Fort Smith begins on trail that will connect river trail to Kelley Park Ballfields

The Fort Smith Board of Directors has authorized $1.3 million for construction of more trails in the city. A funding resolution includes using city funds, grants and private donations to proceed with a portion of the Maybranch Greenway.

The Maybranch Greenway, part of the Parks and Recreation department’s capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2024-2028, is an approximate four-mile paved trail that connects the Greg Smith River Trail to the Kelley Park Ballfields, providing several other connections along the route, said Sara Deuster, director of parks and recreation, in a memo regarding the resolution. (See map below.)

“This is the first trails and greenways project that focuses on connectivity within the city and encourages the use of non-vehicular transportation to reach major destinations,” Deuster said.

The project approved March 26 was Phase 1A of the Maybranch Greenway, approximately 0.7 mile of 10 foot-wide concrete multipurpose greenway that will go from North Seventh Street to North P Street, then traveling through Martin Luther King Jr. Park and end at North Greenwood Avenue. The project includes solar lighting, two bicycle repair stations, benches, trash receptacles, and mile marker signage along the greenway.

To provide safe crossing at the major pedestrian crossing at North P Street and Midland Boulevard, a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) signal will be installed, Deuster said. The crosswalk will be dormant until a pedestrian activates the light with a button.

“When a pedestrian is ready to walk, they will push a button, and then there will be a blinking yellow light notifying drivers to slow down and then goes to solid yellow, then red,” Deuster said.

She said because this will be the first HAWK signal installed in Fort Smith, an educational campaign for pedestrians and drivers will be developed and implemented prior to the completion of the trail. This campaign will be a collaboration of the Parks Department, Fort Smith’s mobility coordinator and public relation manager, Deuster said.

The crossing at North P Street and North 13th Street will be a controlled pedestrian crossing. A rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) will be installed to improve safety for entering and leaving Martin Luther King, Jr. Park.

“These are the same signals that have recently been installed at various crossings throughout the city, such as at North 48th Street and Grand Avenue (near Sonic),” Deuster said. “All other street crossings will have stamped concrete crosswalks.”

Each crossing will have handicap accessible ramps in accordance with Arkansas Department of Transportation regulations. Controlled pedestrian crossings (HAWK and RRFB) and stamped concrete crosswalks account for approximately $290,000 of the contract price, Deuster said.

City funds from the one-eighth percen sales tax earmarked for parks is expected to be about $265,762. In addition to funding from sales tax, Fort Smith received a $750,000 grant from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program through the Land and Water Conservation Fund for Phase I of this project. Park Partners also raised and approved the allocation of $250,000 towards Phase I of the Maybranch Greenway, bringing total outside funding for the project to $1 million. The federal grant was awarded to the city in 2019, but took five years to “finally come through,” City Administrator Carl Geffken said.

“Due to a large culvert project being completed as part of the streets, bridges, and associated drainage program on North P Street by the wastewater treatment plant, Phase 1 of the Maybranch Greenway is broken into two projects, Phase 1A and Phase 1B,” Deuster said.

Steve Beam Construction received the bid for the project. The resolution states that the final cost of the project is not to exceed $1.265 million.

“I think this is a fantastic project. I am happy that we have a bid here. I’d say, go as fast as they can,” said Director Lavon Morton regarding the project.

Director Neal Martin said of all the great projects the board was able to approve March 26, this is one he was probably most excited about.

“I met with Michael Mings and a citizen today regarding other plans around the city and about greenways and extending the River Trail. There are a lot of exciting things happening, but this one is really cool,” Martin said. “This is pretty exciting.”