State Highway Department Partnering to Peddle Bicycling

Ryan Klintworth of Fayetteville rides his bicycle Thursday, July 25, 2013, as he makes his way home from his job on the town's square along the Scull Creek Trail. Klintworth rides along the city's trail system and walks his bicycle on the bridge over Interstate 540 along Wedington Drive to get to his home.
Ryan Klintworth of Fayetteville rides his bicycle Thursday, July 25, 2013, as he makes his way home from his job on the town's square along the Scull Creek Trail. Klintworth rides along the city's trail system and walks his bicycle on the bridge over Interstate 540 along Wedington Drive to get to his home.

Arkansas is peddling up the ranks of bicycle friendly states a year after ranking dead last in the nation a year ago, an Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department official said Thursday.

Lori Tudor, assistant chief planning engineer, said the state moved up 13 spots from 50th on last year’s list to 37th this year.

“That’s a pretty good jump,” Tudor said.

The state began a concerted effort to become more bike and pedestrian friendly after Gov. Mike Beebe saw the last place ranking, Tudor said. He was not happy.

Tudor told the Northwest Arkansas Active Transportation Committee an advisory group was formed that includes the highway department, Parks and Tourism, State Police, the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and the state health department.

The panel recommended updating the state’s bike and pedestrian plan, looking at ways to make biking safer and adding a federal aid program adviser.

The plan of action called for lots of education, including putting bike related questions on the state driver’s test, education about the health benefits of biking, training police officers about how the laws apply to bicyclists, new brochures about biking opportunities and keeping bikes in mind when designing transportation infrastructure. It also includes working closely with private biking groups and schools.

The state has spent $8.6 million from the federal Safe Routes to School program since 2007 and has another $1.8 million left to spend, Tudor said. Bentonville, Farmington, Fayetteville and the Bike Coalition of the Ozarks have been partners on projects.

“We’re really excited about your Razorback Greenway up here,” Tudor said. “Thirty-six miles, that’s going to be a great bike ride.”

Tudor said she’d like to see more kids riding bikes to school but some parents are reluctant to let their kids ride their bikes alone.

“It ought to be a basic right for an American kid to ride his bike to school,” said John McLarty, a regional planner.

In Rogers, an elementary principal started riding the neighborhood trail to school, picking up a pack of kids along the way. The school was able to eliminate a bus route.

The state has spent another $7.2 million on a Recreational Trails Program since 2007, Tudor said.

But, Tudor cautioned that federal transportation money has been shrinking in recent years and lawmakers have been reluctant to raise fuel taxes so it is uncertain how much will be available in the future.

“This is very important to the commission. We don’t take this lightly,” said Dick Trammel, state highway commissioner. “We agreed to hire a consultant to tell us what we need to do.”

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