Springdale, Arkansas

[mcheiss]

I think they just put one in each region, figuring someone could drive from Rogers to Springdale, etc. Rogers would seem a better location than any of the others otherwise.

Southwest Little Rock is where most of the Hispanics in Central Ark live, though.

Hope is where a lot of migrant farm laborers stay and work seasonally.

I guess so. But the location in Springdale is actually in southern Springdale. They could have put the location in Lowell or something to help suit the needs of all NWA's Hispanic population.

[Mith242]

I guess so. But the location in Springdale is actually in southern Springdale. They could have put the location in Lowell or something to help suit the needs of all NWA's Hispanic population.

Yeah if they weren't going to have a location for both Springdale and Rogers then you'd think maybe at least they would have looked for a northern Springdale location. This location isn't too far from Fayetteville.

[Aporkalypse]

Maybe Hope is bigger than DeQueen, but I figured it would be selected first for that area of the state.

Hope actually has a government-funded Migrant Farm Labor Center that provides amenities for them, which probably explains why it was located there.

[zman9810]

The debate on whether to widen Wagon Wheel Road as a 4 lane boulevard or 5 lane road continues Tuesday night at the City Council meeting at 6PM. I imagine it will be a spirited and long discussion.

Seems to me the boulevard is the better option. I feel for the people along the road who want it to be 5 lanes for easier access, but the better plan for the community as a whole is the boulevard. This will be a major corridor across the north part of Springdale that serves more than the few who living right along the road. Building it as a boulevard will keep it from developing as a commercial strip like 412 and 71B. Traffic will move better with fewer curb cuts.

The farmland that is along Wagon Wheel now will eventually develop, probably as residential. Building a boulevard with turn lanes at cross streets is a better option through residential areas and is more attractive street, something Springdale certainly needs.

Edited February 13, 2007 by zman9810

[Mith242]

Looks like the 5 lane Wagon Wheel Rd won out over the 4 lane boulevard. I like the idea of having more boulevards in the area. But I admit I don't live anywhere near there so I can't really say which would have been better for that particular area.

[zman9810]

Looks like the 5 lane Wagon Wheel Rd won out over the 4 lane boulevard. I like the idea of having more boulevards in the area. But I admit I don't live anywhere near there so I can't really say which would have been better for that particular area.

It will be interesting to see how that area develops in the 5-10 years after the widening is complete. I bet there will be very little farmland left and a lot of commercial use. It seems like another case of short-sighted planning on the city's part.

[zman9810]

The Morning News had an interesting article about the Southern Corridor project in it's Saturday edition. The reporter did a good job researching it and asking pertinent questions. Of most interest to me was the city planning director's statement that plans show a possible connection to I540 and that an interchange would not be built until the Highway 412 Northern Bypass is built. I still haven't been able to find a map or definite plan for an interchange, only an overpass. If it won't be built until the Northern Bypass is finished then for the forseeable future a major east-west multi-lane corridor stretching from the far east side of Springdale to the west side of I540 to Hwy 112 will not connect to the principal north-south route through the region.

The reason given for not making that connection was "We don't want people to use the Southern Corridor to bypass the city". Considering the Southern Corridor is planned from Hwy 112 east to connect with Hwy 412, if someone wants to use it to "bypass" the city all they have to do is make a turn south on Hwy 112 in Tontitown, drive less than two miles and they can do just that.

Meanwhile, if you want to access I540 from the Southern Corridor from the east you will have to take a sharp turn to the north on 48th or other north-south city street, drive a couple of miles and access it at the already congested 412 interchange. The planning director's suggestion that the Johnson Rd. (a north -south street) widening and extension to the Greathouse Springs/ I540 interchange in the city of Johnson will relieve pressure on the 412 interchange doesn't seem a likely scenario either. If I'm driving east across Springdale on the Southern Corridor and want to access I540 northbound, I'm not going to turn south on Johnson several miles before I540 and drive south several more miles to do it. If I'm driving south on I540 I'm going to get off at 412 and take a smaller street south to access the Southern Corridor.

In order for the ballpark area to develop successfully and the citizens of Springdale to get their tax dollar's worth for both the Road Bond Program and the Ballpark financing, a Southern Corridor/I540 interchange needs to be the highest priority of city leaders in the coming years. The ballpark area needs the access that an interchange would give in order to attract the public and private money that will be needed to develop it. To force people to use the congested 412 or Johnson interchanges to access I540 will discourage both developers and customers from visiting the area and spending their money there.

Edited March 2, 2007 by zman9810

[Mith242]

I also wonder if a southern corridor might also be used to a certain degree by people in Fayetteville.

[zman9810]

I also wonder if a southern corridor might also be used to a certain degree by people in Fayetteville.

I believe you're right. People in the growing NE Fayetteville and SE Springdale areas who now use the Joyce/College/Fulbright route to get to I540 going north will just go up 265 and head west on it. If we're going to spend all that money to build it we should utilize it to it's full potential. Without that connection to I540 it's only to make the 412 interchange more congested.

Edited February 27, 2007 by zman9810

[edensfall]

Wow, how F***ing retarded can people be, that interchange is needed so damn badly, especially for me, i live in tontitown and i have to drive out to 412 east everyday for work to powell st, then drive back to 540 and either head north or south, and that southern corridor connection would save so much time. These planners amaze me.

[itk]

Wow, how F***ing retarded can people be, that interchange is needed so damn badly, especially for me, i live in tontitown and i have to drive out to 412 east everyday for work to powell st, then drive back to 540 and either head north or south, and that southern corridor connection would save so much time. These planners amaze me.

Dude, did you read my previous posts? LISTEN. I'll do you a favor. Just 'cause I'm a nice guy.

It's NOT the planners. It's politics. You don't like it? Call the Mayor's office. Write him a letter. Write your councilman.

Planners can plan all they want. Doesn't mean jack squat if politicians c*ckblock it.

[edensfall]

Dude, did you read my previous posts? LISTEN. I'll do you a favor. Just 'cause I'm a nice guy.

It's NOT the planners. It's politics. You don't like it? Call the Mayor's office. Write him a letter. Write your councilman.

Planners can plan all they want. Doesn't mean jack squat if politicians c*ckblock it.

My bad dude, i missed that part, but what the hell do they plan on accomplishing by sending half of the 412 interchange traffic south to the two lane johnson interchange? are they just wanting to the south corridor to be a local thru way to the westside thats strictly residential? The bottle neck at the johnson interchange would be absolutely rediculous. Are they not going to have a vote on whether or not to have an interchange there? Have they decided on a 5 lane or boulevard yet? Personaly id like to see a boulevard until it reaches the interstate then turn into a 5 lane by the ballpark.

[itk]

My bad dude, i missed that part, but what the hell do they plan on accomplishing by sending half of the 412 interchange traffic south to the two lane johnson interchange? are they just wanting to the south corridor to be a local thru way to the westside thats strictly residential? The bottle neck at the johnson interchange would be absolutely rediculous. Are they not going to have a vote on whether or not to have an interchange there? Have they decided on a 5 lane or boulevard yet? Personaly id like to see a boulevard until it reaches the interstate then turn into a 5 lane by the ballpark.

The deal is, is the people who live in SW Springdale are worried that an interchange there would add traffic to their neighborhood (to my understanding). Which I can sympathize with. So the admin doesn't have a strong leg to stand on to justify building an interchange there.... yet. When the ballpark goes in, and more development occurs, and traffic gets worse, then they'll likely have better justification for building an interchange.

But I'm not sure what informal agreement was made between the admin and citizens. Traffic will certainly get worse before it gets better at those two interchanges-- the western portion of the 412 bypass won't be built anytime soon, and widening of Main St in Johnson won't happen for several more years. The best way to express your opinion right now on the situation is to write a letter, email, or call your local officials. The only way it would ever come to a "vote", is if there was a bond proposal that required an increase in sales tax (or something like that) to pay for the interchange (and likely other projects in the city).

Edited March 3, 2007 by itk

[zman9810]

The deal is, is the people who live in SW Springdale are worried that an interchange there would add traffic to their neighborhood (to my understanding). Which I can sympathize with. So the admin doesn't have a strong leg to stand on to justify building an interchange there.... yet. When the ballpark goes in, and more development occurs, and traffic gets worse, then they'll likely have better justification for building an interchange.

But I'm not sure what informal agreement was made between the admin and citizens. Traffic will certainly get worse before it gets better at those two interchanges-- the western portion of the 412 bypass won't be built anytime soon, and widening of Main St in Johnson won't happen for several more years. The best way to express your opinion right now on the situation is to write a letter, email, or call your local officials. The only way it would ever come to a "vote", is if there was a bond proposal that required an increase in sales tax (or something like that) to pay for the interchange (and likely other projects in the city).

I think you are right about the reason for not building a Southern Corridor interchange sooner. What these people aren't taking into account is that the people displaced by the Huntsville Rd. and other road improvements have had to deal with some disruption of their neighborhoods also. The Southern Corridor isn't going to feed traffic into their neighborhoods; it will move traffic through the area. It seems they want the "out in the countryside" atmosphere in the middle of a growing metro area. The city administration needs to do what is best for the city as a whole, not a small group of residents.

I came through the 412 interchange from the west at 7:30 PM last night and even then traffic was backed up to 56th street. What's more is that when the Southern Corridor is constructed traffic will use it to avoid Sunset., they will just have to continue to use the 412 interchange . When anyone interested in developing the area around the ballpark sees the access issues with the area they will have second thoughts about investing their money there. With the investments that the taxpayers of Springdale have made in the Road Bond Program and ballpark financing it is shortsighted to not give those investments the best chance to pay off. It will take the city leaders to take the initiative to plan for and construct an interchange at the Southern Corridor and I540 and the citizens of Springdale should do everything they can to encourage that initiative.

Edited March 3, 2007 by zman9810

[Mith242]

Looks like AHTD could possibly relocate part of Hwy 265 in Springdale. It would mainly affect the small part of Springdale in Benton County. It would also be near the future location of the 412 bypass. I'm not sure why relocation is being considered. Maybe widening isn't possible in it's current location there.

[cocothief]

I think you are right about the reason for not building a Southern Corridor interchange sooner. What these people aren't taking into account is that the people displaced by the Huntsville Rd. and other road improvements have had to deal with some disruption of their neighborhoods also. The Southern Corridor isn't going to feed traffic into their neighborhoods; it will move traffic through the area. It seems they want the "out in the countryside" atmosphere in the middle of a growing metro area. The city administration needs to do what is best for the city as a whole, not a small group of residents.

I came through the 412 interchange from the west at 7:30 PM last night and even then traffic was backed up to 56th street. What's more is that when the Southern Corridor is constructed traffic will use it to avoid Sunset., they will just have to continue to use the 412 interchange . When anyone interested in developing the area around the ballpark sees the access issues with the area they will have second thoughts about investing their money there. With the investments that the taxpayers of Springdale have made in the Road Bond Program and ballpark financing it is shortsighted to not give those investments the best chance to pay off. It will take the city leaders to take the initiative to plan for and construct an interchange at the Southern Corridor and I540 and the citizens of Springdale should do everything they can to encourage that initiative.

What would really help out would be a frontage road between the Johnson Exit and the 412 exit on the east side of 540.

[mcheiss]

What would really help out would be a frontage road between the Johnson Exit and the 412 exit on the east side of 540.

Also, they need to make a connection from Porter Road to Wedington. I've been stuck on 540 in Fayetteville and thought I could take the access road from 112 to 6th. Little did I know that after Porter it literally turns into a swamp.

[strmchsr77]

Also, they need to make a connection from Porter Road to Wedington. I've been stuck on 540 in Fayetteville and thought I could take the access road from 112 to 6th. Little did I know that after Porter it literally turns into a swamp.

I think that there are plans for that Matt. They have been doing some clearing of trees in that area over the past few months, but I don't know how they are going to get around the little Vet office there.

[itk]

What would really help out would be a frontage road between the Johnson Exit and the 412 exit on the east side of 540.

There basically already is. 48th St.

[jdevers]

There basically already is. 48th St.

48th St? If you mean 48th Ave it is WAY out on Weddington and doesn't currently connect to 6th because of Broyles Ave being closed. There is no connection between Shiloh Dr and Double Springs Road that isn't a gravel road (54th goes through but you have to go all kinds of crap road....). On the other side though Porter Rd itself connects to Weddington and is the closest connection to 540 between those exits.

[strmchsr77]

48th St? If you mean 48th Ave it is WAY out on Weddington and doesn't currently connect to 6th because of Broyles Ave being closed. There is no connection between Shiloh Dr and Double Springs Road that isn't a gravel road (54th goes through but you have to go all kinds of crap road....). On the other side though Porter Rd itself connects to Weddington and is the closest connection to 540 between those exits.

I think that itk is referring to 48th in Springdale it runs parallel to 540 between Johson and 412. Persimmon will eventually connect Shiloh to Double Springs Rd in Fayetteville.

[jdevers]

Yea, I edited the post seconds after posting saying that I misread his post (well, saw that he was replying to a message higher up...), but the edit isn't here... Oh well, ignore my post

[itk]

Yea, I edited the post seconds after posting saying that I misread his post (well, saw that he was replying to a message higher up...), but the edit isn't here... Oh well, ignore my post

[zman9810]

What would really help out would be a frontage road between the Johnson Exit and the 412 exit on the east side of 540.

As itk said, it looks like 48th will be the closest to a frontage road on the east side of I540. I guess 56th will be the closet thing to one on the west side.

I didn't realize this before, but evidently the widening of 56th to the north from the ballpark will be a short stretch and not all the way to 412. Maybe that will be so anyone wanting to develop the area will have to pitch in on widening the stretch they build on. Good idea for financing but not a good way to encourage development. I think it will be a long time before that area takes off the way its being planned.

[Mith242]

I don't think we have a topic for Tyson so I guess I'll post this in the Springdale topic. Tyson will be working with another company into producing Syntroleum to be used as jet fuel, made from 'bio feedstocks'. I believe the plant will be over in Tulsa.