Landscape islands coming to Fort Smith (Updated)

What was old is new again with respect to the appearance of thoroughfares in Fort Smith.

Several decades ago, the trees and landscaping along Midland Avenue were replaced with asphalt and turn lanes.

But construction began this week to build two landscape islands on Grand Avenue between Waldron Road and 50th Street — the section of Grand that separates the main campus of the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith and the university’s parking lots. The landscape islands are part of multi-year work to overlay the Grand Avenue from Interstate 540 to 11th Street in downtown Fort Smith. The section near UAFS is the only part to include landscaping islands.

This phase, to cost $624,898, will include the overlay and a landscape island 200 feet in length and an island 400 feet long. Deputy City Administrator Ray Gosack said the construction should be complete around the time the UAFS fall semester begins.

UPDATED INFO: Gosack said UAFS will maintain the landscaping once the islands are built and planted.

Other city street improvements to include what Gosack called “urban landscaping” include the renovation of Jenny Lind Road between Zero Street and Cavanaugh Road, and Arkansas 45 between Phoenix Avenue and Zero Street. The city is partnering with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department on the Arkansas 45 section.

“It’s part of our new approach to thoroughfares,” Gosack said. “Now our approach is to balance the need for landscaping with the need for turning movements.”

The entire overlay of Grand Avenue should be complete by late 2010, Gosack said.