Transportation Projects, Roads, Light Rail, etc

[strmchsr77]

This has been talked about in the past and it looks like it might finally get a start.  My office is on Joyce and having to fight the College/Joyce intersection daily has never been much fun.  This might help the situation and save me a couple of minutes on my commute too and from west Fayetteville.  If this happens then Vantage Drive (by the Post Office would be extended to the SW behind Proctor and Gamble to  connect with Sain street (by Panera Bread).  Then that would some how connect to the flyover and expressway.  

 

Here is the article from the Fayetteville Flyer:

 

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2015/01/28/sain-street-extension-to-connect-joyce-boulevard-and-the-fulbright-expressway/

[zman9810]

This has been talked about in the past and it looks like it might finally get a start.  My office is on Joyce and having to fight the College/Joyce intersection daily has never been much fun.  This might help the situation and save me a couple of minutes on my commute too and from west Fayetteville.  If this happens then Vantage Drive (by the Post Office would be extended to the SW behind Proctor and Gamble to  connect with Sain street (by Panera Bread).  Then that would some how connect to the flyover and expressway.  

 

Here is the article from the Fayetteville Flyer:

 

http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2015/01/28/sain-street-extension-to-connect-joyce-boulevard-and-the-fulbright-expressway/

Oh yeah, this is great for anyone traveling in that part of town. It should take pressure off the College / Joyce intersection and help the Fulbright Expressway to eastbound Joyce mess.

 

The only possible problem I see is on the flyover when the westbound traffic from Sain is moving over to the left to exit onto Fulbright while the traffic from northbound College  is trying to exit onto Shiloh- that will be a dangerous area.

 

Actually- the merging problem may be further back when the westbound Sain and College traffic first come together. Who will have the rightaway and how far will traffic back up on the side that doesn't have the rightaway?

Edited January 30, 2015 by zman9810

[Snaple4]

Driving in older, larger cities I have come to appreciate the creativeness that road crews have. I bet you they can squeeze 2, no, 3 lanes on that flyover :-)

 

On a serious note though, I agree with your concern. There are so many combinations of what they could do to make it "work." Good and not good. Also, what if they try to keep sain connected to 71B... Think how much fun that will be :-)

Guess we don't know anything until actual plans come out.

[zman9810]

Driving in older, larger cities I have come to appreciate the creativeness that road crews have. I bet you they can squeeze 2, no, 3 lanes on that flyover :-)

 

On a serious note though, I agree with your concern. There are so many combinations of what they could do to make it "work." Good and not good. Also, what if they try to keep sain connected to 71B... Think how much fun that will be :-)

Guess we don't know anything until actual plans come out.

I think I have came upon some of those creative fixes in other cities and am thankful to have lived through the experience. lol

 

I hope that a solution is found before designs are finalized. If the design is as proposed in the images published there will be a bottleneck on the flyover. A solution would be to have a connection for westbound Sain traffic direct to the Shiloh exit and a separate flyover connection to the left lanes of the Fulbright Expressway. That would resolve the crossover problem and help plan for the future traffic load that the area will experience.

 

 If the plans as envisioned now happen there will be likely be a strong demand for development along East Joyce leading to more traffic along the corridor. The traffic situation at the College /Joyce intersection has hurt development in that area for many years now. Relieving it will spur more development so why not plan for that additional development and traffic now instead of waiting until it becomes unbearable later?

[wmr]

I think I have came upon some of those creative fixes in other cities and am thankful to have lived through the experience. lol

 

I hope that a solution is found before designs are finalized. If the design is as proposed in the images published there will be a bottleneck on the flyover. A solution would be to have a connection for westbound Sain traffic direct to the Shiloh exit and a separate flyover connection to the left lanes of the Fulbright Expressway. That would resolve the crossover problem and help plan for the future traffic load that the area will experience.

 

 If the plans as envisioned now happen there will be likely be a strong demand for development along East Joyce leading to more traffic along the corridor. The traffic situation at the College /Joyce intersection has hurt development in that area for many years now. Relieving it will spur more development so why not plan for that additional development and traffic now instead of waiting until it becomes unbearable later?

East Joyce already has a high level of development, and thankfully lots of it is high-quality.  I could see some more dense office development in place of some of the older single-story office complexes.  I could also envision a little mixed-use for the area, perhaps the northern end of Bellafont development.

[Snaple4]

They just need to bite the bullet and extend the highway past 265.... Just bulldoze over the houses and such in the way. Can't mess with the golf course though! Or that tree! 

 

I think the purpose of doing some of these road works are because they are expecting more development. As is, the current infrastructure can handle the traffic count. It may be a pain in the rear to navigate the area but it doesn't really back up much. Even West bound Joyce isn't bad for long. Now, if left alone and more high density projects come along (and they will just slower).... We could expect some grid lock. 

[Snaple4]

Got a question or two for anyone who knows.

 

Going northbound from exit 83 to exit 86 they are working to expand to 6 lanes. What I can't tell or find out is if the overpasses are going to be expanded as well or are they just skipping those for now? It looks like they are skipping them. The info I was reading on timelines doesn't match up anymore so I can't tell from that.

 

I understand the reasoning for only doing sections but it is becoming hazardous at times. Can't tell you how many times some person was speeding in the 3rd lane and yanks over at the very last minute. This of course causes the other cars around that car to swerve/brake. 

[bubba72704]

I'd be very surprised if they didn't completely replace, not just expand, every overpass along the route.  I know they completely replaced the overpass on the newly completed section next to the JB Hunt HQ, and they're completely replacing the overpass at Porter Rd. in Fayetteville, but I don't have any firm knowledge on the exit 83 to 86 stretch...

[Snaple4]

Didn't answer my question but still worth a look.

http://5newsonline.com/2015/02/13/construction-update-for-friday/

[JayDR]

Widening I49 to 8 lanes would be my 1st priority. Springdale Northern 412 Bypass/ XNA Airport Road is my 2nd. My 3rd would be the Light Rail & Bus service. They go hand and hand together. The Light Rail will go through Downtown Springdale and Rogers, who could both use a boost in development, plus Downtown Fayetteville (Dickson/UA area) and Walmart HQ areas. However, even with it going to XNA, air travelers alone will not make it work. In order to make it work you must have a good bus system as a connector. The bus station could be at the rail stations. Almost all routes will connect the rail stations to every major residential, retail, industrial areas in all the core cities. On top of that, they must be low costs. This area could use good public transit system, but like all good public transit systems, they must be really good or they will fail.

[JayDR]

Never understood the Western Bypass idea. Their is nothing out there. Maybe we can talk about it again in 2055. The Eastern Parkway makes more sense, especially if you are the City of Rogers. Eastern Springdale and eastern Fayetteville could also benefit, but I just don't think it is feasible with the terrain.

[Mith242]

Never understood the Western Bypass idea. Their is nothing out there. Maybe we can talk about it again in 2055. The Eastern Parkway makes more sense, especially if you are the City of Rogers. Eastern Springdale and eastern Fayetteville could also benefit, but I just don't think it is feasible with the terrain.

I agree, I like the Eastern Parkway idea much better.  But as you stated, the terrain will make it more expensive and mostly likely unfeasible.  At least for quite a while.  If there's serious prolonged growth for quite a while, the time may come for something like that despite the costs.  I get the Western Bypass idea, you push it further out to try to separate local intra-city travel with the interstate travel.  For now, I don't personally like that idea.  Right now there isn't even an I-49 connection up to Missouri yet.  Maybe I could get behind the idea once I-49 connected down south all the way through Arkansas.  

I think maybe some people like to think of NWA as a smaller area than it is and don't like the idea of a widened I-49 and feel more comfortable with only two lanes.  Honestly though, this is just an old poll.  In fact it's still listed as I-540 instead of I-49.  I think we all know I-49 is already being widened.  I've also noticed some of these topics have been around quite a while.  Some are at or near a decade ago when they were first started.  

[Snaple4]

An eastern bypass of Fayetteville/Springdale then becoming a western bypass of Rogers/Bentonville/Bella Vista would make the most sense for traffic right now. Rogers would benefit from a limited eastern bypass. However, If you look at projected development patterns South of Fayetteville and, East of Fayetteville, Springdale, Lowell, and Rogers you will notice that there isn't much growth compared to the relatively flat west side of the metro. 

 

If you are looking at how to reduce interstate travel on the current highway and appease expected future growth of the metro then the case for a western bypass becomes a viable option; the cost of said route would also be less due to the topography.

 

I don't like a western bypass south of Lowell but I know a lot of supporters for it. 

[zman9810]

Now that the I49 improvements including the Bella Vista bypass are in progress I agree that it is time to plan for a western bypass. As the metro grows and I49 becomes more of an urban highway a traffic relief route out to the west will be needed. A corridor for it should be identified so that development doesn't impede building it someday.

 

The Highway 265 improvements and extension to the north through Rogers to 102 are what make up the Eastern Corridor project. I wouldn't expect to see anything further east in the foreseeable future.

 

The next huge projects will be finishing the east -west bypass and hopefully a greatly expanded bus system.

[JayDR]

There is just so much land along I49 to be developed to worry about the Western Bypass. We need to develop that land and fully complete I49, which includes widening, Bella Vista Bypass, and all the way to Texarkana, before we consider the Western Bypass. Maybe within 10 years(15 years in Arkansas time) of the completion of I49 we can start considering it. But, for now it is way down the list. Long term, yes. But, I49 isn't going to be completed until 2040, at the very earliest.

[UrbanArkie]

I had always hoped Old Wire would have been master planned as a thoroughfare between the three cities. any other location for an Eastern Bypass would have to be on the other side of the lake, which renders that concept as useless.

[wmr]

Their is just so much land along I49 to be developed to worry about the Western Bypass. We need to develop that land and fully complete I49, which includes widening, Bella Vista Bypass, and all the way to Texarkana, before we consider the Western Bypass. Maybe within 10 years(15 years in Arkansas time) of the completion of I49 we can start considering it. But, for now it is way down the list. Long term, yes. But, I49 isn't going to be completed until 2040, at the very earliest.

 

I'm in favor of 8 lanes of I-49 with better connectivity to the freeway in all cities.  A western bypass would only create more sprawl.

[Mith242]

An eastern bypass of Fayetteville/Springdale then becoming a western bypass of Rogers/Bentonville/Bella Vista would make the most sense for traffic right now. Rogers would benefit from a limited eastern bypass. However, If you look at projected development patterns South of Fayetteville and, East of Fayetteville, Springdale, Lowell, and Rogers you will notice that there isn't much growth compared to the relatively flat west side of the metro. 

 

If you are looking at how to reduce interstate travel on the current highway and appease expected future growth of the metro then the case for a western bypass becomes a viable option; the cost of said route would also be less due to the topography.

 

I don't like a western bypass south of Lowell but I know a lot of supporters for it. 

That is a good point.  A lot of development is taking place on the western side of the metro because the land is flatter and easier to develop.

[Snaple4]

Looking over BVill's master street plan, it shows an expansion of SW 28th st. So we have this road that goes from East rogers to West Bentonville but is cut by the airport. Are there any plans of moving the airport or running a road under the airport? It seems a shame to not have that link since traffic is such a hindrance in that part of town.

[wmr]

That is a good point.  A lot of development is taking place on the western side of the metro because the land is flatter and easier to develop.

 

The 412 By-pass, whenever it is completed, will likely spur more development in Madison County to the east, and Siloam Springs to the west.  Having a freeway with direct connection to I-49 will make commutes from both areas to the job centers in northern Benton County feasible.  Huntsville might actually become a real suburb once 412 is completed.  That will also make the areas in Goshen and immediately east of Goshen more attractive for commuters.

 

After that happens, I could see a limited access "parkway" making sense on the east side, from Elkins/Greenland, near Goshen, to tie the southeast side of the metro to 412.

Edited May 25, 2015 by wmr

[aerotive]

The extension to Van Ashe is supposed to be done in a couple months:

 

http://5newsonline.com/2015/05/27/van-ashe-drive-nearing-end-of-construction/

[Mith242]

The extension to Van Ashe is supposed to be done in a couple months:

 

http://5newsonline.com/2015/05/27/van-ashe-drive-nearing-end-of-construction/

I was over in that area recently on my bicycle.  I stopped to take a look and noticed more was done that what I had anticipated.  

[Greg T]

Hey Guys,

 I was wondering if someone with knowledge of road construction can help me out. I drive by the Crossover road construction about twice a week and I rarely see anybody working on it - maybe 15% of the time. I’m not talking about bad weather days, but rather like today. Tuesday I drove past the road construction by Arvest ballpark, then the work on Tyson Pkwy, then Crossover and saw only 4 people total working on all 3. And the Van Asche extension is going to take a year and a half to complete 1 mile. I know there’s probably a good explanation for this. Just curious.

[wmr]

Take a low bid, and the company might be inclined to spread their work out over a longer time, just to ensure their smaller workforce always has work to do.

 

If they sped through it and completed the project as fast as possible, in a small metro like this they'd have to rehire folks when it was time for the next job.  Just a guess.  

 

In larger markets, road builders are in higher, more consistent demand, so they're incentivized to get their projects completed faster.

[zman9810]

 

Hey Guys,

 I was wondering if someone with knowledge of road construction can help me out. I drive by the Crossover road construction about twice a week and I rarely see anybody working on it - maybe 15% of the time. I’m not talking about bad weather days, but rather like today. Tuesday I drove past the road construction by Arvest ballpark, then the work on Tyson Pkwy, then Crossover and saw only 4 people total working on all 3. And the Van Asche extension is going to take a year and a half to complete 1 mile. I know there’s probably a good explanation for this. Just curious.

 

The total number of days to complete a project is built into the bid. Unless there is an incentive payment to finish early the contractors will take the full amount of time to complete it. They can utilize their resources elsewhere if they get ahead on a certain project and then come back later to finish it up. There is usually a penalty if they go over the amount of days allotted so they rarely take more than the required days to do the work,.