Arkansas Blog

That is a nice trail system, and the bridge will make it even nicer.

A big celebration? Man, Pulaski County must have tons of cash!

I love the interstate bike path, but I just want to see Buddy pedal him a rig up that ramp and over the dam.

Great! I assume this means we can open the last pod of the jail by then, too! Oh, wait, Buddy's been working on a multi-million dollar bike path and can't take in prisoners???

Hmmmm...

I hope we keep a "traffic count" and figure out what it costs us per person to build and maintain this monster. We're making a toll road in Bella Vista; maybe this bike path should have been a toll road as well.

Hey, is it really true that Lance Armstrong will be here for the dedication to ride the first bike over the bridge?
And isn't the thng being built using convict labor chain gangs to save tax dollars?

first....the bridge was built using primarily federal grant dollars that had to go towards parks and rec within the county. Secondly, the date on the blog is wrong. The opening will be Sept. 30. I'm glad we live in such a progressive place that a bike bridge is not out of the ordinary.

We can also thank the judge for single handedly stopping Alltel's plan to build a highway over jimmerson creek. By default, this bridge stands in the way of a major rd and will be the biggest obstacle for alltel to overcome. Thanks for saving our parks and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Now I have to go buy a bike.

Finally, the tourism dollars which will come in as a result of the bridge opening event will be great for our city.

Maybe they can create an annual event from this...like a bike race or something.

My goodness! A pedestrian/ bike bridge over a LR lock and dam. Around here, we can't even approach within a couple of hundred yards of certain locks and dams. I guess we look more terroristic than our more northerly cousins.

"first....the bridge was built using primarily federal grant dollars that had to go towards parks and rec within the county"
Typical response as though "Federal Dollars" were Chinese, or free, or Monopoly money.

Know of any city or county park (i.e. not funded, maintained and for the use of a property owners association) west of Pinnacle Valley? How about southwest of Financial Centre? Maybe we could have used the federal park dollars to improve the land LR owns off of Garrison Road that is supposedly going to be a park that the city can't/won't afford to build.

Know of any city or county park (i.e. not funded, maintained and for the use of a property owners association) west of Pinnacle Valley?

Yes, Two Rivers park. And Two Rivers park is to be joined with recreational trails onto Pinnacle.

A bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the Murray Lock and Dam will be a welcomed addition to the transportation infrastructure in Central Arkansas. It has been several years in the planning and will soon be realized.
Arkansas is ranked in the top 10 of the country with illnesses and sicknesses attributed to being overweight. A bridge that allows us to now walk, wheel, run, stroll or jog our way across the river in Western Pulaski county be it to work, school, for errands or just to exercise is an invaluable investment for all of us on many fronts.
With this bridge, the Western edge of Little Rock and North Little Rock will have a more walkable community. This bridge will make a bicycle commute between Maumelle and Little Rock safer and more feasible. This bridge will remove barriers to a more healthy population.
This bridge when used for it's intended purposes will allow people to get out of their cars at rush hour, take to the River Trail on a bicycle and across the river as an alternative means to get somewhere. 10 people each on a bicycle takes up the space of one car. A bicycle does not tear up a street like a car does. All of this will reverse the deteriorating core of our city's streets and allow each one of us to save money on gasoline. That will lower demand and lower prices
This bridge will be one of a kind in the country. It is already attracting tourists, and new residents alike. To this day, a definite number of new residents have moved to Central Arkansas and they have cited the River Trail system as one of their reasons for coming here.
The amount of money invested by the county in this bridge is a drop in the bucket compared to the Federal money that is being used. But, the county has to contribute it's fair share. The county has to not only fund it's current needs but is wise to fund future growth. County money is not being wasted it's being invested for your benefit. Now, it's up to you to go out there and use what the county has given you. Three points for Judge Villines in allowing the funding for this invaluable resource in Central Arkansas.

"Now, it's up to you to go out there and use what the county has given you. Three points for Judge Villines in allowing the funding for this invaluable resource in Central Arkansas."

I'd rather Buddy give us a safe community. In turn, I would be happy to buy him Accounting for Dummies.

Go out TODAY between 5 and 7 pm and just count the users of the river trail. That trail is one of the heaviest used parks in the region. I will count all users on my way home this eveninga and report back.

AND remember, the bridge is not open yet and the count today will be greatly expanded as soon as the bridge is open.

Parks create and raise property values as much as good roads and good schools.

This is an investment in our city and county's future.

Right on, citizen. This is another step in the right direction, making both cities more livable and enjoyable. Cheaper and just as effective would be for Central Arkansas Transit to get off their thumbs and spend some of their Transportation Enhancement funds to mount bike racks on their buses, like Tucson, Seattle, or (heresy!) Ft. Smith. This is a cheap and effective way to make public transportation available to a new market.

I'd rather Buddy give us a safe community. In turn, I would be happy to buy him Accounting for Dummies.

Apprantly missed the point that current and future needs need to be funded.

Federal law makes it required that a certain percentage of highway transportation funding goes toward recreational avenues such as this bridge - as it should be.

Highway funds can't go toward jails no matter how much you complain about it. If there are Federal Funds allocated for county jails you should find a blog or forum thread that talks about that. It does your case no good to bring it up here.

Issues about how Federal funds are being used are best directed to the Federal government not a local elected official.

"A big celebration? Man, Pulaski County must have tons of cash!"

I missed where it said lots of money would be involved. Darn right Central AR is going to celebrate the opening. It's a big deal.

I appreciate Max giving us the word here, but will differ with his implication that this is for "bikers". It is a pedestrian/bicycle bridge. It is for those who walk, run, push a stroller, push a wheel chair, roller blade,... or ride a bicycle. It is bridge for all forms of recreation and for all people.

ARK. BLOG Absolutely correct. We just did it for easy shorthand. We plan to walk, not ride, over it. Though I don't much like open exposure to heights and some of the early talk has been about how low the guardrails are. Any guidance on that?

"Apprantly missed the point that current and future needs need to be funded."

Listen, I'm all for the park and what not. I don't think F.G. gives a shit about anything having to do with running county government. I'd still like an explanation on who the County managed to spend itself into an eight million dollar deficit and nobody (County Government) knew about it until the last part of last year.

The bridge and future park plans are fine and they are needed but it seems to me that Buddy is more concerned about that than he is making county government efficent and accountable.

The first step toward making our cities safer would be a residency requirement for police officers. Require them to reside within the city limits of the town they've sworn to protect & serve, and whose citizens fund their paychecks. No more Kommuter Kop Korps from Benton, Bryant, Sherwood, Cabot, and elsewhere.

Panther, I wouldn't wish the prospect of managing the county jail shortage with a budget shortfall on my worst enemy. Tough business. I agree that the apparent suddenness of a budget short fall is a bad excuse for how the county's services and the laying off of its employees are being handled.

Hard to believe Buddy is the same person with huge financial and developmental oversight and responsibility of this wonderful bridge. Because I for one am very grateful for his efforts here but at the same time am not impressed with the jail issue, I have mixed emotions.

This bridge project is something positive in today's local news that we can all benefit from.

I've not been privileged to tour the bridge during construction but hear from those who have that the height is dizzying and the wind is "strong".

Don't look down. Consider too when the Rock Island bridge is later converted to a pedestrian bridge (Clinton Foundation and private funds, don't worry ) that it will be at nearly the same height on its apex as this bridge is.

Great article, that was interesting

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