FAYETTEVILLE -- A group committed to making the city's economy more environmentally friendly talked about regional transportation issues Friday.
The discussion by the Fayetteville Forward Green Economy Group comes as city and University of Arkansas officials continue to updating transportation plans.
At A Glance
Fayetteville Forward Green Economy Group
Friday’s discussion was the first of several topic-based quarterly discussions the Fayetteville Forward Green Economy Group is hosting. The next discussion, scheduled Aug. 1, will focus on energy in Fayetteville. A green jobs workshop is planned in November. Locations for the meetings have yet to be determined. For more information, go to facebook.com/groups… or email ffgreeneconomygroup….
Source: Staff Report
A consultant for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission is also working to complete an "alternatives analysis." The study, paid for in large part by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration, is looking at what it would take to build a commuter rail, light rail or bus transit system in Washington and Benton counties.
A problem remains with any of those systems: How to get to a bus or transit stop.
"Transit's great if you live close to it," said Bob Munger, founder of the nonprofit Augusta (Ga.) Greenway Alliance. "But if you live a mile or two away, you've still got to get in a car or get on a bus. Somehow you have to get there in order to have a high utilization rate."
Munger and Fayetteville resident Mikel Lolley are developing an electronic vehicle ride-sharing business to try to solve the "last mile conundrum."
Paul Justus, a planner with the Regional Planning Commission, said that could be one solution.
Other attendees mentioned better sidewalks, more bus shelters and more frequent pickups.
Joel Gardner, executive director for Ozark Regional Transit, said expanding Northwest Arkansas' bus system will take broad public support.
"Transit is not just for the homeless and needy," Gardner said. "Ozark Regional Transit is for everybody in this room."
The university's update to its transportation plan will focus on parking and transit. A survey of 10 college towns in the 2005 plan concluded the University of Arkansas had the lowest percentage of students who commuted by bicycle and the highest percentage of students who park on campus.
Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor for facilities, said the university's consultant, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates of Boston, should wrap up work on the updated plan in six to eight months.
According to Leif Olson, Fayetteville long-range planner, HNTB Corp. of Kansas City, Mo., has been selected as consultant for the city's plan update, and a contract is being negotiated. The update will identify street, sidewalk and trail improvements and will recommend land-use polices to encourage transit-oriented development.
"The long-term vision for Fayetteville is to be a city of complete neighborhoods connected by trails and transit," said Sarah Marsh, Ward 1 alderwoman.
Justus said he hopes to have the Regional Planning Commission's analysis complete by the middle of the summer.
NW News on 06/07/2014