FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2016
Contact: Chris Brown
City Engineer
Engineering Division
479-575-8206
engineering@fayetteville-ar.gov
City to Install Temporary Mini-Roundabout
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The City of Fayetteville will be installing a temporary “mini-roundabout” at the intersection of W. Spring Street and N. School Avenue (adjacent to the Spring Street Parking Deck). Using strategies learned in a recent Tactical Urbanism workshop, City staff is collaborating with community stakeholders, Bike Fayetteville, and BikeNWA (formerly Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks) to create a low-cost and temporary intersection change.
The City’s Transportation, Engineering, and Sustainability departments are implementing the Spring and School Mini-Roundabout Pilot Project. This short-term pilot project is an example of using Tactical Urbanism to advance goals related to street safety, active public space, and more. The neighborhood is a mix of residences (homes, apartments), businesses, performance venues, bars, and restaurants. Tourists, workers, University students, and residents of all ages interact in the area. The intersection is located on Razorback Transit’s Brown route; is part of an existing bikeway, which connects the Razorback Greenway and the Dickson Street Entertainment District to Fayetteville’s historic Downtown Square; and is located two blocks from a critical Ozark Transit bus stop.
Goals of mini-roundabout pilot project are to:
- Measure the effectiveness of using a temporary approach to traffic control before committing to a costly long-term investment and change.
- Raise safety awareness of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
- Obtain community feedback and use by comparing traffic counts taken before and after the project of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
On Thursday, Jan. 26, the City’s Transportation Department will start the intersection changes in the morning. City staff invites the public to learn about traffic safety, tactical urbanism, and to paint crosswalks and street art from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Flaggers will be present to guide traffic.
The public is encouraged to participate, use the intersection, and give feedback via a survey. Changes to the Spring and School intersection are:
- Remove four stop signs and replace with yield signs.
- Install a mountable traffic circle at the intersection’s center.
- Use paint on the roadway for temporary traffic control markings.
The mini-roundabout will be in place from Jan. 26 through the end of March. Temporary signage will be placed near the intersection with information about the pilot program.
More information:
“Travel With Care NWA” is a regional safety awareness campaign that was created after the death of Jenn Bikel, who was running on a sidewalk in Rogers when car exiting a parking lot struck and killed her. The “Travel With Care NWA” campaign is based on the national campaign rolled out by PeopleForBikes and expanded beyond cycling to include pedestrian safety. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and increase the safety of cyclists and pedestrians who use the Northwest Arkansas region’s roads, sidewalks, and trails. BikeNWA produces the regional campaign.
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