Transportation Projects, Roads, Light Rail, etc

[itk]

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.

Huh! I wouldn't have thought that the new Crystal Bridges site would require rock excavation... guess it is built into a hillside? Anyway, gotta put it somewhere.

Whenever construction does start on the Bella Vista Bypass, though, there is going to be a whole heck of a lot of earthwork involved. Probably almost as much as was done for I-540 in certain places. Consequently, there will be a lot of trucks around, so at some point you may be inconvenienced with more trucks around your neighborhood.

[Julles]

Huh! I wouldn't have thought that the new Crystal Bridges site would require rock excavation... guess it is built into a hillside? Anyway, gotta put it somewhere.

Whenever construction does start on the Bella Vista Bypass, though, there is going to be a whole heck of a lot of earthwork involved. Probably almost as much as was done for I-540 in certain places. Consequently, there will be a lot of trucks around, so at some point you may be inconvenienced with more trucks around your neighborhood.

Yeah, we are bracing ourselves. It's going to be a major pain, I'm afraid. I guess we'll have torn up roads, truck traffic, and a LOT of noise. Many of our neighbors have for sale signs up. Sometimes we wonder if we should be doing the same.

[Snaple4]

Does anyone know if NWA is working togeather to make a RMA now that the new bill is in? I have been wanting to try and help with some of that but I have no idea if a group is already on the topic or who to contact.

[itk]

Does anyone know if NWA is working togeather to make a RMA now that the new bill is in? I have been wanting to try and help with some of that but I have no idea if a group is already on the topic or who to contact.

Yep... the NWA Council is leading the charge. If there's any organization that you want to contact to find out more info, they would be the place to start. They have a website somewhere... but it's in its very infancy right now. Also, you could try the NWARPC-- they may help.

[Mith242]

Sounds like road construction will soon start on Hwy 62 between Farmington and Prairie Grove. I believe they'll be widening the road, but I'm not sure by how much. I think they'll also be working on a bypass around Prairie Grove sometime in the near future as well.

[itk]

Sounds like road construction will soon start on Hwy 62 between Farmington and Prairie Grove. I believe they'll be widening the road, but I'm not sure by how much. I think they'll also be working on a bypass around Prairie Grove sometime in the near future as well.

I don't know why the reporter that wrote the article for the NWA Times got it wrong-- it will be four lanes with a center turn lane (i.e. 5 lanes) through Farmington all the way to the bridge near Prairie Grove. Plus, if I remember correctly, it will also have bicycle lanes in Farmington.

Edited May 10, 2007 by itk

[Mith242]

I don't know why the reporter that wrote the article for the NWA Times got it wrong-- it will be four lanes with a center turn lane (i.e. 5 lanes) through Farmington all the way to the bridge near Prairie Grove. Plus, if I remember correctly, it will also have bicycle lanes in Farmington.

Thanks for the update.

[itk]

Just FYI in case anyone is curious once again why the DOT don't build enough highways in Ark (or anywhere else for that matter): http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002496872.html

Capka Says Bush Has a Highway Contingency Funding Plan

[nwa_479]

The stoplight located off the southbound Pinnacle Hills Pkwy exit is finally working now (since tuesday night). The traffic I must say is a lot more smoother. Although, there are times when the people on the exit ramp don't get to go because the other stoplight about 100 feet away turns red and there are already cars backed up. At least it's better than a 3-way stop.

[Sammy00]

What is the progress on the 412 bypass?

I haven't lived in Fayetteville for too long, and really haven't been following this project too closely.

Edited May 21, 2007 by Sammy00

[itk]

What is the progress on the 412 bypass?

I haven't lived in Fayetteville for too long, and really haven't been following this project too closely.

It is currently under design. Expect a public hearing over the proposed design most likely late this year.

[Sammy00]

Thanks for the info.

Wish it was further along...but these things take time.

[nwa_479]

I've noticed that the land on the opposite side of Pinnacle's entrance has undergone dirt work. Does anyone know what this might be? My guess is that they're working on a road that leads to the new overpass that leads to Promenade Blvd. It looks like it could be a road...who knows? Are they just going to cut off Perry Rd. where it connected to the overpass?

Edited June 20, 2007 by nwa_479

[danielmdifranco]

My work is taking me to NWA alot recently. An obvious upgrade is needed on the expressway system. If city planners act now, they could reserve land for future highways. I think a grid-type of expressway system would work good. Since there is no "central" city a loop would not work well. This design would help to weave in and out of the whole area.

Something like this, what do you think?

Edited June 21, 2007 by danielmdifranco

[cowbreath]

My work is taking me to NWA alot recently. An obvious upgrade is needed on the expressway system. If city planners act now, they could reserve land for future highways. I think a grid-type of expressway system would work good. Since there is no "central" city a loop would not work well. This design would help to weave in and out of the whole area.

Something like this, what do you think?

I would love anything that doesn't resemble a circle. However, I think our best bet is to have a parallel west bypass that runs near the airport. In a way 412 will become a major east-west highway connecting near the airport. 264 is a good north south corridor on the east side of fayetteville and springdale, but probably can't accommodate much more traffic. The bottom horizontal line probably won't happen because of the population scarcity on the south, but a better connection between crossover (264 I think -- get 265 and 264 mixed up) and south school avenue near the airport would be good.

[itk]

My work is taking me to NWA alot recently. An obvious upgrade is needed on the expressway system. If city planners act now, they could reserve land for future highways. I think a grid-type of expressway system would work good. Since there is no "central" city a loop would not work well. This design would help to weave in and out of the whole area.

Something like this, what do you think?

City planners don't reserve land for future highways-- they can plan to their hearts content, but that doesn't mean anything without money. Government agencies (like a state DOT) do... and they can only do that when there's money available. There's very, very limited money to do that right now. The only way to get money to do that is for political action and public support. [off soapbox]

[danielmdifranco]

City planners don't reserve land for future highways-- they can plan to their hearts content, but that doesn't mean anything without money. Government agencies (like a state DOT) do... and they can only do that when there's money available. There's very, very limited money to do that right now. The only way to get money to do that is for political action and public support. [off soapbox]

Sometimes I tend to think grand. I think it would be ideal but to nail down the logistics would be very difficult. There's nothing worng with dreaming is there?

[cowbreath]

Sometimes I tend to think grand. I think it would be ideal but to nail down the logistics would be very difficult. There's nothing worng with dreaming is there?

That's what I'm here for.

[danielmdifranco]

That's what I'm here for.

I also have a dream that just once a community would plan for growth before, not after the fact.

[masons_dad1]

City planners don't reserve land for future highways-- they can plan to their hearts content, but that doesn't mean anything without money. Government agencies (like a state DOT) do... and they can only do that when there's money available. There's very, very limited money to do that right now. The only way to get money to do that is for political action and public support. [off soapbox]

I keep hearing how there isn't enough money in Arkansas, yet states without regressive grocery taxes and state income taxes seem to do okay for themselves. If public support is in the form of taxes then no, Arkansas will never have enough public support. For a state with such a low population (low tax revenue) one would think that a state lottery would raise the much needed money for road projects and education. Everyone in the state would support a lottery. A state lottery will require progressive political action from our state government, which is still considered to be backwards compared to the rest of the country.

[danielmdifranco]

I keep hearing how there isn't enough money in Arkansas, yet states without regressive grocery taxes and state income taxes seem to do okay for themselves. If public support is in the form of taxes then no, Arkansas will never have enough public support. For a state with such a low population (low tax revenue) one would think that a state lottery would raise the much needed money for road projects and education. Everyone in the state would support a lottery. A state lottery will require progressive political action from our state government, which is still considered to be backwards compared to the rest of the country.

Lotteries in most states have all turned out to be failed promises. They promise that they will do such and such with the money but when the reports come out they have mismanaged it. We all know that if we ran our businesses like the gov't, we would go bankrupt. I would almost rather see a private company build a highway with billboards and/or some toll system to compensate their costs.

[masons_dad1]

Lotteries in most states have all turned out to be failed promises. They promise that they will do such and such with the money but when the reports come out they have mismanaged it. We all know that if we ran our businesses like the gov't, we would go bankrupt. I would almost rather see a private company build a highway with billboards and/or some toll system to compensate their costs.

A state lottery may have all the problems you mentioned, but when Arkansas loses the regressive grocery tax and possibly the state income tax, that revenue will need to be replaced by something else. Only a portion would go to the DOT, but education in Arkansas isn't exactly something to brag about and I just don't see it getting any better without a state lottery. The Arkansas governement will just need to create an oversight committee to monitor it's use.

[Mith242]

I've got a question I've been meaning to ask for a while. Although Missouri is upgrading Hwy 71 I don't think all of it will be interstate quality. But if they did with the section between the Arkansas border and I-44, what would they designate it as? Would it be something like I-544 or would they also use the I-540 designation? Anyone have any ideas?

[itk]

I've got a question I've been meaning to ask for a while. Although Missouri is upgrading Hwy 71 I don't think all of it will be interstate quality. But if they did with the section between the Arkansas border and I-44, what would they designate it as? Would it be something like I-544 or would they also use the I-540 designation? Anyone have any ideas?

I'm not sure, but I know they have been trying to get it designated as I-49... but with the current gap between Pineville and Bella Vista, I'm not what they may sign it as

[nwa_479]

Does anyone know what they're doing to the land opposite of the Pinnacle entrance? It seems as if they're making a road but I don't know if it's going to connect to the overpass. I'm assuming that's what they're going to do...hopefully.