City Rides Highways

ROGERS’ PAST GROWTH TIED TO STREET IMPROVEMENT

By John Gore

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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The city began an ambitious street building and improvement program in 2003 using $50 million of an $80 million bond issue approved by voters.

During the next six years, streets built or improved were First Street from New Hope to Pleasant Grove Road; Old Wire Road from New Hope Road to Old Wire Elementary School; Horsebarn Road, connecting it to the new 52nd Street; Pleasant Grove Road to Bellview Road; Pleasant Grove Road from Interstate 540 to U.S. 71B; and 26th Street, which is still under construction.

City officials said, however, there is much work yet to do.

Design work for Perry Road from Bellview Road to the Rogers High School, 21st Street to Perry Road and Bellview Road from I-540 to the city limits is under way.

The result, other than some inconvenience in construction areas, is that traffic is flowing smoothly in Rogers, said Mayor Steve Womack.

“From a mobility prospective we are in very good shape and poised to get in great shape,” Womack said.

Bond money wasn’t the only money the city spent on streets.

Officials moved $13 million in ad valorem tax revenue from the general fund to construct the Pleasant Grove overpass and the 45th Street bridge.

Development driven projects, most noticeably in the Pinnacle Hill area, also added new streets to the city at no cost to taxpayers, Womack said.

“We have made remarkable progress the last five or six years, and we have been very agile in our ability to address emerging challenges,” Womack said.

City officials recalled opening the newspaper one day to discover the Rogers School District was planning on opening Old Wire Elementary School.

Frankie Guyll, street superintendent, and Steve Glass, director of planning and transportation, were shocked. They were convinced a school bus couldn’t get down Old Wire Road.

Guyll was told build or improve the roads around the new school site.

“The city got to work quickly and began working on improvements to Old Wire. By the time school opened, most of the street improvements were in place,” said Ashley Kelly, spokeswoman for Rogers School District.

The investment in the transportation infrastructure has and continues to have a direct effect on the economy.

“It definitely has helped our city grow and has maintained us through the recession,” said Alderman Barney Hayes. “The bottom line is the city gets most of its money from the 1 percent sales tax. Retail growth related to improved infrastructure is big part of keeping the city’s economy healthy.”

Some critics thought the city was spending too much on streets on the west side of town, Womack said.

“You take the hotel convention center, the Promenade, the Perry Road interchange out of the picture then look at your revenue picture, life would be markedly different for us right now,” Womack said.

While much has been accomplished, there is more to do, said Glass, who has a wish list of projects totaling approximately $100 million. The projects would be undertaken from 2011 through 2020.

“We’ve been behind up until this point; now it’s time for us to forge ahead and be ready for the when the next growth and opportunity presents itself,” Womack said.

City leaders are considering asking voters in 2011 to extend the 1 percent sales tax used to repay bonds.

How much money the city will need from a bond issue is still in question.

“We don’t know how much money will be needed in 2011, but we do know our primary focus will be streets and parks,” Womack said. “If we have proven to be good stewards of the taxpayers money, I think the voters will be willing to extend the tax for a few more years.”

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