FHWA Administrator Mendez Helps Break Ground on Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway Project

Topics:  Victor Mendez

Federal Highway Administration
12 June 2012

FHWA 24-12
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Contact: Kelly Dollinger
Tel: 202-366-0660

ROGERS, Ark. - Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez today helped kick off construction on a section of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway project, a bicycle and pedestrian network that will link the cities of Bentonville, Rogers, Lowell, Springdale, Johnson, and Fayetteville. He was joined by Representative Steve Womack and state and local officials.

This 16-mile section of the greenway received $15 million in federal funding through the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) II program in 2010, one of two trails to receive funding that year.

"This world-class greenway will be a boost to northwest Arkansas by promoting economic development and a better and more active quality of life," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This greenway will put people to work, improve safety and make Northwest Arkansas a better place to live."

When complete, the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway will be a 36-mile long, multiple-use trail that connects six downtown areas, three major hospitals, 23 schools, NorthWest Arkansas Community College, the University of Arkansas, and the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt Transport. In addition, the trail will be in close proximity to arts and entertainment venues, historic sites, parks, playgrounds, shopping and commercial developments and thousands of residential areas.

The greenway project has been a goal of regional planners, cities and residents of Northwest Arkansas for more than two decades. The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission first included regional trails as a key component in long-range planning in 2000.

"The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway Project is a terrific example of strong transportation planning leading to better options for the community," said Administrator Mendez. "The greenway is helping create the kind of area in which businesses - and their employees - want to locate, while also encouraging healthy living."

The TIGER program was designed to promote innovative, multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional transportation projects that provide significant economic and environmental benefits to an entire metropolitan area, region or the nation.