Jon Honeywell, Little Rock director of public works, recently presented five alternative plans to close the loop of the Arkansas River Trail between the Gill Street Bridge and La Harpe Boulevard, a stretch that includes the Dillard’s Corporate Office.
The presentation took place during the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas General Meeting at Whole Hog Café on Cantrell Road in Little Rock. Engineering firm Garver created the initial plans.
The plans are neither complete nor final, and pieces from each may be used to create a set of designs to be approved by city engineers, which will then be presented to landowners such as Dillard’s for input before the design is finalized. Honeywell said he hopes to complete the final design by the end of the year.
Trail Alternative 1:
The first option, which has the least impact and is the least expensive of the five, essentially widens existing sidewalks and creates a path behind Dillard’s information technology center on the eastern edge of the campus. All five plans include a route around the IT center.
The design calls for a 5-foot grass buffer between the trail and street, along with a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing at the western Dillard’s driveway and raised crosswalks with flashing beacons on the eastern driveway. The plan has potential safety concerns associated with vehicles turning on and off Cantrell Road at high speeds.
Trail Alternative 2:
Although similar to the first option, the second alternative addresses such safety concerns by including a driveway reconstruction and utilizing the auxiliary lane between the two driveways to reduce crossing distance and entry speeds into the facility. According to the narrative provided by Garver, utilizing the auxiliary lane reduces the impact on trees and utilities and reduces the need for walls.
Trail Alternative 3:
The third option crosses the driveways further away from Cantrell Road, rather than at the existing sidewalks, which provides shorter crossing distances, lower vehicular speeds and fewer driver distractions associated with entering and exiting the main thoroughfare.
The trail travels between the trees and parking lot at the top of the hillside on which the Dillard’s facility is located and may include raised crosswalks and flashing beacons at each driveway crossing to slow traffic and alert drivers.
Trail Alternative 4:
The fourth option includes constructing a pedestrian bridge over the driveways, requiring fill walls to achieve the required bridge deck elevation. Although the plan would eliminate conflicts between drivers and cyclists at the driveways, it would involve substantial wall construction to slope the trail up to the required bridge elevation at a 5 percent slope, the narrative states.
Trail Alternative 5:
The fifth plan includes constructing a tunnel under the east driveway and a pedestrian bridge over the west driveway. Like the bridge in the fourth plan, the pedestrian bridge crossing the west driveway requires fill walls. In addition, retaining walls are required on either side of the tunnel below the east driveway. The existing topography of the sharply sloped east driveway is conducive to the tunnel, the narrative states.
During the presentation, Honeywell said city staff was particularly excited about the fifth option, and the plan received positive responses at the meeting. The use of both a bridge and tunnel provides an even grade along most of the stretch that makes for easier riding. When combined with the trail behind the IT center, the plan avoids any driveway crossings, providing a safe and effortless flow of pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the area.
Honeywell noted that another plan would be to take no action but said the city staff has decided to instead upgrade the route. The trails are 14 feet wide and paved, except for a short section between Dillard’s IT center and Cantrell Road.
While Dillard’s and other landowners will have an opportunity to provide input on the design, the final decision will be made by the city, Honeywell said, and the project will not move forward without the approval of a majority of the city board of directors.
Furthermore, because the project will be funded by the city, the design may be influenced by the amount of available funding, and the city may need to secure grants once a shovel-ready design is finalized, Honeywell said.
READ ALSO: ZACH WILLIAMS TO SPEAK, PERFORM AT 10TH ANNUAL RALLY FOR RECOVERY
