Transportation Projects, Roads, Light Rail, etc

[zman9810]

I should add that coordinating all the different companies including utilities and subcontractors plus regulating governmental agencies adds to the length of any major road construction project. The complexity of modern road construction projects can be baffling to say the least.

[comreguy]

The utility work and preliminary construction has begun on the extension of Pinnacle Hills Pkwy and connection to Pleasant Grove.

[Snaple4]

Lots of road work for the bypass being done by Church of Christ in Cave Springs off 112. Was working so I couldn't stop to take any pictures. 

 

 

Edit: Or maybe it was a bit south of that... Either way, its on 112 before you get to Springdale. 

Edited July 1, 2015 by Snaple4

[TRB]

Speaking of the 412 bypass, I recently wondered what if an upgraded US 412 across North Arkansas could possibly one day be an extension of the new I-22 that runs from Birmingham to Memphis bridging the two with I-555 to create an new interstate route all the way to Stillwater OK/ I-35.

[zman9810]

So.....transportation funding and highways funding in particular is in the news again- mainly for the lack of it. State highway projects are being delayed and the list of needs keeps getting longer. Is it time to try toll roads using electronic tolling? That would be one way to pay for projects such as the I49 extension down to Texarkana.

[TRB]

Absolutely need to use tolling to fund major, needed projects like I-49. The gov't is getting less for more use on the broken gas tax system with hybrids that pay nothing and increasing mpg on traditional. Scrap most of the fed gas tax and go to toll based usage with tech making it a no stop issue. I'll gladly cough up 15 to 20 bucks for an all freeway route to Dallas. Heavy users could get a discount for frequency or just use the older, existing roads.

[Mith242]

Absolutely need to use tolling to fund major, needed projects like I-49. The gov't is getting less for more use on the broken gas tax system with hybrids that pay nothing and increasing mpg on traditional. Scrap most of the fed gas tax and go to toll based usage with tech making it a no stop issue. I'll gladly cough up 15 to 20 bucks for an all freeway route to Dallas. Heavy users could get a discount for frequency or just use the older, existing roads.

Yeah toll roads certainly don't seem very popular in Arkansas.  Although I think many of us in western Arkansas are a bit familiar with them because Oklahoma uses them pretty heavily.  Just wondering if the state would very supportive, especially those further east.

[zman9810]

I certainly hope toll roads are given a chance. The fact that the traffic crossing through the state on the major roads would help pay for them is a big selling point to me.

[Heartland25]

Imagine riding your bike from Fayetteville to crystal bridges and taking light rail back. Or taking it to work and to and from the airport. It would further connect the metro, attract a younger educated population, and encourage density. I would be a supporter

[comreguy]

Imagine riding your bike from Fayetteville to crystal bridges and taking light rail back. Or taking it to work and to and from the airport. It would further connect the metro, attract a younger educated population, and encourage density. I would be a supporter

Just a couple billion dollars and it could happen.

[Heartland25]

Just a couple billion dollars and it could happen.

That is the catch, have to pay to play though. These kind of projects could help change Arkansas's hillbilly reputation.

[nickbenso]

The easiest way for NWA to move forward with transit would be Bus Rapid Transit. If done right, BRT can have the same comfort and speed as a Light rail system while costing far less to implement. I think NWA transit needs could be covered with four BRT lines, Downtown Fayetteville to Downtown Rogers via 71, Downtown Rogers to Downtown Bentonville via Walnut/Walton, Prairie Grove to Downtown Fayetteville via 62, Downtown Bentonville to XNA to Downtown Springdale. There could also be a few future lines like Centerton to Downtown Bentonville and Wedington, Gregg, and MLK in Fayetteville could also have dedicated Bus lanes.

[zman9810]

I could see BRT working as a partial relief solution in NWA where there is the room to accommodate the dedicated lanes needed for it. The problem would be the fact that none of the downtown areas have roads with the room to have dedicated lanes without creating bottlenecks for the car and truck traffic that would still use them. BRT could still work with a greatly expanded traditional bus service in those downtown areas, though. The expanded bus service would also help get passengers to the BRT stations.

 

So often it seems people with vision want to advocate the 'cool' alternatives without looking at how people actually use transportation and where they want to live. If NWA already had a very densely populated corridor that had been master planned decades ago some of those alternatives would be feasible, but it has grown as needed to accommodate more people. A good example is Fayetteville's lack of a good east/west major path through the central city. If there had been any idea that the city would grow like it has a route could have been chosen long ago. As it is, there will never be the political will needed to create the space for such an east/west road. I really wonder if Rogers will be able to connect the Hwy 265 corridor to Hwy 102 for the same reason. Planning for the cool stuff needed to happen many years ago.

 

of course, with driverless cars and telecommuting all our transportation problems may be solved.

[wmr]

I don't foresee NWA having the population for light rail to be feasible in my lifetime.  It just requires a lot of people willing to ride.  For the overwhelming majority of people, it will still be preferable to have a car.  Go to Dallas, look at their light rail, and also pay attention to the massive freeways and drive-time gridlock.  People still choose to drive, because it it much more convenient than using transit, except for people who live at rail stops and also work at rail stops.

 

I think the cities could focus on higher density development in certain areas to make it possible to not use a car locally.  Mass rail transit between the cities is a pipe dream.

[aerotive]

Yeah I used Dallas' light rail back in 2012, really nice system.  It just doesn't go enough places with enough speed, still had to rent a car.

We're another million or two or more people from coming close to justifying light rail.  Not that long ago that a modest tax increase was voted down big time, one that would have provided an adequate bus system.  To get light rail, most of the money would have to come from the state or feds.  We don't have the wealth/tax base to support it.  Not for awhile.

[Sammy00]

Just curious as to why an access ramp to I-49 was not included in the new Van Ashe extension. I'm guessing costs?

I've seen it discussed on here, but I haven't heard the reason or if there are future plans for it.

It sounds like it will be a needed addition soon with all that is seemingly in the works for that area.

[zman9810]

Just curious as to why an access ramp to I-49 was not included in the new Van Ashe extension. I'm guessing costs?

I've seen it discussed on here, but I haven't heard the reason or if there are future plans for it.

It sounds like it will be a needed addition soon with all that is seemingly in the works for that area.

Not enough room. It's too close to the Fulbright interchange per federal rules. That's why an extension of Joyce Blvd to a new interchange with I49 is needed IMO. At one time there was a plan for this but I haven't seen anything further about it.

[wmr]

Not enough room. It's too close to the Fulbright interchange per federal rules. That's why an extension of Joyce Blvd to a new interchange with I49 is needed IMO. At one time there was a plan for this but I haven't seen anything further about it.

I wonder if there's room for a southbound exit-only and a northbound entrance-to-the-freeway only.    Both could be run along access roads to an area far enough north from where Van Asche crosses under the freeway to not interfere with that interchange.  Most Fayetteville traffic will access the area from local streets.  A southbound exit and a northbound entrance would move traffic into and out of the area from the north, which would be the primary need to create a "regional destination" like they're now discussing.  

 

Another possibility for access from the south is a flyover off of the freeway where Fulbright Expressway diverges.  Getting back to head southbound I-49 would require accessing the freeway via the Fulbright expressway onramp between Gregg and Steele. 

 

That area will always be somewhat confusing for people not familiar with the area.  The railroad going along Gregg Ave is a big part of the reason, and I don't see any way to remedy that.  Without the railroad tracks, there would be straightforward exits to access the area via Gregg.  Instead, it is complicated via roundabout, frontage road, turnaround, etc. 

[zman9810]

 

I wonder if there's room for a southbound exit-only and a northbound entrance-to-the-freeway only.    Both could be run along access roads to an area far enough north from where Van Asche crosses under the freeway to not interfere with that interchange.  Most Fayetteville traffic will access the area from local streets.  A southbound exit and a northbound entrance would move traffic into and out of the area from the north, which would be the primary need to create a "regional destination" like they're now discussing.  

 

Another possibility for access from the south is a flyover off of the freeway where Fulbright Expressway diverges.  Getting back to head southbound I-49 would require accessing the freeway via the Fulbright expressway onramp between Gregg and Steele. 

 

That area will always be somewhat confusing for people not familiar with the area.  The railroad going along Gregg Ave is a big part of the reason, and I don't see any way to remedy that.  Without the railroad tracks, there would be straightforward exits to access the area via Gregg.  Instead, it is complicated via roundabout, frontage road, turnaround, etc. 

Interesting ideas- I think the Fulbright/Hwy112 interchange redo will actually stretch further north and make it so any Van Asche connection will not be possible. I guess the design could be reworked to include one although that would move the project back.

[zman9810]

As was expected, Gov. Hutchinson's committee for coming up with ways to finance highway construction in the state came up with no good ideas on how to do so. The choice they came up with is to cut out funding for your grandmother's diabetes medication and spending tax payer money to fight the affordable healthcare act, environmental health in the state and the right for death row inmates to know where the drugs that are used to kill them are coming from. Good move on the Governor's part- it allows him escape responsibility and  say these aren't his decisions; it is what he was advised to do.

It seems that toll roads to finance projects such as I49 in western Arkansas are not even being considered. A toll road for that highway seems a perfect example where it would be feasible. It would be a direct route to the Gulf and an indirect route to Mexico. Much of the traffic that would come to use it would not be Arkansas taxpayers but cross country commercial traffic. The state would benefit from that and the country would benefit from the easy access that the route would provide.

We need to elect leaders that look out for the common good in the state and not some political allegiance  that only hurts the state. I know that this rant will upset some and covers more than the main concern but if we look at the end result of the political decisions made will they actually help the highway construction funding issue?

[jatello]

The people of Arkansas want tax cuts. Then there's no money for roads, education, etc. The type of things that increase investment by businesses which in turn increases our revenue base . . . and we fail to grasp this simple concept and we keep falling further behind.

Businesses don't move here because our population is uneducated and we don't have the needed infrastructure or the needed tax base. Tough to swallow. A true lack of leadership for many  decades and  to this day getting worse.

 

 

[zman9810]

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2015‎ ‎1‎:‎10‎:‎55‎, zman9810 said:

As was expected, Gov. Hutchinson's committee for coming up with ways to finance highway construction in the state came up with no good ideas on how to do so. The choice they came up with is to cut out funding for your grandmother's diabetes medication and spending tax payer money to fight the affordable healthcare act, environmental health in the state and the right for death row inmates to know where the drugs that are used to kill them are coming from. Good move on the Governor's part- it allows him escape responsibility and  say these aren't his decisions; it is what he was advised to do.

It seems that toll roads to finance projects such as I49 in western Arkansas are not even being considered. A toll road for that highway seems a perfect example where it would be feasible. It would be a direct route to the Gulf and an indirect route to Mexico. Much of the traffic that would come to use it would not be Arkansas taxpayers but cross country commercial traffic. The state would benefit from that and the country would benefit from the easy access that the route would provide.

We need to elect leaders that look out for the common good in the state and not some political allegiance  that only hurts the state. I know that this rant will upset some and covers more than the main concern but if we look at the end result of the political decisions made will they actually help the highway construction funding issue?

As if turned out the group (no sure what the name is, I've heard several) that Gov. Hutchinson had advising him on ways to fund the highways punted the issue back to him. At this time it seems nothing is going to happen as long as the Gov. remains determined that any increase in funding for highways means cutting money from the long list of items that are now funded by tax money. The list of possible cuts has not been issued yet and who will come up with that list has not been determined yet.

I wonder where the cuts will come from- prisons? healthcare? education?

My choice would be to cut all funding for the Attorney General's office and let a special prosecutor handle the State's needs on any legal issues. That should save a lot of cash. Another idea would be to treat pot the way Colorado and Washington do and reap the benefits of taxation on the substance and it would also help decrease the need for prisons.  Toll roads such as our neighbor Oklahoma has are a proven method of highway funding and can be spun as not a new revenue source but as a way of collecting taxes that are being evaded by drivers from other states.

Seriously- someone needs to come up with ideas that do not hurt some residents of the state in order to help others.

[zman9810]

Strange- my last post shows a time stamp of 3:33 AM until I log in to the UP site; then it shows the actual time I posted of 9:33 PM. I knew I wasn't sleep posting again. ha

[TRB]

 

Since funding for roads is still going to be primarily funded via fuel taxes and this state is so adverse to the benefits of toll roads for funding important limited access  roads like I-49 from Ft. Smith to Texarkana or even a Turnpike to connect Harrison  east to US 67 with a 4 lane limited access. Would a variable fuel tax work. Raise the tax rate when prices are low and it encourages more usage and it lowers in time of excessive prices with a less flexible/more fixed  rate for diesel and LNG because it's more commercial in usage. I won charge Hybrids and electric  cars a fee at time of tag renewal to make sure they were paying their fair share of road costs since it's not captured at the pump

Edited December 9, 2015 by TRB

[IronScott]

2 hours ago, TRB said:

 

Since funding for roads is still going to be primarily funded via fuel taxes and this state is so adverse to the benefits of toll roads for funding important limited access  roads like I-49 from Ft. Smith to Texarkana or even a Turnpike to connect Harrison  east to US 67 with a 4 lane limited access. Would a variable fuel tax work. Raise the tax rate when prices are low and it encourages more usage and it lowers in time of excessive prices with a less flexible/more fixed  rate for diesel and LNG because it's more commercial in usage. I won charge Hybrids and electric  cars a fee at time of tag renewal to make sure they were paying their fair share of road costs since it's not captured at the pump

I would much rather see toll roads than more taxes. Pay for what you use seems to be fair. Don't you think we are taxed enough?

With your plan will taxes go down when gas prices skyrocket? I'm guessing not.