City of Fort Smith Awarded Federal Grant to Advance Road Safety and Multimodal Connectivity
 Fort Smith, AR—The City of Fort Smith is pleased to announce the award of a $1,240,764 federal grant to advance key components of the city's Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, also known as the Safe Fort Smith Plan. This grant, funded through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, marks the second time the city has received an SS4A grant and will allow work to begin on improvements aimed at enhancing road safety and promoting multimodal transportation options along two corridors: Park Avenue and Grand Avenue.
This grant will support a demonstration project along Park Avenue, implementing traffic-calming measures, pedestrian crossings, and cycling infrastructure aimed at reducing accidents and improving safety in a high-injury area of the city. Additionally, the project will include a supplemental corridor-wide planning study for Grand Avenue, which will address long-term safety and connectivity goals for this highly-utilized area. These initiatives will serve residents across Fort Smith by safely connecting educational institutions (including the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith), parks, and neighborhoods.
The Safe Fort Smith Plan reflects the city’s commitment to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. The improvements will provide safer options for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike by focusing on creating a safer and healthier environment for all residents.
“This project is a vital part of our ongoing efforts to improve safety and connectivity throughout Fort Smith,” said Carl E. Geffken, City Administrator. “We’re grateful for this federal support, which will enable us to implement innovative solutions and take a significant step toward creating a safer, more accessible city.”
University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Chancellor Dr. Teresa Riley also highlighted the project’s importance to the campus community: “Enhancing transportation safety and accessibility around our campus is critical to ensuring our students, faculty, and staff have safe access to campus.These infrastructure improvements will also strengthen the connections between our campus community and local businesses, K-12 schools, parks, and community spaces make our region so unique.”
The City of Fort Smith thanks U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, U.S. Senator John Boozman, and U.S. Congressman Steve Womack, whose advocacy and support were instrumental in securing this funding.
This project is anticipated to begin in 2025, with a scheduled completion date of November 2026. The demonstration project and Grand Avenue planning study further reinforce the City of Fort Smith's commitment to creating safer and more accessible transportation options for all its residents.
About the City of Fort Smith:
The City of Fort Smith is committed to providing high-quality, resident-focused services for the advancement of a thriving community. Our vision is to be a dynamic, business, family, and military-friendly destination that welcomes people from all over the world
About Safe Streets For All (SS4A):
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program with $5 billion in appropriated funds over 5 years, 2022-2026. The SS4A program funds regional, local, and Tribal initiatives through grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. The SS4A program supports the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) National Roadway Safety Strategy and our goal of zero roadway deaths using a Safe System Approach. Combining the FY22, FY23, and FY24 awards to date, SS4A has provided $2.9 billion in Federal funding to over 1,600 communities in all 50 States and Puerto Rico. Through this important funding source, USDOT is empowering Tribal, local, and regional efforts to save lives and reduce serious injuries on our roadways.
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