ROGERS — As part of the Veterans Park project, aldermen approved Tuesday a $1.3 million contract to extend Gum Street from Monte Ne Road to Olrich as a way to provide easier access to the park.
The contract for the project will be awarded to Crowder Construction of Bentonville. The money for the project is coming the 2011 bond fund.
At A Glance
Rogers aldermen met Tuesday and approved the following items:
• Appropriated $62,240 from the general fund reserve to buy uniforms, equipment and vehicle maintenance, increase salary and wages at the Adult Wellness Center and pay for electric utilities at the Criminal Justice Center.
• Appropriated $10,000 from ICE forfeitures account to purchase a drug dog for the Police Department.
• Entered into a $24,640 contract with Cruse Uniforms & Equipment for 35 computer docking stations and 35 mounting plates.
• A $40,000 contract with Multi-Craft Constractors for a new heating and cooling unit for the Victory Theater, home of the Rogers Little Theater.
• Approved a $40,900 change order to the contract with CEI & Associates to provide additional services for Veterans Park improvements.
Source: Staff Report
Local residents approved in 2011 the extension of a 1 percent sales tax to issue bonds totaling $135.4 million. The money was also used to build the aquatic center and the regional sports park and will be used for the Lake Atalanta renovation. The majority of the bond money -- $100 million -- is earmarked for street improvements.
"The road will give us better egress and regress to the park," said Barney Hayes, city parks director.
"It will also be good for the July 4 fireworks display. The display attracts a lot of people to the park and it's always difficult for everyone to get out after the show. This road should be a big help for that event," Hayes added.
The road is just one of the improvements scheduled for Veterans Park, he said.
"We are going to have five lighted soccer fields at the Veterans Park. Both high schools have baseball and softball programs that use the fields, not to mention Pee Wee and adult football leagues that play there. It's going to be a busy park and connecting Monte Ne and Olrich will help keep traffic flowing," Hayes added.
Steve Glass, city planning and transportation director, said the road through the park is part of realignment and renovation of the Monte Ne Road and the First Street projects scheduled for construction over the next couple of years.
"We hope to begin construction on the southern section of Monte Ne Road at New Hope Road sometime this year. Right now we are waiting for the utilities to be moved," Glass said.
Monte Ne will be a four-lane road from New Hope to the junction of First Oak and Arkansas streets. The northern section of Monte Ne still has some design issues, said Lance Jobe, city engineer.
"We plan to a have a roundabout at the intersection of Monte Ne Road, First, Oak and Arkansas streets. We are hoping that First Street will eventually be part of the eastern corridor the state plans to build. The design for the roundabout has not been completed," Jobe said.
He estimates it will be a year to 18 months before the First Street and northern section of Monte Ne Road construction begins.
NW News on 02/26/2014