Federal grant to support Port of Little Rock road work

Road construction at the port

A federal grant will support road construction at the Port of Little Rock near a proposed Google data center. The federal support applies to the road project, while the Google facility is still described as proposed. The development was presented during an economic development event at the port on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.

Jay Chesshir, president of the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, spoke at the event. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr.; Bryan Day, executive director of the Little Rock Port Authority; U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.; and Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde also attended. Their participation brought together city and county officials, the port authority, the regional chamber and a member of Arkansas’ congressional delegation for the announcement.

What the grant supports

The road construction and proposed data center are distinct developments in the same area. The federal grant supports transportation work at the port rather than construction of the proposed Google facility. The road project’s location places it near the area connected to Google’s proposal.

The announcement identifies the Port of Little Rock as the location of the road construction and Google’s data center as a proposed development. It establishes federal support for the road work without changing the data center’s stated status. The event included leadership from Little Rock, Pulaski County, the Little Rock Port Authority, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce and Congress.