Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fayetteville wins $25 million Safe Streets grant; Maple Street and five corridors targeted
Summary
City staff told the Transportation Committee that Fayetteville received a $25,000,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All award and outlined projects for Maple Street, College Avenue, North Gregg and other high-injury corridors, plus a $500,000 community education program.
Fayetteville City transportation staff told the Transportation Committee that the city was awarded $25,000,000 through the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All program to fund pedestrian, bicycle and traffic-safety projects across several high-injury corridors.
City staff said the largest single project in that award is Maple Street, which has been allocated $7,500,000 toward construction of a two-way protected bikeway with landscape buffers, upgraded crosswalks and lighting. Staff told the committee that construction on the Maple Street segment is scheduled to begin when the university term ends on May 12 and that the city has selected Flintco for the Maple Street contract as part of council action earlier that evening. Staff also said the university had contributed an additional $1,000,000 for the Maple Street project and that $500,000 of the federal award is budgeted for a community-wide education and awareness program.
Why it matters: Committee members and staff emphasized that the program is aimed at reducing fatal and serious injuries. Staff cited a 2017–2021 ArDOT-derived map that identified 41 fatalities and locations the city calls its high-injury network; the grant funds projects that lie on that network and target areas showing greater degrees of disadvantage.
Staff outlined the set of street projects the award will fund, including work on College Avenue (north), North Gregg Avenue, East Joyce Boulevard, South School Avenue (between MLK and 15th), and West Maple. The package includes implementation of Federal Highway Administration-recommended countermeasures such as leading pedestrian intervals at signals, pedestrian hybrid beacons, rapid-flash beacons at crosswalks, road diets where appropriate and roadside separation treatments. On College Avenue staff said the design priorities include 6-foot sidewalks on both sides, a 6-foot planting zone and access management to reduce curb cuts where feasible.
Staff said some corridors will require negotiation with property owners on medians and driveway consolidation. The city attorney’s guidance, staff said, is that abutting property owners generally retain a right of access to the public street; where owners agree, staff will pursue cross-access and consolidated driveways. Staff said public outreach will be through the city’s Speak Up Fayetteville platform and direct public meetings when preliminary designs are ready.
Timeline and funding conditions: Staff described the signed federal-aid project agreement for $25,000,000 and said the city had identified a local match described in materials as $33,000,000.50. They said FHWA told the city that, with a signed agreement, funds are available if project milestones and deadlines are met, but the grant remains subject to federal appropriations and could be affected by future congressional action.
Next steps: staff said consultant selection and contract negotiations for the non-Maple projects are ongoing and that public meetings and Transportation Committee briefings will follow preliminary designs. Staff also said education and outreach programming will be led by a designated staff member (Ken) and will include bike-helmet giveaways, pedestrian safety campaigns, school-targeted training and staff training to help implement the projects.
Sources: Presentations and remarks to the Fayetteville City Transportation Committee by city transportation staff and referenced ArDOT data and the FHWA toolbox of proven countermeasures.
