April 7, 2022
Contact: Matt Mihalevich
Trails Coordinator
Engineering Division
479-444-3416
mmihalevich@fayetteville-ar.gov
Mission-Razorback Connector Bikeway construction to begin April 11
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Work will begin Monday, April 11, to increase the safety and comfort of one of the most used on-street bikeways in Fayetteville that connects the Razorback Regional Greenway and Mission Boulevard.
The Mission-Razorback Connector Bikeway is a 1.1-mile route that includes Prospect St., Park Ave., Trenton Blvd. and Rebecca St., all of which will see improvements made over the next four months. Work will be completed in sections to minimize transportation disruptions.
Construction will start along Trenton on Monday, requiring a full closure of the street to through traffic. Subsequent lane closures will be necessary over the construction timeframe. Local traffic will be able to access streets during construction.
The most significant part of the improvements will be a mountable raised side path along the north side of Trenton for pedestrians and bicyclists and can be driven on by vehicles for passing when clear. All current on-street parking will remain throughout the corridor.
The project also includes widening the sidewalk on Prospect from the Greenway to Wilson Ave. to a 10 ft. side path and improving the intersection to provide enhanced bike and pedestrian access to Wilson Park. The remaining portions of the route will include shared bike lane markings and improved wayfinding signage.
More than 12,000 people live within one mile (or a six-minute bike ride) of the center point of the route. The bikeway passes through vibrant residential and commercial streets, highlighted by Wilson Park.
In May 2021, the City of Fayetteville was awarded a grant from the Walton Family Foundation in the amount of $385,000 for the construction of the Mission-Razorback Connector Bikeway. These funds were recognized by Resolution 136-21. The remaining funding to complete this project comes from the Trail Improvement Bond approved by Fayetteville residents as part of the 2019 Bond Package.
This bikeway corridor was identified as part of the regional network in the 2014 NWA Regional Bike Pedestrian Master Plan and prioritized to create a safer, more comfortable route for people riding bikes and walking between the Greenway and the new Mission Blvd. Trail Improvements project that will be under construction later this year.
The Mission-Razorback Connector Bikeway, combined with the Mission improvements, will connect cyclists of all ages and abilities to safe, comfortable and attractive bike infrastructure and greater access to housing, grocery stores, parks, schools and the regional trail network. When both projects are complete, a 12-mile loop will be created for Northeast Fayetteville that includes sections of the Greenway, Old Wire Cycle Track, Niokaska Creek and Mud Creek trails.
The Mission-Razorback Connector Bikeway was designed by the City of Fayetteville Engineering Division, and construction will be managed by City staff.
For more information, visit https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/4032/Mission---Razorback-Connector.
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