Little Rock, Arkansas – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, together with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, announced today that more than $735,000 will be awarded to twelve county projects through the Arkansas Unpaved Roads Program (AURP). The projects, spread across the state, are designed to improve road conditions, protect water quality, manage stormwater, and strengthen rural infrastructure that many Arkansans rely on daily.
This “announcement guarantees hardworking Arkansans in rural communities throughout the Natural State will have access to safe and reliable roads,” said Governor Sanders. “Thank you to the Arkansas Unpaved Roads Technical Committee and Secretary Ward for spearheading this important effort to improve our state’s critical infrastructure.”
A Partnership Supporting Arkansas’ Rural Communities
Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward emphasized the importance of these projects, calling county roads “critical to our way of life.” He praised the collaboration between state and local governments, noting that the announcement “highlights the important partnership between state and county government and serves as a great example of what can be accomplished when multiple agencies and organizations work together for the benefit of our state.”
Judge Rusty McMillon, President of the County Judges’ Association of Arkansas, pointed out the special challenges facing rural roads, most of which are unpaved. “This program provides much needed funding for improving sections of gravel roads that are sometimes left impassable due to significant erosion during rainfall and water runoff,” McMillon said. He also highlighted how the use of Best Management Practices through the AURP improves transportation infrastructure, making “our driving surfaces safer and more reliable.”
Details of the Funded Projects
Here’s a look at the twelve counties receiving funding and how they will use it:
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Benton County – $75,000 to elevate one mile of roadway, install cable mats, and enlarge culverts for stormwater management
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Calhoun County – $75,000 to raise an existing bridge by two feet and install box and round culverts
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Dallas County – $54,198 to elevate 1,056 feet of road and upgrade drainage with a double box culvert and six cross pipes
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Fulton County – $37,352 to improve ditches, stabilize eroded sections, and install two cross pipes along a two-mile stretch
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Hot Spring County – $60,000 to replace a round culvert with two bottomless arch culverts for better water flow
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Independence County – $56,109 to improve drainage by raising 2,700 feet of road, reshaping ditches, adding ditch checks, and installing seven cross pipes
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Lawrence County – $45,680 to relocate 1,830 feet of road away from a riverbank, build on top of a levee, and establish a riparian buffer
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Lincoln County – $74,894 to raise and widen 1,800 feet of road, replace undersized culverts with triple box culverts, and install twelve cross pipes
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Scott County – $57,446 to raise and lengthen a free-span bridge with headwalls, wing walls, and three relief culverts
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Sebastian County – $49,459 to replace a deteriorated metal pipe with reinforced concrete culverts and add headwalls and wingwalls
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Sevier County – $75,000 to improve drainage and raise the roadbed along 500 feet, including culvert replacement and pipe installation
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Woodruff County – $74,867 to raise one mile of road and install fourteen culverts to manage runoff
A Program Built to Protect Arkansas’ Environment
The Arkansas Unpaved Roads Program, created in 2015 and managed by the Department of Agriculture, works directly with county judges and road crews to address road deterioration and environmental impacts. By reducing sediment runoff into rivers, lakes, and streams, the program helps protect water quality across the state.
The AURP is funded with $300,000 annually in state appropriations and receives additional support through federal grants. With this latest announcement, Arkansas demonstrates its commitment to improving rural transportation while safeguarding the environment for future generations.
