When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When AHTD gives you traffic nightmares, promote active/alternative transportation! Already jokingly dubbed #LRpocalypse by @ArkansasBlog, it is looking like traffic in Central Arkansas could get really nasty for much of 2015-2019. Here is why:
1. Broadway Bridge replacement - Scheduled to start in 2015 and take two years to complete.
2. I-30 Downtown Bridge Replacement - AHTD says they will try to wait until the Broadway Bridge is done to begin this $300-400 million project, but they may not have a choice due to funding-related requirements. I've heard reports that preliminary work on the I-30 bridge will start while Broadway Bridge is still out of service.
3. I-630 widening/"improvements" - I've written extensively on my opposition to widening I-630 and this is just one more reason for people to hate the project. Though plans are still being finalized (and will hopefully be canceled) construction work is scheduled to begin in 2017 and run into 2019.
So to recap, starting sometime in 2015, maybe the spring, the Broadway Bridge will close, making traffic in downtown Little Rock worse. Before the bridge is finished (don't these things always take longer and cost more than predicted?) it is likely that work on I-30 in the downtown area will begin. Around the same time, AHTD will probably be closing lanes of I-630 in order to add lanes that won't offer any long-term congestion benefits. In short we are looking at 4 years of at least one major highway project (Broadway is Hwy-67/70b) impacting traffic in Little Rock/North Little Rock and probably 2-3 years of overlapping projects.
So, what's the upside? Well, if you look at a map of downtown Little Rock, you'll notice that there are two pedestrian bridges near the Broadway and I-30 bridges, and these won't be closed! Nor will the pedestrian lane on the Main St. bridge. People tired of sitting in traffic forever will be looking for better ways to get downtown. Those that live within 2-10 miles might be looking at biking. People who live closer could walk or take the trolley. This 4-5 year traffic nightmare presents a great opportunity to increase the number of people who commute by bike, foot, or bus in Central Arkansas, but there are some things Little Rock and North Little Rock should do in order to make this time easier on residents and to make it simple for people interested in exploring new modes of transportation to do so:
1. Improve the Trail System - Little Rock needs to "Close the Loop" on the River Trail and build more spur trails to link more neighborhoods to the trail system.
2. Expand education and outreach efforts - People need to know that trails exist and can get them where they want to go.
3. Encourage employers to provide shower facilities. The city could even build a public facility downtown, maybe at the Bus Terminal, the River Market, or on the River Trail.
4. Create a Bike Share program. People are more likely to use bikes if they don't have to worry about storage, parking, maintenance, theft, or large upfront costs. Lots of cities have these, but the City of Little Rock claims they are too difficult to implement. With more cities adding Bike Share programs all the time, this argument doesn't seem to hold any water.
If you care about active transportation, help get the word out. Little Rock is looking at years of horrible traffic congestion and residents do have other choices for getting to work.
Here is a piece I did on when bike commuting beats driving in Little Rock (and elsewhere):
http://trailsofarkansas.blogspot.com/2011/09/when-bikes-beat-cars.html
Nice background on benefits of Bike Share programs:
http://theairspace.net/insight/bikesharing-is-caring-how-personal-transportation-is-changing/
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Hiking Hazards in Arkansas
While Arkansas is blessed with great trails, it also has an abundance of animals and plants that can ruin your day in the wilderness (and the following week). I try to do an annual backpacking trip and when I go in the summer, I avoid Arkansas and flee to the mountains of California, Washington, or Colorado where you can wade through thick vegetation without the fear of stepping on venomous snakes or emerging covered in hundreds of ticks or invisible chiggers.
If you are thinking about hiking or backpacking in Arkansas in June, July, or August; my first piece of advice is don't do it and maybe try a float instead. If you decide to go anyways (or want to be prepared for hikes in the spring and fall) be sure to learn how to avoid the hazards described below:
1. Poison Ivy - This nasty plant causes an itchy, often bubbly, rash on a significant portion of the population. The rash often takes a day or more to show up and is quite unpleasant. It is found in almost every county of the state and loves to grow in and along trails. Closely related Poison Oak looks similar and contains the same rash causing oil. It is found in about half the counties in the state. Look for vines or slightly woody/small shrubs with shiny leaves-of-three (let them be!). The photo below shows poison ivy in the late spring. The leaves can get a bit darker later in the year and white berries form on the vine in the fall/winter. For more on how to identify these species click here. Interestingly enough, poison ivy looks a lot like young Box Elder saplings, though the arrangement of the stems is different.
2. Ticks - These small arachnids blanket the wilds of Arkansas from late spring to fall. I'm not saying you can't get them other times of the year, but you are essentially guaranteed to get them if you brush up against any vegetation in the summer. Though they may not enjoy attaching to humans as much as adults do; seed (larvae/baby) ticks add a special psychological horror to the experience when you realize that the dust/dirt on your leg/arm is actually hundreds or thousands of tiny blood-seeking arachnids. My personal experience is that ticks and seed ticks are at their worst in July and August which is why I usually stick to floating or swimming for my outdoors fun then, unless I'm trying to finish up a book. Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise and can be quite serious. I recommend wearing long, light colored pants and light-weight long-sleeved shirts if you decide to tempt fate and spraying your boots, ankles, waistline, etc with bug spray. If you can handle extra warmth and breaking fashion laws, it helps to tuck your pants into your socks. Companies also make clothing impregnated with permethrin if that concept doesn't make you nervous. Always do a thorough tick check as soon as you get home (or whenever you take a break).
3. Chiggers - Chiggers are horrible. I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who've encountered these tiny mites would rank them as the worst item on this list. If you're unlucky enough to have been bitten by a copperhead or rattlesnake then maybe that's worse; I (and 99.999% of Americans) wouldn't know. The problem with chiggers is you can't see them and I don't really think you can feel them until they are long gone and the agony has begun. Chiggers leave your ankles, waistline, or any other area where clothes hug your skin, covered in dozens of incredibly itchy bites that are an intense experience for 2-3 days and can take weeks to disappear. Prevention tips are similar to those listed above for ticks.
4. Venomous snakes - I hesitated to include this in the list since venomous snake bites are extremely rare compare to cases of heat stroke, tick-borne illnesses, chigger attacks, and poison ivy rashes. That said, Arkansas is home to multiple species of venomous snakes and they are most active in the summer and fall. I spend a fair amount of time outdoors and have never been bitten by a snake, but I do know someone who has been, so a little caution can't hurt. The best way to avoid being bitten it to watch where you are stepping and where you are putting your hands. Wearing boots and/or sturdy gators can help protect you as well. It should be obvious, but poking or otherwise messing with a venomous snake you've encountered is a bad idea.
5. Heat - Heat coupled with extreme humidity (i.e. summer in Arkansas) makes it difficult for your body to cool itself. Be sure to carry plenty of water and take plenty of breaks when hiking or backpacking in the summer in Arkansas. Given this and all the hazards discussed above, doesn't a nice float on the Buffalo or a cool spring fed stream sound better?
Click here for more information on floats in Arkansas.
Here are some pieces I wrote on swimming holes in Arkansas.
If you are thinking about hiking or backpacking in Arkansas in June, July, or August; my first piece of advice is don't do it and maybe try a float instead. If you decide to go anyways (or want to be prepared for hikes in the spring and fall) be sure to learn how to avoid the hazards described below:
1. Poison Ivy - This nasty plant causes an itchy, often bubbly, rash on a significant portion of the population. The rash often takes a day or more to show up and is quite unpleasant. It is found in almost every county of the state and loves to grow in and along trails. Closely related Poison Oak looks similar and contains the same rash causing oil. It is found in about half the counties in the state. Look for vines or slightly woody/small shrubs with shiny leaves-of-three (let them be!). The photo below shows poison ivy in the late spring. The leaves can get a bit darker later in the year and white berries form on the vine in the fall/winter. For more on how to identify these species click here. Interestingly enough, poison ivy looks a lot like young Box Elder saplings, though the arrangement of the stems is different.
 |
| Young Poison Ivy Plant in Fayetteville |
 |
| Poison Ivy with a Better Background |
3. Chiggers - Chiggers are horrible. I'm willing to bet the vast majority of people who've encountered these tiny mites would rank them as the worst item on this list. If you're unlucky enough to have been bitten by a copperhead or rattlesnake then maybe that's worse; I (and 99.999% of Americans) wouldn't know. The problem with chiggers is you can't see them and I don't really think you can feel them until they are long gone and the agony has begun. Chiggers leave your ankles, waistline, or any other area where clothes hug your skin, covered in dozens of incredibly itchy bites that are an intense experience for 2-3 days and can take weeks to disappear. Prevention tips are similar to those listed above for ticks.
4. Venomous snakes - I hesitated to include this in the list since venomous snake bites are extremely rare compare to cases of heat stroke, tick-borne illnesses, chigger attacks, and poison ivy rashes. That said, Arkansas is home to multiple species of venomous snakes and they are most active in the summer and fall. I spend a fair amount of time outdoors and have never been bitten by a snake, but I do know someone who has been, so a little caution can't hurt. The best way to avoid being bitten it to watch where you are stepping and where you are putting your hands. Wearing boots and/or sturdy gators can help protect you as well. It should be obvious, but poking or otherwise messing with a venomous snake you've encountered is a bad idea.
5. Heat - Heat coupled with extreme humidity (i.e. summer in Arkansas) makes it difficult for your body to cool itself. Be sure to carry plenty of water and take plenty of breaks when hiking or backpacking in the summer in Arkansas. Given this and all the hazards discussed above, doesn't a nice float on the Buffalo or a cool spring fed stream sound better?
Click here for more information on floats in Arkansas.
Here are some pieces I wrote on swimming holes in Arkansas.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Why I Oppose Widening I-630 (and now I-30) in Little Rock
Short Update 1/10/2019
Oh weird, ArDOT's cost estimate for 30 Crossing turned out to be way too low. Who could have guessed that?! (Answer: everyone)
Having originally provided a figure of $325 million, bids recently came in at about $1 billion for just the 30 Crossing part (which doesn't cover the inevitable fixes to future bottlenecks the project will cause on adjacent sections of highway).
This means trouble for the proposed (and completely unnecessary) widening of I-30. If they can't find more money, they'll have to figure out what they can get for $500-$600 million (hint: a lot less). Then there is the issue of whether they can legally spend money dedicated to building 4-lane highways to build a 10-lane one. Then there is the issue of whether making large changes to the plan will require a new environmental assessment, which takes time. You can bet that the same amount of work will only get more expensive as time passes and that getting new estimates in 6-12 months will only make their problems worse.
The right thing to do would be for ArDOT to drop this terrible idea and work with Little Rock on the boulevard concept that would be way better for the city and cheaper for Arkansas taxpayers. I won't hold my breath waiting for them to make that decision, but it sounds like they'll at least have a tougher time moving forward with this boondoggle.
https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2019/01/10/whoops-dramatic-cost-overrun-and-change-in-scope-for-the-i-30-concrete-gulch-in-little-rock
Updated 10/2015
This post has gotten long and unwieldy from all the updates, but I want to leave all the info below and add this brief summary.
1. Arkansas has the 12th largest highway system in the US, yet we rank 32nd in population and 29th in area. Given that we consistently rank near the bottom in education and health, the last thing we need to spend more money on is more highways or lanes on highways! According to that AHTD document, we have more miles of highway than California, New York, or Florida. (Loved this stat from MoveArkansas: 25: the number of traffic lanes connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan today. 26: the number of traffic lanes connecting Little Rock to North Little Rock today. Brooklyn and Manhattan combined have 10X the population of Central Arkansas. Also, more lanes connect LR&NLR than SF & Oakland)
2. AHTD complains about lack of highway funding while proposing unnecessary multi-billion dollar projects that will damage our communities, won't improve traffic in the long-term, and will boost the cost of future maintenance when we already can't afford to maintain what we've got. The widening of I-30 stands to be the single most expensive undertaking in AHTD's history.
3. Our state's approach to transportation is stuck in the past. While other states are closing urban freeways, putting roads on diets, and focusing on prioritizing active and mass transportation while maintaining roads and bridges; Arkansas still seems to think widening highways and interstates is the way to go. We are prioritizing long commutes and sprawl over local communities and quality of life. Look at these incredible examples and then imagine what we could do with I-630 or that section of I-30. Let's route just-passing-through traffic around the city on I-440 and get rid of these things.
4. The plans to widen more of I-630 and I-30 (to 10 lanes?!) are a huge waste of money and will damage the character of downtown Little Rock. They will make it harder to get around by bike or rail and will make the RiverMarket and Clinton Library less scenic. These projects are in direct conflict with AHTD's Mission: "Provide a safe, efficient, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sound intermodal transportation system for the user." Adding Interstate lanes at the expense of rail, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure is the opposite of intermodal. Watch the video or visit the Facebook page below to get an idea for how "aesthetically pleasing" these projects will be.
What you can do:
Please read on for some history and other resources.
Updated 4/21/2015 & 10/12/2015 to reflect new proposal to widen I-30 to 10 lanes in Central Arkansas & impact that would have on existing rail.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department is looking hard at widening I-630, first from Baptist Hospital to University Ave. and then all the way to I-30 downtown. They are also reportedly considering widening I-30 around downtown to 10 lanes. These are all horrible ideas and worse than a complete waste of taxpayer money. While this post may seem a bit off-topic at first, allow me to explain why it isn't:
1. AHTD funds roads and alternative transportation projects (including trails) in the state. Wasting money on highway projects takes away funding from projects that actually improve traffic, public health, and quality of life. Widening projects not only waste money upfront, but guarantee that it will be wasted for maintenance and repairs for decades into the future. Funding for interstates and alternative transportation often comes from different pools of federal money, but AHTD does have some discretion on where money is spent and wasting taxpayer money is not a good thing. These interstate projects around Little Rock will cost hundreds of millions of dollars if built, enough for light rail between downtown and West Little Rock or a thousand miles of bike trail (which have lower maintenance costs due to the lower weight of bikes and pedestrians). Given that the United States Highway Trust fund has not been fully solvent since 2008, we should at most be talking about maintaining current highway infrastructure and fixing failing bridges rather than expanding these highways at great upfront and future cost. Income from the gas tax that funds the Highway Fund has been declining for the past decade; as people continue to drive less and drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, funds raised from the tax will continue to decline.
2. Widening highways never improves traffic in the medium or long-term; in fact it makes traffic worse. This counter-intuitive fact has been supported by numerous studies and isn't questioned by professional traffic engineers. AHTD likes these kinds of projects because building highways is their job. Interestingly enough, no one on the Arkansas State Highway Commission has a degree relating to traffic engineering. Given how long the work at the I-630/I-430 interchange is taking, I'd be surprised if the short-term decrease in traffic (congestion benefits typically last less than 3 years) from this proposed widening lasted any longer than the period of increased delays during its construction. This widening project is part of the Connecting Arkansas Program, which has been contracted out to a private engineering firm. Even 'public comments' sent through the CAP website that has AHTD logos all over it actually go to a employee of that private company. I'm waiting to hear how/when/if those comments will be seen by an actual state employee.
3. Widening highways increases sprawl, driving up costs of city services while depleting the tax-base which pays for those services. Thanks to I-630, Little Rock is already obligated to provide fire, police, water, sewer, and roads for a much larger area (West Little Rock, SW Little Rock) all while the population of the city grew at a much lower rate than its area. Widening the interstate will only make this problem worse. Sprawl costs the United States $1 trillion every year.
4. In particular, urban auxiliary interstates like I-630 harm areas closest to downtown. This highway spurred white-flight and helped segregate Little Rock, while encouraging the growth of west and southwest LR as well as Conway and Maumelle; which lead the Little Rock Metropolitan area to its current Top-10 position as one the worst sprawling mid-sized cities in the country.
5. AHTD should actually close I-630 or convert it to a multi-modal boulevard or "complete-street". San Francisco and other cities around the world have seen improved traffic, greater development, and boosted walkability from closing similar highways. A Metroplan report on walkability in Central Arkansas states "Cities that have taken out urban freeways have seen neighborhoods blossom in their place, with reductions in congestion...Examples include Harbor Drive in Portland, the Park East Freeway in Milwaukee, and the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco. With many U.S. freeways reaching the end of their service lives, and Federal Highway Trust Fund money drying up, Speck [author of Walkable City] foresees an opportunity to replace more freeways with conventional streets, perhaps reconfigured into “best practice” walkable mixed-use landscapes."
If Arkansas wants better traffic, more walkable/bikeable cities, and improved air-quality and health; then it needs to embrace modern transportation planning and stop focusing on widening roads and start focusing on building better trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes, constructing light-rail projects, and improving mass transit options.
Useful Links/Information
10 lane I-30 would kill rail east of the Interstate.
Metroplan Walkability Report (great statistics, demographic trends, etc)
Walkability of Arkansas Cities and Neighborhoods
The Atlantic covers the issue
Warwick Sabin Statement on I-30 Proposal
Another Arkansas Times piece on the I-30 expansion
Six Freeway Removals That Improved Cities
MoveArkansas Blog
Very basic information on the widening project
Arkansas Times story on the history and negative impacts of I-630
Information on I-630 and potential light-rail, BRT, or Streetcar alternatives to adding lanes via Metroplan.
The next link wasn't working, so here is an article about the same idea.
Scientific Paper on Highway Widening and Traffic Response. (Contains numerous great references to additional studies)
Easier to read Wired story on the same.
ArkansasMatters.com story on the issue
The Case For Tearing Down Urban Freeways - Vox.com
Old Material:
The following information was collected from e-mail/Twitter correspondence with officials at CAP, Metroplan, AHTD, Pulaski County, etc.:
Baptist to University Section:
The project to add lanes between Baptist and University Ave. was funded (and in a sense "approved") by the 1/2 cent tax passed in 2012 that funded all CAP projects. Viewing this as public approval of widening I-630 seems like a bit of stretch even before you get into which citizens should have the most say in what to do with the interstate; those that live nearby or those that live far away.
The need for this particular project was "identified and the widening recommended in a 1999 I-630 corridor study commissioned by Metroplan". Metroplan board has apparently supported this project.
Currently "in preliminary design", construction on this section will likely begin in 2-3 years, though there should be a public involvement meeting scheduled "for late 2014 or early 2015" to present the preliminary plans to the public for comment.
University to I-30 (Downtown) Section:
This section is not nearly as far along in the planning process. "At the April 16, 2014, meeting of the Arkansas Highway Commission, a Minute Order (that’s the name of an official action of the Highway Commission) was passed authorizing a study to be undertaken to “determine the need for and feasibility of improvements to Interstate 630 between University Avenue and Interstate 30 in Little Rock.”
"The next step in the process will be for the AHTD to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to conduct the study, then ... go through the consultant selection process, then ... negotiate specific terms of the contract, and finally enter into a contractual agreement with the consultant. All that will take several months."
Once the consultant begins the study, it will likely take over a year and the completed study will be used as a guide in developing future construction programs. The study will look at cost/benefit, other pros and cons, and explore several concepts in addition to widening including HOV, ramp metering, enhanced public transportation, etc.
Even if the study determines improvements are needed in this section, AHTD currently has no timeline in place for implementing them.
Public Meetings:
AHTD employees will meet with the Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods on Saturday, June 14th at 10 a.m. at the Wilie Hinton Resource Center on 12th Street, to discuss the process that will be used to study I-630 and I-30 in the coming months/years. The meeting is open to the public.
Leaders/Groups Opposed to Widening I-630 (Let me know if I am missing any!):
Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines
Downtown Neighborhood Association (I think)
For the section from University to I-30, Metroplan recommended "extensive public involvement, 3D renderings w/ alternatives to weigh in on, and further analysis"
Oh weird, ArDOT's cost estimate for 30 Crossing turned out to be way too low. Who could have guessed that?! (Answer: everyone)
Having originally provided a figure of $325 million, bids recently came in at about $1 billion for just the 30 Crossing part (which doesn't cover the inevitable fixes to future bottlenecks the project will cause on adjacent sections of highway).
This means trouble for the proposed (and completely unnecessary) widening of I-30. If they can't find more money, they'll have to figure out what they can get for $500-$600 million (hint: a lot less). Then there is the issue of whether they can legally spend money dedicated to building 4-lane highways to build a 10-lane one. Then there is the issue of whether making large changes to the plan will require a new environmental assessment, which takes time. You can bet that the same amount of work will only get more expensive as time passes and that getting new estimates in 6-12 months will only make their problems worse.
The right thing to do would be for ArDOT to drop this terrible idea and work with Little Rock on the boulevard concept that would be way better for the city and cheaper for Arkansas taxpayers. I won't hold my breath waiting for them to make that decision, but it sounds like they'll at least have a tougher time moving forward with this boondoggle.
https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2019/01/10/whoops-dramatic-cost-overrun-and-change-in-scope-for-the-i-30-concrete-gulch-in-little-rock
Updated 10/2015
This post has gotten long and unwieldy from all the updates, but I want to leave all the info below and add this brief summary.
1. Arkansas has the 12th largest highway system in the US, yet we rank 32nd in population and 29th in area. Given that we consistently rank near the bottom in education and health, the last thing we need to spend more money on is more highways or lanes on highways! According to that AHTD document, we have more miles of highway than California, New York, or Florida. (Loved this stat from MoveArkansas: 25: the number of traffic lanes connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan today. 26: the number of traffic lanes connecting Little Rock to North Little Rock today. Brooklyn and Manhattan combined have 10X the population of Central Arkansas. Also, more lanes connect LR&NLR than SF & Oakland)
2. AHTD complains about lack of highway funding while proposing unnecessary multi-billion dollar projects that will damage our communities, won't improve traffic in the long-term, and will boost the cost of future maintenance when we already can't afford to maintain what we've got. The widening of I-30 stands to be the single most expensive undertaking in AHTD's history.
3. Our state's approach to transportation is stuck in the past. While other states are closing urban freeways, putting roads on diets, and focusing on prioritizing active and mass transportation while maintaining roads and bridges; Arkansas still seems to think widening highways and interstates is the way to go. We are prioritizing long commutes and sprawl over local communities and quality of life. Look at these incredible examples and then imagine what we could do with I-630 or that section of I-30. Let's route just-passing-through traffic around the city on I-440 and get rid of these things.
4. The plans to widen more of I-630 and I-30 (to 10 lanes?!) are a huge waste of money and will damage the character of downtown Little Rock. They will make it harder to get around by bike or rail and will make the RiverMarket and Clinton Library less scenic. These projects are in direct conflict with AHTD's Mission: "Provide a safe, efficient, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sound intermodal transportation system for the user." Adding Interstate lanes at the expense of rail, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure is the opposite of intermodal. Watch the video or visit the Facebook page below to get an idea for how "aesthetically pleasing" these projects will be.
What you can do:
- Join this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1625941031012464/
- Visit http://www.30crossing.com/ and send in a public comment to info@30Crossing.com
- Contact the Arkansas State Highway Commission and let them know you are unhappy about the proposed widening and the fact that Director Bennett seems unaware of the connection between highway expansion and sprawl.
- Contact your local and state elected officials. Local officials in Little Rock should come out in opposition to this project. State level officials have the power to improve highway funding so that we have more money for maintenance and repairs and less for unnecessary projects like these.
Please read on for some history and other resources.
I-30 – 10 Lanes with Downtown Collector/Distributor Roads from Connecting Arkansas Program on Vimeo.
Updated 4/21/2015 & 10/12/2015 to reflect new proposal to widen I-30 to 10 lanes in Central Arkansas & impact that would have on existing rail.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department is looking hard at widening I-630, first from Baptist Hospital to University Ave. and then all the way to I-30 downtown. They are also reportedly considering widening I-30 around downtown to 10 lanes. These are all horrible ideas and worse than a complete waste of taxpayer money. While this post may seem a bit off-topic at first, allow me to explain why it isn't:
1. AHTD funds roads and alternative transportation projects (including trails) in the state. Wasting money on highway projects takes away funding from projects that actually improve traffic, public health, and quality of life. Widening projects not only waste money upfront, but guarantee that it will be wasted for maintenance and repairs for decades into the future. Funding for interstates and alternative transportation often comes from different pools of federal money, but AHTD does have some discretion on where money is spent and wasting taxpayer money is not a good thing. These interstate projects around Little Rock will cost hundreds of millions of dollars if built, enough for light rail between downtown and West Little Rock or a thousand miles of bike trail (which have lower maintenance costs due to the lower weight of bikes and pedestrians). Given that the United States Highway Trust fund has not been fully solvent since 2008, we should at most be talking about maintaining current highway infrastructure and fixing failing bridges rather than expanding these highways at great upfront and future cost. Income from the gas tax that funds the Highway Fund has been declining for the past decade; as people continue to drive less and drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, funds raised from the tax will continue to decline.
2. Widening highways never improves traffic in the medium or long-term; in fact it makes traffic worse. This counter-intuitive fact has been supported by numerous studies and isn't questioned by professional traffic engineers. AHTD likes these kinds of projects because building highways is their job. Interestingly enough, no one on the Arkansas State Highway Commission has a degree relating to traffic engineering. Given how long the work at the I-630/I-430 interchange is taking, I'd be surprised if the short-term decrease in traffic (congestion benefits typically last less than 3 years) from this proposed widening lasted any longer than the period of increased delays during its construction. This widening project is part of the Connecting Arkansas Program, which has been contracted out to a private engineering firm. Even 'public comments' sent through the CAP website that has AHTD logos all over it actually go to a employee of that private company. I'm waiting to hear how/when/if those comments will be seen by an actual state employee.
3. Widening highways increases sprawl, driving up costs of city services while depleting the tax-base which pays for those services. Thanks to I-630, Little Rock is already obligated to provide fire, police, water, sewer, and roads for a much larger area (West Little Rock, SW Little Rock) all while the population of the city grew at a much lower rate than its area. Widening the interstate will only make this problem worse. Sprawl costs the United States $1 trillion every year.
4. In particular, urban auxiliary interstates like I-630 harm areas closest to downtown. This highway spurred white-flight and helped segregate Little Rock, while encouraging the growth of west and southwest LR as well as Conway and Maumelle; which lead the Little Rock Metropolitan area to its current Top-10 position as one the worst sprawling mid-sized cities in the country.
5. AHTD should actually close I-630 or convert it to a multi-modal boulevard or "complete-street". San Francisco and other cities around the world have seen improved traffic, greater development, and boosted walkability from closing similar highways. A Metroplan report on walkability in Central Arkansas states "Cities that have taken out urban freeways have seen neighborhoods blossom in their place, with reductions in congestion...Examples include Harbor Drive in Portland, the Park East Freeway in Milwaukee, and the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco. With many U.S. freeways reaching the end of their service lives, and Federal Highway Trust Fund money drying up, Speck [author of Walkable City] foresees an opportunity to replace more freeways with conventional streets, perhaps reconfigured into “best practice” walkable mixed-use landscapes."
If Arkansas wants better traffic, more walkable/bikeable cities, and improved air-quality and health; then it needs to embrace modern transportation planning and stop focusing on widening roads and start focusing on building better trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes, constructing light-rail projects, and improving mass transit options.
Useful Links/Information
10 lane I-30 would kill rail east of the Interstate.
Metroplan Walkability Report (great statistics, demographic trends, etc)
Walkability of Arkansas Cities and Neighborhoods
The Atlantic covers the issue
Warwick Sabin Statement on I-30 Proposal
Another Arkansas Times piece on the I-30 expansion
Six Freeway Removals That Improved Cities
MoveArkansas Blog
Very basic information on the widening project
Arkansas Times story on the history and negative impacts of I-630
Information on I-630 and potential light-rail, BRT, or Streetcar alternatives to adding lanes via Metroplan.
The next link wasn't working, so here is an article about the same idea.
Scientific Paper on Highway Widening and Traffic Response. (Contains numerous great references to additional studies)
Easier to read Wired story on the same.
ArkansasMatters.com story on the issue
The Case For Tearing Down Urban Freeways - Vox.com
Old Material:
The following information was collected from e-mail/Twitter correspondence with officials at CAP, Metroplan, AHTD, Pulaski County, etc.:
Baptist to University Section:
The project to add lanes between Baptist and University Ave. was funded (and in a sense "approved") by the 1/2 cent tax passed in 2012 that funded all CAP projects. Viewing this as public approval of widening I-630 seems like a bit of stretch even before you get into which citizens should have the most say in what to do with the interstate; those that live nearby or those that live far away.
The need for this particular project was "identified and the widening recommended in a 1999 I-630 corridor study commissioned by Metroplan". Metroplan board has apparently supported this project.
Currently "in preliminary design", construction on this section will likely begin in 2-3 years, though there should be a public involvement meeting scheduled "for late 2014 or early 2015" to present the preliminary plans to the public for comment.
University to I-30 (Downtown) Section:
This section is not nearly as far along in the planning process. "At the April 16, 2014, meeting of the Arkansas Highway Commission, a Minute Order (that’s the name of an official action of the Highway Commission) was passed authorizing a study to be undertaken to “determine the need for and feasibility of improvements to Interstate 630 between University Avenue and Interstate 30 in Little Rock.”
Once the consultant begins the study, it will likely take over a year and the completed study will be used as a guide in developing future construction programs. The study will look at cost/benefit, other pros and cons, and explore several concepts in addition to widening including HOV, ramp metering, enhanced public transportation, etc.
Even if the study determines improvements are needed in this section, AHTD currently has no timeline in place for implementing them.
Public Meetings:
AHTD employees will meet with the Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods on Saturday, June 14th at 10 a.m. at the Wilie Hinton Resource Center on 12th Street, to discuss the process that will be used to study I-630 and I-30 in the coming months/years. The meeting is open to the public.
Leaders/Groups Opposed to Widening I-630 (Let me know if I am missing any!):
Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines
Downtown Neighborhood Association (I think)
For the section from University to I-30, Metroplan recommended "extensive public involvement, 3D renderings w/ alternatives to weigh in on, and further analysis"
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Levy Trail - North Little Rock
While at the 2014 Bike/Walk Summit, I learned about the Levy Trail in North Little Rock. While it is currently only partly paved, the trail stretches over 4 miles from I-40 to Camp Robinson roughly paralleling Camp Robinson Rd. on an old rail bed.
I was told the southern part is paved from under I-40 to about 52nd St. The rest is being worked on and is walkable, but not good for road bikes. When finished, this trail will improve active transportation options in North Little Rock greatly, especially if connected to the River Trail or Argenta.
I haven't been on the trail, so no pictures yet. If you have some good photos and wouldn't mind me using them, let me know!
I was told the southern part is paved from under I-40 to about 52nd St. The rest is being worked on and is walkable, but not good for road bikes. When finished, this trail will improve active transportation options in North Little Rock greatly, especially if connected to the River Trail or Argenta.
I haven't been on the trail, so no pictures yet. If you have some good photos and wouldn't mind me using them, let me know!
View Levy Trail in a larger map
Monday, April 21, 2014
Little Rock Trail Updates - 4/2014
I have lived in Fayetteville for three years now, so I'm always excited when I get to cover updates on Little Rock trails. I made the trip down to speak at the Little Rock Sustainability Summit last week and heard lots of great news. After speaking on Little Rock's natural environment, the costs of sprawl, and ways to improve the local trail network; I learned about lots of interesting projects the city has underway:
While Little Rock has so far failed to "Close the Loop" on the River Trail, work is underway on the Rose Creek Trail and creating a master trail plan that will improve connectivity and expand resident's abilities to use the trails for commuting and errands in addition to pure recreational use.
A new section of the Coleman Creek Greenway was just officially opened. Hopefully this trail will one day run from War Memorial Park all the way to Fourche Bottoms, where it could connect to trails from Hindman Park, Boyle Park, and Fourche Bottoms.
South Main St. has been transformed from a 4-lane car dominated thoroughfare into a 3-lane, more bike-friendly route. Seeing bikes and pedestrians put on a more equal priority level is great and is fantastic news for residents and visitors to this amazing part of town.
I also got the impression that the City is getting serious about plans for The Southwest Trail and ways to connect it to downtown and the Arkansas River Trail. For those of you who are familiar with Little Rock's "City in a Park" plan, this would complete two sides of the proposed triangle of trails around the city.
Finally, it also sounded like things were moving forward with trails in Hindman Park and across the creek in the former Western Hills Golf Course. This area has great potential for outdoor recreation right in the heart of the city.
People in Little Rock, help me out here. Did I miss anything?
While Little Rock has so far failed to "Close the Loop" on the River Trail, work is underway on the Rose Creek Trail and creating a master trail plan that will improve connectivity and expand resident's abilities to use the trails for commuting and errands in addition to pure recreational use.
A new section of the Coleman Creek Greenway was just officially opened. Hopefully this trail will one day run from War Memorial Park all the way to Fourche Bottoms, where it could connect to trails from Hindman Park, Boyle Park, and Fourche Bottoms.
South Main St. has been transformed from a 4-lane car dominated thoroughfare into a 3-lane, more bike-friendly route. Seeing bikes and pedestrians put on a more equal priority level is great and is fantastic news for residents and visitors to this amazing part of town.
I also got the impression that the City is getting serious about plans for The Southwest Trail and ways to connect it to downtown and the Arkansas River Trail. For those of you who are familiar with Little Rock's "City in a Park" plan, this would complete two sides of the proposed triangle of trails around the city.
Finally, it also sounded like things were moving forward with trails in Hindman Park and across the creek in the former Western Hills Golf Course. This area has great potential for outdoor recreation right in the heart of the city.
People in Little Rock, help me out here. Did I miss anything?
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