FAYETTEVILLE -- The Arkansas Highway Commission will give more than $20 million to applicants, including several in Northwest Arkansas, for the Transportation Alternatives Program, Safe Routes to School Program and Recreational Trails Program projects.
The Transportation Alternatives Program is a federal-aid program established in 2013 to construct sidewalks and trails for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-motorized forms of transportation, and create systems that will provide safe routes for non-drivers, including children, older adults and individuals with disabilities or other similar activities. This year, the state Highway Department received 93 applications requesting more than $21 million. Seventy-one projects were selected to receive $16 million.
Springdale will get $500,000 for the Pride of Springdale Trail. Patsy Christie, city planning director, said the trail will connect Har-Ber and Springdale high schools to the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway.
A stretch from the greenway to 40th Street will be the first phase, Christie said. She said the alternatives program money will cover engineering and design costs for the stretch and possibly the some easement acquisitions and utility relocation costs. "Once it is designed, then we will know what other funding options are available," Christie said.
Benton County will receive $500,000 for the historic War Eagle Bridge and Rogers will get $500,000 for a bicycle and pedestrian bridge at New Hope Road, which is part of the Razorback Greenway.
Bella Vista will get $50,000 for a crossing on Dartmore Road; Bentonville, $49,500 for the Southwest 41st Street Trail; Cave Springs, $97,160 for improvements to Illinois River Partnership facilities; Centerton, $240,000 for a traffic signal and crosswalk; Decatur, $130,144 for Arkansas 102 sidewalk improvements; Siloam Springs, $67,705 for the City Lake Wildlife Trail; and, West Fork, $179,231 for a Riverside Park connection.
In Carroll County, Eureka Springs will get $63,724 for the Harmon Park-Clear Springs School Walking Trail; Green Forest will get $83,527 for the Green Forest North Park Trail and $54,464 for streetscaping the Green Forest Square.
In Madison County, Huntsville will get $363,250 for College Avenue sidewalk enhancement.
The Safe Routes to School Program was established in 2005 and is used to enable and encourage children to safely walk and bicycle to school. The projects can include construction of infrastructure to improve the safety for pedestrians in the vicinity of schools or non-construction activities such as public awareness campaigns, traffic education, outreach programs and student bicycle safety training.
This year, the Highway Department received 39 applications requesting more than $6 million. Eight projects were selected to receive $1.2 million. Locally, West Fork will get $95,000 and Prairie Grove will get about $77,000.
The Recreational Trails Program is a federal-aid program established in 1993 allowing cities, counties, state or federal government agencies, and nonprofit groups to apply for money for the construction or maintenance of recreational trails or trail facilities throughout the state.
This year, the Highway Department received 48 applications requesting almost $9 million. Twenty-eight projects were selected to receive approximately $3.2 million. Bentonville will get $75,000 for its Community Center Fitness Trail. Fayetteville will get $56,000 for its Lake Fayetteville Natural Trail boardwalk and realignment project.
NW News on 12/08/2015