Rogers-Lowell Area News

Ozark Regional Transit Receives Grant to Improve Facilities

Ozark Regional Transit (ORT) has been officially notified that it has been awarded $2.9 million from a 5339 grant through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The proceeds are earmarked for bus facilities infrastructure investment programs.

Specifically, the $2.9 million will be used to build a new administration building in Springdale.

Joel Gardner, Executive Director for ORT, stated, “We are extremely grateful for this award and are completely appreciative to Rep. Womack’s and Sen. Boozman’s respective offices, and their continued efforts in getting this grant pushed through all the hurdles on the federal level.”

Representative Womack had this to say: “Investments in our transportation infrastructure support our community and its continued development. This grant will provide ORT with the resources to build a modern facility in Springdale, allowing them to strengthen the reliability and effectiveness of local transit services. The need for public transportation continues to increase as our region grows – and ORT is planning for this demand. This is great news for Arkansas, and I’m pleased that my advocacy supported the process.”

Senator John Boozman added, “The services Ozark Regional Transit provides are critical to the growth of Northwest Arkansas and to thousands of local residents who rely on it. I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Transportation understands the needs of the area and awarded funding for this important infrastructure project.”

Plans are in place to seek qualified bidders and ORT will request bids by mid-March 2019 with a requested completion by early 2020.