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Benton County planner invites MoDOT, McDonald County to coordinate on road links and bike-trail expansion
Summary
Benton County Planning Director Tim Cochlen told McDonald County commissioners he expects regional growth within five years and invited MoDOT to help plan improved Missouri–Arkansas roadway connections and expanded bike paths; the City of Pineville is pursuing grants to support trail links.
Tim Cochlen, planning director for Benton County, told the McDonald County Commission on Nov. 26, 2025, that he is developing Benton County's 2050 Economic Development Plan and expects growth to begin affecting McDonald County within the next five years.
Cochlen invited Frank Miller, a representative of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), to participate in open discussions about coordinating roadway improvements between Missouri and Arkansas. He also urged support for expanding bike-path links into Northwest Arkansas, saying trail networks have grown significantly along the Arkansas–Missouri border.
Commissioners were told that grant applications and requests are currently underway through the City of Pineville to pursue funding for bike-trail connections. The minutes record this as an invitation to regional planning and coordination rather than a formal commitment or approved project; no funding awards or binding agreements are recorded in the minutes.
The Commission adjourned and is scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 1, 2025.
