drainage problems to cut down on flooding that will, we’ll spend roughly 3 million or so on,” says Richards.

The most recent street study will be used as a guide to decide which streets will be targets for repairs before the election.

“They give us priority lists as well that’s run through a model, and it considers the pavement condition, cost-benefit analysis, and traffic volume,” says Richards

The city’s board of directors, however, will ultimately decide which projects will be tied to the bond.

“We’ll have a full project list with estimates and everything, exactly what the money will be spent on,” says Richards.

Voters will be deciding on three questions on the ballot that, together, would refund a 2012 bond and levy new ones, giving the city a total of five mills to work with, with only half of the levy being additional taxes. For homeowners, this would mean paying an extra $50 a year in taxes for every $100,000 assessed on the property. In return, the city aims to enhance citizens’ daily commutes and stimulate economic development.

“Obviously, our citizens that drive these roads every day need great infrastructure to drive on, but in order to attract new retail, new industry, I mean, your infrastructure is incredibly important towards attracting that new industry. You don’t want to show people a piece of property and they’ve got a headache before they get to the property,” says Richards.

The special election will be held on November 18. The city plans to hold public meetings to inform voters before then.