As Noel Oman reported this morning in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Arkansas Department of Transportation has lost another important round in trying to funnel millions into the misbegotten concrete ditch through downtown Little Rock known as the 30 Crossing project.
The Arkansas Supreme Court already had ruled that it couldn’t use money produced by a temporary sales tax in a 2012 constitutional amendment to expand existing six-lane freeways (such as I-30) to eight or more lanes. And this week, Circuit Judge Mackie Pierce also ruled that a 2020 constitutional amendment that made the highway sales tax permanent didn’t alter the language in the earlier amendment that directed the money to be used to build four-lane highways. Pierce DID say the money could be used to expand existing four-lane highways, such as I-630 in Little Rock and I-30 between Little Rock and Benton.
Pierce indicated in a hearing last month that he would rule as he did this week. The sides agreed on the wording of the order, save the question of the use of money for eight projects widening existing four-lane roads.
The big news is that the ruling prevents the state from diverting $350 million in new permanent sales tax money to the billion-dollar-plus 30 Crossing project. It has been scaled down on account of the earlier Supreme Court ruling. But the state has proved adept at shuffling money around and it is so flush with cash, apparently, that it can continue to do so. Meanwhile, I-30 construction continues apace, wrecking the city traffic grid in the process, with no money provided for that or for the gash left by the removal of the 2nd Street exit.