Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Rogers plans new roundabouts
South Arkansas Street work expected to be done in early 2023
ROGERS — A major project on Arkansas Street is almost done. Another one north of downtown is on the horizon.
The notice to proceed with construction on South Arkansas Street between Oak and Chestnut streets was issued Sept. 2, 2020. Barring inclement weather, the road should be done sometime early next year, according to John McCurdy, community development director for the city.
The initial schedule estimated the project would end in the first few months of 2022.
McCurdy acknowledged it has been “a very long project,” partly because crews found an abandoned railroad track under the street which had to be excavated. Work also could never continue at night because of the risk of interfering with utility lines, he said.
The project will update the connection between Arkansas 265 and Arkansas 12 and expand mixed-use development east of the railroad tracks, according to McCurdy. It will also provide additional bicycle and pedestrian connectivity and access to nearby amenities such as Railyard Park and Lake Atalanta.
The city considered if the road should be a high-speed bypass but ultimately opted for a slower street, which made more sense to the community and local businesses, he said.
The eastern edge of downtown is underused, and past development has more or less hit a wall at the tracks, he said. The arrival of Ozark Beer Co. and other businesses on Arkansas Street hints the wall is beginning to come down, he said.
ALMOST DONE
Part of South Arkansas Street is still closed as work continues between Pine and Poplar streets.
Crews are installing a storm sewer on Poplar Street. Pavement soon will be poured, then concrete will be laid for the intersections.
“It will take longer than one might think because it’s a two-step process,” McCurdy said.
The road is complete from Oak to Pine and from Poplar to Chestnut.
Drivers can access Ernesto’s Auto Service & Sales, Black Crown Social cigar lounge and the Tyson plant employee parking lot by traveling north along Arkansas from Oak to Pine, up B Street by the Railyard Bike Park, along a gravel road past construction. The detour eventually leads around the back of Jiffy Kwick convenience store to Elm Street, which intersects with Arkansas.
Signs at the intersection of Arkansas and Oak indicate Ernesto’s, Black Crown and Tyson parking are open down the road. The road is closed to through traffic.
The city printed and put up the sign for Ernesto’s upon request around the beginning of the project.
There isn’t a legal requirement to put up a sign, but it seemed like the right thing to do, he said. The city had several meetings at City Hall to get feedback from businesses impacted by the road work.
Ernesto Gaucin, owner of Ernesto’s, said the lengthy closing has led to fewer customers in his shop, though city staff has listened and responded well to feedback.
Gaucin plans to retire soon and sell the property at 405 S. Arkansas St., where he opened the business in 2002, he said.
He said he doesn’t expect the road opening to make a significant difference for the business, because those driving the new road will primarily be looking at downtown attractions.
Walter and Whitney Blackburn opened their cigar lounge Black Crown Social a few weeks ago at 216 E. Poplar St., east of Arkansas Street.
Walter Blackburn said the road closing and construction
haven’t been good for business and he’s looking forward to it being finished, but the city has been easy to work with. The owners are doing their best to attract visitors by word of mouth and have already gained some regular customers, he said.
They plan to hold a grand opening once they are ready to open Black Crown’s whiskey bar.
The shop became a kind of haven during the week of Bikes, Blues & BBQ for people from local businesses to relax together at the end of the day, according to Blackburn.
ON THE HORIZON
A future project along North Arkansas and B streets will bring together state highways and connect downtown to nearby neighborhoods by adding two roundabouts where Locust, or Arkansas 12, and North streets intersect with B Street.
Opinions on roundabouts may vary, but the data doesn’t, McCurdy said. They reduce serious injuries and deaths from accidents, promote lower speeds and facilitate a more natural flow of traffic than signalled intersections, he said.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have both asserted roundabouts are a proven way of saving lives because they present fewer conflict points and cause drivers to slow down.
According to the plans, the Locust and B street roundabout would connect with a planned north-south road, which would progress from the intersection of Arkansas and Maple streets to the east side of Sunnyside Baptist Church.
The North and B street roundabout would connect to Union and North Arkansas streets. Another roundabout would be built at the intersection of Union and Second streets.
The designs for the connection are basically done, and the city will be purchasing property for the projects over the next year, likely through the middle of 2023, McCurdy said.
“Sometimes I hate to put these dates out there, because you just don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said, adding there are always unpredictable elements such as weather or objects buried in the ground.
Both Arkansas Street projects require some care because they are in tight spaces and near existing buildings, homes and businesses, he said.
“It’s one thing to build a road in the middle of a field somewhere. This is a lot like renovating an old house.”
Both Arkansas Street projects require some care because they are in tight spaces and near existing buildings, homes and businesses, McCurdy said.