NLR Projects that Dissappear

[vbfl85]

Whatever happened to these two projects. It seems like they have been talked about for several years. The last I heard the North Belt Freeway faced opposition from Sherwood residents and the Shoppes at North Hills didn't meet certain traffic issues in the area. So are these projects dead or are they still being worked out?

[tim2462]

Whatever happened to these two projects. It seems like they have been talked about for several years. The last I heard the North Belt Freeway faced opposition from Sherwood residents and the Shoppes at North Hills didn't meet certain traffic issues in the area. So are these projects dead or are they still being worked out?

The northbelt is a neverending story...yes, it's the sherwood residents holding that up.

It's a whole, "Not in our backyard" kind of thing.

As far as the shoppes at north hills has been held up with traffic issues, but it is still going

to happen, according to a recent channel 7 story. They just have to find other ways to fund the

traffic projects needed.

[skirby]

Whatever happened to these two projects. It seems like they have been talked about for several years. The last I heard the North Belt Freeway faced opposition from Sherwood residents and the Shoppes at North Hills didn't meet certain traffic issues in the area. So are these projects dead or are they still being worked out?

To view the lastest plans for the North Belt Freeway. Arkansas Highway Department

[skirby]

In a recent interview with Bruce Barrow, developer of the Shoppes at North Hills. he said it will happen before you think it will.

[Aporkalypse]

In a recent interview with Bruce Barrow, developer of the Shoppes at North Hills. he said it will happen before you think it will.

I've never heard of that development group backing out of a project. As far as funding, this is small potatoes for them.

[vbfl85]

A new update in the Shoppes at North Hills, the case was in federal court today. The Arkansas Nature Alliance is attempting to stop this developement. Hopefully they will work out a deal to get this project back on the right track.

Bass Pro Shops Developers In Federal Court

[skirby]

A new update in the Shoppes at North Hills, the case was in federal court today. The Arkansas Nature Alliance is attempting to stop this developement. Hopefully they will work out a deal to get this project back on the right track.

Bass Pro Shops Developers In Federal Court

The link to the story and the story at KTHV are misleading. The developers are not being sued by the Nature Alliance but the Army Corps of Engineers is. The problem concerns permits according the Bruce Burrow.

[skirby]

The link to the story and the story at KTHV are misleading. The developers are not being sued by the Nature Alliance but the Army Corps of Engineers is. The problem concerns permits according the Bruce Burrow.

The judge in the above case has dismissed it. This clears the way for construction of the Shoppes at North Hills.

[vbfl85]

Will they still need to jump through some hoops for the issues with traffic and bulidng more infrastructure?

[Aporkalypse]

Will they still need to jump through some hoops for the issues with traffic and bulidng more infrastructure?

It seems like they would need an improved intersection at I-40 and North Hills Boulevard with all of that traffic to say the least.

[itk]

Will they still need to jump through some hoops for the issues with traffic and bulidng more infrastructure?

Oh yes. That will be a *really* big hoop (or maybe a really small hoop?) for this to jump through. That part will be interesting.

[skirby]

It seems like they would need an improved intersection at I-40 and North Hills Boulevard with all of that traffic to say the least.

Mayor Hays made the comment that construction should start within 6 months on the development.

[InnTheory]

Have to admit I'm an outsider here but regular traveler to LR and love the area. It struck me once that NLR could be capitalizing on a Paris "North Bank" analogy. The area surrounding the arena is certainly waiting for something to happen. The development going on on the south side (LR) is big money but not "cool;" it's Heifer International, Lions Club, residential redevelopment, and more of the same old restaurants and bars people have known for years. The North Bank has nothing but potential - the space, the arena, and the demographic of all the new houses north and northwest of there. Not sure what kind of tax base NLR itself has, but they had better get their act together before Maumelle develops itself into more than a bedroom community and establishes entertainment draws. All those people are driving right through NLR without stopping on their way to LR to spend their entertainment dollars. NLR, give them a reason to stop. Prove Paris is right: the North Bank is THE place. Where are the waterfront condos? Where are the ultra-modern nightclubs? Where are the art galleries that got priced out of the high rent district River Market? The Arena is empty 25 nights a month; NLR has to come up with a reason for people to come, stay, and spend money the rest of the month.

[Nomadic]

Have to admit I'm an outsider here but regular traveler to LR and love the area. It struck me once that NLR could be capitalizing on a Paris "North Bank" analogy. The area surrounding the arena is certainly waiting for something to happen. The development going on on the south side (LR) is big money but not "cool;" it's Heifer International, Lions Club, residential redevelopment, and more of the same old restaurants and bars people have known for years. The North Bank has nothing but potential - the space, the arena, and the demographic of all the new houses north and northwest of there. Not sure what kind of tax base NLR itself has, but they had better get their act together before Maumelle develops itself into more than a bedroom community and establishes entertainment draws. All those people are driving right through NLR without stopping on their way to LR to spend their entertainment dollars. NLR, give them a reason to stop. Prove Paris is right: the North Bank is THE place. Where are the waterfront condos? Where are the ultra-modern nightclubs? Where are the art galleries that got priced out of the high rent district River Market? The Arena is empty 25 nights a month; NLR has to come up with a reason for people to come, stay, and spend money the rest of the month.

I cant say I agree more with this post. There is alot of untapped potential in NLR.

[johnnydr87]

Have to admit I'm an outsider here but regular traveler to LR and love the area. It struck me once that NLR could be capitalizing on a Paris "North Bank" analogy. The area surrounding the arena is certainly waiting for something to happen. The development going on on the south side (LR) is big money but not "cool;" it's Heifer International, Lions Club, residential redevelopment, and more of the same old restaurants and bars people have known for years. The North Bank has nothing but potential - the space, the arena, and the demographic of all the new houses north and northwest of there. Not sure what kind of tax base NLR itself has, but they had better get their act together before Maumelle develops itself into more than a bedroom community and establishes entertainment draws. All those people are driving right through NLR without stopping on their way to LR to spend their entertainment dollars. NLR, give them a reason to stop. Prove Paris is right: the North Bank is THE place. Where are the waterfront condos? Where are the ultra-modern nightclubs? Where are the art galleries that got priced out of the high rent district River Market? The Arena is empty 25 nights a month; NLR has to come up with a reason for people to come, stay, and spend money the rest of the month.

Good points.

[Aporkalypse]

Have to admit I'm an outsider here but regular traveler to LR and love the area. It struck me once that NLR could be capitalizing on a Paris "North Bank" analogy. The area surrounding the arena is certainly waiting for something to happen. The development going on on the south side (LR) is big money but not "cool;" it's Heifer International, Lions Club, residential redevelopment, and more of the same old restaurants and bars people have known for years. The North Bank has nothing but potential - the space, the arena, and the demographic of all the new houses north and northwest of there. Not sure what kind of tax base NLR itself has, but they had better get their act together before Maumelle develops itself into more than a bedroom community and establishes entertainment draws. All those people are driving right through NLR without stopping on their way to LR to spend their entertainment dollars. NLR, give them a reason to stop. Prove Paris is right: the North Bank is THE place. Where are the waterfront condos? Where are the ultra-modern nightclubs? Where are the art galleries that got priced out of the high rent district River Market? The Arena is empty 25 nights a month; NLR has to come up with a reason for people to come, stay, and spend money the rest of the month.

If NLR can establish a viable entertainment corridor on Main in Argenta you could be right. Right now the River Market has all of the foot traffic at night, though, and the NLR businesses are slow.

As an interesting aside, the suit against the Corps was thrown out because none of those involved in the lawsuit had ever been birdwatching, fishing, or boating in Dark Hollow. I mean, I grew up nearby and I can tell you that area was about as much a toilet as a "wetland". This needed to be developed in the WORST way.

[skirby]

The Highway and Transportation Department has approved the alignment for the North Belt Freeway. There will be no money for construction until 2012 but design work and purchase of some right-of-way could begin by the end of the year. The only way to start construction before 2012 is to develop the highway as a toll road.

[turboturtle]

The Highway and Transportation Department has approved the alignment for the North Belt Freeway. There will be no money for construction until 2012 but design work and purchase of some right-of-way could begin by the end of the year. The only way to start construction before 2012 is to develop the highway as a toll road.

[Aporkalypse]

I'm not seeing toll roads flying in Arkansas. Are there anywhere in the state? Any particularly compelling reason why constructions should start before 2012?

[skirby]

I'm with you that I don't see an urgent need for the highway to be built prior to 2012 and I certainly don't think it's worthy of a toll.

The only place I see for a possible toll road is the I-49 corridor that's supposed to connect Texarkana to Ft Smith via Mena. That freeway is supposed to have little traffic and because of the mountains involved it will be quite expensive. That might be a good place to use tolls.

[turboturtle]

Have you been on 67/167 where 440 ends any weekday around 5 PM? With money not being available until 2012 it could be another 10 years before it is completed. The cost estimate at this time is $200 million. What will it be in 5 or 10 years? This highway should have been opened 10 years ago.

[Aporkalypse]

Have you been on 67/167 where 440 ends any weekday around 5 PM? With money not being available until 2012 it could be another 10 years before it is completed. The cost estimate at this time is $200 million. What will it be in 5 or 10 years? This highway should have been opened 10 years ago.

[skirby]

Honestly, I think it's 1/10 the priority that the new I-630 interchange represents. Traffic on 67/167 is a problem as is I-40 going to Conway, something nobody's addressing. Still, this bypass won't do much to alleviate traffic on these roads. The main thing it will do is allow some people to get from Baptist and West LR to Sherwood, Jacksonville, and Cabot via a longer route when traffic is at its peak. I doubt it will be packed.

I-630 really seems to be the critical traffic issue in LR/NLR.

[theman]

I-40 between I-430 and Conway is in the 2006 Arkansas Highway Plan to be widened to 6 lanes between 2009-2017.

[Aporkalypse]

I was wondering when this was going to happen. A couple of years ago they rebuilt all of the bridges between the I-40/I-430 interchange and Conway. Where they improved the bridges a extra lane was added. This will make it a lot easier when they begin the widening process.