Community Project Funding FY25
The Community Project Funding requests made by Congressman Westerman for Fiscal Year 2025 are listed below:
Project: Former Army Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, AR
Requested Federal Funding Amount: $15,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification: The purpose of this project is to provide funding for the demolition, stabilization, and remediation of the former Army Navy General Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The property is located in the heart of downtown Hot Springs, a major tourist attraction for the state of Arkansas. It is an iconic building that has fallen into serious disrepair and poses a major risk to Hot Springs National Park and the thermal springs for which Hot Springs is known. Demolition, remediation, and stabilization of the property are necessary to mitigate fire risk, secure the site, and remove hazards to public safety.
The Army Navy Hospital is rich in history but has fallen into devastating condition after years of inoccupancy and lack of maintenance. It currently poses a major threat to the community, the National Park, and the thermal springs for which Hot Springs is known. The dilapidated buildings were once used by the Army and Navy as a hospital, but the property was closed by the Department of Defense in 1952. The hospital operated on a year-to-year basis, until it ceased operations in 1959-1960. It was then transferred to the state of Arkansas to be used as a vocational rehabilitation center or for other public health or educational purposes, operating as “Arkansas Career Training Institute” until it closed in 2020. Since then, the property has stood empty, becoming a major fire risk, opportunity for vandalism, and public safety threat.
This request is supported by the State of Arkansas.
This project request is consistent with the goal of the Community Development Fund pursuant to the eligible use outlined in 42 U.S.C. 5305(a)(4) – clearance, demolition, removal, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of buildings and improvements.
Project: Highway 82 Railroad Overpass
Requested Federal Funding Amount: $9,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification: This project includes the construction of a five-lane railroad overpass in preparation for future widening of the Highway 82 corridor. The benefits of widening this corridor include increased safety, mobility, enhanced economic opportunities, and improved intermodal connectivity and reliability of the regional transportation system. Highway 82 is a nationally significant East-West corridor that begins at the junction of Highways 59 and 70 in Alamogordo, New Mexico and spans 1,625 miles across six states to its terminus at Interstate 95 in Brunswick, Georgia. In Arkansas, Highway 82 is a 191-mile corridor that traverses the southern part of the state between Texarkana and Lake Village. This corridor was also adopted by the Arkansas Highway Commission as a part of the Four-Lane Grid System.
This request is supported by the State of Arkansas and is included on the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Improvement Plan.
This is a highway project eligible for federal funding under 23 U.S.C. 133(b).
Project: Future Interstate 69, Arkansas
Requested Federal Funding Amount: $15,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification: This project will construct a portion of Future I-69 linking the cities of McGehee and Monticello in Desha & Drew Counties. I-69 is designated as a High Priority Corridor by Congress. The benefits of this project include increased mobility, safety, and enhanced economic competitiveness for the region. This is the remaining portion of roadway to complete the connection between Highway 293 and Highway 65.
This request is supported by the State of Arkansas and is included on the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Improvement Plan.
This is a highway project eligible for federal funding under 23 U.S.C. 133(b).