Transportation Projects, Roads, Light Rail, etc

[itk]

I forgot to post this sooner. The NWA Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) will be hosting a public meeting for the NWA 2030 Long Range Plan on Tue April 4 11am-7pm at their office building in Springdale (on Clayton St, 1/2 block S of Sunset Ave, a little W of Big K and Malco). Here's the link:

http://www.nwarpc.com/transportation.htm

They've also posted their draft 2030 Long Range Plan on this site. Public input is truly valued and is very important, so if anyone in NWA has an opinion about transportation (who doesn't, right?), or is just curious, feel free to drop by. This is a chance for citizens to have their voices heard on transportation issues in NWA, and NWARPC will appreciate all input.

[Mith242]

I forgot to post this sooner. The NWA Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) will be hosting a public meeting for the NWA 2030 Long Range Plan on Tue April 4 11am-7pm at their office building in Springdale (on Clayton St, 1/2 block S of Sunset Ave, a little W of Big K and Malco). Here's the link:

http://www.nwarpc.com/transportation.htm

They've also posted their draft 2030 Long Range Plan on this site. Public input is truly valued and is very important, so if anyone in NWA has an opinion about transportation (who doesn't, right?), or is just curious, feel free to drop by. This is a chance for citizens to have their voices heard on transportation issues in NWA, and NWARPC will appreciate all input.

Hey thanks for the info itk. I should be able to manage to drop by for a little while that day. It should be interesting to see. I haven't managed to stop by one of these before, any ideas what I should expect? Any maps and such? Maybe I can take a few pics and post a little info. Although I'd certainly recommend people to actually check it out in person and not just see what little I might post about it.

[itk]

Hey thanks for the info itk. I should be able to manage to drop by for a little while that day. It should be interesting to see. I haven't managed to stop by one of these before, any ideas what I should expect? Any maps and such? Maybe I can take a few pics and post a little info. Although I'd certainly recommend people to actually check it out in person and not just see what little I might post about it.

They'll have lots of displays up I'm sure, mostly maps and info on proposed project lists. You can look at the maps and see what has been recommended and talk to the staff about questions you might have and any comments you might have. They'll be very knowledgable about just about anything you can ask them regarding transportation in NWA. Mostly what will be there is basically what is shown on their website, but if you show up in person you can fill out a comment form if nothing else (at least I'm pretty sure since they've done that at previous meetings). I'm not 100%, but I think you could take pictures because journalists show up sometimes to these things with cameras... I guess it is public information after all.

I think the ones I've been to before, typically some dozens of people might be there at the peak time (like late afternoon)...

Edited March 26, 2006 by itk

[Mith242]

They'll have lots of displays up I'm sure, mostly maps and info on proposed project lists. You can look at the maps and see what has been recommended and talk to the staff about questions you might have and any comments you might have. They'll be very knowledgable about just about anything you can ask them regarding transportation in NWA. Mostly what will be there is basically what is shown on their website, but if you show up in person you can fill out a comment form if nothing else (at least I'm pretty sure since they've done that at previous meetings). I'm not 100%, but I think you could take pictures because journalists show up sometimes to these things with cameras... I guess it is public information after all.

I think the ones I've been to before, typically some dozens of people might be there at the peak time (like late afternoon)...

Thanks for the info. Do you know if these usually take place in Springdale at this location? I wouldn't mind being able to check out some of these more often. But a lot of times I don't hear about it till it's over or I don't hear where it's at.

[itk]

Thanks for the info. Do you know if these usually take place in Springdale at this location? I wouldn't mind being able to check out some of these more often. But a lot of times I don't hear about it till it's over or I don't hear where it's at.

Sometimes. Other times they take place in a community building or maybe hotel lobby (like NWACC, the Jones Center, maybe a public library, or the Embassy Suites). Just wherever people can easily find them I think.

[Mith242]

I forgot to post this sooner. The NWA Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) will be hosting a public meeting for the NWA 2030 Long Range Plan on Tue April 4 11am-7pm at their office building in Springdale (on Clayton St, 1/2 block S of Sunset Ave, a little W of Big K and Malco). Here's the link:

http://www.nwarpc.com/transportation.htm

They've also posted their draft 2030 Long Range Plan on this site. Public input is truly valued and is very important, so if anyone in NWA has an opinion about transportation (who doesn't, right?), or is just curious, feel free to drop by. This is a chance for citizens to have their voices heard on transportation issues in NWA, and NWARPC will appreciate all input.

I had almost forgotten about this. I think I'm going to head out and see if I can find this and see what all there is to see.

[Mith242]

Maybe I'm just blind but I never could find a Clayton St. So all I ended up doing was seeing some parts of Springdale I hadn't seen in a while. They did talk a little about it on KNWA and mentioned you could see most of it on their website so guess I'll have to rely on that.

[itk]

Maybe I'm just blind but I never could find a Clayton St. So all I ended up doing was seeing some parts of Springdale I hadn't seen in a while. They did talk a little about it on KNWA and mentioned you could see most of it on their website so guess I'll have to rely on that.

No, you're not blind-- it is rather difficult to find, unfortunately I think. It's not directly on 412, and not near any landmarks, and Clayton St itself almost looks like a driveway. Probably not much to miss anyway (I didn't go), but I'll find out about it tomorrow in my office and if anything interesting happened I can post it.

[Mith242]

No, you're not blind-- it is rather difficult to find, unfortunately I think. It's not directly on 412, and not near any landmarks, and Clayton St itself almost looks like a driveway. Probably not much to miss anyway (I didn't go), but I'll find out about it tomorrow in my office and if anything interesting happened I can post it.

Ah, good. I was wondering how I couldn't seem to find it. I assumed it wasn't an intersection with a stoplight but I still didn't see it. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[itk]

Ah, good. I was wondering how I couldn't seem to find it. I assumed it wasn't an intersection with a stoplight but I still didn't see it. Thanks for any info you can provide.

As suspected, nothing earth-shattering happened at the public meeting. It was in the newspapers though (I heard that there were probably more press there than actual citizens).

[Mith242]

As suspected, nothing earth-shattering happened at the public meeting. It was in the newspapers though (I heard that there were probably more press there than actual citizens).

It's a shame they don't have a more visible office. Guess I should have checked Google Earth to get a better idea of the layout in that area before I drove up there.

[Mith242]

US 62 in Fayetteville and US 412 in Springdale are effectively 6 lanes wide under I-540, so this will be the only other one when it opens.

The US 62 interchange may be the widest/biggest whenever the next level of interchange improvements are made. See I-540 Improvement Study (which, strangely enough, wasn't mentioned in the media... considering how much of a huge deal they made out of it on previous occaisions)--

http://www.arkansashighways.com/planning/I-540/I-540.htm

For long-range improvements, the consultants recommended I think 9-10 lanes under I-540 for US 62.

This was in another topic but thought it might be nice to have it over here as well. We've been having some nice info mentioned but sometimes going back to find which topic it was mentioned can be a bit hard. Thanks for the info itk.

[Mith242]

Interesting info itk. I have some questions for you since you're more likely to know some of the answers I believe. It mentions some of the short term solutions at some of these interchanges. How soon do you think these will be done? Will it be in the very near future? I was also wondering about the I-540 widening. Do you see this being done in stages? If it is, any ideas which areas they'll do first? Maybe the areas with the highest vehicle counts?

[mcheiss]

I myself would like to see SPUI's in NWA, I think the US 62 Exit, Walton/Walnut St Exit, and Highway 102 Exit could all use this.

[Mith242]

I myself would like to see SPUI's in NWA, I think the US 62 Exit, Walton/Walnut St Exit, and Highway 102 Exit could all use this.

Thanks for reminding me Matt. I also was going to ask itk about that too. I know there had been a mention of that before in the past but I didn't notice any mention of it in that link.

[itk]

Interesting info itk. I have some questions for you since you're more likely to know some of the answers I believe. It mentions some of the short term solutions at some of these interchanges. How soon do you think these will be done? Will it be in the very near future? I was also wondering about the I-540 widening. Do you see this being done in stages? If it is, any ideas which areas they'll do first? Maybe the areas with the highest vehicle counts?

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the NWARPC including all short-term improvements identified in the I-540 Study for the immediate future in their Long Range Plan. AHTD is now in the process of developing their Statewide Transportation Impvt Program for 07-10, or STIP, and I would be surprised if these short-term impvts aren't included in it, since they are obvious needs, are relatively inexpensive, and have been identified by these consultants and NWARPC. So basically, I would be suprised if they were not done in the very near future.

I don't see widening done at once-- that's almost 30 miles of widening, which is too overwhelming, especially when considering that I-540 is the "backbone" of the region, and having a work zone that huge (with lane reductions in both directions!) would cause unbelievable gridlock in NWA.

The widening would be in chunks I imagine, with logical termini on either ends. So, for example, Fayetteville's stretch would be widened at one point, then maybe Bentonville-Rogers, then maybe Lowell-Springdale. That's just a guess- they may start in Benton County first, which has the fastest-growing area of traffic.

OR, AHTD may do pieces here and there, such as widening some bridges here and widening the pavement there, then when a long enough stretch has been "widened", they would then open it to traffic (like what AHTD is doing to Hwy 67 in NLR-Jacksonville-- they're doing it in pieces here and there, but not opening it to traffic until most if not all is done).

Either way, when widening construction happens traffic will NOT be pretty in NWA (I remember how bad traffic was when they were just overlaying I-540-- imagine how bad traffic was then, then multiply that by many, many, many months). But, when its done, traffic will improve and NWA will definitely have an "urbanesqe" freeway.

[itk]

Thanks for reminding me Matt. I also was going to ask itk about that too. I know there had been a mention of that before in the past but I didn't notice any mention of it in that link.

Check the long-term improvements for Exit 85 and 86 (Hwy 71B and Hwy 102/62 interchanges), which were recommended to have a SPUI. Those are very logical places for them, and I think AHTD will end up doing them. When that might happen... I'm not sure, but I would bet the Hwy 102/62 interchange would be "SPUIed" before any others.

[Mith242]

Check the long-term improvements for Exit 85 and 86 (Hwy 71B and Hwy 102/62 interchanges), which were recommended to have a SPUI. Those are very logical places for them, and I think AHTD will end up doing them. When that might happen... I'm not sure, but I would bet the Hwy 102/62 interchange would be "SPUIed" before any others.

Thanks for all the info itk. I know at one point there was a mention of some SPUI for some of the Fayetteville interchanges but maybe they've decided not to do them down here.

[Mith242]

There were articles in many of today's newspapers about the 2030 plan. It sounds like before there's any effort put into widening I-540 they will first work on improving the interchanges first. I'm not sure if this means the more serious improvements will come before any widening or just the short term improvements.

[masons_dad1]

Either way, when widening construction happens traffic will NOT be pretty in NWA (I remember how bad traffic was when they were just overlaying I-540-- imagine how bad traffic was then, then multiply that by many, many, many months). But, when its done, traffic will improve and NWA will definitely have an "urbanesqe" freeway.

I am so thankful I don't depend on I-540 for anything. I feel sorry for all those people that have no choice but to use I-540. It's going to make life miserable for thousands of people. Let's hope that when it's finally finished traffic volumes haven't increase beyond the new capacity.

[mcheiss]

Either way, when widening construction happens traffic will NOT be pretty in NWA (I remember how bad traffic was when they were just overlaying I-540-- imagine how bad traffic was then, then multiply that by many, many, many months). But, when its done, traffic will improve and NWA will definitely have an "urbanesqe" freeway.

What do you mean by "urbanesqe" feeway?

Does that mean they are going to use the median land for the new lanes and add light poles?

[Mith242]

I would think that since some areas are being recommended as widened to 8 lanes that you'd have to take the inside area to put in two lanes. The areas being recomended to be widened to 6 lanes I think have the option for either inner or outer depending on what will be cheaper to do. From what I saw a number of sections would still expand the outer lanes because that option would be cheaper.

[itk]

What do you mean by "urbanesqe" feeway?

Does that mean they are going to use the median land for the new lanes and add light poles?

Yeah, think like a typical freeway through an urban area. At least some of the widening will have to be done in the median even in sections in Benton County. Of coures, none of it has been designed yet, but there will be median barriers, probably retaining walls where necessary, noise barriers perhaps, etc. And, of course, more lighting will go in (actually, come to think of it, does I-540 in NWA have any substantial lighting at all, like at interchanges, etc.? I don't think it does...)

There were articles in many of today's newspapers about the 2030 plan. It sounds like before there's any effort put into widening I-540 they will first work on improving the interchanges first. I'm not sure if this means the more serious improvements will come before any widening or just the short term improvements.

Short term impvts first... except for some of the biggies, like US 62 in Fayetteville or 102/62 in Bentonville, where they may decide to skip right to the long-term impvts. But after that... it'll probably be just a mixed bag of things.

[mcheiss]

Yeah, think like a typical freeway through an urban area. At least some of the widening will have to be done in the median even in sections in Benton County. Of coures, none of it has been designed yet, but there will be median barriers, probably retaining walls where necessary, noise barriers perhaps, etc. And, of course, more lighting will go in (actually, come to think of it, does I-540 in NWA have any substantial lighting at all, like at interchanges, etc.? I don't think it does...)

NWA has virtually no lighting around the interchanges. This will be welcomed news for me, as I have been waiting years for us to get an urban Interstate.

[itk]

There's an article today that states that Wal-Mart is willing to dish out some $$ for the 8th St project in Bentonville:

http://www.nwarktimes.com/bcdr/News/34352/

This was news to me (just now sitting at my computer), honestly, and I wasn't in my office today, so I thought it was interesting enough to mention on this board. Basically, it looks like Wal-Mart will put up the required funding match (since this was a federal ear-marked project), thus helping out the City of Bentonville quite a bit and move this project forward.

With all this funding perceivably a shoo-in for this project, this thing will I bet move forward as fast as possible. Coincedently, while typing this I saw a news report on this very subject on KNWA-- I think they quoted a local official as saying construction might happen in 5 years... that sounds about right. (it will definitely have to jump through beurocratic hoops, which will take time in itself among other things).