Residents of Barling can look forward to a variety of projects taking place in the city in the coming years.
Barling City Administrator Mike Tanner said the city board of directors discussed planning and infrastructure goals for the city during its meeting Jan. 23. In a memo to the board of directors that was included in the meeting packet, Tanner said Barling will probably experience growth in population and retail sales in the next three to five years. A large portion of the retail sales will be along the relocated Arkansas 255 and Chad Colley Boulevard, and the directors and department heads will be involved in directing that growth.
Tanner said Fort Smith, Barling, the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority and the Arkansas Department of Transportation are going to relocate Arkansas 255, which is known in Barling as Church Street, to Frontier Road.
"From the corner of Massard and Zero, it will be widened to five lanes all the way to the stoplight at the corner of Highway 22 and 59," Tanner said.
Tanner said there are plans for retail establishments on the north side of the new Arkansas 255.
"We're talking about the years 2019 to 2020," Tanner said. "That's when 255 will be relocated, and that's when the (property) developers are looking at putting those in."
Tanner said according to the Department of Transportation, Arkansas 255 will also feature bike lanes.
As part of the Arkansas 255 project, Tanner said Arkansas 253 from Church Street to Arkansas 22 will be decommissioned and become the sole responsibility of the city of Barling. It will more or less become a city street, and is also called Strozier Lane.
Barling will also take over the previous Arkansas 255.
"We'll take over the maintenance of that, over the maintenance of Strozier Lane because it will be decommissioned, whatever right of way through the city of Barling that ArDOT needs, we will convey to them," Tanner said.
In regard to other planning and infrastructure goals, Tanner said there are also going to be retail establishments down Chad Colley Boulevard south of the Mercy Clinic.
"It's probably a year and a half, two years away at best," Tanner said.
Barling also has plans for replacing some sewer lines in various locations in the city.
"We've discussed sidewalks in different locations in the city of Barling," Tanner said. "One discussion is along Highway 22. That's a pretty serious discussion that will probably come to fruition in the next year or two."
Tanner said the possible expansion of 11th Street in Barling has also been discussed. Nothing has been set in stone at this point.