Two decades of planning and work underlie the cycling haven of the Razorback Regional Greenway.
Cyclists had long dreamed of pedaling a regional route that would follow the historic Butterfield Overland Express route, Civil War routes and the Trail of Tears. Misty Murphy, regional trails coordinator for the Northwest Arkansas Council, said planning for such a bike route began in earnest in 2000, when the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission formed a task force to conduct public meetings and gather ideas.
By adding signs to roadways and including existing trails, a designated route was selected that accomplished the task force's initial directive, Murphy said.
In 2010, using a $15 million federal transportation grant along with a matching donation by the Walton Family Foundation, Murphy said, the planners were able to begin working toward their grander goal, a mostly off-the-road, paved trail system that people of all abilities and cycling levels could enjoy -- through Fayetteville, Johnson, Springdale, Lowell, Rogers and Bentonville.
On May 2, the culmination of their efforts was presented to the public with a ribbon cutting at Shiloh Square in Springdale. At a cost of about $38 million, the 36-mile Razorback Regional Greenway was open for business.
ActiveStyle on 07/06/2015