Loading...
0965:a RESOLUTION N0. 965 WHEREAS, the City of West bTemphis must rely on Interstate, Primary and Rural State Highways and City Streets for access to health facilities, schools, trade centers and agricultural markets; and, WHEREAS, the present highways leading into West Memphis must be maintained in order to attract new industry, jobs and enhance economic development; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of West 1Viemphis supports Act 685 of 1983 which provides much needed road funding for the City of West Memphis; and, WHEREAS, U. S. Highway ?0 from Fifteen Mile Bayou into West Memphis which grants important agricultural access into the City has not been improved due to the lack of funds; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS, that the Governor and General Assembly of this State recognize the problems caused by inadequate roads, streets and highways, and act to provide funding necessary to improve the roads, streets and highways in Arka ADOPTED this . A1A Y V ti, ATTEST: CITY CLERK ~~ oG\fi~ ~~ '~~ ~,~~ ~^ ~b ~"' ~, 5 ,~ v CERTIFICATE STATE OF ARKANSAS ) (SS COUNTY OF CRITTENDEN) The undersigned, City Clerk of the City of West Memphis, Arkansas, hereby certifies that the above and foregoing is a true and complete and correct copy of Resolution No. 965 as the same appears in the official records of said City. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand as City Clerk of the City of West 114emphis, Arkansas, and the Official Seal of said City, on this 5th day of April ~ 19~• ---~ CITY CLERK, IT OF ST 11~SE112PHIS CRITTENDEN COUNTY, ARKANSAS (SEAL) .;. l` 1- ~~ ~I/AIA~~ OFFICERS Pnsldent ,: SILAS D. SNOW Chslrmsn 1ROLD F. OHLENDORF Vlce•Chalrman PAUL HENRY Secratary•Trsssurer JOHNNY BRANNAN DIRECTORS WILLIAM H. 80WEN Little Rock JOHNNY BRANNAN Prescott WORTH CAMP, JR. EI Dorado BOB H. CRAFTON Ropers TERRY DILLON Newport J.E. DUNLAP, JR. Harrison DALTON FARMER Jonesboro JULIAN B. FOOLEMAN West Memphis PAUL HENRY Babsville JOHN D. HILL Texarkana BEN M.HOOAN Little Rock JACKJUSTUS Little Rock LLIAM H. KENNEDY; JR. Plns Blulf BOB LAMB Llltle Rock J.W. McCRACKEN Conway RUFUS W. MOROAN, JR. Morrilton HAROLD F.OHLENDORF Osceola ODELL PFEIFFER Little Rock ROY C. BITTER Springdale BENNIE RYBURN Monticello NESS SECHREST West Memphis SILAS D. SNOW Little Rock JIM WOOTEN DeWlit ARKANSAS GOOD ROADS 1 TRANSPORTATION COUNaI TELEPHONE (501) 375.8566 1 523 EAST CAPITOL AVENUE POST OFFICE BOX 6 !LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS 72203 Honorable Leo Chitman Mayor of V7est bemphis P. O. BOX 1728 G7est D~emphis, Arkansas Dear i~~ayor Chitman: ~,~ ~.~ '`'" March 15, 1984 ,, / ~- ,~ 72301 According to figures compiled by The Road Information Program of Washington, D.C. of the 16-,000 miles on the state highway system, only 23~ are in good condition. Thirty- eight percent are fair and 39~ are poor. It costs the average motorist $186 a year on car repairs related to bad roads. To make matters worse, there are about 6,000 miles of secondary highways that are not eligible for any Federal funds. These roads must be improved with 100$ state funds. We must be aware of the tremendous escalating costs if deferred. State revenues are not keeping pace with the growing needs and unless additional revenues are raised, the state won't have enough money to even match its federal alloca- tion in Fiscal Year 1985. Arkansas' county roads, as well as, city streets have also been severely damaged by probably the worst winter damage ever and your agency is jointly suffering from its inability to adequately maintain your roads and streets. The Arkansas Good Roads/Transportation Council continues to point up these facts. We are confident that there now is a much greater awareness of these road and street needs than ever before. We shall appreciate your early action on the enclosed resolution and mailing it directly to the Governor and Legislators in your area. ~--1~- g`Y, `,~-~ Sincerely yours, ~~ ~^-U~ ~~a~~ •~' Harold F. Ohlendorf Chairman of the Board AGR/TC -e.-lL~~v+o .. r~ Silas D. Snow President AGR/TC ~. RESOLUTION 4.__` ~ __ 4JEST ~1Ef4PHIS CITY COUNCIL WHEREAS, the City of blest Memphis must rely on Interstate, Primary and Rural State Highways and City Streets for access to health facilities, schools, trade centers and agricultural markets, and ~""'` WHEREAS, the present highways leading into blest Memphis must be maintained in order to attract new industry, jobs and enhance economic development, and bJHEREAS, the City Council of 4Jest f~emphis supports Act 685 of 1983 which provides much needed road funding for the City of blest Memphis, and WHEREAS, U.S. Highway 70 from Fifteen Mile Bayou into blest Memphis which grants important agricultural access into the city has not been improved due to the lack of funds; NOId THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of West Memphis that the Governor and General Assembly of this State recognize the problems caused by inadequate roads, streets and highways and act to provide funding necessary to improve the roads, streets and highways in Arkansas. _' ._ ~., /- ~~ SUMMARY OF SURVEY ' ARKANSANS' ATTITUDES TOWARD ARKANSAS ROADS AND HIGHWAYS Conducted by area market research associates Sponsored by Arkansas Good Roads/Transportation Council Arkansans are remarkably united in their views in support of Arkansas' roads and highways. No matter what the question, responses differ little by race, sex, age, income, education, place of residence con ress' g tonal or highway district. Ninety-two percent of Arkansans believe that road building and highway repair are very important, or important. Only eight percent feel roads are only somewhat important or not important. Seventy-four percent of all Arkansans feel that the state should spend more money on roads and highways. To reiterate, this is a perception shared by all major groups of the population. The only difference is perhaps among surburban dwellers. Only sixty-eight percent of suburbanites think the state should spend more on roads and highways, compared to seventy-two percent of city dwellers, and seventy-six percent of small town and rural residents. About 32 percent of Arkansans feel that compared to other areas of state funding, roads are very important. When these residents are combined with those who feel ~rr roads are important, a majority of eighty-one percent of the population recognizes the importance of roads and highways. Sixty-nine percent of the residents of Arkansas think the state should spend more money for road construction, and sixty-seven percent would be in favor of increased expenditures for roads and highways, even if it meant higher state taxes. The reasons for this willingness to tax and spend for roads is related to the recognition that the condition or lack of roads and highways contributes to several problems facing the state. Specifically, a majority of Arkansans believe that the condition of Arkansas' roads and highways contributes to the high cost of automobile maintenance (sixty-six percent), unsafe driving (sixty-six percent), hazardous con- ditions for school buses (sixty-six percent), and increased fuel costs (fifty-eight percent). i { ~ f Summary Page 2- More respondents felt roads played a more important part in local races than in the race for Governor. Forty-one percent felt that roads and highways were an issue in their local election, and sixty-three percent of those who knew where their candidates stood, voted for a candidate committed to spending more on roads and highways. In conclusion, there is a very broad consensus that roads and highways are important to Arkansas, that the state should spend more money on road maintenance and construction, and that higher taxes are acceptable in order to carry out the endeavor. f