LITTLE ROCK, AR, — Metroplan invites the public to review and comment on proposed routes for its Regional Greenways Plan. The plan identifies five active transportation routes extending over one hundred seventy (170) miles that radiate from the Arkansas River Trail loop to link all major cities and many smaller cities in the four-county region by multi-use bicycle-pedestrian paths. In February 2020, the Metroplan Board of Directors dedicated half of its Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding for the next ten years toward building the greenways system. Depending on annual funding levels from Federal Highway, this will represent an investment of approximately $65 to $75 million dollars in active transportation for area residents. The Regional Greenways Plan will inform these investments.
According to Tab Townsell, Executive Director of Metroplan, this round of comments will be available until the end of July but there will be opportunities for future comments as the plan progresses. The plan includes connecting to current and planned trails throughout the area such as the Arkansas River Trail, the proposed Tri-Creek Greenway and Southwest Trail. If completed, the Greenway will connect Conway, Little Rock, North Little Rock, Lonoke, Cabot, Hot Springs, and other communities along the routes.
The public is encouraged to access the interactive map at: https://www.centralarkgreenways.com/interactive-map. Once on the site, users can read more about the project and view the route map in great detail. Comments can be placed anywhere along routes by either clicking the route segment of the user’s choice or clicking the red “Add a Comment” button above the map legend.
Metroplan is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the four-county region of Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski, and Saline counties. It is a voluntary association of local governments that has operated since 1955. For more information go to metroplan.org.
One Response
I am super excited about this plan. I grew in a place where you could walk anywhere, with multiple options for public transportation as well. Now, I leave in Austin(next to Cabot) where there are hardly any sidewalks. I will for sure benefit from it.