Sunday “Slow Streets NWA” in Fayetteville Begins June 14
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—In response to increased use of Northwest Arkansas trails and parks, the City of Fayetteville is collaborating with BikeNWA to create additional opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists to use city streets as part of “Slow Streets NWA” on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 14 through August 30, 2020.
“I am enthusiastic about the new Sunday Slow Streets program in Fayetteville,” said Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan. “This program offers more ways for people to get outside and enjoy themselves, and it will bring a welcome boost to our downtown businesses at the same time. I hope our residents will take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy Fayetteville. Please remember to take COVID-19 safety precautions even when you are outside—practice social distancing, wear a face covering and stay home if you are not feeling well.”
The Sunday Slow Streets NWA program will occur on a designated route (see route map attached) that links with the City’s existing Wilson Park Slow Streets pilot project and connects hubs around Downtown Fayetteville. The program implements soft closures on these streets on Sundays, discouraging cut-through or other unnecessary vehicle traffic but remaining open to local traffic such as residents, business traffic, emergency vehicles, and service/delivery vehicles, and reducing speed on these streets to 5 mph. The goal is to make neighborhood streets safer to walk, bike and travel without a vehicle, creating wider spaces than current sidewalks and trails allow for safe physical distancing. On these streets, residents can make trips to local businesses and explore the community on foot, by bicycle or using scooters or other mobility devices on the roadway. The route purposefully engages Dickson Street to encourage support for local businesses.
“We’re excited to work with the City of Fayetteville and bring a multi-mile route on Sundays, in addition to the Wilson Park section,” said Lauren Hildreth, Event Manager with BikeNWA. “These Slow Streets are a great opportunity for residents and visitors to travel between the major downtown hubs and support local businesses. We hope to see the community out exploring the community in a new way!”
If community members would like to be involved with Slow Streets, there are a number of volunteer opportunities. For more information, reach out to BikeNWA at info@bikenwa.org.
Community feedback is encouraged and will be collected through a survey, released Sunday, June 14 onSpeak Up Fayetteville, the City of Fayetteville’s online community engagement portal athttps://speakup.fayetteville-ar.gov/, and on BikeNWA’s website athttps://www.bikenwa.org/slow-streets-fayetteville. It will also be shared via social media outlets and along the program route.