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Transportation Projects, Roads, Light Rail, etc


mcheiss

Future Proposed Northwest Arkansas Transportation Projects  

103 members have voted

  1. 1. Which Project is the best option for the future of Northwest Arkansas?

    • 10 Stop Light Rail System
      33
    • Western Bypass
      15
    • I-540 Improvements (6 to 8 lanes)
      35
    • Eastern Parkway
      6
    • Regionwide Bus Service
      8
    • Pedestrian Facilities
      1
    • Bicycle Facilities
      4
    • Ride Share Programs
      1


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Some good construction news!! The Rogers City Council awarded M. J. Lee Construction a $3.4 million contract to build the 45 th Street bridge, a five-lane span that will extend 45 th Street south to New Hope Road. The bid came in $1.6 million under its estimate. 45th Street will extend south from West Walnut Street to meet the bridge, creating a continous stretch from Olive Street at the Scottsdale Center all the way to the south end of the Promenade. If anyone knows how bad it is to get from New Hope to Walnut, then you all know that this is welcomed news. Hopefully 40th street will be extended as well which will create a second option from New Hope to Walnut on the western side of the city.

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Some good construction news!! The Rogers City Council awarded M. J. Lee Construction a $3.4 million contract to build the 45 th Street bridge, a five-lane span that will extend 45 th Street south to New Hope Road. The bid came in $1.6 million under its estimate. 45th Street will extend south from West Walnut Street to meet the bridge, creating a continous stretch from Olive Street at the Scottsdale Center all the way to the south end of the Promenade. If anyone knows how bad it is to get from New Hope to Walnut, then you all know that this is welcomed news. Hopefully 40th street will be extended as well which will create a second option from New Hope to Walnut on the western side of the city.

That's a much needed north-south corridor. We need a lot more projects like this if NWA is going to survive into the future.

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Anyone been by the Perry Rd. Interchange lately? I went by yesterday and noticed that the off ramp going North is completed yet not open with the other 3 off and on ramps still well under construction. As well, I noticed that the concrete barriers on the bridge are going to have a special stone texture. As much as I like this, I would have rather seen money used on the special texture to be used on other badly needed transportation projects in the area.

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Anyone been by the Perry Rd. Interchange lately? I went by yesterday and noticed that the off ramp going North is completed yet not open with the other 3 off and on ramps still well under construction. As well, I noticed that the concrete barriers on the bridge are going to have a special stone texture. As much as I like this, I would have rather seen money used on the special texture to be used on other badly needed transportation projects in the area.

Yeah it seems that in their desire to make certain projects "beautiful" they're taking away from many other projects. What ever happened to just doing "no frills" work just to get much needed projects done?

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It will be 9 lanes, not to metion double turn lanes at both right and left hand ways at intersections. The Perry Road & 45th Street Intersection is suppose to have the most lanes of any interesection in the state.

I just hope that many lanes doesn't end up being too confusing for the average Arkansas driver. :lol:

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  • 2 months later...

It looks like we might get the opportunity to vote on a new $575 million road bond issue. ADG Road Bond Article

NOw if it passes and they get the $100 million from the surplus added to it maybe we'll see some improvements to I540 and a start to the 412 bypass.

I think since this bond issue has a sunset clause it will have a much better chance of passage.

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It looks like we might get the opportunity to vote on a new $575 million road bond issue. ADG Road Bond Article

NOw if it passes and they get the $100 million from the surplus added to it maybe we'll see some improvements to I540 and a start to the 412 bypass.

I think since this bond issue has a sunset clause it will have a much better chance of passage.

I agree, I think this has a better shot than the last attempt because of the way it's worded. People didn't like the idea not having a say in future issues.

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Beebe signed the Regional Transport Bill. This would make it easier for local governments to try to work together and work on major transportation projects. But I've heard some people weren't happy about this. I'm not sure how AHTD feels about it. Maybe I can get itk to comment more about this, just even from his own perspective.

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Beebe signed the Regional Transport Bill. This would make it easier for local governments to try to work together and work on major transportation projects. But I've heard some people weren't happy about this. I'm not sure how AHTD feels about it. Maybe I can get itk to comment more about this, just even from his own perspective.

Who in particular is not happy?

This is the RMA legislation that will allow regions to establish RMAs to help fund transportation projects. We'll see how this goes. It will be up to the local leaders to make this happen. In the case of NWA, the NWA Council has been active in this, and may likely take (or support) the lead in creating an RMA for NWA.

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Who in particular is not happy?

This is the RMA legislation that will allow regions to establish RMAs to help fund transportation projects. We'll see how this goes. It will be up to the local leaders to make this happen. In the case of NWA, the NWA Council has been active in this, and may likely take (or support) the lead in creating an RMA for NWA.

I wish I could remember all the details. But I was thinking that I had heard some state agencies weren't supportive of this. That a particular region like NWA could decide to push forward on something that some state agencies wouldn't have supported. Sorry wish I could remember more of the details. This was talked about a month or so ago. I don't think they came right out and said it but I had gotten the impression that the AHTD might be one of the state agencies that didn't like this bill.

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I wish I could remember all the details. But I was thinking that I had heard some state agencies weren't supportive of this. That a particular region like NWA could decide to push forward on something that some state agencies wouldn't have supported. Sorry wish I could remember more of the details. This was talked about a month or so ago. I don't think they came right out and said it but I had gotten the impression that the AHTD might be one of the state agencies that didn't like this bill.

I don't speak for AHTD, since I never admitted, and don't admit, to being affiliated or being employed by them. But, IF I did, I imagine AHTD has no opposition to it. It does not reduce their power, or allow the establishment of another agency which may "compete" with them. If anything, they would welcome it. An RMA would be used to help fund projects that would normally not get built for years or decades, because of lack of funding. AHTD has no authority to, for example, raise the state gas tax for funding-- only legislators and the governor can approve that.

An RMA allows the people to levy extra taxes within their region for transportation improvements and/or to levy tolls on a new highway. I'm not exactly sure how the tolling authority portion will work out. Highway tolling varies from state to state, region to region-- sometimes it's a private company, sometimes a DOT, sometimes an RMA.

However, no matter what taxes or tolling or whatever any RMA might do (with authority approval from the voters in the region), the RMA will have to work with AHTD and, in their best interest, be on their good side.

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The Northwest Arkansas Council is apparently going to have a study done to determine the feasibility of a western beltway. The NAC can't actually decide eventually whether to go forward with a westward beltway, but they are influential and played a role in other projects like I-540.

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Calling itk...........([/b]or anyone else who knows, for that matter) -

For the past few days, hundreds of dump trucks (literally) have been rolling down our dirt road, full of rocks. I followed one of them, and it turned off onto private land about a mile from my house. Am I to assume that right-of-ways have been obtained for the Bella Vista Bypass, and construction has begun? We live on Miller Church Road, by the way.

Also, since an interchange at Punkin Hollow Road is no longer in the plans, do you know if we will at least get a paved road up to Miller Church? I would think we would, since Punkin Hollow will be an overpass (right?) What I would really like is for Miller Church Road to be paved as well, but I'm sure that's the county's responsibility, and not likely to happen any time soon.

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Calling itk...........([/b]or anyone else who knows, for that matter) -

For the past few days, hundreds of dump trucks (literally) have been rolling down our dirt road, full of rocks. I followed one of them, and it turned off onto private land about a mile from my house. Am I to assume that right-of-ways have been obtained for the Bella Vista Bypass, and construction has begun? We live on Miller Church Road, by the way.

Also, since an interchange at Punkin Hollow Road is no longer in the plans, do you know if we will at least get a paved road up to Miller Church? I would think we would, since Punkin Hollow will be an overpass (right?) What I would really like is for Miller Church Road to be paved as well, but I'm sure that's the county's responsibility, and not likely to happen any time soon.

Hello? I'm here now!

Nope, construction has definitely not begun. Right-of-way appraisal and acquisition will take a bit of time by itself. Design is still undergoing. Construction won't begin until sometime next year.

Typically, I think AHTD will only improve the portion that's within their right-of-way. Otherwise, it will be the responsibility of the county or, now, perhaps the city (if it's in the city limits).

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double post

Pretty decent article this morning about RMAs. http://www.nwarktimes.com/adg/News/186058/

The article correctly gives the impression of what an RMA will almost certainly function as in Arkansas. That is, as a seperate authority to levy taxes with voter approval. Previous media articles gave the impression that it would build and operate toll roads. Rather, it could raise millions and millions of dollars for specific project(s) in their region, which then would go to AHTD for them to do their thing.

That's why an agency like AHTD will be just fine to see RMAs-- it could mean expedited projects that would've taken years or decades to get built.

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double post

Pretty decent article this morning about RMAs. http://www.nwarktimes.com/adg/News/186058/

The article correctly gives the impression of what an RMA will almost certainly function as in Arkansas. That is, as a seperate authority to levy taxes with voter approval. Previous media articles gave the impression that it would build and operate toll roads. Rather, it could raise millions and millions of dollars for specific project(s) in their region, which then would go to AHTD for them to do their thing.

That's why an agency like AHTD will be just fine to see RMAs-- it could mean expedited projects that would've taken years or decades to get built.

I wonder if sales taxes will be a viable option for funding. If the voters in each first class city and the county areas have to approve a sales tax increase to fund improvements that aren't in their immediate area the chances of it happening are very minimal. There just isn't enough of a regional cohesion for that to happen. It would be great if they would but I can't imagine voters in Siloam Springs approving a tax increase to fund a bypass around Springdale. That's if I understand how the process would work.

The other option of using tolling hopefully will work. The section of the 412 bypass from Tontitown to 71B might have enough traffic to use tolls. I would be glad to pay a buck for easier access to XNA.

Edited by zman9810
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I wonder if sales taxes will be a viable option for funding. If the voters in each first class city and the county areas have to approve a sales tax increase to fund improvements that aren't in their immediate area the chances of it happening are very minimal. There just isn't enough of a regional cohesion for that to happen. It would be great if they would but I can't imagine voters in Siloam Springs approving a tax increase to fund a bypass around Springdale. That's if I understand how the process would work.

The other option of using tolling hopefully will work. The section of the 412 bypass from Tontitown to 71B might have enough traffic to use tolls. I would be glad to pay a buck for easier access to XNA.

That is a valid concern. But that's where some good politicking (sp?) will have to happen. Perhaps instead of selling a sales tax increase in the two county region to the voters, they could try and sell a package of projects spread across the region.

Of course, there is a larger voting base in a town like Springdale, than in a town like Siloam Springs.

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Hello? I'm here now!

Nope, construction has definitely not begun. Right-of-way appraisal and acquisition will take a bit of time by itself. Design is still undergoing. Construction won't begin until sometime next year.

Typically, I think AHTD will only improve the portion that's within their right-of-way. Otherwise, it will be the responsibility of the county or, now, perhaps the city (if it's in the city limits).

Thanks for the info. I saw a couple of the trucks pulled over at Miller Church, so I stopped and asked what was going on. The drivers said they were not sure what the rock will be used for, but it is coming from the Crystal Bridges Museum site.

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