Lowell officials update street plan

LOWELL — Planning Commission members on Monday approved an update that makes 11 changes to the city’s master street plan, including adding new streets and changing the status of existing roads.

The changes were in response to growth and development, according to Karen Davis, community development director.

The master street plan was developed sometime between 2003 and 2008, Davis said. The city plans major arterial and collector roads where growth is anticipated. The plan is adjusted every couple of years as the need arises, she said.

Recently, the city has seen a number of new subdivisions, which have changed the need for expansion on roads the city didn’t expect to need to widen, she said.

Lowell sits in the center of Northwest Arkansas, between Springdale and Rogers, and as other cities expand their roads and new corridors, Lowell tries to be a good neighbor and keep the connections going, Davis said.

Several streets’ statuses were updated to reflect whether they have been developed. For example, Bellview Street’s status was changed from arterial to proposed arterial, while North Goad Springs Road was named a collector street instead of a proposed collector street.

Local streets were added in Timber Ridge subdivision phase two, from Presidential Drive to McClure Avenue, and between Monroe and McClure avenues.

A street connecting Bluff Drive to Dixieland Road was also proposed. The street is needed because Center Point subdivision has only one entrance and exit, which is a safety issue, Davis said.

The updates also reflect that a trail from Mills Lane to the trailhead at Kathleen Johnson Memorial Park is complete, and a trail along Old Wire Road is proposed for development.

“We need more connecting streets and connections,” said commission member Chase Henrichs.