HomeMy WebLinkAbout59-13 RESOLUTIONRESOLUTION NO. 59-13
A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE WEDINGTON CORRIDOR
NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN VISION DOCUMENT AND
ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN
WHEREAS, The City of Fayetteville developed City Plan 2030 through a collaborative
planning process in 2011; and
WHEREAS, City Plan 2030 calls for a comprehensive neighborhood master plan to be
prepared every other year; and
WHEREAS, the Wedington Corridor Neighborhood Plan was developed through an
intensive and inclusive charrette process involving all stakeholders;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby approves a
resolution to adopt the Wedington Corridor Neighborhood Master Plan vision document and
illustrative master plan.
PASSED and APPROVED this 19th day of March, 2013.
APPROVED:
ATTEST:
W0iEiLAD2— JO ,Mayor SONDRA E. SMITH, City Clerk/Treasurer
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City of Fayetteville Staff Review Form
City Council Agenda Items
and
Contracts, Leases or Agreements
3/5/2013
City Council Meeting Date
Agenda Items Only
Leif Olson Sustainability and Strategic Planning
Submitted By Division Department
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Date
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Date
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Finance and Internal Services Director Date
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Date
Previous Ordinance or Resolution #
Original Contract Date:
Original Contract Number:
Received im,Gity
Clerk's Office
Received in
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Mayor's Office
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA MEMO
To: Mayor and City Council
Thru: Don Marr, Chief of Staff
Peter Nierengarten, Sustainability and Strategic Planning Director Q
From: Leif Olson, Associate Planner%
THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Date: February 14, 2013
Subject: ADM 13-4318 Wedington Corridor Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff requests approval of a resolution to adopt the Wedington Corridor Plan vision document and illustrative plan with
amendments provided by the Planning Commission.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council adopted City Plan 2030 on July 5, 2011. City Plan 2030 set a goal of using a charrette process to
generate a complete neighborhood plan every other year for key areas of the City. These plans were intended to
incorporate key principles of City Plan 2030, including appropriate infill and revitalization, traditional neighborhood
development and attainable housing. The Wedington Drive Corridor was selected by the City Council on August 7, 2012
as the fourth complete neighborhood plan project.
The criteria used to select this area included: 1) Meets the City's goals as outlined in the City Council's Strategic Plan and
City Plan 2030; 2) Is experiencing development pressure; 3) Has a high percentage of vacant or underutilized land; and 4)
Has potential for significant public participation. The Wedington Drive Corridor met all of these criteria.
DISCUSSION:
During October and November 2012 City Staff led a community charrette where public input was solicited on the
Wedington Corridor. This input was used to guide the development of the Illustrative Plan and the Vision Document
which contains four plan fundamentals: 1) Refine Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway, 2) Envision the "Heart" of
the Neighborhood Along Rupple Road, 3) Support Active Transportation Options, 4) Designate a North -South Oriented
"Greenway" Connecting the Hamestring and Owl Creek Watersheds.
The Planning Commission recommended forwarding of the Wedington Corridor Plan to City Council at it's February 11,
2013 meeting with an amendment to the implementation timeline for the realization of access management goals.
BUDGET IMPACT:
None
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf TDD (479) 521-1316 113 West Mountain -Fayetteville, AR 72701
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE WEDINGTON CORRIDOR
NEIGHBORHOOD MASTER PLAN VISION DOCUMENT
AND ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN
WHEREAS, The City of Fayetteville developed City Plan 2030 through a collaborative
planning process in 2011; and
WHEREAS, City Plan 2030 calls for a comprehensive neighborhood master plan to be
prepared every other year; and
WHEREAS, the Wedington Corridor Neighborhood Plan was developed through an
intensive and inclusive charrette process involving all stakeholders;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby approves a
resolution to adopt the Wedington Corridor Neighborhood Master Plan vision document and
illustrative master plan.
PASSED and APPROVED this the 5th day of March, 2013.
APPROVED:
I0
ATTEST:
LIONELD JORDAN, Mayor SONDRA E. SMITH, City Clerk/Treasurer
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WEDINGTON CC)PRaX)it
11J."STRiNVIVE ' MAS E'F. R PLAN
IAi ll$t�IL,
Jesse Fulcher
Andrew Garner
John Goddard
Kristina Jones
Alison Jumper
Matt Mihalevich
Peter Nierengarten
Leif Olson
Jeremy Pate
Quin Thompson
Nielsen Architects, LLC
(Nick Pierce, Designer)
Adam Barnes
Valarie Beindara
Ted Belden
Benjamin Bendall
Erica Blansit
Dave Bolen
Mike Bowles
Daniel Carnahan
Pam Clome
Terry Coberly
Corey Collett
Carolyn Conn
Katherine Dees
Richard Dees
Diane Didier
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
Rhonda Adams
Adel la Gray
Mark Kinion
Alan Long
Sarah Marsh
Matthew Petty
Martin W. Schoppmeyer Jr.
Justin Tennant
Connie Edmonston
Mike Emery
Cande Erbe
Bob Estes
Kyle Fugett
Ericka Gergerich
John Grilli
Jim Hagen
Susan Harder
Laurence Hare
Christine Hare
Bob Harrington
Guy Headland
Bob Hofmann
Candace Hoggatt
Sarah Bunch
Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club
Matthew Cabe
Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce
William Chesser
Fayetteville Ward 4
Kyle Cook
University of Arkansas Community Design Center
Craig Honchell
Tim Conklin
Tracy Hoskins
Rob Sharp
Ryan Noble
Jeff Huber
Blake Pennington
Paula Marinoni
Porter Winston
Hal Poole
Tony Wappel
Denny Wood
And Design Team family members who
tolerated a week of late nights and weekend work.
Harlie Holman
Beth Hopkins
Tracy Hoskins
Celeste Hoskins
Tim Baker
Richard Johnson
David Johnson
Bill Jowlers
Harry Krushiker
Rebecca Kulawick
Mary Larson
Jim Laubler
Sarah Lewis
Alan Long
Karen Marshall
Vince Massanelli
Bryan McBride
Jack McCormack
Garry McDonald
Ryan Miller
Penny Millian
Scott Milsap
Kevin Mitchell
Eric Neilsen
Carol Norman
J. P. Peters
Robert Page
Wanda Page
Victor Parkerson
Sandra Parkerson
Mike Phips
Sandra Smith
Deborah Quinn
Brian Stahl
James Quinn
Debra Stendel
Wade Ramer
Chung Tan
Laurie Reh
Christine Tan
Susan Richmond
Aaron Tan
Brian Scott
Brina Teague
Robert Sharp
Ellen Thompson
Brian Shores
Todd Walters
Micheal Sinclair
Micheal Ward
David Siskowski
Barbara Wright
Charles Sloan
Jason Young
Cindy Sloan
Stephen Zisner
Steve Smith
Gretta Smith
Participants
2
SUPPORT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
25
Executive Summary
4
Support Integrated Transportation Connectivity
25
I. ! CREATEDW THE PLAN WAS
Connect Missing Links — Streets, Sidewalks and Trails
26
Charrette Preparation
5
Master Transportation Connections Map
27
Analysis Maps
6
DESIGNATE A NORTH -SOUTH ORIENTED "GREENWAY"
28
CONNECTING THE HAMESTRING & OWL CREEK
Census Data Analysis
9
WATERSHEDS
Wedington Area History
10
Implementation Tools/Land Acquisition
29
Neighborhood Tours
11
Charrette Kickoff
12
111. y ,
Hands -On Design Workshop
12
Places & Spaces
31
Open Design Studio
13
Future Street Network Components
32
Charrette Conclusion with
14
Traffic Model From NWARPC
34
Work -In -Progress Presentation
IV. IMPLEMENTATION
35
11. PLAN FUNDAMENTALSSHORT
TERM STEPS
35
REDEFINE WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WEDINGTON PARKWAY
15
LONG TERM STEPS
41
Provide Better Access to/Across I-540
16
V. CONCLUSION
42
Manage Speed, Access & Congestion
17
Tree Lined Boulvedard or Parkway
18
V1. APPENDICES
Better Pedestrian Crossings
19
A. Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan
43
Wedington Drive Street Design: Three Distinct
19
B. Document References
44
Street Cross -Sections
C. Work -in -Progress and Open House Surveys
45
ENVISION THE "HEART" OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG
21
RUPPLE ROAD
Enhance Walkability & a "Main Street" Feel 21
Infill of Neighborhood Services/Resources 22
Infill of "Missing Middle" Neighborhood Housing 23
Enable a Central Community/Social Space 24
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
transportation options close to the 1-540 corridor. As development patterns
and land uses transition further west of I-540, these areas are envisioned
The Wedington Corridor Plan (the Plan) area is located north and south of to be left primarily rural with low density residential development in a
Wedington Drive from the 1-540 intersection west past 5 1 " Ave. The Plan conservation development pattern that preserves meaningful open space.
area has been transformed in the last 20 years from an outlying agricultural Non-residential uses west of Broyles Avenue should be very limited and
region with a very small population to a booming suburban residential and small in scale.
commercial corridor.
The Plan area was chosen by the City Council as the location for a City
neighborhood plan in August 2012. After the Plan area was chosen, City
staff conducted several months of background research and stakeholder
meetings that culminated in a week-long public charrette in October 2012.
The Plan is based upon the following four principles that emerged from
the charrette process:
• Redefine Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway
• Envision the heart of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and
Rupple Road
• Support active and public transportation options
• Designate a greenway connecting Hamestring and Owl Creek
watersheds
Analysis in the Plan indicates that rapid growth without cohesive planning
in the area has led to a number of challenges common in suburban sprawl
areas where the prevailing development pattern is auto dependent in nature.
The primary challenges include lack of street connectivity, poor pedestrian
and bicycle access, congestion at the Wedington Drive/1-540 interchange,
and lack of a neighborhood center. The Plan attempts to overcome these
challenges by providing alternatives to suburban sprawl, improving
traffic congestion, and placing a priority on active transportation options
(pedestrians and cyclists).
To achieve these goals the Plan guides not only the location, but also
the development pattern and form of future growth. The Plan prescribes
increased density, mixed land uses, improved street connectivity, and active
The goals of the Plan can be encouraged in part by utilizing form based
zoning districts, requiring an interconnected network of streets and by
creating a new conservation development code. The final authority to
discourage sprawl and encourage infill in desired locations lies with
appointed and elected officials who approve or deny annexation and zoning
requests. These decisions should be made with the understanding that
growth allowed to occur on the far western fringe of the City diminishes
the capacity to create a complete, compact, and connected neighborhood
closer to the 1-540 corridor.
Each of the Plan fundamentals is instrumental in creating a livable
neighborhood for this area of the City. The Plan identifies a set of
implementation steps in order to achieve the four principles and establishes
a timeline for their completion.
The principal goals of City Plan 2030 (CP 2030) are the overarching
framework that staff and appointed and elected officials use to guide future
neighborhood development and redevelopment. They are used to set metrics for
the measurement of future success, and the neighborhood planning process is
always viewed through the lens of these six goals:
We will make appropriate infill and revitalization our highest priority
We will discourage suburban sprawl
We will make traditional town form the standard
We will grow a livable transportation network
We will assemble an enduring green network
We will create opportunities for attainable housing
City Plan 2030 was adopted unanimously by the Fayetteville City Council in July;
2011 and serves as Fayetteville's comprehensive land use plan, which establishes
a vision for what Fayetteville can achieve. One of the stated objectives in City
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Plan 2030 is to produce a complete neighborhood or corridor plan every other�V}
year utilizing a charrette process. A design charrette process maximizes public:-
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participation and ownership of the plan. The Wedington Drive area was chosen
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and approved by the City Council for this corridor plan on August 7, 2012. A
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City -led design team consisting of staff from the City's Planning Division and
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the Sustainability and Strategic Planning Department facilitated the October
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271 design charrette at the Boys and Girls Club on Rupple Road. The City also
hired Nick Pierce from Nielsen Architecture to create conceptual illustrations of the plan using a computer generated sketch -up model. Over the course
of the design process approximately 100 community residents, business owners, civic and community organization members, transportation and design
experts and elected and appointed officials offered input for the corridor vision.
CHARRETTE PREPARATION
In the months leading up to the charrette, staff gathered and analyzed information and began visiting with
groups and individual stakeholders in the Wedington Drive area. The charrette team compiled a series of maps
that examined the existing street, sidewalk and trails network, land use, property ownership, environmental
constraints, zoning and future planned infrastructure improvements. The charrette team held a meeting with
City staff from the Transportation, Engineering, Water and Sewer, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation, Police,
Fire and Geographic Information Systems Divisions to talk about opportunities and constraints that their
individual divisions manage in the Wedington Corridor Plan area.
In order to maximize public participation the charrette team utilized a variety
of advertising mediums including: print ads in the NWA Times and the Arkansas Traveler, save -the -date postcards to all
property owners within the corridor and personally delivering flyers to local businesses and churches. The Fayetteville
Flyer featured an online story prior to the charrette week and the NWA Times published an article the day before the
community charrette. Staff publicized the charrette through presentations at a Ward 4 meeting, an Environmental Action
Committee meeting, a joint City Council and Planning Commission tour and a business owner meeting at City Hall.
Multiple television news crews interviewed participants throughout the progress of the event, as well.
ANALYSIS MAPS: ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES & ENDURING GREEN NETWORK
There are no known sensitive or endangered species,
impaired watersheds or significant creeks or waterways in
the Wedington Corridor Boundary. However, the overall
visual environment offers scenic views of the rolling
topography, undeveloped fields, and tree -covered hills
immediately south of the study area. These scenic views
were noted by staff and members of the public before and
during the charrette process, and were incorporated into
elements of the plan. These views are considered significant
natural resources indicative of the visual character of
Fayetteville.
The land within the Wedington Corridor boundary is
primarily uplands consisting of the Captina-Nixa-Pickwick
Association soils. These soils are commonly found in
Washington County in areas that have broad plateaus with
a gentle gradient of I to 8 percent. This soil association is
well suited to farming and has few limitations for non -farm
development. The lands adjacent to the corridor on the north
and south are bisected by significant streams, Hamestring
and Owl Creek respectively. The Enduring Green Network
(see page 28 for explanation) encompasses both the
Hamestring and Owl Creek riparian corridors, though
accessibility to these resources is limited. Additionally,
variously sized wetlands exist in close proximity to the
Wedington corridor, most notably the Woolsey Wetland
Prairie at the Fayetteville Westside Wastewater Treatment
Plant.
"The Enduring Green Network connects people and nature through a mapped system of trails and green infrastructure. This network recognizes and assembles the
ecological assets in Fayetteville that need to be preserved while providing a lasting connected corridor for wildlife.The strength, function and appreciation of the Enduring
Green Network will develop over time as our community experiences these natural areas and distinct ecosystems." From City Plan 2030, Fayetteville Arkansas
ANALYSIS MAPS: CURRENT ZONING
Historically this area was primarily agricultural with a very
low residential density. With the completion of the State
Highway 71 by-pass in 1975, now 1-540, annexations
brought much of this area into the City in the 1970s and
1980s. As land was annexed it was rezoned for the many
different land uses that we see in the Wedington corridor
area today. Areas north and south of Wedington Drive are
predominately residentially zoned with a wide variety of
density. The land directly adjacent to Wedington Drive has
primarily been zoned for commercial and office use with
a large area of Thoroughfare Commercial (C-2) zoning
located at the I-540 interchange. In recent years developers
have utilized the City's Planned Zoning District (PZD)
process to create more urban development patterns that
al low for varied residential densities mixed with commercial
uses. Staff anticipates that the remaining agriculturally
zoned lands in direct proximity- to Wedington Drive will
likely have rezoning requests in the near ftiture as this area
continues to develop.
ANALYSIS MAPS: CITY PLAN 2030 - FUTURE LAND USE
The Wedington corridor is primarily envisioned as a City
Neighborhood Area in the future that will accommodate
a large variety of residential and commercial uses. City
Neighborhood Areas encourage complete, compact and
connected neighborhoods. Lands further west along
Wedington Drive are identified as Residential Neighborhood
areas characterized by predominantly residential uses with
strong street connectivity. Overall, the large areas of vacant
and underutilized land in the Wedington corridor provide
opportunities for growth and for the preservation of existing
rural residential uses.
City Neighborhood Areas are characterized as a dense
and primarily residential urban fabric. Mixed -use and low -
intensity commercial uses are usually confined to corner
locations. These areas have a wide range of residential
building types: single-family, multi-plexes. sideyard and
rowhouses. Setbacks and landscaping are variable. Streets
typically define medium sized blocks with a high level of
connectivity between neighborhoods. City Neighborhood
Areas recognize conventional strip commercial
developments but encourage complete, compact and
connected neighborhoods.
Residential Neighborhood Areas are almost exclusively residential in nature with naturalistic planting and varied setbacks. This designation recognizes
conventional single use residential subdivision development but encourages traditional neighborhood development that incorporates low -intensity
commercial uses. All new development should create a strong sense of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular connectivity.
Rural Areas consist of lands in an open or cultivated state or sparsely settled. These may include woodlands. agricultural lands or grasslands. These
areas have only the infrastructure and public services to support low -density zoning.
Natural Areas consist of lands approximating or reverting to a wilderness condition, including lands with limited development potential due to
topography, hydrology, vegetation or its value as an environmental resource.
WEST WEDINGTON AREA OF INFLUENCE CENSUS
DATA ANALYS IS
For this project the design team created an area of influence in order
to understand the population that utilized the Wedington corridor for
transportation and commerce. The area of influence boundary is roughly
lands located south of Mount Comfort Road, west of 1-540, north of
Highway 62 and east of the western city limits near Double Springs Road.
The following lists some of the pertinent demographic information for this
area:
• The total population of the area of influence is 14,781 people or about
19.7% of the total Fayetteville population. Of this, 29% of males and
28% of females are over 25 years of age, and 43% are less than 25 years
old. The median male age is 22-24 and the median female age is 25-29.
The average number of people per household is 2.43.
• There area total of 7,71 3households in the area of influence. Of these
72% are family households, 28% are non -family and 5% are single
person households.
• The median income of the area is $44,000 to $49,999. This is the same
as the City as a whole.
The census data informs us that the population in the area of influence is
relatively young with a high number of families with small children. There
is also a significant population of young adults, probably college students,
which live in this area.
The City's GIS department also tracks housing data and the following
numbers reinforce the census data that this area is made up of predominantly
young families and college students.
0 A total of 7,532 occupiable housing units exist in the area of influence.
Of these 59% are single family, 30% are multi -family and 1 1 % are
duplexes or mobile homes.
The City also keeps track of land use City wide. According to the latest
analysis the land use for the Wedington area of influence is the following:
42% undeveloped or agriculture, 39% residential, 10% street right-of-
way, 3 % entertainment and recreation, 2% general sales or services, 2%
communication and utilities and 2% for education and health care.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission develops
population projections for the municipalities in the region. Their most
recent population projection estimates that in 2035 Fayetteville will have
a population of 116,445 people. This is an increase of 41,343 people
in the next 20 years or so. Due to the fact that there are large areas of
easily developable land in the Wedington area of influence a substantial
amount of that population growth will likely occur here.
Wedington area of influence
WEDINGTON AREA HISTORY
Wedington Drive takes its name from William Lewis Weddington, a prominent land owner who settled
west of Fayetteville near the present day Lake Wedington in the early 1800s. Recorded history of the
area dates back to the use of the Wedington Drive corridor as a passage for Native Americans before the
area was settled by pioneers. This transportation corridor later became know as 'Wedington Gap.' The
area was first settled by Anglos in the late 1820s, Washington County being established soon thereafter.
One of the first families to settle in this part of Washington County was the Woolsey family, Samuel D.
and his wife, Matilda. The Woolseys moved from Illinois in 1830, settling a farm of 80 acres acquired
through public land grants at $1.25/acre, which is today located on City property off of Broyles Road near
the City Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant, about one mile southwest of the Wedington Corridor Plan
area. Much of the Woolsey homestead and burial ground has been preserved in its original location. As
part of the construction of the City's new wastewater treatment plant adjacent to this homestead, a wetland
mitigation site called the Woolsey Wet Prairie has been installed and is being maintained to restore the tall
grass wet prairie that was once common to the area.
Like the Woolsey property, much of the area west of Fayetteville was settled with small homesteads in
the mid- to late 1800s and had much less hardwood forest than exists today, with large areas of tall grass
prairie. Bison, elk, deer, beaver and other game were plentiful and hunting and trapping was a common
occupation.
The eastern part of the Wedington Neighborhood Plan Area was annexed into the City of Fayetteville in
1967 with annexations gradually extending west over the decades with the westernmost portion of the
study area annexed in 2006. Until the 1980s this area of Fayetteville/Washington County was primarily
rural, with a number of family farms and rural residences. More recent agricultural activities primarily
consist of livestock and hay farming and still exist today on several large parcels of land adjacent to
Wedington Drive. There were not many non-residential services or uses in the study area until the past
30 years. However, one hub at a crossroads in the area was a small grocery store called the Earl Williams
Grocery that was located at the northeast corner of what is now Wedington Drive and Rupple Road.
Some of the well established non-residential uses still in existence along this corridor are Airways Freight
offices, Westwood Gardens plant nursery, the First United Pentecostal Church, Catfish Hole restaurant,
and Ozarks Electric office and equipment yard. The construction of the State Highway 71 bypass in the
early 1970s (the current I-540 corridor) introduced major changes to this rural landscape. The 71 bypass connected the Fayetteville Airport north to the
regional mall and opened up this area for development including a gas station, strip malls, hotels, the Betty Jo Apartments, and eventually single family
neighborhoods and the Harps grocery store into the 1990s and early 2000s. The construction of I-540 provided connection through the entire northwest
Arkansas area and was completed and officially opened in January 1999.
Most of the commercial and residential development in this study area has been developed within the past 15 — 20 years. Comparisons between 1994
and 2012 aerial photography of the area show significant change in the amount of development in the area. See Appendix B for references.
NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS
The charrette hosted multiple walking tours of the Wedington Corridor in the weeks leading up to the design charrette.
Additionally, a driving and walking tour with members of the Planning Commission and City Council allowed the charrette
team to gather early feedback. Multiple tours of the area allowed the charrette team to assess existing conditions within
and around the Wedington Corridor Plan Area, familiarize themselves with the neighborhoods, and identify traffic and
congestion issues, street and block patterns, alternative transportation opportunities and constraints, existing land uses and
possible infill and open space sites, in advance of the charrette week events.
THE CHARRETTE KICK-OFF
The design charrette began with a kick-off event at the Boys and Girls Club on Thursday, October 251".
Peter Nierengarten, Sustainability and Strategic Planning Director and City Council member Rhonda
Adams started by welcoming everyone to the kick-off event and encouraging them to participate during
the charrette week. City Planner Jesse Fulcher gave an overview of the history of the Wedington area
and its past agricultural significance to provide historical context to the area.
Attendees completed a survey at the kick-off event that asked about the challenges and opportunities
in the Wedington corridor area. The challenges most frequently identified were traffic volumes, high
rates of speed and congested access, especially at the 1-540 interchange. The top opportunities included
making the area walkable, bikeable and transit friendly.
Wedington Corridor Survey
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THE HANDS-ON DESIGN WORKSHOP
The hands-on design workshop was held on Saturday, October 27th. About 40 community
members and stakeholders gathered for the three hour brainstorming and design session.
Mayor Jordan kicked off the event with opening remarks, followed by Planner Jesse Fulcher,
who presented a visual preference survey, a tool used to obtain public feedback on physical
design alternatives. Peter Nierengarten gave a "food for thought'' presentation that highlighted
the existing conditions in the Wedington Drive area. Participants then worked in small groups
of 6 to 8 people through a series of design questions provided by the facilitator. The groups
worked on brainstorming ideas and drawing on maps to illustrate concepts and design thoughts.
Participants were challenged to develop a vision of what the Wedington area could become; they
identified traffic and alternative transportation limitations and solutions, and they recognized
the missing pieces needed to complete the neighborhood.
At the conclusion of the design session each of the six groups selected a representative to present
their table's ideas to the larger group. A number of common elements emerged that included:
• Wedington Drive as a boulevard or parkway.
• Improve the Wedington 1-540 interchange and improve multi -modal transportation options.
• Develop a node or "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and Rupple Road
• Create a north -south oriented greenway with trails bisecting Wedington Drive
A "word cloud" of the table representatives' presentations was created immediately following their
presentations and shared with the participants. The word cloud correlates word -size with frequency
used, offering insight into the top ideas that were discussed based on how often they were mentioned.
Ultimately, the hands-on design workshop generated maps and ideas for the design team to utilize as
they began to create an illustrative map based upon this citizen input.
THE OPEN DESIGN STUDIO
The design team held an open design studio at the Boys and Girls Club
from Sunday until Thursday. The primary task of the design team was to
draw an illustrative master plan of the plan area that would graphically
depict the ideas and concepts from the charrette. Along with
Wordcloud software source: wordle.com the illustrative master plan the City hired Nielson Architects,
LLC to produce 3D renderings and character sketches of key places in the neighborhood plan area. The public
was encouraged to check in on the status of the plan and look over the designers'
shoulders to make sure that their ideas were represented in the developing illustrative
plan. The citizens' maps and idea boards displayed in the hallway outside of the
design studio showed the development of the plan from the first rough sketches
and idea boards. Dozens of people dropped by during the design week to check in
on the plan as it progressed.
The design team requested that Tim Conklin, a transportation planning professional
in the region and Jeff Huber, project designer at the University of Arkansas
Community Design Center, to review the public input and offer constructive
criticism of the proposed design solutions. Both Tim Conklin and Jeff Huber
offered an insightful critique of the progressing plan especially in respect to traffic
and congestion issues and the boulevard design. Additionally, the design team
hosted an open house on October 2911 where initial design alternatives were displayed for various areas in the Wedington corridor. This event was well
attended, and public feedback was positive and re -enforced that the design team was heading in the right direction with the plan.
CHARRETTE CONCLUSION WITH WORK -IN -PROGRESS PRESENTATION
A work -in -progress presentation at the Boys and Girls Club on November V, 2012 concluded the charrette. Approximately 40 people came out to see
the draft illustrative plan and to hear the design team's proposals. Peter Nierengarten reviewed the week's events and shared the four main goals that
were developed based upon citizen input. This presentation gave the public an understanding of the future vision for the Wedington corridor and some
practical solutions for achieving it.
The following four guiding principles were developed through the design charrette process based upon citizen and staff input. They serve as the
fundamental framework of the plan and will be utilized as the basis for developing implementation action steps to achieve the vision of the plan. This
chapter explains and illustrates in detail the significance of each fundamental principle. The four principles are:
1. Redefine Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway
2. Envision the "Heart" of the Neighborhood Along Rupple Road
3. Support Active and Public Transportation Options
4. Designate a North -South Oriented "Greenway" Connecting the Hamestring and Owl Creek Watersheds.
1) REDEFINE WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WEDINGTON PARKWAY
Wedington Drive is both a state highway and a principal arterial city street that serves as the primary
commercial corridor for this area. Wedington Drive is maintained by the Arkansas Highway and
Transportation Department and provides access to, from and across Interstate 540. The Wedington corridor
has approximately 30,000 vehicle trips per day and the existing four and five lane cross-section is primarily
designed for high speed (40 — 45 mph) automobile travel.
This area has experienced rapid growth in the last 10 years. Coupled with older policies related to access
management, this has produced an incremental development pattern characterized by numerous curb cuts
and poorly aligned street intersections. The haphazard alignment of curb cuts and the continuous center
turn lane leads to a dangerous driving condition, especially when coupled with high traffic speeds and large
volumes. The fact that the Wedington Drive and 1-540 intersection is the only point of crossing, serving
thousands of residents in the immediate area creates considerable congestion at peak driving times. The
morning traffic moving eastward is backed up by the required left turn movement to access 1-540 north.
Similarly in the evening, traffic is backed up moving west along Wedington Drive and at the interchange's
southbound exit ramp. During the charrette week participants repeatedly mentioned that the lack of street
connectivity, access to, and across, I-540 were the primary generators of traffic congestion in the area.
An array of design solutions were discussed and proposed. Ultimately, residents expressed a strong desire
to remake Wedington Drive into a street that reduces congestion near I-540. provides pedestrians and
cyclists with safe and efficient means of travel, is designed to limit vehicular traffic to appropriate speeds
and is consequently more attractive.
PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO/ACROSS 1-540
In order for an interchange to accommodate high volumes of vehicular traffic and function effectively it should be designed to minimize disruptions to
traffic flow and reduce conflict points. Alternative intersection designs such as round -a -bouts, diverging diamonds or continuous flow intersections can
improve traffic flow by reducing the number of traffic signals. Safely separating pedestrians and cyclists from vehicular traffic and reducing left turn
vehicle movements can help reduce conflicts and improve the flow of vehicular traffic.
The proposed interchange design for 1-540 and Wedington Drive, shown at the left. replaces the existing left turn for east bound Wedington Drive
vehicles onto 1-540 North with a free right 'jug handle" and also eliminates one traffic signal on the east side of 1-540. A round -a -bout on the west end
of the existing bridge replaces two traffic signals (one at Wedington & Shiloh and one at Wedington & 1-540 on/off ramps). The round -a -bout provides
more continuous traffic flow while improving the safety of the intersection due to the reduced severity of potential vehicle accidents. A separated side
path will reduce conflicts with pedestrian and bicyclists and connect to multi -use paths on the west side of 1-540.
•"
round -a -bout
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MANAGE SPEED, ACCESS & CONGESTION
Reduced vehicle speed on streets improves safety for all road users; motorists, pedestrians
and cyclists. Vehicular accidents are less likely at lower speeds and when they do occur they
are less injurious. Lower speed collisions between vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists are
also much less likely to result in a fatality. The graph to the right illustrates a pedestrian's
chance of death if hit by a motor vehicle at varying speeds.
Access management is a term used by planners and traffic engineers that
refers to the regulation of intersections, driveways and median openings
to a roadway. The objective of an access management plan is to allow
access to adjacent land uses while maintaining safety by controlling
access locations, spacing and design. This is especially important for major
throughways that have large traffic volumes and high traffic speeds.
Avoid
Shopping
Center
■
Preferred
■
p Shopping
Center 1
m
Source: Guide for Analysis of Corridor Management Policies and Practices,
Florida Department of Transportation, 2007
Data Source: 2011 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
An access management plan is a key tool in managing both safety and
congestion along major thoroughfares. Access management can be
accomplished by combining multiple entrances/exits into one combined
driveway. The use of a boulevard cross-section can help reduce congestion
and accidents by controlling left turns from thoroughfares into developments.
TREE LINED BOULEVARD OR PARKWAY
A boulevard is usually a wide multi -lane thoroughfare with a center median
that may be tree lined. The center median is broken in key locations to
provide controlled left turn movements and cross access at intersections.
The principal advantage that boulevards offer over a street with a continuous
turn lane is the reduction in conflicts due to control of cross access and left
turn movements. If properly landscaped and maintained they can provide
beautification and reduced heat-island effect due to shading of paved
surfaces. In addition, the center median can provide a refuge space for
pedestrians at crossing locations. This is especially helpful for mid -block
crossings where there isn't a signalized intersection.
Multi -Way Boulevards were imported to the United States from Europe
as part of the park movement in the late nineteenth century. A multi -way
boulevard allows the arterial street to serve its primary function of enabling
high volume through traffic to move efficiently through the area. The use of parallel, low -speed slip lanes allows continuous access and parking for
adjoining properties. The slip lane also functions as a shared travel lane for bicycles. Generally, multi -way boulevards have tree lined medians or
green space between the opposing travel lanes and also between the travel lanes and the slip lane. Sidewalks adjacent to the slip lane parking spaces
provide an enhanced pedestrian experience and access to the adjoining buildings. Proper use of a multi -way boulevard can beautify a corridor, reduce
congestion, manage access and provide safe spaces for all road users.
Proposed Multi -way Boulevard for Franklin Boulevard in Eugene, OR.
Crosswalk on Canyon Blvd. in Boulder, CO.
Rendering of eastern end of Wedington Drive
BETTER PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS
A pedestrian crossing is a chosen point along a roadway that is designed to safely keep pedestrians
together as they cross vehicular traffic. Pedestrian crossings are often located at intersections but may
also be located at any point where higher numbers of pedestrians are likely to cross arterial streets
or where crossing a busy road is unsafe. Safe pedestrian crossings are an important component of a
complete streets network and are necessary to support a walkable development pattern. The Wedington
Corridor Plan proposes pedestrian crossings at new signalized intersections at Marvin/Tahoe, Golf Club
Dr., Meadowlands and Fieldstone.
WEDINGTON DRIVE STREET DESIGN. THREE DISTINCT STREET CROSS -SECTIONS
GOLF CLUB DRIVE TO MEADOWLANDS DRIVE:
This section of Wedington Drive is predominately undeveloped with a continuous double yellow line dividing two travel lanes in each direction. A
multi -way boulevard with a tree lined median and tree lined green space between the travel lanes and slip lane is proposed in this area. Parallel parking
for future businesses and residences is provided along the slip lane. Bicylces transition into the slip lane and sharrows in the slip lane indicate the shared
use between low speed vehicles and cyclists. This section of roadway is envisioned to have additional pedestrian and bicycle crossing locations, most
notably at Wedington and Golf Club Drive and at Wedington Drive and Meadowlands Drive.
MEADOWLANDS DRIVE TO 511T AVE:
This five lane section of Wedington Drive is relatively undeveloped with a continuous middle turn lane and two travel lanes in each direction. The
proposed design for this section of Wedington Drive includes a tree lined median to replace the center turn lane allowing for controlled access points
at intersections and a tree lined green space with bicycle and pedestrian sidepaths adjacent to both sides of the street. The proposed parkway design
provides an appropriate urban to rural transition for this outlying area of the City of Fayetteville.
bicycle & pedestrian side paths -� .f°�}m �� zs.�� •144.
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I-540 To GOLF CLUB DRIVE:
This five lane section of Wedington Drive is highly developed on both sides of the street with a continuous middle turn lane. A traditional boulevard
with a tree lined median and a separated cycle track along the north side of the street is proposed for this section. Proposed traffic signals at the offset
intersection of Wedington & Tahoe Pl. and Marvin Ave. would allow left turn access for vehicles and also provide a protected pedestrian crossing of
Wedington Drive.
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2) ENVISION THE "HEART" OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG RUPPLE ROAD
Wedington Drive serves as the principal and most convenient commercial corridor for residents living
west of Interstate 540 roughly between Mount Comfort Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Hwy
62). As mentioned previously, approximately 20% of Fayettevil le's population lives in the Wedington
influence area. During the Wedington Corridor Charrette residents were asked to envision where the
"heart" or central hub of activity of this area of Fayetteville should be developed over time. The
overwhelming preference by citizens was for it to be located near the intersection of Wedington Drive
and Rupple Road.
Three of the four corners of the intersection of Wedington Drive and Rupple Road are currently
developed, but much of the immediate area beyond the intersection is undeveloped or underdeveloped.
Charrette participants expressed a desire to make the "heart" of the neighborhood walkable with an
urban form much like a traditional "Main Street." This form of development sustains small businesses,
supports mixed -use buildings and often contains a central community space. In addition, they
envisioned that missing neighborhood services, resources and housing options should be located within
walkable proximity to the "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington and Rupple, thereby creating west
Fayetteville's first truly urban district .
ENHANCE WALKABILITY AND A "MAIN STREET"
Traditional "Main Streets" and town centers, developed prior to World War II and the advent of auto
dominant development patterns, were designed at a human scale with buildings placed close to the
street in contiguous and uninterrupted rows. Streets were generally designed with a slow traffic speed
and wide, accommodating sidewalks with appropriate parking adjacent to the street or in the interior
of the block. These traditional "Main Streets" were variable in scale from a small town square to
elaborate shopping districts in larger cities. In the post war period this pattern of development was
largely replaced by the auto centric, high speed arterial roadways that currently dominate the suburban
retail districts across the country. The Wedington Corridor Plan envisions the area along Rupple Rd.
to be designed in the traditional town form with smaller retail and mixed use development. This "Main
Street" development pattern coupled with the close proximity of residential areas will promote a highly
walkable heart for the neighborhood.
If streets are designed to be walkable, studies
have shown that most people will walk a distance
of approximately '/4 mile (1320 feet) before
turning back or opting to drive a car or ride a
bike. Most neighborhoods built before World
War lI are '/4 mile from center to edge. This
dimension is a constant in the way people have
settled for centuries. This distance relates to the
manner in which people define the edges of their
own neighborhoods. Of course, neighborhood
Typical midwest"main streets
" are not necessarily circular in design, nor is that
desirable. The '/4 mile radius is a benchmark for creating a neighborhood unit that is manageable
in size and feel and is inherently walkable.
INFILL OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES/RESOURCES
The residential subdivisions that were developed in this area from the 1990s until today have
created the demand for the more recent civic, institutional and commercial land uses that provide
goods and services to the newly developing neighborhood. Eventually, the infill of additional or
missing services will reduce residents' need to drive longer distances out of the neighborhood to
meet or find those goods or services. Developing these neighborhood businesses in a walkable
urban form within close proximity to nearby residential areas may ultimately eliminate the need
for many automobile trips thereby reducing congestion in the Wedington Area. The following
lists provide insight into the places that residents value and goods or services that need to be
provided to create a more sustainable neighborhood, as identified by charrette participants:
FAVORITE PLACES IN
NEEDED GOODS/
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVICES OR AM ENITY
Yogurt Shop
Boys & Girls Club
Branch Library
Owner Occupied
Town Houses
Cottage Courts
Upscale Grocery
Store
Police Sub -Station
Post Office
Senior Center
Theater
Bakery
Brewery
More Restaurants
Neighborhood Center
Drug Store
Farmer's Market
Community Building
Auto Shop
Meeting Rooms
Bike/Ped Trails
Museum
More Schools
Transit
Hardware Store
INFILL OF "MISSING MIDDLE" NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING
The term "Missing Middle" housing refers to medium density housing types such as duplexes,
fourplexes, bungalow courts, and live -work units that support walkable urban living. They are
classified as missing because of the relatively small number of these housing types have been
constructed during the post -World War II era. These types of housing can provide effective
transitions or buffers between lower density single family detached housing and commercial
corridors or other more urbanized areas. Quality Missing Middle housing is characterized by the
following: they are constructed in mixed densities that often seem lower than they actually are,
they are compact, well designed and simply constructed units on sites that are not designed around
off-street parking (this is not so say that off-street parking cannot exist), and most importantly
missing middle neighborhoods are supremely walkable thereby creating community through
the creative use of shared space. For the Wedington Corridor Plan missing middle housing is
envisioned in the heart of the neighborhood as a mix of small single family homes, duplexes,
triplexes, town homes and live/work units. These housing units help create a mixing of uses along
Rupple Rd. and Wedington Dr. and provide transition between existing single family housing and
more intensely developed retail areas.
Mid -Rise
Livel WadcCOurtyaTd
Townhouse Apartment y
Bungalow Court
- Triplex & Fourplex
Duplex ps
Single unit M��in9 Mtddle Housing TyP
Detached
Illustration of the "Missing Middle." Source: Blog Post by
Dan Parolek, Better! Cities &Towns, April 13, 2012
EXAMPLES OF "MISSING MIDDLE" HOUSING
Duplex bungalow Modern duplex
Rowhouse Townhome
Fourplex Bungalow court
Courtyard apartment Live work unit
ENABLE A CENTRAL COMMUNITY/SOCIAL SPACE
Many participants in the Wedington Charrette expressed a need for a central community space in the Wedington area. Outdoor community spaces can
provide opportunities for a variety of activities such as farmers markets, outdoor festivals, or other community gatherings. If designed and programmed
correctly these spaces will regularly attract people thereby supporting surrounding retail and providing the anchor for the "heart" of the neighborhood.
Rendering of central community square along Rupple Road, (NW of Rupple & Wedington)
by Neilson Architects, LLC.
Rendering of Community Center and Junior High School along Rupple Road (South of
Rupple & Wedington) by Neilson Architects, LLC.
3) SUPPORTACTIVEAND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
SUPPORT INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION CONNECTIVITY
As previously discussed, the relationship between congestion and the lack of street,
bicycle, pedestrian and transit connectivity across I-540 was a major concern of many
charrette participants. The public overwhelmingly pointed out that the pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure along the Wedington Corridor was fragmented and inferior to
that of other neighborhoods within the City. For instance, the sidewalk location along
Wedington Drive has a narrow 34 foot greenspace separating it from the high speed
driving lanes. This creates an uncomfortable situation for a pedestrian along the street.
Pedestrian crossings are located at the intersection of Wedington Drive and Shiloh, Salem
and Rupple Road. However, these crossings are not necessarily in the most convenient
locations for pedestrians wanting to cross. This leads to people running across the street
and dodging traffic. Bicycle infrastructure has been installed in some locations along the
corridor with the Salem Road and Rupple Road intersecting Wedington Drive having
well marked sharrows or bike lanes. However, Wedington Drive itself lacks a dedicated
bike lane and the I-540 overpass is especially dangerous for bicyclists.
And finally, the public acknowledged the need for improved transit access for residents
in the area. The linking of a number of local, regional and inter -regional bus services at
the existing Jefferson Bus Lines transit station is a strategically positioned resource that
this area should draw upon.
CITY STREETS: DYNAMIC PUBLIC PLACES
"Streets require vast amounts of land. In the United States,
from 25 to 35 percent of a city's developed land is likely
to be in public rights -of -way, mostly in streets. Streets are
almost always public: owned by the public, and when we
speak of the public realm we are speaking in large measure
of streets. What is more, streets change. They are tinkered
with constantly: curbs are changed to make sidewalks
narrower or (in fewer cases) wider, they are repaved, lights
are changed, the streets are torn up to replace water and
sewer lines or cables and again repaved. The buildings along
them change and in doing so change the streets. Every
change brings with it the opportunity for improvement. If we
can develop and design streets so that they are wonderful,
fulfilling places to be, community building places, attractive
public places for all people of cities and neighborhoods, then
we well have successfully designed about one third of the city
directly and will have had an immense impact on the rest."
Excerpt from "Great Streets" by Allan B. Jaobs,1993
CONNECT MISSING LINKS -STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS
The street network of a neighborhood determines the way those streets are utilized. In traditional
development patterns an interconnected street network provided opportunities for all modes
of transportation due to the short blocks laid out in a grid. Traditional residential blocks were
welcoming to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians by their slow speed design. The disconnected
nature of the post war suburban development pattern interrupted the grid with cul-de-sac
subdivisions that had limited access thereby funneling traffic onto the higher classification
streets. This leads to the need to provide expansive collector and arterial streets to handle large
volumes of traffic that otherwise could have been dispersed through a well connected street
network.
Therefore, a consciously designed, well-connected network of streets, sidewalks and trails is
essential for the dispersal of traffic into, out -of and through the corridor. For the most part, -2 AL
the current street network that intersects Wedington Drive is fragmented. This is principally MasterTransportation Connections Map
due to the incremental nature of development that has happened in the last two decades. A number of opportunities
for increased street connectivity were missed in the past, for instance the dead-end of Steamboat Drive. Fortuitously this area is only partially built
out, thereby providing the City with the opportunity to plan for completing a street network that addresses these missing connections. In 2008 the
City adopted an Access Management and Street Connectivity ordinance that mandates curb -cut separation distance requirements and requires an
interconnected public street network prohibiting cul-de-sac streets. In the proposed Wedington Illustrative Plan the larger un-developed parcels located
in the plan area represent a model for creating an interconnected local street network.
The proposed interchange design and the conversion of Wedington Drive into a boulevard cross-section will change traffic patterns and access along
the corridor. The removal of the center turning lane will restrict left turn movements to street intersections and major access points to the adjacent
properties. This makes the need for cross access and a connected street grid very important. Pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks and crosswalks
are required for any proposed street design.
The trail infrastructure that is proposed to cross Wedington Drive at Salem Road will create the opportunity to penetrate the Wedington corridor with
off-street active transportation facilities. Trail infrastructure serves multiple purposes including transportation options, health benefits and preserving
natural or open spaces through the use of greenways. Trail and street transportation connections both within and into/out of the Wedington Area are
shown on the Master Transportation Connections Map.
'r
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MT. -CO NFORT RU: �
WEDNOTON DR. I_ _ _ -1 i • F [
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im
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MasterTransportation Connections Map
4) DESIGNATE A NORTH -SOUTH ORIENTED °GREENWAY"
CONNECTING THE HAMESTRING AND OWL CREEK WATERSHEDS.
With the adoption of City Plan 2030 an Enduring Green Network (EGN) was identified and
mapped (See map page 6). The EGN is a tool for guiding land use decisions and is a part ofja
larger development framework. It was developed as a means to connect people and nature
through a mapped system of trails and green infrastructure. This network recognizes and assembles the natural resources of Fayetteville that should be preserved to provide lasting7 T4
connected corridors for wildlife, trails, waterways, and passive open space. The EGN mapwas created by identifying and inventorying the existing natural resources and linking themtogether with parks and linear trail networks. The EGN was mapped as a broad boundary
for use in locating possible properties that could eventually become a contiguous network o
greenspace and trails. The EGN as realized will likely be narrow corridors connecting larger open
spaces. Over time, the function and appreciation of the Enduring Green Network will be enhanced as
its pieces are fitted together and it becomes inter -connected and easily accessible.
In urban contexts, these narrow ribbons of greenspace are typically termed "Greenways" from the
combination of green belt and parkway. Greenways are characterized as vegetated and linear, often
containing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in narrow corridors.
At this time, a portion of the EGN bisects the Wedington corridor at the intersection of Salem Road.
Commercial development currently occurring here limits the viability of the EGN in this location. Staff
proposes amending the EGN map and moving its location west to the intersection of Golf Club Road.
This location is favorable for connecting the existing and planned green spaces to the north and south
of Wedington Drive. This connection will favorably impact a multitude of residential, civic, open
space and commercial uses in the Wedington area, most notably the Hamestring and Owl Creek trail
corridors, public elementary and middle schools, the Boys and Girls Club, the Links Golf Course and
Bryce Davis Park.
This greenway connection is further strengthened by the view of Millsap's Mountain and Mount
Kessler to the south, an asset of the area identified by citizens during the hands-on design workshop. A
greenway in this location will ensure that a perpetual viewshed is established and maintained.
IMPLEMENTATION TOO LVIANDAC UI5ITION
There are a number of policies and regulations currently existing that may be utilized to acquire identified
greenspace, the foremost being the Parkland Dedication Ordinance and the Fayetteville Alternative
Transportation and Trails Master Plan. As the remainder of the Wedington Corridor develops, this north
and south greenway should be incorporated into development plans on the now vacant lands adjacent or
contiguous with the planned route.
The Fayetteville Alternative Transportation Plan should be amended to recognize this very important north -
south greenway connection and to ensure that space for this corridor is prioritized in any future development
plans for these properties.
In addition, the City should create a "Conservation"
development ordinance that would allow for sustainable
Meadow Valley trail at the U of A Farm land use development for lands in the EGN that protect
environmental features such as viewsheds, natural
wildlife habitats, environmentally sensitive areas or farmlands in perpetuity. A conservation design
for neighborhood development may be appropriate in areas where there are important natural
resources to protect or where the development form of the surrounding area is primarily rural
or agricultural. This form of development typically sets aside half or more of the land area to be
designated as undivided, permanent open space. This result is achieved in a density neutral manner
whereby the overall number of dwellings is the same as what would be allowed in a conventional
layout. This results in residential neighborhoods that are more compact and with smaller lots. The
central goal is the preservation of lands to create a contiguous community wide open space network.
This may be accomplished through partnerships of private and public land owners, land trusts and/
or local governments. This pattern of land development is particularly appropriate for the urban
fringe or edge of the city where urban services are not available and where low density residential
development is a given.
Advantages of a conservation subdivision are:
• less infrastructure for developer to install • smaller lots for owners to maintain
• less infrastructure for City to maintain • common/shared space for neighborhood to utilize
Conventional Subdivision
Conservation Subdivision
Source: Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
FOUR STEPS FOR CREATING A CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION:
1. Identify potential conservation areas on the
property: This includes wetlands, forested
slopes, streams and valuable agricultural lands.
2. Identify home sites on the property: Home
sites should be identified that wil I take advantage
of the open space viewsheds and by providing
pedestrian access.
3. Design the street alignment and trails:
Provide adequate access to each home and share
driveway curb cuts when possible. Design street
alignments to maximize views into the open
space. Minimize dead end streets and connect to
adjoining properties. Provide trail connections
through the conservation spaces allowing the
neighborhood to access and appreciate the
greenspace.
4. Create small lots that do not divide the
conservation open space. Achieve a density
neutral design that is flexible in terms
of lot width. area, setbacks and frontage
requirements. Open space lots should be left
as large contiguous parcels. A land management
plan with maintenance responsibilities must be
established to ensure the long term viability of
the conservation space.
41k
L
undivided conservation space
views of open space
A
ared dr�esuse ;lFir
7:, i i- 'ir■
i � r
Conceptual conservation subdivision
i
The Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan shows only one of many alternatives or scenarios for development within the corridor in the next 15 —
20 years. Many of the features in the illustrative plan reflect ideas and opportunities that were identified by charrette participants. The implementation
of some of the more significant components within the plan will be controlled by entities or organizations outside of city government. These include
a Branch Library, a Junior High School, a Community Center, a Farmers Market, future street connections and a round -a -bout interchange at I-540.
PLACES AND SPACES
BRANCH LIBRARY
The Fayetteville Public Library currently houses their entire circulation and operations within one building located in Downtown Fayetteville. Since
this building was completed in 2004 the number of active library card holders has skyrocketed to over 65,000 people. Use by these cardholders has
exceeded the capacity for the current building, which has prompted the library to update their 20 year master plan.
One option within this master planning process may be to open a branch library. Several considerations will influence the location choice for a branch
library including; community desire, distance from the existing library, existing and future population growth and available funding. A branch library
envisioned by charrette participants near the intersection of Rupple Rd. and Wedington Dr. would seem to satisfy several of these criteria as it would
be located approximately 5 miles from the existing downtown library, in a neighborhood with high growth potential and in relatively close proximity
to nearly 15,000 current Fayetteville residents.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The Fayetteville Public School District is the oldest school district in the State of Arkansas. The district provides K-12 • - --
education with a current enrollment of over 9,000 students. In recent years, the district has seen a steady increase in a�#11H1141 toll
enrollment that corresponded with the growth of Fayetteville's population. in an effort to accommodate this growth, three
new middle schools have been constructed in the past 12 years and Fayetteville High School is currently undergoing a
major expansion and renovation. Conversely Woodland Junior High School and Ramey Junior High School, both serving •� 4 '. •�
81h and 9`1 grades, were built in 1960 and 1966 respectively, and new plans for junior high facilities have not surfaced in A
recent years. `.. _..
The current school district forecasts for student growth do not point toward the need for any new buildings within the next
9 years. However, a continuation of Fayetteville's population growth to over 110,000 people in the next 20 years according to the Northwest Arkansas
Regional Planning Commission, would indicate the need for a new Junior High School before 2030. With much of this growth projected for the west
side of Fayetteville, locating a future Junior High School within the Wedington Corridor seems reasonable.
COMMUNITY CENTER
During the Wedington Corridor charrette, one of the stronger messages that citizens articulated was the desire for
a community space for an expanded set of users. This space was envisioned to be flexible for a wide variety of uses
such as a community meeting space, a senior center, community programs, branch library and athletic activities. While
citizens acknowledged some overlap of these potential uses with the adjacent Boys and Girls Club, which is a membership
organization, they envisioned a building that was open without charge to the public. Capital and operations funding would
need to be developed to make a community space viable.
FARMERS' MARKET
Multiple groups during the hands-on design workshop expressed strong support for a space that could be utilized as a
farmers market and for other similar outdoor events. Existing farmers' markets located on the Downtown Square and at the
Botanical Gardens are very popular with Fayetteville residents. Strong community support for these markets helped the
Fayetteville Farmers Market win the 2012 American Farmland Trust's — Favorite Large Farmers' Market Award.
Some communities with vibrant farmers' markets are now supporting the concept of having smaller neighborhood scale
farmers' markets that compliment the larger markets by adding convenience. These markets tend to have reduced number
of vendors and are scheduled on days that do not conflict with larger centrally located markets, often on weekday afternoon/
evenings. Centrally locating this market near a walkable retail district could help anchor the heart of the Wedington
neighborhood.
FUTURE STREET NETWORK COMPONENTS
City Plan 2030 goal six states that "We will grow a livable transportation network." One of the tools that the City utilizes to implement this goal is the
adoption of a Master Transportation Plan. One component of this is the Master Street Plan map, on which the City identifies future collector and arterial
street connections. These streets are the larger functional classification roadways that have higher traffic volumes. The alignments shown on the map
are approximate and may change slightly due to physical constraints in the field. Typically, these streets are constructed through a combination of public
and private means such as City bond issues and construction cost share agreements with the approval of development projects. The network of local and
residential streets is regulated through the City's street connectivity ordinance that guides alignment and intersection spacing of these smaller streets.
In the Wedington Corridor analysis the design team focused on four important street extensions shown on the Master Street Plan in the Wedington
corridor area: Salem Road, Shiloh Drive, Persimmon St. and Rupple Road. All of these connections are vital for future growth to occur in this area
because the carrying capacity of Wedington Drive across 1-540 is inherently limited even with future interchange improvements.
It is important to note that the connection between land use and streets is inseparable and complementary, with land use typically instructing the
street function and design. A useful efficiency or sustainability metric for a street network, or individual street segment, is density or intensity of land
use per linear foot of street. A lower ratio of linear street frontage per dwelling unit or square feet of commercial use is more efficient. Therefore, the
efficient use of land is important for sustainable city services and fixture maintenance needs. Development projects that are proposed far out on the
western fringe of the City will actually diminish the possibility of creating a complete neighborhood in the Wedington Corridor Plan area by siphoning
off this future growth and reducing the overall development capacity of the area nearest to the City center.
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TRAFFIC MODEL FROM NWARPC
As a part of this project the design team examined the future collector and arterial streets shown on the City's Master Street Plan for their impacts on
traffic congestion at the Wedington Drive and I-540 interchange. This included the extension of Persimmon St. over 1-540, the extension of Rupple
Road south to Highway 62/MLK, the extension of Salem Drive north to Mt. Comfort Road and the extension of Shiloh Drive north to Porter Road.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) maintains a Travel Demand Model for macro -level analysis of automobile traffic
in Benton and Washington Counties. Streets that are proposed on the Wedington Corridor Transportation Connection Map can be inserted into this
model to determine their impact on existing and projected traffic patterns. The design team requested that NWARPC model results for the future streets
classified as Collector and Arterial. The model predicted the following:
Connecting Rupple Road South to Hwy 62 would accommodate 5200 vehicles per day
A new bridge across 1-540 along Persimmon would accommodate 7900 vehicles per day and divert 2000 vehicles per day from the Wedington
Bridge over 1-540
All models are predictive by nature and the results are determined, in part, by the baseline assumptions that form the model's framework. The design
team holds the opinion that the NWARPC's traffic model is very instructive for modeling the traffic pattern changes for street extensions in relation
to the current built environment and for answering questions such as how many cars would travel this newly extended street if it was completed and
opened tomorrow.
These types of transportation models are less accurate for modeling multiple future street connections if assumptions on future growth are based upon
extrapolating past development and density patterns. The vast amount of data needed to run such a model can skew the final result significantly. For
example, if the population growth projections are off significantly or other data inputs are inadequate the model may produce an incomplete or inaccurate
projection. These challenges must be kept in mind when analyzing model results that combine street connectivity and future growth scenarios.
This planning document serves as a vision statement ofwhatthe Wedington Corridor could eventually become. The achievement
of this vision is dependent on developing a comprehensive strategy and timeline for implementing changes or improvements
that the City can initiate. However, many of the concepts developed in the plan and shown on the illustrative build out plan
are not directly controlled or directed by the City. For instance, highway improvements are ultimately determined by the
AHTD and school locations and expansions are decided by the Fayetteville School District. However, the ability of the City
to regulate and control development patterns creates numerous opportunities to direct growth and development towards
achieving the four guiding principles of this plan. This is achieved by developing specific implementation action steps and
timelines. These steps are separated into near term (0-5 years) and long term (5-20 years). The near term steps are primarily
regulatory changes and planned or funded infrastructure improvements. The long term implementation steps will require
capital investment and are largely focused on transforming the existing Wedington Drive from a five lane arterial roadway
into a grand boulevard. Ultimately, the success of this plan is dependent upon the implementation of the following initiatives:
SHORT TERM STEPS:
1. WEDINGTON SPEED STUDY
The posted speed limit along Wedington Drive west of 1-540 is predominately 45 mph. During the Wedington
Corridor charrette many participants suggested that the posted speed limit within the corridor was too high for this
area and intuitively deduced that high speed limits lead to accidents that are more severe. Also noted was that the I?45
high speed of traffic is detrimental to the safety and welfare of pedestrians and cyclists.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) requires that a speed study be conducted in
accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in order to adjust the posted speed NR
limits on State highways. Guidance in the MUTCD suggests that the posted speed be set to within 5 mph of the
speed at which 85% of the free flowing traffic in the study area is traveling. The manual further suggests that
other subjective factors such as road characteristics, roadside development, pedestrian activity and the number of accidents
may be considered when determining the posted speed. The City should conduct a speed study of this area to see if a speed
reduction is possible. Then the City may elect to request that AHTD conduct a speed study along Wedington Drive in order
to make a change in posted speed limit signage. If the speed study supports the existing posted speed limits, 45 mph, then
the City should pursue physical design changes to the roadway, in conjunction with ATHD to encourage lower traffic speeds.
2_ NEW 1-540 INTERCHANGE
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) is planning to start construction on a new
interchange at Wedington and I-540 by late 2014. This work will likely involve construction of a new bridge
over 1-540 along with changes to the existing freeway on and off ramps.
Preliminary AHTD conceptual plans for this interchange include additional lanes along Wedington Drive,
elimination of one traffic signal on the east side of I-540, increased spacing of the traffic signals on the west side
of 1-540. and the addition of a two-lane free right turn "jug handle" on -ramp for west -bound Wedington traffic
to enter north -bound 1-540. AHTD is conducting traffic models for this preliminary intersection concept and
have agreed to also model the proposed round -a -bout shown in the Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan.
Ultimately, the modeling results will determine the viability of the round -a -about envisioned for the west side of
the 1-540 and Wedington interchange. Regardless of the infrastructure improvements that are ultimately selected,
it is imperative that the City work with AHTD to make sure that these improvements are in line with the City Plan 2030 goal
of "growing a livable transportation network" that accommodates all users_
AHTD's recognition of the mapped on -street bicycle linkage shown on the Fayetteville Alternative Trails and Transportation
(FATT) Plan along Wedington Drive over 1-540 would normally facilitate the inclusion of bicycle lanes in addition to
automatic pedestrian sidewalks on the new bridge. However the likely free right turn associated with the new two-lane jug
handle" 1-540 on -ramp on the south side of the bridge makes safe sidewalks and bicycle lanes on the south side of the bridge
very impractical. Instead a combined bicycle/pedestrian sidepath on the north side of the bridge (as shown on the illustrative
master plan) would provide safe connections across I-540 for non -motorized users. City staff will continue to work with
AHTD to incorporate safe and effective pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the new bridge_
3. PROPOSE ZONING CHANGES FORTHE CORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEDINGTON DRIVE AND RUPPLE ROAD
City Plan 2030 goal number three calls for "making traditional town form the standard." Traditional town form is
identified by an urban development pattern that prioritizes an interconnected street network with buildings that are
placed near the street and parking located to the side or preferably the rear of the site. Currently, the Wedington
Corridor is primarily zoned utilizing suburban commercial, office and multi -family zoning districts. These zoning
districts prescribe the existing suburban development pattern seen today along the corridor and it has created.
unintended Consequences that should not be repeated going forward if the goal is to create a walkable urban core
in this area.
At the charrette the public overwhelmingly expressed a desire to see a walkable urban center develop at the
intersection of Wed ington Drive and Rupp le Road. At this time, a number of sizable parcels of land are undeveloped
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northwest of this intersection. The illustrative plan envisions this area as a complete, compact and connected
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neighborhood with civic, residential and commercial uses. The utilization of the City's form based zoning districts
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will be essential to ensure that the development pattern prescribed here is walkable and urban. Form based'
zoning districts are also much more flexible in allowing for a variety of residential and commercial densities and
intensities. This encourages a diverse mixture of building types, scales and uses that are not separated from each
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other but instead are co-rningled to create a unified, sustainable and cohesive whole.'j;
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4. AMEND THE FAYETTEVILLE ALTERNATIVE TRAILS AND TRANSPORTATION
PLAN AND THE ENDURING GREEN NETWORKTO RECOGNIZE THE ILLUSTRATED
TRAIL CROSSING OF WEDINGTON DRIVE
City Plan 2030 goal number five states that the City will '`assemble an enduring green network." The Fayetteville Alternative
Transportation and Trails Master Plan (FATT Plan) plays an integral role in achieving this goal because it is the most prevalent
and useful too] for preserving linkages between nodes such as parks in the overall Enduring Green Network (EGN).
The FATT Plan, which consists of a guiding document and a map showing the existing and future trail and on -street bicycle
alignments, is updated on a five year basis and is utilized by staff and elected officials to prioritize short, medium and long term
trail expansion projects and on -street bicycle linkages. The FATT plan, by design. mirrors in many ways the EGN. both uniting
green infrastructure with active transportation routes.
The EGN currently is shown intersecting Wedington Drive between Timberland Ln. and Salem Road. Unfortunately,
this area has approved development plans that include the existing Walmart Neighborhood Market and a number + r J'
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of commercially developable out -lots making a trail connection within a greenway unlikely. The design team
recommends moving the EGN to the west at the intersection of Wedington Drive and Golf Club Drive This is a
natural location for a trail to cross Wedington Drive and link the Hamestring and Owl Creek watersheds_ _±
The FATT plan is due for an update in 2015. Staff proposes an update of the FATT plan document that was first : _—
adopted in 2001 and amending the FATT plan and EGN snaps to include the trail and open spaces illustrated in
the Wedington Corridor Plan.
5. PRIORITIZE PARKLAND DEDICATION ACREAGES ANT] FUNDS THAT ARE
COLLECTED IN THESE QUADRANTS TO ACO.UIRE THE PARKLANDS ILLUSTRATED IN
THE WEDINGTON CORRIDOR PLAN
When residential development occurs in the City. a portion of land or money in lieu is collected for the acquisition and/or
development of parklands. Currently. the formula is 0.23 acres for each single family residential unit and .014 acres per multi-
family residential unit. At the time of development, Parks staff makes a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Board on whether a land dedication or money in -lieu is more appropriate given the existing facilities in the area and other criteria
as adopted by the Parks and Recreation Board. The money in -lieu option allows developers to pay a one time fee of $920 for a
single family home or $560 for a multi -family unit. This is based upon a land value estimate in 2012 of $40,000 per acre. The
money collected is saved in escrow for subsequent acquisition and/or development of parkland within the quadrant
that the development occurred. These funds are utilized to create larger neighborhood oriented parks that benefit - —
a broader area than a single residential subdivision. a� 0.7 0100
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In the Wedington Illustrative Plan the design team identified potential locations for two new parks. The first F
is a central square space that is envisioned for a new development that would occur directly northwest of the . `r
intersection of Rupple Road and Wedington Drive. This small park could serve as a central green for a complete,,,��-�
compact and connected development node in this location. The park illustrated here is approximately 2 acres - �r i
and would require a land match equal to 83 single family homes or 224 multi -family units or the approximate
equivalent of $80,000. The second park is shown between 46°" 5t. and Broyles Ave_ and is approximately 3.8 Ir } U 81
acres and would require a land match of 158 single family homes or 224 multi -family units or the approximate
equivalent of $152,000.
I
As the Wedington corridor continues to develop the City's Parks and Recreation staff should identify suitable locations that
would serve the identified needs and goals of the plan for future strategic or financial planning processes. A combination of
funding or land dedication from multiple public and private sources will likely be needed in order to realize the parkland
illustrated in the Wedington Corridor Plan.
G. DEVELOP A CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT DESIGN PROCESS FOR
NEIGHBORHOODS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE OR RURAL AREAS
The Wedington corridor area of influence contains a lot of undeveloped and rural lands held in large parcels. These
lands will be increasingly pressured to be developed into low density residential uses. Unfortunately, this type of
residential subdivision development typically happens in a lea fro fashion that is determined b market forces.
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The resulting haphazard development pattern is not well thought out and is unsustainable given the vast amount41
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of resources required to construct and maintain it. The outcome is development that does not pay for itself given
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the City's investment in services, maintenance and infrastructure such as streets, water and sewer lines, fire and
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police services, etc. in perpetuity. Therefore, it is incumbent upon appointed and elected officials to adhere to the
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City Plan goals ofdiscouraging suburbansprawl and prioritizing appropriate infill and revitalization.
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A conservation design for neighborhood development is an appropriate tool to utilize for areas of the C•sty that are
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designated as Enduring Green Network and possibly for tracts of rural lands on the City's fringe. City staff should
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research the possibility of a conservation development ordinance. which would include a process for identifying
appropriate lands and the creation of efficient and equitable conservation development guidelines.
IMPLEMENTATION WEDINGTON
CORRIDOR PLAN 39
7. DEVELOP AN ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR WEDINGTON DRIVE
City Plan 2030 calls for growing a "livable transportation network" that is safe and efficient for all users- An
integral component of a livable transportation network is the ability to control the access onto arterial and collector
roadways in order to maintain their through traffic capacity while making it safe and accessible for pedestrians and
bicyclists. This can be accomplished through the development of an access management plan for major roadways.
An access management plan is used to regulate intersections, driveways and median openings to a roadway. The
objective is to allow access to land uses while maintaining roadway safety and mobility. In order to implement the
boulevard cross -sections shown in the illustrative plan, an access management plan will be necessary and must be
agreed upon by the City of Fayetteville and the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). This
should occur prior to the design phase of any proposed roadway improvements.
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The general design framework provided in the access management plan will address the efficient spacing of local. collector
and arterial street intersections. Driveway locations and access to parcels fronting Wedington Drive should be minimized with
access to intersecting side and parallel streets required. The implementation of a landscaped median will require a thorough
analysis of the existing and future intersections. left turn Ianes and parallel slip lanes. Special consideration should be paid to
pedestrian and bicycle comfort and safety especially at intersections and mid»block crossings.
The timing of creating an access management plan will depend on the AHTD and the City's priorities for this project. At a
minimum a near -term partial analysis will be needed for the reconfiguration of the Wedington Drive 11-540 interchange. Due to
the large amount of undeveloped land that exists along the corridor, the sooner an access management plan happens the better.
Ultimately, the access restrictions to Wedington Drive imposed upon these undeveloped lands will positively influence the site
designs and street networks needed to serve these developments while preserving the throughway capacity of the roadway.
LONG TERM STEPS:
1. REDEVELOP AND RENAME WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WEDINGTON PARKWAY
Public input during the charrette repeatedly recommended that the five lane cross section of Wedington Drive should be
redesigned as a boulevard cross section. The design team followed through with this suggestion when developing the illustrative
plan and developed a design that is flexible enough to endure changes as existing or future conditions warrant. The Wedington
Parkway design envisioned in the illustrative plan is in line with City Plan 2030 goal number three of "growing a
livable transportation network."
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The most important aspect of completing the vision of a redesigned Wedington Parkway is to secure Arkansas
Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) approval and to find the necessary funding. Previously,
the AHTD has partnered with Fayetteville and other cities to transform portions of State Highways into more
attractive, safe and efficient roadways through the development of access management plans. Local examples
include Garland Avenue (Highway 112) and Crossover Road (Highway 265) in Fayetteville. A similar approach
is needed to correct some of the issues noted along Wedington Drive that have been mentioned previously in this
plan.
To this end, it is imperative that the City work with AHTD to develop an 1-540 interchange design that is safe and
efficient for all users. This will most likely be accomplished in the next 5 years, but the relatively recent widening improvements
to Wedington Drive will likely push additional roadway improvements to the corridor west of 1-540 to a second phase.
The City could potentially fund improvements and the reconstruction of this roadway through a street bond issue, the City's
Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds, AHTD or Federal monies or a combination of any of the above. Due to the accelerated
growth in this area, preparations and access management planning should start in the near term with the final completion of
this project happening in a 5-20 year timeline. At the completion of this project the roadway should be renamed Wedington
Boulevard or Parkway.
The Wedington Corridor plan document and illustrative map provide a vision and a framework for transforming and taming an arterial roadway
and interstate interchange while creating a more livable neighborhood that is complete and connected. This vision is based on input expressed by
the community that resulted in the creation of four main guiding principles: redefining Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway; creating the heart
of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and Rupple Road; supporting an active transportation network; and designating a greenway to connect the
Hamestring and Owl Creek watersheds.
The vision document provides a timeline for developing policies and programs. Wedington Drive has the potential to be transformed from a five lane
arterial roadway, with all of its attendant problems such as high speed, congestion and dangerous curb cuts, into a beautiful slow speed multi -modal
boulevard. The changes proposed for this street cross-section are envisioned to transform the pattern of development from a suburban development
model with large front setbacks and conspicuous parking to an urban development pattern with buildings set at the street edge with side or rear parking.
This urban pattern is crucial to creating the "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington Dr. and Rupple Rd. as shown in the illustrative plan. The inclusion
and promotion of active and public transportation is evident throughout the plan and is vital to fulfill the functionality of the urban design. Planned
greenway connections provide for the preservation of important riparian areas, green spaces and viewsheds that are critical for creating an enduring
green network that links people and commerce through the natural environment.
The implementation of the plan will require adherence to the four guiding principles and the cooperation of multiple sectors, public and private, over a
period of years. The opportunities for this corridor to become a safe, inviting and well designed neighborhood are limitless and the incremental nature
of the development process should not overshadow the long term success of realizing the vision of the Wedington Corridor Plan.
A: WEDINGTON CORRIDOR ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN
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B: DOCUMENT REFERENCES
City of Fayetteville, Arkansas History
http: ,www.I'ayettevillehistoL.%,.com;
City Plan 2030, Fayetteville
]ttt : w%vv.accessfavetteville.ora/2ovemnierzt' laimirs r Master Plan/index.
cfrn
Downtown Master Plan, 2004, Fayetteville
htt.vtwww.accessfavetteviIle.orn+uovernment' lannina:'-Master Plan
Downtown Master Plan.cfm
Fayette Junction Master Plan, 2009, Fayetteville
http:/.'www.accessfayettevi l le.org, govem me_iit•_plann i ngMaster_Plan"Favete_
Junction.cfm
Jacobs, Allan B.; MacDonald, Elizabeth; Rofe, Yoden. The Boulevard Book:
History, Evolution, Design of'Multiwa_v Boulevards. Boston: Massachusettes
Institute of Technology, 2002.
Shiloh Museum, Springdale, Arkansas.
http://www.sliilolimuseum.ory//
Smart Growth Network. Getting to Smart Growth IL 100 More Policies for
Implementation. International City/County Management Association:
htt :�: wwwsmart��rnvvth.orf++ df �ettosr�3, dl•
US Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration. Manual
on Uniform Truk Control Devices: Chapter 3C. Roundabout Markings 2009
rev May 2012.
lut �:�ii+�urrd. luisf�+.clnt. =rn>xi �:?Ullorl+•1:r++xtccl?OUJ+•1+•?ccliriuu_ �lt
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Places to Go. Lakes and Rivers.
Lake Wedington. Retrieved August 30, 2012 from http://www.arkansas.com/
places-to-go/lakes-rivers/
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Historical Review -
Volume Two Arkansas State Highway Commission and Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department 1913 - 2003. April 2004.
City of Fayetteville, Annexation Ordinances 1529, 1556, 2395, 2457, 2857,
3685, 4355, 4588
Environmental Consulting Operations, Inc. website. Retrieved September 19,
2012 from
Iitt:::+ecoarkansas.convinlo,woolsevliistorv.html
Fayetteville History Website. Timeline. Retrieved August 30, 2012 from
]tttp:, avetteviIlehistur%, rvpepad.com+niainetimeline/
Goodspeed Publishing Company. History of Benton, Washington, Carroll,
Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. The
Goodspeed Publishing Company. Chicago. 1889.
Marinoni, Paula, personal communication, September 5, 2012.
Poole, Arlen Dee. Historic Washington County Arkansas Website. Retrieved
August 30. 2012 from
http:':'vvwrn,ttistoriewashirigtoncounty.om,-lakawedin, lon,html.
Poole, Hal, personal communication, September 10, 2012.
Roots Web website. Genealogy of Samuel Woolsey. Retrieved September 19,
2012 from
littp:, i nealngv, rootsweb.ancestm.com'-woolsey' , resources,
descends/wool en: wlsamuelaiIbert1791 1858.htm1
Wappel, Tony, personal communication, August 30, 2012.
Wood, Denny, personal communication, September 10, 2012.
C: WORK IN -PROGRESS AND OPEN HOUSE SURVEYS
Do you think the plan is on the right track
YES — 89%
NO- 11 %
Are there any elements of your vision for the future of the Wedington Corridor that we may have missed?
— Public transit and alternative transportation connection potential needs to be embraced by the "drivers". Perhaps build it and they will come
will cause a cultural change.
— Trolley system along Wedington Drive.
— Area needs an additional Fire Station
— A nice park and green space on Wedington that can be easily accessed by kids from both the north and the south side and maybe an elevated
pedestrian crossing over Wedington that provides access. Since 20% of Fayetteville's population lives here it seems like a large city pooU
park/playground/skate ramps would be well used.
— Some elements of the illustrative plan may cause more flooding.
— Owl Creek area near the School could be made into a water park.
— Pedestrian bridges over Wedington instead of crosswalks.
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WEDJN( TFON CORRIDOR
A
ILLUSTRAI'lVE MASTER PLAN
yaitee lle
Y"..
Jesse Fulcher
Andrew Garner
John Goddard
Kristina Jones
Alison Jumper
Matt Mihalevich
Peter Nierengarten
Leif Olson
Jeremy Pate
Quin Thompson
Nielsen Architects, LLC
(Nick Pierce, Designer)
Adam Barnes
Valarie Beindara
Ted Belden
Benjamin Bendall
Erica Blansit
Dave Bolen
Mike Bowles
Daniel Carnahan
Pam Clome
Terry Coberly
Corey Collett
Carolyn Conn
Katherine Dees
Richard Dees
Diane Didier
Mayor Lioneld Jordan
Rhonda Adams
Adel la Gray
Mark Kinion
Alan Long
Sarah Marsh
Matthew Petty
Martin W. Schoppmeyer Jr,
Justin Tennant
Connie Edmonston
Mike Emery
Cande Erbe
Bob Estes
Kyle Fugett
Ericka Gergerich
John Grilli
Jim Hagen
Susan Harder
Laurence Hare
Christine Hare
Bob Harrington
Guy Headland
Bob Hofmann
Candace Hoggatt
Sarah Bunch
Matthew Cabe
William Chesser
Kyle Cook
Craig Honchell
Tracy Hoskins
Ryan Noble
Blake Pennington
Porter Winston
Harlie Holman
Beth Hopkins
Tracy Hoskins
Celeste Hoskins
Tim Baker
Richard Johnson
David Johnson
Bill Jowlers
Harry Krushiker
Rebecca Kulawick
Mary Larson
Jim Laubler
Sarah Lewis
Alan Long
Karen Marshall
Ley ,
4'.'•—mot --
Fayetteville Boys and Girls Club
Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce
Fayetteville Ward 4
University of Arkansas Community Design Center
Tim Conklin
Rob Sharp
Jeff Huber
Paula Marinoni
Hal Poole
Tony Wappel
Denny Wood
And Design Team family members who
tolerated a week of late nights and weekend work.
Vince Massanelli
Mike Phips
Sandra Smith
Bryan McBride
Deborah Quinn
Brian Stahl
Jack McCormack
James Quinn
Debra Stendel
Garry McDonald
Wade Ramer
Chung Tan
Ryan Miller
Laurie Reh
Christine Tan
Penny Millian
Susan Richmond
Aaron Tan
Scott Milsap
Brian Scott
Brina Teague
Kevin Mitchell
Robert Sharp
Ellen Thompson
Eric Neilsen
Brian Shores
Todd Walters
Carol Norman
Micheal Sinclair
Micheal Ward
J. P. Peters
David Siskowski
Barbara Wright
Robert Page
Charles Sloan
Jason Young
Wanda Page
Cindy Sloan
Stephen Zisner
Victor Parkerson
Steve Smith
Sandra Parkerson
Gretta Smith
Participants
2
Executive Summary
4
1. HOW THE PLAN WAS CREATED
Charrette Preparation
5
Analysis Maps
6
Census Data Analysis
9
Wedington Area History
10
Neighborhood Tours
11
Charrette Kickoff
12
Hands -On Design Workshop
12
Open Design Studio
13
Charrette Conclusion with
14
Work -In -Progress Presentation
11. PLAN FUNDAMENTALS
REDEFINE WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WEDINGTON PARKWAY
15
Provide Better Access to/Across I-540
16
Manage Speed, Access & Congestion
17
Tree Lined Boulvedard or Parkway
18
Better Pedestrian Crossings
19
Wedington Drive Street Design: Three Distinct
19
Street Cross -Sections
ENVISION THE "HEART" OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG 21
RUPPLE ROAD
Enhance Walkability & a "Main Street" Feel 21
Infill of Neighborhood Services/Resources 22
Infill of "Missing Middle" Neighborhood Housing 23
Enable a Central Community/Social Space 24
1 f i l l . - - 1- _ . ' -1a, 1 4!'. . I i
SUPPORT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS 25
Support Integrated Transportation Connectivity 25
Connect Missing Links — Streets, Sidewalks and Trails 26
Master Transportation Connections Map 27
DESIGNATE A NORTH -SOUTH ORIENTED `°GREENWAY" 28
CONNECTING THE HAMESTRING & OWL CREEK
WATERSHEDS
Implementation Tools/Land Acquisition 29
CHARRETTE OUTCOMES
Places & Spaces 31
Future Street Network Components 32
Traffic Model From NWARPC 34
SHORT TERM STEPS 35
LONG TERM STEPS 41
'V. CONCLUSION 42
A. Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan 43
B. Document References 44
C. Work -in -Progress and Open House Surveys 45
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Wedington Corridor Plan (the Plan) area is located north and south of
Wedington Drive from the I-540 intersection west past 51' Ave. The Plan
area has been transformed in the last 20 years from an outlying agricultural
region with a very small population to a booming suburban residential and
commercial corridor.
The Plan area was chosen by the City Council as the location for a City
neighborhood plan in August 2012. After the Plan area was chosen, City
staff conducted several months of background research and stakeholder
meetings that culminated in a week-long public charrette in October 2012.
The Plan is based upon the following four principles that emerged from
the charrette process:
• Redefine Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway
• Envision the heart of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and
Rupple Road
• Support active and public transportation options
• Designate a greenway connecting Hamestring and Owl Creek
watersheds
Analysis in the Plan indicates that rapid growth without cohesive planning
in the area has led to a number of challenges common in suburban sprawl
areas where the prevailing development pattern is auto dependent in nature.
The primary challenges include lack of street connectivity, poor pedestrian
and bicycle access, congestion at the Wedington Drive/I-540 interchange,
and lack of a neighborhood center. The Plan attempts to overcome these
challenges by providing alternatives to suburban sprawl, improving
traffic congestion, and placing a priority on active transportation options
(pedestrians and cyclists).
To achieve these goals the Plan guides not only the location, but also
the development pattern and form of future growth. The Plan prescribes
increased density, mixed land uses, improved street connectivity, and active
transportation options close to the 1-540 corridor. As development patterns
and land uses transition further west of I-540, these areas are envisioned
to be left primarily rural with low density residential development in a
conservation development pattern that preserves meaningful open space.
Non-residential uses west of Broyles Avenue should be very limited and
small in scale.
The goals of the Plan can be encouraged in part by utilizing form based
zoning districts, requiring an interconnected network of streets and by
creating a new conservation development code. The final authority to
discourage sprawl and encourage infill in desired locations lies with
appointed and elected officials who approve or deny annexation and zoning
requests. These decisions should be made with the understanding that
growth allowed to occur on the far western fringe of the City diminishes
the capacity to create a complete, compact, and connected neighborhood
closer to the I-540 corridor.
Each of the Plan fundamentals is instrumental in creating a livable
neighborhood for this area of the City. The Plan identifies a set of
implementation steps in order to achieve the four principles and establishes
a timeline for their completion.
The principal goals of City Plan 2030 (CP 2030) are the overarching
framework that staff and appointed and elected officials use to guide future
neighborhood development and redevelopment. They are used to set metrics for
the measurement of future success, and the neighborhood planning process is
always viewed through the lens of these six goals:
We will make appropriate infill and revitalization our highest priority
We will discourage suburban sprawl
We will make traditional town form the standard
We will grow a livable transportation network
We will assemble an enduring green network
We will create opportunities for attainable housing
City Plan 2030 was adopted unanimously by the Fayetteville City Council in July
2011 and serves as Fayetteville's comprehensive land use plan, which establishes
a vision for what Fayetteville can achieve. One of the stated objectives in City
Plan 2030 is to produce a complete neighborhood or corridor plan every other
Mt
year utilizing a charrette process. A design charrette process maximizes public `�r`''�" t� ;'-=.;w;; : _ •� .•:. •,::
participation and ownership of the plan. The Wedington Drive area was chosen ; .t7YµR�:��y° l:•
and approved by the City Council for this corridor plan on August 7, 2012. A •. _ r
City -led design team consisting of staff from the City's Planning Division and 1• t """�`'"'""""""'"
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the Sustainability and Strategic Planning Department facilitated the October �I --
271' design charrette at the Boys and Girls Club on Rupple Road. The City also
hired Nick Pierce from Nielsen Architecture to create conceptual illustrations of the plan using a computer generated sketch -up model. Over the course
of the design process approximately 100 community residents, business owners, civic and community organization members, transportation and design
experts and elected and appointed officials offered input for the corridor vision.
CHARRETTE PREPARATION
In the months leading up to the charrette, staff gathered and analyzed information and began visiting with
groups and individual stakeholders in the Wedington Drive area. The charrette team compiled a series of maps
that examined the existing street, sidewalk and trails network, land use, property ownership, environmental
constraints, zoning and future planned infrastructure improvements. The charrette team held a meeting with
City staff from the Transportation, Engineering, Water and Sewer, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation, Police,
Fire and Geographic Information Systems Divisions to talk about opportunities and constraints that their
individual divisions manage in the Wedington Corridor Plan area.
In order to maximize public participation the charrette team utilized a variety
of advertising mediums including: print ads in the NWA Times and the Arkansas Traveler, save -the -date postcards to all
property owners within the corridor and personally delivering flyers to local businesses and churches. The Fayetteville
Flyer featured an online story prior to the charrette week and the NWA Times published an article the day before the
community charrette. Staff publicized the charrette through presentations at a Ward 4 meeting, an Environmental Action
Committee meeting, a joint City Council and Planning Commission tour and a business owner meeting at City Hall.
Multiple television news crews interviewed participants throughout the progress of the event, as well.
ANALYSIS MAPS: ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES & ENDURING GREEN NETWORK
There are no known sensitive or endangered species,
impaired watersheds or significant creeks or waterways in
the Wedington Corridor Boundary. However, the overall
visual environment offers scenic views of the rolling
topography, undeveloped fields, and tree -covered hills
immediately south of the study area. These scenic views
were noted by staff and members of the public before and
during the charrette process, and were incorporated into
elements of the plan. These views are considered significant
natural resources indicative of the visual character of
Fayetteville.
The land within the Wedington Corridor boundary is
primarily uplands consisting of the Captina-Nixa-Pickwick
Association soils. These soils are commonly found in
Washington County in areas that have broad plateaus with
a gentle gradient of 1 to 8 percent. This soil association is
well suited to farming and has few limitations for non -farm
development. The lands adjacent to the corridor on the north
and south are bisected by significant streams, Hamestring
and Owl Creek respectively. The Enduring Green Network
(see page 28 for explanation) encompasses both the
Hamestring and Owl Creek riparian corridors, though
accessibility to these resources is limited. Additionally,
variously sized wetlands exist in close proximity to the
Wedington corridor, most notably the Woolsey Wetland
Prairie at the Fayetteville Westside Wastewater Treatment
Plant.
"The Enduring Green Network connects people and nature through a mapped system of trails and green infrastructure. This network recognizes and assembles the
ecological assets in Fayetteville that need to be preserved while providing a lasting connected corridor for wildlife.The strength, function and appreciation of the Enduring
Green Network will develop over time as our community experiences these natural areas and distinct ecosystems." From City Plan 2030, Fayetteville Arkansas
ANALYSIS MAPS: CURRENT ZONING
Historically this area was primarily agricultural with a very
low residential density. With the completion of the State
Highway 71 by-pass in 1975, now 1-540, annexations
brought much of this area into the City in the 1970s and
1980s. As land was annexed it was rezoned for the many
different land uses that we see in the Wedington corridor
area today. Areas north and south of Wedington Drive are
predominately residentially zoned with a wide variety of
density. The land directly adjacent to Wedington Drive has
primarily been zoned for commercial and office use with
a large area of Thoroughfare Commercial (C-2) zoning
located at the I-540 interchange. In recent years developers
have utilized the City's Planned Zoning District (PZD)
process to create more urban development patterns that
allow for varied residential densities mixed with commercial
uses. Staff anticipates that the remaining agriculturally
zoned lands in direct proximity to Wedington Drive will
likely have rezoning requests in the near fiiture as this area
continues to develop.
ANALYSIS MAPS: CITY PLAN 2030 - FUTURE LAND USE
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The Wedington corridor is primarily envisioned as a City
Neighborhood Area in the fixture that will accommodate
a large variety of residential and commercial uses. City
Neighborhood Areas encourage complete, compact and
connected neighborhoods. Lands further west along
Wedington Drive are identified as Residential Neighborhood
areas characterized by predominantly residential uses with
strong street connectivity. Overall, the large areas of vacant
and underutilized land in the Wedington corridor provide
opportunities for growth and for the preservation of existing
rural residential uses.
City Neighborhood Areas are characterized as a dense
and primarily residential urban fabric. Mixed -use and low -
intensity commercial uses are usually confined to corner
locations. These areas have a wide range of residential
building types: single-family, multi-plexes, sideyard and
rowhouses. Setbacks and landscaping are variable. Streets
typically define medium sized blocks with a high level of
connectivity between neighborhoods. City Neighborhood
Areas recognize conventional strip commercial
developments but encourage complete, compact and
connected neighborhoods.
Residential Neighborhood Areas are almost exclusively residential in nature with naturalistic planting and varied setbacks. This designation recognizes
conventional single use residential subdivision development but encourages traditional neighborhood development that incorporates low -intensity
commercial uses. All new development should create a strong sense of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular connectivity.
Rural Areas consist of lands in an open or cultivated state or sparsely settled. These may include woodlands, agricultural lands or grasslands. These
areas have only the infrastructure and public services to support low -density zoning.
Natural Areas consist of lands approximating or reverting to a wilderness condition, including lands with limited development potential due to
topography, hydrology, vegetation or its value as an environmental resource.
WEST WEDINGTON AREA OF INFLUENCE CENSUS
DATA ANALYS I S
For this project the design team created an area of influence in order
to understand the population that utilized the Wedington corridor for
transportation and commerce. The area of influence boundary is roughly
lands located south of Mount Comfort Road, west of 1-540, north of
Highway 62 and east of the western city limits near Double Springs Road.
The following lists some of the pertinent demographic information for this
area:
• The total population of the area of influence is 14,781 people or about
19.7% of the total Fayetteville population. Of this, 29% of males and
28% of females are over 25 years of age, and 43% are less than 25 years
old. The median male age is 22-24 and the median female age is 25-29.
The average number of people per household is 2.43.
There are a total of 7,713 households in the area of influence. Of these
72% are family households, 28% are non -family and 5% are single
person households.
The median income of the area is $44,000 to $49,999. This is the same
as the City as a whole.
The census data informs us that the population in the area of influence is
relatively young with a high number of families with small children. There
is also a significant population of young adults, probably college students,
which live in this area.
The City's GIS department also tracks housing data and the following
numbers reinforce the census data that this area is made up of predominantly
young families and college students.
0 A total of 7,532 occupiable housing units exist in the area of influence.
Of these 59% are single family, 30% are multi -family and 11% are
duplexes or mobile homes.
The City also keeps track of land use City wide. According to the latest
analysis the land use for the Wedington area of influence is the following:
42% undeveloped or agriculture, 39% residential, 10% street right-of-
way, 3 % entertainment and recreation, 2% general sales or services, 2%
communication and utilities and 2% for education and health care.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission develops
population projections for the municipalities in the region. Their most
recent population projection estimates that in 2035 Fayetteville will have
a population of 116,445 people. This is an increase of 41,343 people
in the next 20 years or so. Due to the fact that there are large areas of
easily developable land in the Wedington area of influence a substantial
amount of that population growth will likely occur here.
Wedington area of influence
WEDINGTON AREA HISTORY
Wedington Drive takes its name from William Lewis Weddington, a prominent land owner who settled
west of Fayetteville near the present day Lake Wedington in the early 1800s. Recorded history of the
area dates back to the use of the Wedington Drive corridor as a passage for Native Americans before the
area was settled by pioneers. This transportation corridor later became know as 'Wedington Gap.' The
area was first settled by Anglos in the late 1820s, Washington County being established soon thereafter.
One of the first families to settle in this part of Washington County was the Woolsey family, Samuel D.
and his wife, Matilda. The Woolseys moved from Illinois in 1830, settling a farm of 80 acres acquired
through public land grants at $1.25/acre, which is today located on City property off of Broyles Road near
the City Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant, about one mile southwest of the Wedington Corridor Plan
area. Much of the Woolsey homestead and burial ground has been preserved in its original location. As
part of the construction of the City's new wastewater treatment plant adjacent to this homestead, a wetland
mitigation site called the Woolsey Wet Prairie has been installed and is being maintained to restore the tall
grass wet prairie that was once common to the area.
Like the Woolsey property, much of the area west of Fayetteville was settled with small homesteads in
the mid- to late 1800s and had much less hardwood forest than exists today, with large areas of tall grass
prairie. Bison, elk, deer, beaver and other game were plentiful and hunting and trapping was a common
occupation.
The eastern part of the Wedington Neighborhood Plan Area was annexed into the City of Fayetteville in
1967 with annexations gradually extending west over the decades with the westernmost portion of the
study area annexed in 2006. Until the 1980s this area of Fayetteville/Washington County was primarily
rural, with a number of family farms and rural residences. More recent agricultural activities primarily
consist of livestock and hay farming and still exist today on several large parcels of land adjacent to
Wedington Drive. There were not many non-residential services or uses in the study area until the past
30 years. However, one hub at a crossroads in the area was a small grocery store called the Earl Williams
Grocery that was located at the northeast corner of what is now Wedington Drive and Rupple Road.
Some of the well established non-residential uses still in existence along this corridor are Airways Freight
offices, Westwood Gardens plant nursery, the First United Pentecostal Church, Catfish Hole restaurant,
and Ozarks Electric office and equipment yard. The construction of the State Highway 71 bypass in the
early 1970s (the current 1-540 corridor) introduced major changes to this rural landscape. The 71 bypass connected the Fayetteville Airport north to the
regional mall and opened up this area for development including a gas station, strip malls, hotels, the Betty Jo Apartments, and eventually single family
neighborhoods and the Harps grocery store into the 1990s and early 2000s. The construction of 1-540 provided connection through the entire northwest
Arkansas area and was completed and officially opened in January 1999.
Most of the commercial and residential development in this study area has been developed within the past 15 — 20 years. Comparisons between 1994
and 2012 aerial photography of the area show significant change in the amount of development in the area. See Appendix B for references.
NEIGHBORHOOD TOURS
The charrette hosted multiple walking tours of the Wedington Corridor in the weeks leading up to the design charrette.
Additionally, a driving and walking tour with members of the Planning Commission and City Council allowed the charrette
team to gather early feedback. Multiple tours of the area allowed the charrette team to assess existing conditions within
and around the Wedington Corridor Plan Area, familiarize themselves with the neighborhoods, and identify traffic and
congestion issues, street and block patterns, alternative transportation opportunities and constraints, existing land uses and
possible infill and open space sites, in advance of the charrette week events.
THE CHARRETTE KICK-OFF
The design charrette began with a kick-off event at the Boys and Girls Club on Thursday, October 25"'.
Peter Nierengarten, Sustainability and Strategic Planning Director and City Council member Rhonda
Adams started by welcoming everyone to the kick-off event and encouraging them to participate during
the charrette week. City Planner Jesse Fulcher gave an overview of the history of the Wedington area
and its past agricultural significance to provide historical context to the area.
Attendees completed a survey at the kick-off event that asked about the challenges and opportunities
in the Wedington corridor area. The challenges most frequently identified were traffic volumes, high
rates of speed and congested access, especially at the 1-540 interchange. The top opportunities included
making the area walkable, bikeable and transit friendly.
Wedington Corridor Survey
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THE HANDS-ON DESIGN WORKSHOP
The hands-on design workshop was held on Saturday, October 27th. About 40 community
members and stakeholders gathered for the three hour brainstorming and design session.
Mayor Jordan kicked off the event with opening remarks, followed by Planner Jesse Fulcher,
who presented a visual preference survey, a tool used to obtain public feedback on physical
design alternatives. Peter Nierengarten gave a "food for thought" presentation that highlighted
the existing conditions in the Wedington Drive area. Participants then worked in small groups
of 6 to 8 people through a series of design questions provided by the facilitator. The groups
worked on brainstorming ideas and drawing on maps to illustrate concepts and design thoughts.
Participants were challenged to develop a vision of what the Wedington area could become: they
identified traffic and alternative transportation limitations and solutions, and the} recognized
the missing pieces needed to complete the neighborhood.
At the conclusion of the design session each of the six groups selected a representative to present
their table's ideas to the larger group. A number of common elements emerged that included:
• Wedington Drive as a boulevard or parkway.
• Improve the Wedington I-540 interchange and improve multi -modal transportation options.
• Develop a node or "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and Rupple Road
• Create a north -south oriented greenway with trails bisecting Wedington Drive
A "word cloud" of the table representatives' presentations was created immediately following their
presentations and shared with the participants. The word cloud correlates word -size with frequency
used, offering insight into the top ideas that were discussed based on how often they were mentioned.
Ultimately, the hands-on design workshop generated maps and ideas for the design team to utilize as
they began to create an illustrative map based upon this citizen input.
THE OPEN DESIGN STUDIO
The design team held an open design studio at the Boys and Girls Club
from Sunday until Thursday. The primary task of the design team was to
draw an illustrative master plan of the plan area that would graphically
depict the ideas and concepts from the charrette. Along with
Wordcloud software source: wordle.com the illustrative master plan the City hired Nielson Architects,
LLC to produce 3D renderings and character sketches of key places in the neighborhood plan area. The public
was encouraged to check in on the status of the plan and look over the designers'
shoulders to make sure that their ideas were represented in the developing illustrative Nw"KIP �;2
plan. The citizens' maps and idea boards displayed in the hallway outside of the N..,.....
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design studio showed the development of the plan from the first rough sketches ,LL..,
and idea boards. Dozens of people dropped by during the design week to check in
on the plan as it progressed.
The design team requested that Tim Conklin, atransportation planning professional
in the region and Jeff Huber, project designer at the University of Arkansas
Community Design Center, to review the public input and offer constructive
criticism of the proposed design solutions. Both Tim Conklin and Jeff Huber
offered an insightful critique of the progressing plan especially in respect to traffic
and congestion issues and the boulevard design. Additionally, the design team
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hosted an open house on October 291 where initial design alternatives were displayed for various areas in the Wedington corridor. This event was well
attended, and public feedback was positive and re -enforced that the design team was heading in the right direction with the plan.
CHARRETTE CONCLUSION WITH WORK -IN -PROGRESS PRESENTATION
A work -in -progress presentation at the Boys and Girls Club on November 111, 2012 concluded the charrette. Approximately 40 people came out to see
the draft illustrative plan and to hear the design team's proposals. Peter Nierengarten reviewed the week's events and shared the four main goals that
were developed based upon citizen input. This presentation gave the public an understanding of the future vision for the Wedington corridor and some
practical solutions for achieving it.
The following four guiding principles were developed through the design charrette process based upon citizen and staff input. They serve as the
fundamental framework of the plan and will be utilized as the basis for developing implementation action steps to achieve the vision of the plan. This
chapter explains and illustrates in detail the significance of each fundamental principle. The four principles are:
Redefine Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway
2. Envision the "Heart" of the Neighborhood Along Rupple Road
3. Support Active and Public Transportation Options
4. Designate a North -South Oriented "Greenway" Connecting the Hamestring and Owl Creek Watersheds.
1) REDEFINE WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WEDINGTON PARKWAY
Wedington Drive is both a state highway and a principal arterial city street that serves as the primary
commercial corridor for this area. Wedington Drive is maintained by the Arkansas Highway and
Transportation Department and provides access to, from and across Interstate 540. The Wedington corridor
has approximately 30,000 vehicle trips per day and the existing four and five lane cross-section is primarily
designed for high speed (40 — 45 mph) automobile travel.
This area has experienced rapid growth in the last 10 years. Coupled with older policies related to access
management, this has produced an incremental development pattern characterized by numerous curb cuts
and poorly aligned street intersections. The haphazard alignment of curb cuts and the continuous center
turn lane leads to a dangerous driving condition, especially when coupled with high traffic speeds and large
volumes. The fact that the Wedington Drive and I-540 intersection is the only point of crossing, serving
thousands of residents in the immediate area creates considerable congestion at peak driving times. The
morning traffic moving eastward is backed up by the required left turn movement to access I-540 north.
Similarly in the evening, traffic is backed up moving west along Wedington Drive and at the interchange's
southbound exit ramp. During the charrette week participants repeatedly mentioned that the lack of street
connectivity, access to, and across, 1-540 were the primary generators of traffic congestion in the area.
An array of design solutions were discussed and proposed. Ultimately, residents expressed a strong desire
to remake Wedington Drive into a street that reduces congestion near 1-540_ provides pedestrians and
cyclists with safe and efficient means of travel, is designed to limit vehicular traffic to appropriate speeds
and is consequently more attractive.
PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO/ACROSS 1-540
In order for an interchange to accommodate high volumes of vehicular traffic and function effectively it should be designed to minimize disruptions to
traffic flow and reduce conflict points. Alternative intersection designs such as round -a -bouts, diverging diamonds or continuous flow intersections can
improve traffic flow by reducing the number of traffic signals. Safely separating pedestrians and cyclists from vehicular traffic and reducing left turn
vehicle movements can help reduce conflicts and improve the flow of vehicular traffic.
The proposed interchange design for 1-540 and Wedington Drive, shown at the left, replaces the existing left turn for east bound Wedington Drive
vehicles onto 1-540 North with a free right "jug handle" and also eliminates one traffic signal on the east side of 1-540. A round -a -bout on the west end
of the existing bridge replaces two traffic signals (one at Wedington & Shiloh and one at Wedington & 1-540 on/off ramps). The round -a -bout provides
more continuous traffic flow while improving the safety of the intersection due to the reduced severity of potential vehicle accidents. A separated side
path will reduce conflicts with pedestrian and bicyclists and connect to multi -use paths on the west side of 1-540.
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MANAGE SPEED, ACCESS & CONGESTION
Reduced vehicle speed on streets improves safety for all road users; motorists, pedestrians
and cyclists. Vehicular accidents are less likely at lower speeds and when they do occur they
are less injurious. Lower speed collisions between vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists are
also much less likely to result in a fatality. The graph to the right illustrates a pedestrian's
chance of death if hit by a motor vehicle at varying speeds.
Access management is a term used by planners and traffic engineers that
refers to the regulation of intersections, driveways and median openings
to a roadway. The objective of an access management plan is to allow
access to adjacent land uses while maintaining safety by controlling
access locations, spacing and design.This is especially important for major
throughways that have large traffic volumes and high traffic speeds.
Avoid
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Source: Guide for Analysis of Corridor Management Policies and Practices,
Florida Department of Transportation, 2007
Data Source: 2011 AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
An access management plan is a key tool in managing both safety and
congestion along major thoroughfares. Access management can be
accomplished by combining multiple entrances/exits into one combined
driveway. The use of a boulevard cross-section can help reduce congestion
and accidents by controlling left turns from thoroughfares into developments.
TREE LINED BOULEVARD OR PARKWAY
A boulevard is usually a wide multi -lane thoroughfare with a center median
that may be tree lined. The center median is broken in key locations to
provide controlled left turn movements and cross access at intersections.
The principal advantage that boulevards offer over a street with a continuous
turn lane is the reduction in conflicts due to control of cross access and left
turn movements. If properly landscaped and maintained they can provide
beautification and reduced heat-island effect due to shading of paved
surfaces. In addition, the center median can provide a refuge space for
pedestrians at crossing locations. This is especially helpful for mid -block
crossings where there isn't a signalized intersection.
Multi -Way Boulevards were imported to the United States from Europe
as part of the park movement in the late nineteenth century. A multi -way
boulevard allows the arterial street to serve its primary function of enabling
high volume through traffic to move efficiently through the area. The use of parallel, low -speed slip lanes allows continuous access and parking for
adjoining properties. The slip lane also functions as a shared travel lane for bicycles. Generally, multi -way boulevards have tree lined medians or
green space between the opposing travel lanes and also between the travel lanes and the slip lane. Sidewalks adjacent to the slip lane parking spaces
provide an enhanced pedestrian experience and access to the adjoining buildings. Proper use of a multi -way boulevard can beautify a corridor, reduce
congestion, manage access and provide safe spaces for all road users.
Proposed Multi -way Boulevard for Franklin Boulevard in Eugene, OR.
Crosswalk on Canyon Blvd. in Boulder, CO.
Rendering of eastern end of Wedington Drive
BETTER PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS -
A pedestrian crossing is a chosen point along a roadway that is designed to safely keep pedestrians
together as they cross vehicular traffic. Pedestrian crossings are often located at intersections but may
also be located at any point where higher numbers of pedestrians are likely to cross arterial streets
or where crossing a busy road is unsafe. Safe pedestrian crossings are an important component of a
complete streets network and are necessary to support a walkable development pattern. The Wedington
Corridor Plan proposes pedestrian crossings at new signalized intersections at Marvin/Tahoe, Golf Club
Dr., Meadowlands and Fieldstone.
WEDINGTON DRIVE STREET DESIGN: THREE DISTINCT STREET CROSS -SECTIONS
GOLF CLUB DRIVE TO MEADOWLANDS DRIVE:
This section of Wedington Drive is predominately undeveloped with a continuous double yellow line dividing two travel lanes in each direction. A
multi -way boulevard with a tree lined median and tree lined green space between the travel lanes and slip lane is proposed in this area. Parallel parking
for future businesses and residences is provided along the slip lane. Bicylces transition into the slip lane and sharrows in the slip lane indicate the shared
use between low speed vehicles and cyclists. This section of roadway is envisioned to have additional pedestrian and bicycle crossing locations, most
notably at Wedington and Golf Club Drive and at Wedington Drive and Meadowlands Drive.
MEADOWLANDS DRIVE TO 51STAVE:
This five lane section of Wedington Drive is relatively undeveloped with a continuous middle turn lane and two travel lanes in each direction. The
proposed design for this section of Wedington Drive includes a tree lined median to replace the center turn lane allowing for controlled access points
at intersections and a tree lined green space with bicycle and pedestrian sidepaths adjacent to both sides of the street. The proposed parkway design
provides an appropriate urban to rural transition for this outlying area of the City of Fayetteville.
" bicycle & pedestrian side paths
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I-540 TO GOLF CLUB DRIVE:
This five lane section of Wedington Drive is highly developed on both sides of the street with a continuous middle turn lane. A traditional boulevard
with a tree lined median and a separated cycle track along the north side of the street is proposed for this section. Proposed traffic signals at the offset
intersection of Wedington & Tahoe Pl. and Marvin Ave. would allow left turn access for vehicles and also provide a protected pedestrian crossing of
Wedington Drive.
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2) ENVISION THE "HEART" OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG RUPPLE ROAD
Wedington Drive serves as the principal and most convenient commercial corridor for residents living
west of Interstate 540 roughly between Mount Comfort Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Hwy
62). As mentioned previously, approximately 20% of Fayetteville's population lives in the Wedington
influence area. During the Wedington Corridor Charrette residents were asked to envision where the
"heart" or central hub of activity of this area of Fayetteville should be developed over time. The
overwhelming preference by citizens was for it to be located near the intersection of Wedington Drive
and Rupple Road.
Three of the four corners of the intersection of Wedington Drive and Rupple Road are currently
developed, but much of the immediate area beyond the intersection is undeveloped or underdeveloped.
Charrette participants expressed a desire to make the "heart" of the neighborhood walkable with an
urban form much like a traditional "Main Street." This form of development sustains small businesses,
supports mixed -use buildings and often contains a central community space. In addition, they
envisioned that missing neighborhood services, resources and housing options should be located within
walkable proximity to the "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington and Rupple, thereby creating west
Fayetteville's first truly urban district .
ENHANCE WALKABILITY AND A "MAIN STREET" FEEL
Traditional "Main Streets" and town centers, developed prior to World War II and the advent of auto
dominant development patterns, were designed at a human scale with buildings placed close to the
street in contiguous and uninterrupted rows. Streets were generally designed with a slow traffic speed
and wide, accommodating sidewalks with appropriate parking adjacent to the street or in the interior
of the block. These traditional "Main Streets' were variable in scale from a small town square to
elaborate shopping districts in larger cities. In the post war period this pattern of development was
largely replaced by the auto centric, high speed arterial roadways that currently dominate the suburban
retail districts across the country. The Wedington Corridor Plan envisions the area along Rupple Rd.
to be designed in the traditional town form with smaller retail and mixed use development. This "Main
Street" development pattern coupled with the close proximity of residential areas will promote a highly
walkable heart for the neighborhood.
If streets are designed to be walkable, studies
have shown that most people will walk a distance
of approximately '/4 mile (1,320 feet) before
turning back or opting to drive a car or ride a
bike. Most neighborhoods built before World
War II are '/4 mile from center to edge. This
dimension is a constant in the way people have
settled for centuries. This distance relates to the
manner in which people define the edges of their
own neighborhoods. Of course, neighborhoods
Typical midwest main street
are not necessarily circular in design, nor is that
desirable. The'/4 mile radius is a benchmark for creating a neighborhood unit that is manageable
in size and feel and is inherently walkable.
INFILL OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES/RESOURCES
The residential subdivisions that were developed in this area from the 1990s until today have
created the demand for the more recent civic, institutional and commercial land uses that provide
goods and services to the newly developing neighborhood. Eventually, the infill of additional or
missing services will reduce residents' need to drive longer distances out of the neighborhood to
meet or find those goods or services. Developing these neighborhood businesses in a walkable
urban form within close proximity to nearby residential areas may ultimately eliminate the need
for many automobile trips thereby reducing congestion in the Wedington Area. The following
lists provide insight into the places that residents value and goods or services that need to be
provided to create a more sustainable neighborhood, as identified by charrette participants:
FAVORITE PLACES IN
NEEDED GOODS/
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVICES OR AMENITY
Yogurt Shop
Boys & Girls Club
Branch Library
Owner Occupied
Town Houses
Cottage Courts
Upscale Grocery
Store
Police Sub -Station
Post Office
Senior Center
Theater
Bakery
Brewery
More Restaurants
Neighborhood Center
Drug Store
Farmer's Market
Community Building
Auto Shop
Meeting Rooms
Bike/Ped Trails
Museum
More Schools
Transit
Hardware Store
INFILL OF"MISSING MIDDLE" NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING
The term "Missing Middle" housing refers to medium density housing types such as duplexes,
fourplexes, bungalow courts, and live -work units that support walkable urban living. They are
classified as missing because of the relatively small number of these housing types have been
constructed during the post -World War II era. These types of housing can provide effective
transitions or buffers between lower density single family detached housing and commercial
corridors or other more urbanized areas. Quality Missing Middle housing is characterized by the
following: they are constructed in mixed densities that often seem lower than they actually are,
they are compact, well designed and simply constructed units on sites that are not designed around
off-street parking (this is not so say that off-street parking cannot exist), and most importantly
missing middle neighborhoods are supremely walkable thereby creating community through
the creative use of shared space. For the Wedington Corridor Plan missing middle housing is
envisioned in the heart of the neighborhood as a mix of small single family homes, duplexes,
triplexes, town homes and live/work units. These housing units help create a mixing of uses along
Rupple Rd. and Wedington Dr. and provide transition between existing single family housing and
more intensely developed retail areas.
Duplex
Single U sit
Detached
Mld-Rise
Live/ Woriscou rtyard
Townhouse Apartment
bungalow Court
M-65in9 M jdd1e Housing -rypes
Illustration of the "Missing Middle." Source: Blog Post by
Dan Parolek, Better! Cities &Towns, April 13, 2012
EXAMPLES OF"MISSING MIDDLE" HOUSING
Duplex bungalow Modern duplex
Rowhouse Townhome
Fourplex Bungalow court
Courtyard apartment Live work unit
ENABLE A CENTRAL COMMUNITY/SOCIAL SPACE
Many participants in the Wedington Charrette expressed a need for a central community space in the Wedington area. Outdoor community spaces can
provide opportunities for a variety of activities such as farmers markets, outdoor festivals, or other community gatherings. If designed and programmed
correctly these spaces will regularly attract people thereby supporting surrounding retail and providing the anchor for the "heart" of the neighborhood.
Rendering of central community square along Rupple Road, (NW of Rupple & Wedington)
by Neilson Architects, LLC.
Rendering of Community Center and Junior High School along Rupple Road (South of
Rupple & Wedington) by Neilson Architects, LLC.
3) SUPPORTACTIVEAND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
SUPPORT INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION CONNECTIVITY
As previously discussed, the relationship between congestion and the lack of street,
bicycle, pedestrian and transit connectivity across I-540 was a major concern of many
charrette participants. The public overwhelmingly pointed out that the pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure along the Wedington Corridor was fragmented and inferior to
that of other neighborhoods within the City. For instance, the sidewalk location along
Wedington Drive has a narrow 3-4 foot greenspace separating it from the high speed
driving lanes. This creates an uncomfortable situation for a pedestrian along the street.
Pedestrian crossings are located at the intersection of Wedington Drive and Shiloh, Salem
and Rupple Road. However, these crossings are not necessarily in the most convenient
locations for pedestrians wanting to cross. This leads to people running across the street
and dodging traffic. Bicycle infrastructure has been installed in some locations along the
corridor with the Salem Road and Rupple Road intersecting Wedington Drive having
well marked sharrows or bike lanes. However, Wedington Drive itself lacks a dedicated
bike lane and the I-540 overpass is especially dangerous for bicyclists.
And finally, the public acknowledged the need for improved transit access for residents
in the area. The linking of a number of local, regional and inter -regional bus services at
the existing Jefferson Bus Lines transit station is a strategically positioned resource that
this area should draw upon.
CITY STREETS: DYNAMIC PUBLIC PLACES
"Streets require vast amounts of land. In the United States,
from 25 to 35 percent of a city's developed land is likely
to be in public rights -of -way, mostly in streets. Streets are
almost always public: owned by the public, and when we
speak of the public realm we are speaking in large measure
of streets. What is more, streets change. They are tinkered
with constantly: curbs are changed to make sidewalks
narrower or (in fewer cases) wider, they are repaved, lights
are changed, the streets are torn up to replace water and
sewer lines or cables and again repaved. The buildings along
them change and in doing so change the streets. Every
change brings with it the opportunity for improvement. If we
can develop and design streets so that they are wonderful,
fulfilling places to be, community building places, attractive
public places for all people of cities and neighborhoods, then
we well have successfully designed about one third of the city
directly and will have had an immense impact on the rest:'
Excerpt from "Great Streets" by Allan B. Jaobs,1993
CONNECT MISSING LINKS — STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS
The street network of a neighborhood determines the way those streets are utilized. In traditional
development patterns an interconnected street network provided opportunities for all modes
of transportation due to the short blocks laid out in a grid. Traditional residential blocks were
welcoming to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians by their slow speed design. The disconnected
nature of the post war suburban development pattern interrupted the grid with cul-de-sac
subdivisions that had limited access thereby funneling traffic onto the higher classification
streets. This leads to the need to provide expansive collector and arterial streets to handle large
volumes of traffic that otherwise could have been dispersed through a well connected street
network.
Therefore, a consciously designed, well-connected network of streets, sidewalks and trails is
essential for the dispersal of traffic into, out -of and through the corridor. For the most part
the current street network that intersects Wedington Drive is fragmented. This is principally MasterTransportation Connections Map
due to the incremental nature of development that has happened in the last two decades. A number of opportunities
for increased street connectivity were missed in the past, for instance the dead-end of Steamboat Drive. Fortuitously this area is only partially built
out, thereby providing the City with the opportunity to plan for completing a street network that addresses these missing connections. In 2008 the
City adopted an Access Management and Street Connectivity ordinance that mandates curb -cut separation distance requirements and requires an
interconnected public street network prohibiting cul-de-sac streets. In the proposed Wedington Illustrative Plan the larger un-developed parcels located
in the plan area represent a model for creating an interconnected local street network.
The proposed interchange design and the conversion of Wedington Drive into a boulevard cross-section will change traffic patterns and access along
the corridor. The removal of the center turning lane will restrict left turn movements to street intersections and major access points to the adjacent
properties. This makes the need for cross access and a connected street grid very important. Pedestrian infrastructure such as sidewalks and crosswalks
are required for any proposed street design.
The trail infrastructure that is proposed to cross Wedington Drive at Salem Road will create the opportunity to penetrate the Wedington corridor with
off-street active transportation facilities. Trail infrastructure serves multiple purposes including transportation options, health benefits and preserving
natural or open spaces through the use of greenways. Trail and street transportation connections both within and into/out of the Wedington Area are
shown on the Master Transportation Connections Map.
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4) DESIGNATE A NORTH -SOUTH ORIENTED "GREENWAY"
CONNECTING THE HAMESTRING AND OWL CREEK WATERSHEDS.
With the adoption of City Plan 2030 an Enduring Green Network (EGN) was identified and
mapped (See map page 6). The EGN is a tool for guiding land use decisions and is a part of a
larger development framework. It was developed as a means to connect people and nature
through a mapped system of trails and green infrastructure. This network recognizes and _
assembles the natural resources of Fayetteville that should be preserved to provide lasting -
connected corridors for wildlife, trails, waterways, and passive open space. The EGN map
was created by identifying and inventorying the existing natural resources and linking them e
together with parks and linear trail networks. The EGN was mapped as a broad boundary
for use in locating possible properties that could eventually become a contiguous network of {
greenspace and trails. The EGN as realized will likely be narrow corridors connecting larger open
spaces. Over time, the function and appreciation of the Enduring Green Network will be enhanced as
its pieces are fitted together and it becomes inter -connected and easily accessible.
In urban contexts, these narrow ribbons of greenspace are typically termed "Greenways" from the
combination of green belt and parkway. Greenways are characterized as vegetated and linear, often
containing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in narrow corridors.
At this time, a portion of the EGN bisects the Wedington corridor at the intersection of Salem Road.
Commercial development currently occurring here limits the viability of the EGN in this location. Staff
proposes amending the EGN map and moving its location west to the intersection of Golf Club Road.
This location is favorable for connecting the existing and planned green spaces to the north and south
of Wedington Drive. This connection will favorably impact a multitude of residential, civic, open
space and commercial uses in the Wedington area, most notably the Hamestring and Owl Creek trail
corridors, public elementary and middle schools, the Boys and Girls Club, the Links Golf Course and
Bryce Davis Park.
This greenway connection is further strengthened by the view of Millsap's Mountain and Mount
Kessler to the south, an asset of the area identified by citizens during the hands-on design workshop. A
greenway in this location will ensure that a perpetual viewshed is established and maintained.
IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS/LAND ACQUISITION
There are a number of policies and regulations currently existing that may be utilized to acquire identified
greenspace, the foremost being the Parkland Dedication Ordinance and the Fayetteville Alternative
Transportation and Trails Master Plan. As the remainder of the Wedington Corridor develops, this north
and south greenway should be incorporated into development plans on the now vacant lands adjacent or
contiguous with the planned route.
The Fayetteville Alternative Transportation Plan should be amended to recognize this very important north -
south greenway connection and to ensure that space for this corridor is prioritized in any future development
plans for these properties.
Conventional Subdivision
In addition, the City should create a "Conservation"
development ordinance that would allow for sustainable
Meadow Valley trail at the U of A Farm land use development for lands in the EGN that protect
environmental features such as viewsheds, natural
wildlife habitats, environmentally sensitive areas or farmlands in perpetuity. A conservation design
for neighborhood development may be appropriate in areas where there are important natural
resources to protect or where the development form of the surrounding area is primarily rural
or agricultural. This form of development typically sets aside half or more of the land area to be
designated as undivided, permanent open space. This result is achieved in a density neutral manner
whereby the overall number of dwellings is the same as what would be allowed in a conventional
layout. This results in residential neighborhoods that are more compact and with smaller lots. The
central goal is the preservation of lands to create a contiguous community wide open space network.
This may be accomplished through partnerships of private and public land owners, land trusts and/
or local governments. This pattern of land development is particularly appropriate for the urban
fringe or edge of the city where urban services are not available and where low density residential
development is a given.
Advantages of a conservation subdivision are:
• less infrastructure for developer to install • smaller lots for owners to maintain
• less infrastructure for City to maintain • common/shared space for neighborhood to utilize
Conservation Subdivision
Source: Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
FOUR STEPS FOR CREATING A CONSERVATION SUBDIVISION:
1. Identify potential conservation areas on the
property: This includes wetlands, Forested
slopes. streams and valuable agricultural lands.
2. Identify home sites on the property: Horne
sites should be identified that will take advantage
of the open space viewsheds and by providing
pedestrian access.
3. Design the street alignment and traits:
Provide adequate access to each home and share
driveway curb cuts when possible. Design street
alignments to maximize views into the open
space. Minim iae dead end streets and connect: to
adjoining properties. Provide trail connections
through the conservation spaces allowing the
neighborhood to access and appreciate the
greenspace.
4. Create small lots that do not divide the
conservation open space. Achieve a density
neutral design that is flexible in terms
of lot width. area, setbacks and frontage
requirements. Open space lots should be Ieft
as large contiguous parcels. A land management
plan with maintenance responsibilities must be
established to ensure the long term viability of
the conservation space.
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The Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan shows only one of many alternatives or scenarios for development within the corridor in the next 15 —
20 years. Many of the features in the illustrative plan reflect ideas and opportunities that were identified by charrette participants. The implementation
of some of the more significant components within the plan will be controlled by entities or organizations outside of city government. These include
a Branch Library, a Junior High School, a Community Center, a Farmers Market, fixture street connections and a round -a -bout interchange at 1-540.
PLACES AND SPACES
BRANCH LIBRARY
The Fayetteville Public Library currently houses their entire circulation and operations within one building located in Downtown Fayetteville. Since
this building was completed in 2004 the number of active library card holders has skyrocketed to over 65,000 people. Use by these cardholders has
exceeded the capacity for the current building, which has prompted the library to update their 20 year master plan.
One option within this master planning process may be to open a branch library. Several considerations will influence the location choice for a branch
library including; community desire, distance from the existing library, existing and future population growth and available funding. A branch library
envisioned by charrette participants near the intersection of Rupple Rd. and Wedington Dr. would seem to satisfy several of these criteria as it would
be located approximately 5 miles from the existing downtown library, in a neighborhood with high growth potential and in relatively close proximity
to nearly 15,000 current Fayetteville residents.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
The Fayetteville Public School District is the oldest school district in the State of Arkansas. The district provides K-12
education with a current enrollment of over 9 stead
Y Y increase in 000 students. In recent ears, the district has seen a .�1ti��i�ltf }� _ *
enrollment that corresponded with the growth of Fayetteville's population. in an effort to accommodate this growth, three ._ * -L
new middle schools have been constructed in the past 12 years and Fayetteville High School is currently undergoing a * t;
major expansion and renovation. Conversely Woodland Junior High School and Ramey Junior High School, both serving •� y ...
81 and 91, grades, were built in 1960 and 1966 respectively, and new plans for junior high facilities have not surfaced in
recent years. " - : } ' :
The current school district forecasts for student growth do not point toward the need for any new buildings within the next
9 years. However, a continuation of Fayetteville's population growth to over 110,000 people in the next 20 years according to the Northwest Arkansas
Regional Planning Commission, would indicate the need for a new Junior High School before 2030. With much of this growth projected for the west
side of Fayetteville, locating a future Junior High School within the Wedington Corridor seems reasonable.
COMMUNITY CENTER
During the Wedington Corridor charrette, one of the stronger messages that citizens articulated was the desire for
a community space for an expanded set of users. This space was envisioned to be flexible for a wide variety of uses
such as a community meeting space, a senior center, community programs, branch library and athletic activities. While
citizens acknowledged some overlap of these potential uses with the adjacent Boys and Girls Club, which is a membership
organization, they envisioned a building that was open without charge to the public. Capital and operations funding would
need to be developed to make a community space viable. -7.
FARMERS' MARKET
Multiple groups during the hands-on design workshop expressed strong support for a space that could be utilized as a
farmers market and for other similar outdoor events. Existing farmers' markets located on the Downtown Square and at the
Botanical Gardens are very popular with Fayetteville residents. Strong community support for these markets helped the
Fayetteville Farmers Market win the 2012 American Farmland Trust's — Favorite Large Farmers' Market Award.
Some communities with vibrant farmers' markets are now supporting the concept of having smaller neighborhood scale
farmers' markets that compliment the larger markets by adding convenience. These markets tend to have reduced number
of vendors and are scheduled on days that do not conflict with larger centrally located markets, often on weekday afternoon/
evenings. Centrally locating this market near a walkable retail district could help anchor the heart of the Wedington
neighborhood.
FUTURE STREET NETWORK COMPONENTS
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City Plan 2030 goal six states that "We will grow a livable transportation network." One of the tools that the City utilizes to implement this goal is the
adoption of a Master Transportation Plan. One component of this is the Master Street Plan map, on which the City identifies future collector and arterial
street connections. These streets are the larger functional classification roadways that have higher traffic volumes. The alignments shown on the map
are approximate and may change slightly due to physical constraints in the field. Typically, these streets are constructed through a combination of public
and private means such as City bond issues and construction cost share agreements with the approval of development projects. The network of local and
residential streets is regulated through the City's street connectivity ordinance that guides alignment and intersection spacing of these smaller streets.
In the Wedington Corridor analysis the design team focused on four important street extensions shown on the Master Street Plan in the Wedington
corridor area: Salem Road, Shiloh Drive, Persimmon St. and Rupple Road. All of these connections are vital for future growth to occur in this area
because the carrying capacity of Wedington Drive across I-540 is inherently limited even with future interchange improvements.
It is important to note that the connection between land use and streets is inseparable and complementary, with land use typically instructing the
street function and design. A useful efficiency or sustainabiIity metric for a street network, or individual street segment, is density or intensity of land
use per linear foot of street. A lower ratio of linear street frontage per dwelling unit or square feet of commercial use is more efficient. Therefore, the
efficient use of land is important for sustainable city services and future maintenance needs. Development projects that are proposed far out on the
western fringe of the City will actually diminish the possibility of creating a complete neighborhood in the Wedington Corridor Plan area by siphoning
off this future growth and reducing the overall development capacity of the area nearest to the City center.
3
TRAFFIC MODEL FROM NWARPC
As a part of this project the design team examined the future collector and arterial streets shown on the City's Master Street Plan for their impacts on
traffic congestion at the Wedington Drive and 1-540 interchange. This included the extension of Persimmon St. over I-540, the extension of Rupple
Road south to Highway 62/MLK, the extension of Salem Drive north to Mt. Comfort Road and the extension of Shiloh Drive north to Porter Road.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) maintains a Travel Demand Model for macro -level analysis of automobile traffic
in Benton and Washington Counties. Streets that are proposed on the Wedington Corridor Transportation Connection Map can be inserted into this
model to determine their impact on existing and projected traffic patterns. The design team requested that NWARPC model results for the future streets
classified as Collector and Arterial. The model predicted the following:
Connecting Rupple Road South to Hwy 62 would accommodate 5200 vehicles per day
A new bridge across I-540 along Persimmon would accommodate 7900 vehicles per day and divert 2000 vehicles per day from the Wedington
Bridge over 1-540
All models are predictive by nature and the results are determined, in part, by the baseline assumptions that form the model's framework. The design
team holds the opinion that the NWARPC's traffic model is very instructive for modeling the traffic pattern changes for street extensions in relation
to the current built environment and for answering questions such as how many cars would travel this newly extended street if it was completed and
opened tomorrow.
These types of transportation models are less accurate for modeling multiple future street connections if assumptions on future growth are based upon
extrapolating past development and density patterns. The vast amount of data needed to run such a model can skew the final result significantly. For
example, if the population growth projections are off significantly or other data inputs are inadequate the model may produce an incomplete or inaccurate
projection. These challenges must be kept in mind when analyzing model results that combine street connectivity and future growth scenarios.
This planning document serves as a vision statementofwhat the Wedington Corridor could eventually become. The achievement
of this vision is dependent on developing a comprehensive strategy and timeline for implementing changes or improvements
that the City can initiate. However, many of the concepts developed in the plan and shown on the illustrative build out plan
are not directly controlled or directed by the City. For instance, highway improvements are ultimately determined by the
AHTD and school locations and expansions are decided by the Fayetteville School District. However, the ability of the City
to regulate and control development patterns creates numerous opportunities to direct growth and development towards
achieving the four guiding principles of this plan. This is achieved by developing specific implementation action steps and
timelines. These steps are separated into near term (0-5 years) and long term (5-20 years). The near term steps are primarily
regulatory changes and planned or funded infrastructure improvements. The long term implementation steps will require
capital investment and are largely focused on transforming the existing Wedington Drive from a five lane arterial roadway
into a grand boulevard. Ultimately, the success of this plan is dependent upon the implementation of the following initiatives:
SHORT TERM STEPS:
1. WEDINGTON SPEED STUDY
The posted speed limit along Wedington Drive west of 1-540 is predominately 45 mph. During the Wedington
IL-5
Corridor charrette many participants suggested that the posted speed limit within the corridor was too high for thisarea and intuitively deduced that high speed limits lead to accidents that are more severe. Also noted was that the
high speed of traffic is detrimental to the safety and welfare of pedestrians and cyclists.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) requires that a speed study be conducted in
accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) in order to adjust the posted speed
limits on State highways. Guidance in the MUTCD suggests that the posted speed be set to within 5 mph of the
speed at which 85% of the free flowing traffic in the study area is traveling. The manual further suggests that
other subjective factors such as road characteristics, roadside development, pedestrian activity and the number of accidents
may be considered when determining the posted speed. The City should conduct a speed study of this area to see if a speed
reduction is possible. Then the City may elect to request that AHTD conduct a speed study along Wedington Drive in order
to make a change in posted speed limit signage. if the speed study supports the existing posted speed limits, 45 mph, then
the City should pursue physical design changes to the roadway, in conjunction with ATHD to encourage lower traffic speeds.
2. NEW 1-540 INTERCHANGE
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) is planning to start construction on a new
interchange at Wedington and 1-540 by late 2014. This work will likely involve construction of new bridge
over 1-540 along with changes to the existing freeway on and off ramps_
Preliminary AHTD conceptual plans for this interchange include additional lanes along Wedington Drive,
elimination ofone traffic signal on the east side oft-540, increased spacing of the traffic signals on the west side
of 1-540, and the addition of a two-lane free right turn '`jug handle" on -ramp for west -bound Wedington traffic
to enter north -bound 1-540. AHTD is conducting traffic models for this preliminary intersection concept and
have agreed to also model the proposed round -a -bout shown in the Wedington Corridor Illustrative Master Plan.
Ultimately. the modeling results will determine the viability of the round -a -about envisioned for the west side of
the 1-540 and Wedington interchange. Regardless of the infrastructure improvements that are ultimately selected,
it is imperative that the City work with AHTD to make sure that these improvements are in line with the City Plan 2030 goal
of "growing a livable transportation network" that accommodates al users. y
AHTD's recognition of the mapped on -street bicycle linkage shown on the Fayetteville Alternative Trails and Transportation
(FATT) Plan along Wedington Drive over 1-540 would normally facilitate the inclusion of bicycle lanes in addition to
automatic pedestrian sidewalks on the new bridge. However the Iikely free right turn associated with the new two-lane "jug
handle" 1-540 on -ramp on the south side ofthe bridge makes safe sidewalks and bicycle lanes on the south side of the bridge
very impractical. Instead a combined bicycle/pedestrian sidepath on the north side of the bridge (as shown on the illustrative
master plan) would provide safe connections across 1-540 for non -motorized users. City staff will continue to work with
AHTD to incorporate safe and effective pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the new bridge.
3. PROPOSE ZONING CHANGES FOR THE CORE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
AT THE INTERSECTION OF WEDINGTON DRIVE AND RUPPLE ROAD
City Plan 2030 goal number three calls for `'making traditional town form the standard." Traditional town form is
identified by an urban development pattern that prioritizes an interconnected street network with buildings that are
placed near the street and parking located to the side or preferably the rear of the site. Currently. the Wedington
Corridor is primarily zoned utilizing suburban commercial. office and multi -family zoning districts. These zoning
districts prescribe the existing suburban development pattern seen today along the corridor and it has created
unintended consequences that should not be repeated going forward if the goal is to create a walkable urban core
in this area.
At the charrette the public overwhelmingly expressed a desire to see a walkable urban center develop at the
intersection ofWedington Drive and Rupple Road.Atthis time. a numberof sizable parcels of land are undeveloped
northwest of this intersection. The illustrative plan envisions this area as a complete, compact and connected
neighborhood with civic, residential and commercial uses. The utilization of the City's form based zoning districts
will be essential to ensure that the development pattern prescribed here is walkable and urban. Form based
zoning districts are also much more flexible in allowing for a variety of residential and commercial densities and
intensities. This encourages a diverse mixture of building types, scales and uses that are not separated from each
other but instead are co -mingled to create a unified, sustainable and cohesive whole.
4. AMEND THE FAYETTEVILLE ALTERNATIVE TRAILS AND TRANSPORTATION
PLAN AND THE ENDURING GREEN NETWORK TO RECOGNIZE THE ILLUSTRATED
TRAIL CROSSING OF WEDINGTON DRIVE
City Plan 2030 goal number five states that the City will "assemble an enduring green network." The Fayetteville Alternative
Transportation and Trails Master Plan (FATT Plan) plays an integral role in achieving this goal because it is the most prevalent
and useful tool for preserving linkages between nodes such as parks in the overall Enduring Green Network (EGN).
The FAIT Plan, which consists of a guiding document and a map showing the existing and future trail and on -street bicycle
alignments. is updated on a five year basis and is utilized by staff and elected officials to prioritize short, medium and long term
trail expansion projects and on -street bicycle linkages. The FATT plan. by design. mirrors in many ways the EGN, both uniting
green infrastructure with active transportation routes.
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The EGN currently is shown intersecting Wed ington Drive between Timberland Ln_ and Salem Road. Unfortunately,
this area has approved development plans that include the existing Walmart Neighborhood Market and a number n
of commercially developable out -lots making a trail connection within a greenway unlikely. The design team
recommends moving the EGN to the west at the intersection of Wedington Drive and Golf Club Drive This is a j
natural location for a trail to cross Wedington Drive and link the Hamestring and Owl Creek watersheds.
44
The FATT plan is due for an update in 2015. Staff proposes an update of the FATT plan document that was first
adopted in 2001 and amending the FATT plan and EGN maps to include the trail and open aces illustrated in �
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the Wedington Corridor Plan.�?�
5. PRIORITIZE PARKLAND DEDICATION ACREAGES AND FUNDS THAT ARE
COLLECTED IN THESE QUADRANTS TO ACQUIRE THE PARKLANDS ILLUSTRATED IN
THE WEDINGTON CORRIDOR PLAN
When residential development occurs in the City, a portion of land or money in lieu is collected for the acquisition and/or
development of parklands. Currently, the formula is 0.23 acres for each single family residential unit and A 14 acres per multi-
family residential unit. At the time of development, Parks staff makes a recommendation to the Parks and Recreation Advisory
Board on whether a land dedication or money in -lieu is more appropriate given the existing facilities in the area and other criteria
as adopted by the Parks and Recreation Board. The money in -lieu option allows developers to pay a one time fee of $920 for a
single family home or $560 for a multi -family unit. This is based upon a land value estimate in 2012 of $40,000 per acre. The
money collected is saved in escrow for subsequent acquisition and/or development of parkland within the quadrant
that the development occurred. These funds are utilized to create larger neighborhood oriented parks that benefit -
a broader area than a single residential subdivision. wwm+
In the Wedington illustrative Plan the design team identified potential locations for two new parks. The first !r
is a central square space that is envisioned for a new development that would occur directly northwest of the
intersection of Rupple Road and Wedington Drive. This small park could serve as a central green for a complete,
compact and connected development node in this location. The park illustrated here is approximately 2 acres
and would require a land match equal to 83 single family homes or 224 multi -family units or the approximate
equivalent of $80,000. The second park is shown between 461 St. and Broyles Ave. and is approximately 3.8 * 111
acres and would require a land match of 158 single family homes or 224 multi -family units or the approximate
equivalent of $152,000.
As the Wedington corridor continues to develop the City's Parks and Recreation staff should identify suitable locations that
would serve the identified needs and goals of the plan for future strategic or financial planning processes. A combination of
funding or land dedication from multiple public and private sources will likely be needed in order to realize the parkland
illustrated in the Wedington Corridor Plan.
G. DEVELOP A CONSERVATION DEVELOPMENT DESIGN PROCESS FOR
NEIGHBORHOODS IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE OR RURAL AREAS
The Wedington corridor area of influence contains a lot of undeveloped and rural lands held in large parcels. These
lands will be increasingly pressured to be developed into low density residential uses. Unfortunately, this type of
residential subdivision development typically happens in a leap frog fashion that is determined by market forces.
The resulting haphazard development pattern is not well thought out and is unsustainable given the vast amount
of resources required to construct and maintain it. The outcome is development that does not pay for itself given
the City's investment in services, maintenance and infrastructure such as streets, water and sewer lines, fire and
police services, etc. in perpetuity. Therefore, it is incumbent upon appointed and elected officials to adhere to the
City Plan goals of discouraging suburban sprawl and prioritizing appropriate infiII and revitalization.
A conservation design for neighborhood development is an appropriate tool to utilize for areas of the City that are
designated as Enduring Green Network and possibly for tracts of rural lands on the City's fringe. City staff should
research the possibility of a conservation development ordinance. which would include a process for identifying
appropriate lands and the creation of efficient and equitable conservation development guidelines.
7. DEVELOP AN ACCESS MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR WEDINGTON DRIVE
City Plan 2030 calls for growing a "livable transportation network" that is safe and efficient for all users. An r� T 1
integral component of a livable transportation network is the ability to control the access onto arterial and collector 4 a-m
roadways in order to maintain their through traffic capacity while making it safe and accessible for pedestrians and '..; ®p!
bic cIists. This can be accom lashed through the develo ment of an access management Ian for major roadways.
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An access management plan is used to regulate intersections, driveways and median openings to a roadway. The •
objective is to allow access to land uses while maintaining roadway safety and mobility. In order to implement the 04 —�
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boulevard cross -sections shown in the illustrative plan. an access management plan will be necessary and must be +�+ ; ,
agreed upon by the City of Fayetteville and the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD). This
should occur prior to the design phase of any proposed roadway improvements_
The general design framework provided in the access management plan will address the efficient spacing of local, collector
and arterial street intersections. Driveway locations and access to parcels fronting Wedington Drive should be minimized with
access to intersecting side and parallel streets required_ The implementation of a landscaped median will require a thorough
analysis of the existing and future intersections. left turn lanes and parallel slip lanes. Special consideration should be paid to
pedestrian and bicycle comfort and safety especially at intersections and mid -block crossings.
The timing of creating an access management plan will depend on the AHT❑ and the Ciq,7s priorities for this project. At a
minimum a near -term partial analysis will be needed for the reconfiguration of the Wedington Drive I I-540 interchange. Due to
the large amount of undeveloped land that exists along the corridor, the sooner an access management plan happens the better.
Ultimately, the access restrictions to Wedington Drive imposed upon these undeveloped lands will positively influence the site
designs and street networks needed to serve these developments while preserving the throughway capacity of the roadway.
LONG TERM STEWS:
1. REDEVELOP AND RENAME WEDINGTON DRIVE AS WED1.NGTON PARKWAY
Public input during the charrette repeatedly recommended that the five lane cross section of Wedington Drive should be
redesigned as a boulevard cross section. The design team followed through with this suggestion when developing the illustrative
plan and developed a design that is flexible enough to endure changes as existing or future conditions warrant. The Wedington
Parkway design envisioned in the illustrative plan is in line with City Plan 2030 goal number three of -'growing a
1 ivable transportation network."
The most important aspect of completing the vision of a redesigned Wedington Parkway is to secure Arkansas
Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) approval and to find the necessary funding. Previously,
the AHTD has partnered with Fayetteville and other cities to transform portions of State Highways into more
attractive, safe and efficient roadways through the development of access management plans. Local examples
include Garland Avenue (Highway 112) and Crossover Road (Highway 265) in Fayetteville. A similar approach
is needed to correct some of the issues noted along Wedington Drive that have been mentioned previously in this
plan.
To this end, it is imperative that the City work with AHTD to develop an 1-544 interchange design that is safe and
efficient for all users. This will most likely be accomplished in the next 5 years, but the relatively recent widening improvements
to Wedington Drive will likely push additional roadway improvements to the corridor west of 1-540 to a second phase.
The City could potentially fund improvements and the reconstruction of this roadway through a street bond issue, the City's
Capital Improvement Project (CIP) fiends. AHTD or Federal monies or a combination of any of the above. Due to the accelerated
growth in this area. preparations and access management planning should start in the near term with the final completion of
this project happening in a 5-20 year timeline. At the completion of this project the roadway should be renamed Wedington
Boulevard or Parkway.
The Wedington Corridor plan document and illustrative map provide a vision and a framework for transforming and taming an arterial roadway
and interstate interchange while creating a more livable neighborhood that is complete and connected. This vision is based on input expressed by
the community that resulted in the creation of four main guiding principles: redefining Wedington Drive as Wedington Parkway; creating the heart
of the neighborhood at Wedington Drive and Rupple Road; supporting an active transportation network; and designating a greenway to connect the
Hamestring and Owl Creek watersheds.
The vision document provides a timeline for developing policies and programs. Wedington Drive has the potential to be transformed from a five lane
arterial roadway, with all of its attendant problems such as high speed, congestion and dangerous curb cuts, into a beautiful slow speed multi -modal
boulevard. The changes proposed for this street cross-section are envisioned to transform the pattern of development from a suburban development
model with large fi-ont setbacks and conspicuous parking to an urban development pattern with buildings set at the street edge with side or rear parking.
This urban pattern is crucial to creating the "heart" of the neighborhood at Wedington Dr. and Rupple Rd. as shown in the illustrative plan. The inclusion
and promotion of active and public transportation is evident throughout the plan and is vital to fulfill the functionality of the urban design. Planned
greenway connections provide for the preservation of important riparian areas, green spaces and viewsheds that are critical for creating an enduring
green network that links people and commerce through the natural environment.
The implementation of the plan will require adherence to the four guiding principles and the cooperation of multiple sectors, public and private, over a
period of years. The opportunities for this corridor to become a safe, inviting and well designed neighborhood are limitless and the incremental nature
of the development process should not overshadow the long term success of realizing the vision of the Wedington Corridor Plan.
A. WEDINGTON CORRIDOR ILLUSTRATIVE MASTER PLAN
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WEDINGTON CORRIDOR
ILLUSTRATIVE. MASTER PLAN
I'AYT--t-rFVt 1 .3 - I;. - N R X A N SA
NOVIAIBLR2012
A D N W R. 1) BY Kl- W L L I ION NO. A si- E 3
MARCH 19.2fW
B: DOCUMENT REFERENCES
City of Fayetteville, Arkansas History
hltl2:..;/www.favettevilleiiistorti.-.com,-
City Plan 2030, Fayetteville
hlt :'!www.accesslavetteviIle.orvr government P lannin !'Master Planiindex.
cfm
Downtown Master Plan, 2004, Fayetteville
lttt : /ww�v.accesslavettc villc.or�� ��over3tmc.nti 31a��nin� .lvfastcr Plan.. -
Downtown Master Plan.cfm
Fayette Junction Master Plan, 2009, Fayetteville
hti ::. w« w.accessfavetteviIle.org� governmenu lannin g� Master P1aniFavette
Junction.cfm
Jacobs, Allan B.; MacDonald, Elizabeth; Rofe, Yoden. The Boulevard Book:
History Evolution, Design of-Multivvav Boulevards. Boston: Massachusettes
Institute of Technology, 2002.
Shiloh Museum, Springdale, Arkansas.
littp://www.shi lohmuseum.org/
Smart Growth Network. Getting to Smart Growth IL 100 More Policies for
Implementation. International City/County Management Association:
http:, �w���►�'.smartgrmvIlt.��r��df'gettnsg2.pdi'
US Department of Transportation: Federal Highway Administration. Manual
on Uniform Trine• Control Devices: Chapter 3C. Roundabout Markings 2009
rev May 2012.
1�ttl�:.:,'mute cL fh;r(1. Clot. �L(w.piLs,! 2009r 1 r 2lin utcd )009r 1 i.2edition. f)rlf
Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Places to Go. Lakes and Rivers.
Lake Wedington. Retrieved August 30, 2012 from http://www.arkansas.com/
places-to-go/lakes-rivers/
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. Historical Review -
Volume Two Arkansas State Highway Commission and Arkansas State
Highway and Transportation Department 1913 - 2003. April 2004.
City of Fayetteville, Annexation Ordinances 1529, 1556, 2395, 2457, 2857,
3685, 4355, 4588
Environmental Consulting Operations, Inc. website. Retrieved September 19,
2012 from
htt a:'ecoarkaitsas.comiinl`oiwoolsevliistory.iitmi
Fayetteville History Website. Timeline. Retrieved August 30, 2012 from
htt :/'faveneviI[ehistorn.ty' pepad.conv main/timeline.+
Goodspeed Publishing Company. History of Benton, Washington, Carroll,
Madison, Crawford, Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. The
Goodspeed Publishing Company. Chicago. 1889.
Marinoni, Paula, personal communication, September 5, 2012.
Poole, Arlen Dee. Historic Washington County Arkansas Website. Retrieved
August 30, 2012 from
http:,/www.historiewashinutoncountv.ow- ]akewedinaton.htmi.
Poole, Hal, personal communication, September 10, 2012
Roots Web website. Genealogy of Samuel Woolsey. Retrieved September 19,
2012 from
http:r/free��c:s.genealogy.rootsweb.an4estiv.come-�vooIsev'resources
descends/woetlgen;'wlsantuel,ilbert 179 I� 1858.1itml
Wappel, Tony, personal communication, August 30, 2012.
Wood, Denny, personal communication, September 10, 2012.
C: WORK -IN -PROGRESS AND OPEN HOUSE SURVEYS
Do you think the plan is on the right track
YES — 89%
NO- 11 %
Are there any elements of your vision for the future of the Wedington Corridor that we may have missed?
— Public transit and alternative transportation connection potential needs to be embraced by the "drivers". Perhaps build it and they will come
will cause a cultural change.
— Trolley system along Wedington Drive.
— Area needs an additional Fire Station
— A nice park and green space on Wedington that can be easily accessed by kids from both the north and the south side and maybe an elevated
pedestrian crossing over Wedington that provides access. Since 20% of Fayetteville's population lives here it seems like a large city pool/
park/playground/skate ramps would be well used.
— Some elements of the illustrative plan may cause more flooding.
— Owl Creek area near the School could be made into a water park.
— Pedestrian bridges over Wedington instead of crosswalks.
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FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS „� A
NOVEMBER 2012 'r—=
ADPOPTED BY RESOLUTION NO. 59-13 a Existing Building
MARCH 19, 2013 - Proposed Building
- Civic Building
• Slud7 Area Boundary