Let the race begin : Mayoral candidates meet for first time to talk transportation
Posted on Thursday, February 28, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/62640/
Fayetteville mayoral candidates addressed infrastructure issues at a Chamber of Commerce transportation committee meeting Wednesday.
Jeff Koenig, Walt Eilers and Lioneld Jordan all agreed that transportation is one of the biggest issues facing the city.
Koenig, past president of Upchurch Electric and chairman of the Fayetteville Economic Development Council, said citizen surveys indicate that roads are the number one concern of citizens.
“ We need to do everything we can to move the road program forward, ” he said.
Koenig said one of the first priorities should be the CMN Business Park area, the commercial developments off the Fulbright Expressway referred to as the economic corridor.
“ We’ve been behind the eight ball for two decades now with not having access to that area, ” he said. “ We must get on board to support bringing that interchange online.
“ It’s critical to the economic future out there. ”
Eilers, a fundraising consultant, said he agrees that roads are a priority, but most of the travel is not on city streets but on state highways.
“ The issue I see is working with the state to get more turnback funds, ” he said.
Eilers said the $ 65 million bond issue is a start.
“ That sort of thing needs to continue, ” he said.
Part of the transportation planning must include alternate transportation sources, Eilers said.
“ We need to look not only at alternate transportation systems but at the different ways people commute, ” he said.
He suggested creating ride-share programs and enhancing the bus system.
Eilers said the city should work with its City Plan 2025 and build walkable communities so there will be fewer cars on the road.
Jordan, a Ward 4 alderman and vice mayor, described a more specific plan to improve transportation in the city by connecting Rupple Road, U. S. 62, Arkansas 112 and Arkansas 265 to create a loop around town.
That would take traffic out and around the city, he said.
Jordan said taking Van Asche Drive to the Sam’s Club on Arkansas 112 would also allow travelers to easily get from Sam’s to the economic corridor.
“ Then you’ve created an east-west corridor, ” he said. “ You’ve trapped sales tax revenue in the city. ”
Jordan said the city needs to develop a revenue source to catch up with the transportation needs.
By 2025, he said, the city needs to have about $ 125 million worth of roadwork done.
“ We’ve got to build roads; there’s no way around that, ” Jordan said. “ If we don’t build the infrastructure, we’re going to be in serious trouble in this city. ”
The candidates also opined on what they thought of relocating Fayetteville High School and the impact it would have on transportation.
Koenig said he supports a new school on a new site and that transportation concerns should be second to what’s best for the students ’ education.
“ The education opportunities for our children need to be the number one driving force, ” he said. “ All other decisions should follow that. ”
Jordan said he does not support a new school being built in west Fayetteville because of the infrastructure issues.
“ We were told it’s going to be $ 10-14 million in infrastructure costs to put in a new school out there, ” he said.
Eilers said the school needs to be centrally located in relation to where the students live.
“ To me it makes sense to look at where the students are and what it would take to get them to a new school, ” he said.