The Town of Jonesboro has been granted the Transportation Alternative Funding for improvements to the downtown area. The funding will replace old sidewalks, handicap ramps and railings, all safety features to improve walkability and safety for residents and visitors.

Until this year, rural communities in Louisiana had limited options for improving sidewalks. Thanks to recent changes in Louisiana’s Transportation Alternatives Program, Jonesboro has received funding to improve local pedestrian infrastructure.

The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) is a federally funded program administered through the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) that focuses on creating “complete streets,” that address the needs of all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and people with disabilities. This includes building safe, accessible sidewalks that connect residents to everyday destinations like schools, grocery stores, parks, and libraries.

Mayor James Spike Harris of Jonesboro expressed his utmost excitement upon receiving the grant from the Rural Community Transportation Alternatives Program. He emphasized the significance of this funding for our community, recognizing the immense impact it will have on our town’s infrastructure and beautification.

The grant opens incredible opportunities for Jonesboro by allowing us to invest in much-needed improvements to our sidewalks. With these improvements, we envision a variety of positive outcomes for our community. First, we hope to enhance accessibility for all residents, ensuring that our sidewalks are inclusive and accommodating to everyone’s needs. Additionally, the grant will enable us to create safer and more efficient transportation options, which will not only benefit our residents but also attract visitors to our town. By improving our roads and sidewalks, we aim to foster a sense of community and encourage a more active and sustainable lifestyle. Furthermore, this grant will boost economic growth in Jonesboro. Improved transportation infrastructure will facilitate easier access to local businesses, encouraging entrepreneurship and supporting our local economy. Moreover, it will attract potential investors, leading to job creation and further development opportunities. – Mayor J. “Spike” Harris

In summary, Mayor James Spike Harris and the entire community of Jonesboro are truly grateful for the funding received from the Rural Community Transportation Alternatives Program.

“We are excited about the positive changes it will bring to our town, including increased accessibility, enhanced safety, a more vibrant local economy, and an overall improved quality of life for our residents,” said Harris. “Together, we look forward to building a better future for Jonesboro through this project.”

Before 2023, communities with less than 5,000 residents that received TAP funding had to contribute a 20% cash match in addition to covering Design and Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) costs, which average an additional 20% of project costs. This means that in the past, a $500,000 sidewalk project would cost a small town $200,000.

“With new flexibility allowed in the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), our LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities team and I worked with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) to make TAP a feasible funding option for rural communities,” said Jessica Stroope, LSU AgCenter physical activity specialist. “As a result, DOTD lowered the required construction match from 20% to 5% for communities under 5,000 residents and will no longer charge Design and CEI costs to communities under 50,000 residents. This means that a $500,000 sidewalk project will now cost small towns closer to $25,000.”

Brian Nunes, who oversees TAP in Louisiana, made sure that the new flexibility in the law translated into real change for Louisiana communities.

“Before we made changes to the match requirements to TAP, rural communities rarely applied. The program was out of reach, and the funds were unspent. During the previous application cycle, we only received two applications from communities of less than 5,000 citizens. Of those, one was withdrawn, and one was ineligible. Because of the changes and our partnership with LSU AgCenter, during the latest application cycle we received 15 applications from those same smaller communities. Louisiana is now using all federal funding designated for rural communities for the TAP program. The new flexibility in IIJA has allowed us to address previous equity issues and to reach our rural, distressed, low-income, and transit dependent communities.”

In October 2022, representatives from Jonesboro attended LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities’ Rural Complete Streets Summit. The summit matched communities with mentors, including rotations with program leaders at DOTD, to help rural communities understand and navigate the funding application process. All communities who attended the summit and submitted a TAP application received funding.

Barring any unforeseen delays, work will likely begin in the next twelve months. Keep your eyes peeled and walking shoes ready for improvements in 2024. For more information, please contact Mayor James Harris.