SPRINGDALE -- Regional planners are taking steps to reduce or offset pollution from the ever-increasing number of cars and trucks on area roads.
The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission expects to have about $1 million in federal money available for each of the next two years -- about $2.1 million total -- for projects aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from highway vehicles. Carbon reduction money can be used on a wide range of projects that reduce transportation emissions.
Regional planners said in May they wanted to focus on traffic monitoring; management and control facilities; transportation alternative projects, like trails and sidewalks; and advanced transportation and congestion management technologies, including systems that communicate with cars and their drivers.
They're also interested in replacing street lighting and traffic signals with more energy-efficient alternatives.
"Control devices, communication devices, that type of technology," Tim Conklin, the commission's assistant director, said recently. "Not all of our traffic signals are able to communicate back to the street or road department. They're isolated by themselves. So, communication equipment, detection equipment, video technology equipment, that type of stuff."
Several cities proposed projects to regional planners Thursday. Federal money will pay for 80% of projects selected, and a 20% local match will be required.
Centerton is asking for $500,000 in carbon reduction money for McKissic Trail, Phase II, and Cave Springs is requesting $358,784 to extend sidewalks along West Wallis and Sands roads.
Fayetteville proposed two projects. The city wants $400,000 to change to LED lighting at major intersections along with adding video detection equipment.
Chris Brown, transportation director in Fayetteville, said the city should be able to save $8,000 a year by switching to LED lights.
Fayetteville is also asking for $500,000 that would go to a proposed pedestrian tunnel under a new interchange at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Interstate 49, which is expected to cost the city about $3.8 million.
Matt Mihalevich, trails coordinator, said a street-level trail through the new interchange would result in traffic delays as pedestrians cross.
"The proposal would be 11 lanes of traffic that the trail would have to cross at-grade at a signal," Mihalevich said. "I've calculated that 3.5 feet per second at that signal, that's going to take 42 seconds for someone to get across there, delaying vehicle traffic that whole time, which contributes to idling vehicles."
Mihalevich said the city has one chance to do the project.
"We can't come back later; we'll just have to live with a crosswalk with 11 lanes," Mihalevich said.
Johnson seeks $339,000 to light a section of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway in the city.
Lowell is asking for $131,763 for signal light improvements.
Siloam Springs wants $184,000 for a sidewalk to fill a gap along Progress Avenue.
Springdale is requesting $100,000 to help plan and design several multi-use trails; to connect schools, the city library and downtown; and to improve access to public transit stops.
A selection committee is being formed to evaluate the projects. It expects to make recommendations next month.
Projects will have to be included in state and regional long-range transportation plans. The state is getting almost $17 million for carbon reduction programs and has until November 2023 to come up with a state plan.
The carbon reduction strategy must be updated at least once every four years and the Federal Highway Administration must review and certify state plans.