The NWA Regional Mobility Authority

I’ve read several posts on various blogs now blasting the Regional Mobility Authority and their desire to expand the infrastructure in Northwest Arkansas. Now, I don’t consider myself a wealthy business owner, but I am a business owner, and I have noticed how little people like to drive in NWA. Honestly, I don’t blame them. We’ve got one artery that connects Fayetteville to Benton County, and it is literally taking your life in your own hands when you venture out. Couple this with absolutely no east-west conduits except the strip that connects 540 and 71 in Fayetteville just south of the NWA mall makes it very difficult to go anywhere. Our metro area is over 450k people, which is big enough to sustain lots of different types of businesses, but with the severe constriction in transportation options, you greatly reduce how many trips we make down to Fayetteville to enjoy some of our favorite restaurants, not to mention how many customers we have outside of Rogers that really don’t like making the trek to our store.

If you take a metro area like Dallas for a case in point. Even though sometimes it’s bumper to bumper crawl due to a wreck or sever congestion, there are several highways (35, 45, 75, et al) and the 635 loop. Everyone hops on the 635 and gets around Dallas quite easily most of the time. It’s not uncommon to take 30 minutes to get somewhere, but that gives you the entire Dallas proper as your playground. Now, take someone who lives in Rogers, but would like to go down to Dickson Street or a nice restaurant. Yes, 540 usually gets you there (except it is often bumper to bumper at the pleasant grove exit for no apparent reason other than people can’t merge properly) but that only gets you to the edge of Fayetteville. 25 minutes to get to Fayetteville, and another 15 to 20 to get across town through all of the stop lights. It’s not really that far if you compare driving distances from someplace like Dallas, but risk your life slamming on your breaks because nobody can merge and the highway really needs to be 6 or 8 lane, and then endure stop light after stop light, and then it’s almost too much trouble to want to go anywhere.

We hear the same stories from a few of our Bentonville customers that are just going to Rogers. What’s the best route to our store if you live in Bella Vista? I think this infrastructure deficit is choking out small businesses more than anything. The local shops that “Keep Fayetteville Funky” and give you dining options that aren’t met by fast food or chains. These local businesses directly support our local economy. All of the profits stay local, as opposed to just the local salaries. My wife drives 8 miles into Springdale from our house, and it takes 30 minutes down 71 - and thats the only way to get there. That is ridiculous.

Northwest Arkansas is suffering from severe urban sprawl, and the only way we are going to keep business booming is to expand our infrastructure faster than we have been. The biggest improvements have been in Rogers. It’s taken some time, but New Hope is now a very viable east-west conduit to get across Rogers with minimal lights. 40th (or 45th, I can’t remember which it is) is also a great route to get from 71 to New Hope, with minimal lights. We need more of these, and if possible, some express ways that will get you from one east-west end of each town to the other with no stop lights.

The state is not going to pony up in proportion with the growth this region has had. I know they are spending tax dollars on replacing gravel roads in SE Arkansas, and if I lived there, I would want the gravel road in front of my house paved also, but each city is going to completely die from the inside out. Rogers downtown is in this cycle. The Fayetteville square is struggling, and I see lots of property for rent in Springdale’s downtown as well. Lots of effort and discussions have centered around how to revitalize these historic areas that are rich with history and nostalgia, but the only thing that is going to truly save them are roads that will take people there quickly and effortlessly. I am not a member of this "Elitist Group" as they are being called, but I do think they are on track for the whole of NWA.

I don't necessarily agree that the move to XNA in Highfill was a good idea either, but it did offer some room for growth. If I recall, every flight went through Dallas, and then out to where ever you were going, so an extra layover plus hour flight time is about a net zero if you are driving to Tulsa for a cheaper flight. :P