Riverfront Drive plan now keeps 4 car lanes

Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore submitted a revised federal grant application Friday that won't reduce traffic lanes on Riverfront Drive in favor of expanded bike lanes, days after some area residents spoke against narrowing the street's four travel lanes.

The revised application will still "attempt to enhance bicycle safety in the area," Moore told the city Board of Directors on Friday in an email.

Friday was the deadline for applying for the Transportation Alternatives Program grant that would be used to fund the project, if the grant is approved through the state Highway and Transportation Department.

"After examining the area and looking at various options, I felt we could move forward with enhancing bike safety without reducing the lanes," Moore said in an interview. "That seemed to be the point of contention."

Little Rock had proposed a $410,000 project that called for reducing the four-lane Riverfront Drive -- located between Cantrell Road and Rebsamen Park Road -- to one travel lane in each direction. The grant, if received, would pay $325,000 of that cost.

Bike lanes would have been expanded to 10 feet in width from the current 4 feet under the proposal in an attempt to create safer passage for bicyclists and families to ride and walk. The bike lanes on Riverfront Drive are part of the Arkansas River Trail that connects Little Rock and North Little Rock over the Arkansas River.

About 100 people or more who live, work or ride bikes in that area attended a public forum Monday, including a group who spoke adamantly against the proposal to reduce the travel lanes in order to widen the existing bike lanes. But many in opposition agreed late in the meeting that they wouldn't be against expanding the bike lanes if it could be done without a reduction of travel lanes.

The morning after the meeting, city officials received more than 100 emails in support of the proposal.

Moore said he and city staff members have looked at "various options" and believe there are other ways to enhance bicycle safety in the area.

"Obviously, we have to look at the existing right of way," Moore said. "It is a little wider than we originally thought. We also have a pretty wide median in there. The overall objective is to ensure it's a safe area, not only for bicycles, but for cars and pedestrians."

If the grant is accepted by the Highway Department, Moore said, the city will "work with their staff and with the neighborhood and bike community to look at various options."

"I feel very strongly we can improve the safety of the area without a reduction of the lanes," Moore said.

Metro on 05/02/2015

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