FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — At its June 24 meeting the City of Fayetteville Transportation Committee received staff updates on several upcoming design contracts and federally funded corridor projects, including College Avenue, South School Avenue, Greg Avenue and Joyce Boulevard.

Transportation staff said the College Avenue project (Sycamore to Township) will come forward as a full design contract based on a previously developed programming document. The project will include sidewalks on both sides where feasible, medians where possible, access management to reduce driveway conflicts, signal work at Poplar and College, roadway realignments and transit accommodations. Staff described a water-line installation as the most disruptive current work on College Avenue and said major construction should finish early next year under the current schedule.

For South School Avenue (MLK Jr. Boulevard to 15th Street), staff said existing programming documents will be revisited and traffic studies rechecked to refine the project scope before design.

Staff described Joyce Boulevard and Greg Avenue as in earlier planning stages. Those contracts will focus on developing alternatives and conceptual design; the committee was told consultants will prepare a range of options and follow with public feedback before detailed design.

On funding, staff stated these projects are part of Fayetteville’s allocation from a federal Safe Streets for All grant and described them as 75/25 grants where the federal portion covers 75 percent and the city provides a 25 percent local match. "These are funded by the Safe Streets for all the $25,000,000 grant. Okay. Portion. They're all 75, 25 grants," staff said.

Staff said because the projects rely on federal aid they will include at least one public meeting and often multiple meetings during design. Staff also noted that design contracts were still under negotiation at the time of the committee meeting and anticipated bringing the contracts to the first or second August meeting for committee review and then council consideration.

Committee members asked for clarity on schedule and scoping, especially on corridors where previous projects or bond-funded work had been delayed; a member referenced a 2019 bond project for North Street as background for local concern about delivery. No formal committee votes were taken on the projects at the June 24 meeting; the updates were informational and staff offered to schedule additional committee review before items go to council if desired.