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.

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.

I agree that the divide isn't between Central and Northwest but rather between urban and rural Arkansas. There is much resentment of the growth of the urban areas in rural Arkansas. The school district consolidation process exposes that every year. The next census should help both urban areas gain power in the state legislature and by working together they will be able to benefit.

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.

Very much so! The top floors of the building location would be one of a kind for homes in NWA with no competition in the future. As far as competing with the Chancellor I think the original Ren Tower developers envisioned the two hotels as working together to provide rooms for larger gatherings at the Town Center for conventions and such. If one goes back and reads through the Ren Tower topic on UP it was a well thought out plan that the financing fell apart for because of factors beyond the developers' control, not because it was a bad plan. Obviously we're in a different time but the basic idea is still a good one.

Probably no one wants to hear it but the Renaissance Tower plan was a landmark project that would seem to still be possible. With the University dragging its feet on a hotel on campus there seems like a demand for 4 star hotel rooms in the center of town would be there. The condos would be the premier address for NWA as far as urban living goes. They had developed the plans to include the required parking. Downtown Fayetteville is as lively as it has ever been and such a project would add to it greatly. Hopefully the owners will have faith in what a tremendous opportunity they have and develop the property to its fullest. After all- it is in that very small slice of the city that allows a tall building.

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.

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,.

I think that consistency in style of Lindsey's apartments is intentional. Its part of his brand much like chain retail stores do.

Looks like the apartments will all be on the south half of this so whoever is buying those houses next to them will already know it. The biggest challenge will be access- Deane Solomon will need major work along its entire length. Even then it comes out on unimproved Howard Nickel to the north. Pouring all that traffic on Mt. Comfort probably won't pass city planners. I see a City demand for much lower density and a lot of money for street improvements.

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.

Is there no residential development built right on the golf course? Paradise and Fayetteville have a lot of houses and multi-family built with the golf courses as an amenity. Maybe Lindsey is planning to add residential around the existing golf course and make it another Links complex.

Is that where the new Harp's is planned?

I don't know what is planned but I was surprised there was opposition to the rezoning. Can't think of a more appropriate area for commercial development in NWA than that.

Someone tried to put apartments back there where Plainview ends and was shot down by the city a few years ago. I don't remember why it was denied but it seemed like a good use to me, also. I also hope that a back way to Milsap via Plainview is built sooner rather than later. Traffic is going to stack up on College as it is.

I see they are buying a total of 70.4 acres- seems like a lot for a 136,000 sq ft store. Wonder if they just plan on splitting some of it off to sell or have plans for the acreage that isn't used for the store.

Looks like Healthsouth Rehab must be doing a major expansion at their North Hills location. There were $6 million in building permits purchased for that address.

8W Center seems to have snuck in under the radar. This is a 80,000 sq. ft. development planned for the lot where Jimmy Johns is now across from the Walmart Home Office. It will be a 6 story building that seems to be on a fast track for completion. I knew a companion building to Bentonville Plaza was planned but this is a different development. There must a be a huge demand for space directly across from WM.

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?

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?

I remember Barber had plans for a 22 story tall hotel across I49 back in the day. Somewhere back in time I think it was assured that the Embassy Suites would be the tallest building in that immediate area but the Hunt building will top that. Does any know if Rogers has a height limit for that area? I was thinking they did.

Yes, I saw that article. I didn't realize they're only leasing the building at the current location. I guess that makes it easier to leave and build new. That current building is still very new seems to me- hopefully someone will fill it quickly. I'm wondering what is planned just down the road at Elm Springs and White Road. Looks like a large lot right on the corner is being prepped for construction.

I think 10 stories is the height limit for that area, isn't it? It would be cool to see residential towers built there or at least some mixed use development.

Wow! The new Hunt building is going to be very impressive. The Pinnacle area as a whole is becoming a mini suburban Dallas look-a- like. As the area fills in and property becomes more expensive I would think that even taller buildings would be feasible. I guess the question is if they would be welcomed.

I agree this seems most likely. The University itself has received a land donation before and auctioned it off to raise funds for other uses. I wonder how quick the Foundation will move to sell this property?