Sister Cities Consider Joint Project

Rogers, Bentonville To Look At Eagle Way, 46th Street Project

— A joint environmental study and design cost estimates for Bentonville and Rogers councils to determine the feasibility of extending Eagle Way to 46th Street was approved by Rogers aldermen Tuesday.

Both cities have agreed to use federal Surface Transportation Grant money to pay for the $35,550 study. Each city will contribute half, $17,775, toward the study.

“We don’t know if we are going to build the extension or not,” said Bob McCaslin, Bentonville mayor. “That’s what the study is for, to give us the facts we need to make a decision.”

The extension would connect NorthWest Arkansas Community College with the south side of Rogers if both cities agree to build the road once the study is complete.

At A Glance

Council Action

Rogers’ City Council met Tuesday and approved:

A $29,832 contract with Jones Janitorial Services for the Rogers Activity Center.

A $159,700 contract with Garver LLC for improvements to Rogers Municipal Airport.

Establishing a depository board for Rogers, as required by state law.

An understanding with the Rogers Water Utilities to consolidate human resources departments. The city will pay 65 percent of the department costs and the utility will pay 35 percent.

Source: Staff Report

“This extension should reduce the pressure on Walnut Street and Hudson Road. It would also provide connectivity on the west side of Rogers,” McCaslin added.

Greg Hines, Rogers mayor, agreed the extension could benefit for both cities.

“We’ll have to wait until we see the study before we know what the next step will be,” Hines said. “Anytime you can improve connectivity north and south on that side of the city it’s something to we should study. Right now the closest north, south street close to the college is 24th Street.”

“This will give us the opportunity to cooperate with our neighboring cities, something we try to do whenever possible,” Hines said.

More than 30 individuals who attending the 5 p.m. Lake Atalanta renovation meeting at City Hall stayed for the council meeting.

There was concern in the 5 p.m. meeting individuals hadn’t had enough time to study and contribute to the renovation plan. One resident asked aldermen to postpone any decisions on paying for Lake Atalanta projects for 30 to 60 days to give naturalists and other interested individuals an opportunity to review plans and help redesign them if necessary.

“These are conceptual plans, nothing is written in stone. I think there will be ample opportunity for individuals over the next few months to weigh in on the renovation of Lake Atalanta,” Betsy Reithemeyer, alderwoman, explained to the woman.

Steve Glass, planning and transportation director, also assured audience members there would be time for individuals to meet with the city staff to discuss the proposed plans.

“There is a possibility we might have another pubic meeting in January, but we don’t know that for sure,” Glass said.

Aldermen approved $535,000 contract with Progressive Trail Designs for the design and construction of the hiking and bike trails around Lake Atalanta.

Mark Kruger, alderman, reintegrated the plans shown earlier in the day would likely change as the project moves forward.

“We try to work with property owners and have in the past made changes to plans that protected property owners when we built 40th Street. This is no different changes will be made and the public will have an opportunity to be part of the plan,” Kruger said.

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