By: Jack Bilyeu
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- The new Niokaska Creek trail in Fayetteville was completed yesterday. The trail runs 3 miles between Mission Boulevard and the existing Razorback Greenway in East Fayetteville. The new trail is paved and protected from the road.
The Niokaska Trail goes through Gulley Park. Along the way, it passes by waterfalls and leads through an 80-foot tunnel under old Wire Road. Fayetteville trails coordinator Matt Mihalevich said more than 8,000 residents live within a half-mile of the new development.
“Our goal is to have trails within a half-mile of every home in Fayetteville,” Mihalevich said. He says that if more people travel by foot or bicycle on the greenway, there will be less pollution in the region. Though recreation is an added benefit, the main goal is to promote active transportation.
Local cyclist Noah Pope said the greenway is among the best in the country for recreation- but not for commuting. He claims the trails meander too far around to be effective transportation. He would prefer to travel directly to his destination.
“What I would prefer to see is more trails built parallel to major roads. Sometimes it can take 5 minutes to drive somewhere, but 45 minutes to ride there on the greenway,” Pope said. He says that he mostly uses the paved routes to travel between off-road mountain biking trails.
Mihalevich said that the Greenway passes by most major areas of town, like the U of A campus and the mall. The trail’s meandering nature is in an effort to promote safety. For some people who can’t drive, the trails have meant the world.
“I’ve spoken with one resident who is disabled that lives in uptown Fayetteville. She told me that she no longer has to rely on others for help moving around thanks to the greenway,” Mihalevich said.
The Razorback Regional Greenway consists of more than 36 miles of trails throughout Benton and Washington Counties. Planning for the project began in 2000. The path was officially dedicated in 2015 but continues to be expanded. Some upcoming expansions include trails on Trucker’s Drive near Sam’s Club and on Razorback Road by Chick-Fil-A. Crews will continue installing lighting on the Niokaska Creek Trail until early 2021.