Turrell, Gilmore to get funding for road projects

Turrell, Gilmore to get funding for road projects

Towns part of $ 18.6 million state program

By Mark Randall

news@theeveningtimes.com

Gilmore and Turrell were selected by the State Aid Street Committee to receive funding for road projects.

The committee met Jan. 27 and approved 81 projects totaling $18.6 million.

“I told (Gilmore) Mayor (Bruce) Delaney and (Turrell) Mayor (Dorothy) Cooper that there was money out there — about $250,000 that they have an option to get,” said County Judge Woody Wheeless.

“So they got approved.”

Anthonyville, Earle, Jennette, Jericho and Sunset have all been past recipients of money from the State Aid Street Committee.

Since 2013, the Arkansas State Aid City Street Program has approved 355 projects statewide totaling $75 million.

The funding is guaranteed, but does come with some stipulations.

The money cannot be used to pave dead end streets, for example.

Wheeless said the county has also helped with patching holes and other road work to help facilitate the paving.

“We’ve gone out and helped with potholes and cleaned out some drains and widened a road a little bit to help them get prepared,” Wheeless said.

Turrell Mayor Dorothy Cooper said the money will be big help.

The city hasn’t had its streets resurfaced in over 20 years, Cooper said.

“Most definitely,” Cooper said. “It’s going to be such a great improvement for the town.” ROADS

Cooper said the state did a drive through of the town last May to measure the streets and expects paving to get underway in May or June.

“Unfortunately, they only do through roads,” Cooper said. “So some of the streets won’t get done. But otherwise we’re going to get a pretty good amount of the town completed. It’s going to be beautiful.”