butttrumpet

Very good discussion. Is anyone here very familiar with the current layout of the WAC? I am wondering what the feasibility might be of expansion of the current facility into a larger theater. Is there space at the WAC that is used for other stuff, like galleries, etc? Could the current building be reconfigured to accomodate a bigger theater? Could some of that other use be transferred offsite to a new building? An ideal scenario to me would be an expanded performance space in the current building and a smaller gallery space built next door on the parking lot, sharing the lot with the city's vision of a parking deck and a hotel. I really want to see a hotel downtown on Dickson at some point. I really think that is one of the main thing missing down there. I have a hard time imagining two large performance venues staring at each other across West Ave. If a new building is built somewhere, it seems almost pre-ordained that it goes to Bentonville. In this economic climate, a large donor is going to have to step forward again, so the Waltons will have the final vote. I'd imagine Alice would love to have the synergy of a WAC next door to the Crystal Bridges museum.

I noticed that the old Soap and Suds building on Sycamore was being demolished yesterday when I drove by. The one that sits in front of the Skate Place Condos. Anybody have any idea what is going on there?

Interesting. So they would use the "hamburger tax" to pay the bonds for that improvement? I think its a great idea since that is the main entrance to the city for most people who visit the University of Arkansas or downtown. Wow if Sixth MLK gets a makeover, along with College Avenue's awesome improvements and the Crossover Road project, Fayetteville is going to have some very nice main streets.

Another article about the Walton Arts Center location. http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/242996/ In the article, Coody mentions a Chamber of Commerce bond issue for 12 million dollars to improve 6th street as an entryway into the city? Wow, that would be huge. Anybody know anything about this?

No, the plan they showed had the flyover starting at the center of College, like you'd exit left, from the left lane. It connected split after crossing over with one lane moving onto the expressway with another one merging with Shiloh near Olive Garden.

The city of Fayetteville had a neat little meeting at Christian Life Cathedral on Milsap where residents could see the plans for the fly-over on College Avenue to Fulbright Expwy, as well as the roundabout planned at Futral/Fulbright/North Hills. They had big screens running animations of the projects as they will appear when completed. I really like both of the plans, although I hope they can make the flyover into something architectural or attractive.

I really don't think Jordan is that smart when it comes to being realistic about the city and the issues it faces. I have no idea where he gets all his support.

Does anybody have any information about Victory Commons? I was watching Channel 16 last night and they were discussing this as a mixed use project at Razorback Rd and 6th.

Yes, I am one of those people who is nostalgic for the old Fayetteville. Whoever said that pegged me right!

The improvements taking place on this very section of College are going to make a lot more sense of the streetscape there. Curb cuts will be reduced and realigned. This will make traffic more predictable on the street. The addition of curbing all along this stretch will make speeding less attractive, IMO that it currently is, switching driver mentality from that of "highway" to "city street". I believe that at some sections, trees are going to be put into the median, but I am not sure. If medians are added even just for short distances, the traffic flow will adjust slower, I believe. Finally, the addition of a coherent sidewalk throughout this section on both sides, with trees and lighting will encourage more pedestrian activity. I believe the plan also calls for decorative, textured concrete or brick crosswalks at stoplighted intersections, like the crosswalks on Dickson. In four months or so when this is all done, hopefully we can revisit whether or not a sky bridge is the best option. I agree a skybridge is the best option for getting people from the garage to the courthouse, regardless. I just wish there was something more multifunctional and less intrusive considered. I also think its an opportunity to bridge some of that distance between east and west in a way so I hope other options are given a closer look. Heck, even a multiuse pedestrian bridge that could be used by cyclists and all others would be better than a sterile, enclosed, air conditioned tube with only two points of access. If the money's being spent, I'd like to see it spent in a way that can benefit the most of us.

I just don't like the mindset that College Ave is some impenetrable wall separating eastern town, from Dickson/The Square. I personally see what the city is doing there as having a traffic-calming effect, not as extreme, but simular to what happened when they rebuilt Dickson. I for one believe that this is the direction the city is trying to proceed on College. So, pedestrian improvements linking either side in this area make more sense in the future than they did in the past. Refer to the Dover Kohl vision of College Avenue, which is a boulevard at some points, crossable, with retail space up to the sidewalks. Extremely pedestrian friendly. The point is, if a lot of money is going to be spent to create a "crossing" of some sort in the near future, it would be nice if that crossing looked forward to what College Avenue has been zoned and planned to someday be. It would also be nice if that crossing was something that the rest of the pedestrian traffic could use, rather than removing a certain segment of pedestrian traffic from the streetscape the city claims its trying to create. I see a skybridge as short-sighted, and incompatible with the longer-term vision the city has for College Avenue. Plus, I personally think they're ugly.

wow.

So no pedestrian can cross a street with more than 2 lanes? This must only apply to Arkansas. A more urban alternative to a skybridge would be street level improvements at the intersection which make it easier for pedestrians to cross the street. This could mean lighted, brick crosswalks, a pedestrian median, or even a pedestrian stoplight. At least with this option, the crossing can be used by others not necessarily only going to do business at the courthouse. Eastern downtown residential is connected to Dickson this way. Plus, skybridges are generally ugly. I'm confident Wash. Co. isn't going to spend the money to make this one some kind of architectural wonder.

College Avenue is undergoing massive improvements right now, partially for the purpose of creating a better pedestrian environment.

They detract from street pedestrian activity.

Skybridges are gross. It could be done with some good architecture, and plant sound like a good idea. I often think about the proposed flyover at College an Expressway as something the city could focus some art or good architecture on and make it into something nice rather than something we all have to just live with.

The ONLY way I could support a more than 3 lane Garland is if they built it like the section up the hill from North. I haven't heard of any plans to make it into a boulevard with a tree-lined median at all. If it were built like this with a few turning spots, as well as SEVERAL brick crosswalks like the section on campus as well as bike lanes, I think it would be more accepted by the neighborhood. Capacity could be increased, and the speed could be kept reasonable. Plus it would be another beautiful boulevard, like you said....The only downside would be a few residents having to make right turns in order to get somewhere where they would normally make a left. If I owned property directly ON Garland, I would take that tradeoff as opposed to having a wide 5-lane swath of asphalt out my front door. Sionce there aren't any businesses on Garland for most of this stretch, I wouldn't think there'd be a lot of complaints about lack of left-turn accesss. There is an opportunity here to make a beautiful road, but yes my fear is another highspeed south Crossover or Wedington running through this part of town. I would think that medians would add a lot to the cost and that it might not be an option, that is why I would definitely prefer a 3-lane version. Has anbody on here seen plans for the College Avenue construction going on right now? I heard we are getting some street trees but I wonder if that means that there will be median with trees or just along the sides like it is on Dickson Street. I have looked for plans on the Fayetteville website and can't find any anywhere..

I have been reading here for a while and I have to speak up on this issue. It is ridiculous for the city to be doing everything in its power to calm traffic in some residential areas and then turn around and destroy this neighborhood with a 5 lane highway through the middle of it. I believe a lot of the traffic on Garland could be addressed if there were simply a turn lane to Elm and then they could put a median through the section in the farm. Imagine how beautiful this road could be. There should also be bike lanes and sidewalks the entire stretch. The bike lanes would allow university students to ride out to Sam's and make the loop out to the section of trail that will eventually connect the Razorback golf course area with the Mud Creek trail. I don't think another high speed highway through the heart of town is what we need. Increase the capacity with 3 lanes, and let it go. This is a road that dead ends into the university. Where is all this traffic supposed to come from that is going to use it in years to come? Not from Gregg, as it is already 4 laned to the expressway. Not from Wedington, because those folks already have a highway street leading them out to 540. As for incoming traffic, unless it is headed to the university, there are other better routes into the city already. I think 3 lanes where necessary and a median with bike lanes like Vantage in NE Fayetteville would be excellent, and an improvement over what is there now. Sure, traffic won't FLY out of town during football games, but 3 lanes will definitely improve it. I think Dan Coody is correct about his holistic approach to transportation and this road should be looked at as something to improve traffic flow in this area, not solve it for the next 30 years. I also believe the city should consider moving Sycamore back down to 3 lanes from Gregg to Leverett, and add a section of trail quality sidewalk on the south right of way. I believe that it makes sense given that the new trail crosses Sycamore, and that Sycamore doesn't need 4 lanes for traffic. The new trail section in the right of way would allow for a great connection into the new trail from Gregg Avenue and neighborhoods east, as well as the whole immediate neighborhood.