Community Project Funding FY26
The Community Project Funding requests made by Congressman Westerman for Fiscal Year 2026 are listed below:
Project: Demolition, Stabilization, and Remediation of the former Army Navy General 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 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: $25,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification:
The purpose of this project is to realign portion of Highway 82 and construct a five-lane grade separation with Union Pacific Railroad. As this section of highway is currently a narrow underpass of the Union Pacific Railroad, this project will increase safety as well as provide a five-lane structure 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 is a highway project eligible for federal funding under 23 U.S.C. 133(b).
Project: Highway 82 Corridor Improvements
Requested Federal Funding Amount: $100,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification:
The purpose of this project is to make improvements to the Highway 82 corridor in Ashley, Chicot, Columbia, Lafayette, and Miller Counties. These improvements consist of the construction of various structures and approaches, and major widening on various sections of Highway 82. The benefits of this project include increased safety, mobility, enhanced economic opportunities, and improved intermodal connectivity and reliability of the regional transportation system. This is the remaining portion of roadway to complete the connection between Highway 293 and Highway 65.
This is a highway project eligible for federal funding under 23 U.S.C. 133(b).
Project: Texarkana Regional Airport (TXK) Taxiway-Taxilane Construction
Requested Federal Funding Amount: $11,000,000
Additional Information and Request Justification:
The purpose of this project is to construct a new taxilane and widen the full-length taxiway to accommodate all aircraft in the Taxiway Design group (TDG) 5. This project would improve the primary taxiway at Texarkana Regional Airport (TXK) to allow for larger/heavier aircraft to operate at the airport and support economic development of the local community and the region.
The project has a Federal nexus because the funding provided is for purposes authorized by 49 U.S.C. 47100 et seq.
Click here to view project requests for fiscal year 2025.