Projects on Jonesboro pavement emphasized for 2023

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Teamwork and connections were a common theme at Jonesboro’s State of the City address, as Mayor Harold Copenhaver said partnerships are key to major projects.

One project that will relieve the stress of many on the roadway is the widening of both Stadium Boulevard and Harrisburg Road.

“On any given day, we have twice our population on our streets, so our infrastructure was not prepared for that for years so now we will have to build for the future and how we can make better accessibility for everybody,” Copenhaver said.

He stressed that widening is just the beginning when it comes to investments in the roadways, stressing in his two years, they have made that a point of emphasis.

“We have increased our investment in sidewalks and our infrastructure on our roads and streets over 300%,” Copenhaver said.

There were more trends in transportation across town, especially when it came to the JET system.

The public transportation system saw a 16% increase in usage, which Copenhaver said justifies their investment.

“We have additional grant funding that we have received that will take us about a year or so to get new vehicles in place,” he explained. “Everybody is going to see how those really impact the people who can’t get around.”

Another exciting project set for 2023 is the renovation of the old YMCA building, something Copenhaver said has been a long time coming.

“I remember going there as a kid and that is a side of town that could really benefit from a recreation space like that,” he said.

There are also plans to add a new fire station, as Copenhaver said as they continue to grow, the city programs have to do the same.

For a full look back at statistics from the 2022-2023 calendar year in Jonesboro, you can the city’s YouTube channel.

Copyright 2023 KAIT. All rights reserved.