ROGERS -- The first phase of the northern loop trail, approved by aldermen this week, will connect Promenade Boulevard to Walnut Street and the Turtle Creek trail, and eventually to downtown and the new bike park.
General Construction Solutions submitted the low bid of $582,052 to build the first leg from Promenade Boulevard to Oak Street.
At A Glance
Bikes For Transportation
• It’s easier to finance a new bicycle than a new car.
• A bicycle has a tiny manufacturing footprint when compared to a car. All manufactured goods have environmental impact, but bicycles can be produced for a fraction of the material, energy and shipping costs of a car.
• Bikes eliminate oil, fuel and hydraulic fluids dripped by automobiles onto the road surface — which means less toxic runoff into waterways.
• Bikes save taxpayers money by reducing road wear. A 20-pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a 2-ton sedan.
• Using a bike for transportation can help with weight loss and improve overall health. Depending on riding style and road conditions, 600 calories an hour can be burned through brisk cycling.
• You can store a dozen bicycles in a single automobile-sized parking place.
• Bicycling may be faster and more efficient than taking a car, especially in urban areas where there are proper bike lanes.
• Bikes cost less to maintain and operate than automobiles.
• Bicycles provide mobility for those who may not qualify or afford to drive.
• Studies show bicycle commuters are healthier, more productive and require less time off at work.
Source: Mother Nature Network
The first section of the northern loop was discussed about three years ago. A proposed route was shelved after property owners objected to the trail going near their neighborhood.
"We finally have a route that seems to please just about everybody," said Nathan Becknell, a city engineer. The trail will run along the back of Benton County Memorial Park, through the northern edge of woods behind commercial buildings on Walnut Street, then merge on Walnut Street near 28th Street.
The cost to build the 1.9-mile portion between Promenade Boulevard and Walnut Street will be about $3.4 million, Becknell said. Construction on the trail should begin early next year and be finished in six months.
The city received a Walton Family Foundation 50/50 matching grant to construct the trail, city officials said.
"We are applying for additional grants from the foundation to build the second phase of the northern loop that will go to the bike park downtown," Becknell said.
Another trail from the bike park will connect with a trail at Veterans Park. That trail runs behind schools on First Street to Rogers High School on Dixieland Road. The loop will be complete when a trail is built from Dixieland Road back to Promenade Boulevard.
The trail will provide connect with other trails in the city, and provide walkers and bike riders recreation opportunities as well as an alternative transportation option, officials said.
"Alternative transportation options provide residents with another way to get to work, to a business or to an entertainment area," Becknell said.
John McLarty, assistant director and a transportation planner for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, said cities have been encouraged to build trails in Northwest Arkansas for more than just recreation purposes.
"We started talking about using trails as alternative transportation in 2002. Trails can be a way for people to travel to a destination without using a vehicle. We've seen this trend grow nationally over the past few years," McLarty said.
"We have to think about alternative transportation as a way to lower the number of vehicles on the road, and reduce greenhouse gases. Transportation is always changing and you have to be open to alternatives that may not have been considered in the past," he said.
McLarty said he knows several people who ride bicycles to work daily.
Bikes as transportation are becoming more popular, said one bike shop owner.
"More people are riding bikes for transportation and recreation," said Branton Moore, manager of the Highroller Cyclery in Rogers.
"We've had a shop in Fayetteville for more than 40 years. We opened an outlet here because there is a demand for bikes in Rogers. When the trails from all the cities are connected to the Razorback Greenway, I think more people will be using the trails for transportation," Moore said.
Barney Hayes, parks director, agreed more people will be riding bicycles in the future.
"It's an affordable form of transportation. Gasoline prices are low right now, but that doesn't mean they will stay low. When gasoline prices rise, riding a bike to the store on one of the city trails will be an inexpensive way to get a loaf of bread. It may also help us be a little healthier," Hayes said.
NW News on 12/11/2014