$24.6M federal infrastructure grant for trails in Conway

Conway, Arkansas –The city of Conway announced it had been awarded a $24.647 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation on Wednesday, Aug. 10.

The money is from the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program.

The grant is 100%, meaning no contribution for the project is needed from the city, relatively rare in government grant packages for cities.

The DOT fact sheet for the Wednesday award announcement shows 166 projects were awarded at $2.2 billion for 2022, Conway’s being the only one in Arkansas.

“I’d like to thank our team at the City Hall who put in the work to get the job done successfully,” Mayor Bart Castleberry stated. “A number of community stakeholders came together to work on a short timeframe on this historic endeavor.”

According to the award listing, the grant is for a Connect Conway trail system, 15 miles of “multi-use paths, sidepaths, bridges, cycle tracks, and trailheads, removing physical barriers and connecting west and east Conway”.

When completed, the project will connect 10 city parks, seven schools, three major retail areas, three higher education institutions, 14 major employment centers, 16 neighborhoods, and other community services.

Survey work for the project is already underway with construction due to begin in 2027.