NW Arkansas Razorback Greenway Comes to Life

Years of planning and millions of dollars are bringing the Razorback Greenway close to completion. The result will be 36 interconnected miles of paved trails reaching from south Fayetteville to Bella Vista. Untold miles of side trails will carry users to the Razorback.

Between the two cities mentioned, the trail will run through Johnson, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville.

A $15 million grant from the U.S. Transportation Department’s Investment Generating Economic Recovery Fund was offered if an equal amount in matching funds could be raised. The Walton Family Foundation, a longtime supporter of trails and greenways, pledged $15 million to make the grant possible. Additionally, the Walton Family Foundation gave approximately $8 million to hire a planning and design team early in the formation process to ensure overall guidance. Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and many of the six affected cities also provided funding.

The Razorback Greenway connects the University of Arkansas, several hospitals and schools, NW Arkansas’ big three headquarters (Wal-Mart, Tyson, and J.B. Hunt), parks and playgrounds, art and entertainment venues and much more. People will have increased opportunities to bike to jobs and use the trail for lunchtime exercise.

Some people might question the feasibility of spending so much money on trails. Yes, it’s true highways and secondary roads are needed. It’s also true that not everyone bikes, walks or runs for exercise and enjoyment.

However, the reality is that the Razorback Greenway will be a major economic boon to Northwest Arkansas. In fact, the boon has started. A few cafes and bicycle shops were the first to open businesses along the trail. That’s only natural.

Visitors are already coming to NW Arkansas to take advantage of the trail, the beauty of the Ozarks, and the friendliness of our people. When they come here, they bring money with them to spend for restaurants, lodging, recreation, and shopping. Studies show proximity to trails and open space increases property values and marketability of homes.

Need I even mention the health benefits achieved by local residents using the trail to bike, walk, and jog? Having opportunities to be outside and enjoying nature improves mental health as well. Build an accessible and safe greenway and people will use it.

Some estimates run as high as $100 million in increased revenue for NW Arkansas. I have to question how that can be determined at this early stage. But I am confident economic benefits, including job creation, will increase to a major degree. It has happened in other cities across the nation. It will happen here.

For more information:

Official Website

Map

NW Arkansas Bike Trails

Joining bike trails from Fayetteville to Bella Vista is closer to reality due to a grant from the Department of Transportation. $15 million will be provided through the “Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Program.”

Fayetteville, Bentonville and other NW Arkansas towns have already created many existing bicycle trails. But the idea now is to join them all. Read More.

NW Arkansas is Getting Greener Every Day and Not Just Because It’s Spring

Mother Nature endowed the Ozarks with mountains, millions of green trees, lakes and rivers everywhere. This beauty and diversity calls people outdoors to enjoy it. It is heartening to know governments, corporations and individuals are working to preserve it all for generations to come.

You can walk, hike, mountain bike, or jog at your own pace on hundreds of miles of trails throughout NW Arkansas, many of which interconnect. Springdale has been a bit slower than other cities in building new trails, but now has plans under consideration to repair an old dam and reopen an existing trail around a lake. Additionally they may convert an empty building in the downtown area into a staging area connecting trails.

Green is more than just a buzzword in these parts. As everyone knows, NW Arkansas is the home of Walmart, one of the leaders in the sustainability movement here and throughout the country. Walmart’s membership-club arm, Sam’s Club, is a great illustration of green possibilities. The Fayetteville store showcases numerous environmentally sustainable features such as wastewater recycling, motion-sensor lighting, harvesting rain water for landscape plants, and more than 200 sky lights.

In 2007, Walmart Foundation gave a $1.5 million grant to fund The Applied Sustainability Center, based at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. According to the Center’s web site, they have developed a broad-based coalition of partners to advance efforts in building and supporting an economy built around people, planet and profit.

The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce introduced a new program named the GreeNWAy Initiative to certify businesses that are going green. The GreeNWAy committee partnered with the City of Fayetteville, the University of Arkansas Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), and the University of Arkansas Applied Sustainability Center to develop the certification process.

Some time back, many separate organizations joined together to form Green Valley Development in NW Arkansas. The idea is to bring together sustainability innovators, businesses, and technologies to coordinate resources and services for green companies to excel in the world market. Charter members include Walmart, several construction companies, banks, real estate companies, retailers, electric cooperatives and more.

What I’m trying to say is…

The continuing greening of NW Arkansas and adoption of sustainable policies is alive and well. It’s one of those things that make Fayetteville and NW Arkansas regular visitors to national “best places” (to live, retire, raise children, etc.) lists. And the green is one of those things that contribute to our high quality of life here.

Fayetteville’s Sales Tax Rate Increase and Extension

What do sewers, roads, and trails have in common? You guessed it, money! Lots of money.

Fayetteville voters went to the polls September 12th and voted to increase city sales tax by ¼ of 1%. They also voted to extend of the number of years before an existing ¾ of 1% sales tax will end. Thus, starting January 1, 2007, state, county and city sales tax on most purchases in Fayetteville will total 9¼% for the next 12 years. Hotel, motel and restaurant tax is an additional 2% on purchases of that type.

For those who haven’t lived here for several years, here is a brief summary of where we are on the sewer project, and how we got here-----

Back in the 1990s, city leaders realized that unprecedented growth would necessitate an improved wastewater treatment system. In 2000, city officials estimated $60 million to $90 million would be needed to cover sewer plant improvements.

In 2001, city administrators estimated $125 million was needed for the sewer project. Voters agreed and passed an increase of ¾ of 1% sales tax. The project was expected to be complete by September 2006. If everything went as planned, the bonds would have been paid off in 2013 and the increased sales tax increase would have ceased.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. By 2003, estimates had escalated to $140 million and completion was scheduled for 2007.

By 2005, fingers started pointing in all directions. Virtually everyone and everything imaginable were blamed for the cost overruns and delays. The engineers and designers, project directors, mayor, city staff, hurricanes Katrina and Rita, war in Iraq, China’s increasing demands for raw materials and energy – all were blamed. Some said it was no one’s fault - it was just that the original plan and cost estimates were “overly optimistic.”

Fast forward to 2006. Voters were told they would have to pay to complete the sewer project one way or another. They had two choices: (1) vote to increase and extend the sales tax or (2) pay considerably higher sewer fees each month for a much longer number of years.

Voters (the ones who vote anyway) are intelligent people. It was easy to see that approving the sales tax was the better choice. Everyone visiting the city would help residents pay for the sewers. Each time a visitor patronized a restaurant, spent a night at a motel, bought a gift, or shopped for groceries, money would roll in to the city coffers.

Again, I am saddened by the thousands of registered voters who did not take the time to make their voices heard. Roughly 83% of voters did NOT vote! But, I digress. Back to the subject of sewers.

The increase in sales tax revenue will be used to (hopefully) complete the sewer project. I have to say “hopefully” because at this point, no one can be certain about total costs. Some portions of the project have not even gone out to bid.

In addition to the $42 million sales tax increase that will be used to repay sewer bonds, voters approved additional expenditures for street improvements and trails. $66 million will help widen roads and reconfigure some extremely congested intersections. It will take several years for the planned improvements to be completed and I say the sooner the better.

And lastly, voters approved spending $2 million to improve hiking/biking trails. This is another example of what gives Fayetteville high rankings for quality of life.

For more information:

http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/09/12/columns/brenda_blagg/01blagg.txt
http://www.nwanews.com/story.php?paper=adg§ion=News&storyid=166459