Why would we want to do that?

Have you ever heard anyone say that it’s not easy to attract people to move to Fort Smith? Or maybe you’ve heard someone say we need more development along the Arkansas River? What about hearing a friend say they wish their children or grandchildren would stay in Fort Smith instead of moving away? How about a comment that they wish Fort Smith had some of the attractions they have up in Northwest Arkansas? I know I have. Plenty of times. All good questions. But the bigger question is what do we do about it?

As you may have seen in recent media reports, the Trails and Greenways Committee, a citizen-led group established by the Parks Commission, recently revised the Fort Smith Trails and Greenways Master Plan. I was asked to be chairman of the Committee. By the way, I’m not a city leader, elected or otherwise. I’m just a taxpayer and citizen who wants to try to help make Fort Smith, the city that I grew up in and that I decided to return to some 22 years ago, an even better place to live.

The original trails plan was approved back in 2004, but little progress has been made due to lack of funding. The recently revised plan actually reduces the number of proposed trails by over half. We on the citizen-led Committee are taxpayers too, and we wanted to provide a plan that is feasible and limits the amount of taxpayer dollars as much as possible. By the way, all our meetings have been open to public and we have invited and received public input.

To provide funding for the revised plan, the Directors are considering asking the voters to allow 5% of the 1% sales tax dedicated to city streets to be re-allocated to fund the Trails Plan when the tax renewal question faces voters in May. That means 95% would still go toward streets, bridges and related drainage.

You may ask “with all the other needs our city has, why would we want to do that?” The answer is simple – economic development. Cities around the country are seeing a positive economic impact from trails and bike-related infrastructure. Reading about that is what motivated me to get involved.

A July 2014 story by Bloomberg News stated that “U.S. cities trying to attract young residents, and the businesses that hire them, are increasingly finding magic in the bike lane.” It also noted that a nationwide study by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst found that $1 million invested in bicycle infrastructure resulted in 11.4 new jobs. That’s more than the 7.8 jobs for $1 million invested in road-only projects.

The September 26, 2014 Wall Street Journal had an article about how trails and bike lanes are spurring real estate development in a number of cities. They appeal to both “20 and 30-somethings who want to live closer to work and to older baby boomers looking for a more walkable, bike-able lifestyle.”

On a more local level, the Executive Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission noted the importance of quality of life amenities as a recruiting and retention tool. The two specific examples he gave were craft breweries and trails systems. He said they provide a “cool factor” that cities need in order to be competitive. As recently reported by The City Wire, Springdale based Core Brewery is going to open a pub in Fort Smith, so there’s that piece of the “cool factor” puzzle. Trails would be the other piece. The City Wire also reported in June 2014 that the trail system in Northwest Arkansas is helping local businesses.

The final section of the Razorback Greenway, a 36-mile trail that will connect all the cities in Northwest Arkansas and that was partly funded by a $15 million matching grant from the Walton Family Foundation, is in Springdale. The Springdale Chamber of Commerce reports $2.6 million in new investment since this trail was announced, with the following quotes – “very little of this could have occurred if the greenway trail had not happened” and “I think what we have seen is just the first wave of economic impact with more to come”. All that and the trail isn’t even completed yet.

Why does a trails system generate such economic benefits? It’s because trails attract people and development tends to follow people. And just how many people are attracted to a trail system? According to a 2012 survey done by the Walton Family Foundation, 63% of the residents of NWA have utilized the trail system. That’s right, 63%. Trails are multi-use and can be used for walking, running, and cycling, so they appeal to a wide variety of folks doing all these activities in roughly equivalent numbers.

I have personally used the trail systems in NWA, Little Rock, and Tulsa and a common theme is a lot of usage by people of all ages. Trailhead parking lots are filled with the cars of those using the trails. Property owners near the trails like them too, as there is often an enhancement to real estate values. In some cities, houses near trail systems sell for 20-30% more than comparable houses not near trails.

As for attracting or retaining young people, those who I have talked to are excited about this proposed trails system. That includes the students at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. The Student Government Association passed a resolution endorsing this plan and a UAFS student serves on the Trails Committee.

Therefore, I would ask that you consider supporting expanding the trail system in Fort Smith. Getting back to answering the original questions I asked, a trail system would make Fort Smith more attractive to people and companies considering locating here. It would attract people to the riverfront since a section of the proposed trail system follows the Arkansas River. It would help attract and retain young people, and it would match at least one of the attractions that Northwest Arkansas has to offer.

And if you don’t support expanding the trail system, please still vote to renew the 1% sales tax for streets. If you like it the way it is, you’ll have the chance to vote for that. I remember what the streets were like before this tax. It has made a huge difference and needs to be renewed.