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                               CITY OF LITTLE ROCK

115-4-006 Rodney Parham Conceptual Study Project Summary

The City of Little Rock has received multiple requests from citizens to improve Rodney Parham Road from Green Mountain Drive and Hinson Road north to Cantrell Road over the years. The improvements requested include installing bike lanes and sidewalks from Green Mountain to Cantrell, install drainage improvements with curb and gutter, and improve the roadway. Based on citizen feedback, the City of Little Rock implemented a process in which a conceptual study would be performed analyzing several design options. Citizen feedback was sought to help determine the design option that best meets the needs of both the City of Little Rock and the citizens located along the corridor in the immediate area.Four (4) design options from the conceptual study were  presented at an open public meeting Thursday, May 5, 2016.  The city chose option A and a link the conceptual plans are above.

 

Option A• Vehicular Traveled Way - Three (3) lane section with bike lanes (Forty Eight (48) feettotal roadway width from back of curb to back of curb).• Pedestrian Traveled Way – Five (5) foot sidewalks located on each side of the roadwaywith a five (5) foot grassed buffer from back of curb to edge of sidewalk.• Overall Cross Section Width of Improvements – Sixty eight (68) feet.• Existing Right of Way – Eighty (80) feet.• Conceptual Planning Estimate - $4.8 million.

 

Option B• Vehicular Traveled Way - Three (3) lane section (Thirty seven (37) feet total roadwaywidth from back of curb to back of curb).• Pedestrian Traveled Way – Five (5) foot sidewalk located on west side of the roadwaywith a five (5) foot grassed buffer from back of curb to edge of sidewalk and a ten (10)foot multi-use trail located on the east side with a five (5) foot buffer from back of curbto edge of trail.• Overall Cross Section Width of Improvements – Sixty two (62) feet.• Existing Right of Way – Eighty (80) feet.• Conceptual Planning Estimate – $4.6 million

 

Option C• Vehicular Traveled Way - Five (5) lane section (Fifty nine (59) feet total roadway widthfrom back of curb to back of curb).• Pedestrian Traveled Way – Five (5) foot sidewalks located on each side of the roadwaywith a five and a half (5 1/2) foot grassed buffer from back of curb to edge of sidewalk.• Overall Cross Section Width of Improvements – Eighty (80) feet.• Existing Right of Way – Eighty (80) feet.• Conceptual Planning Estimate - $5.4 million.

 

Option D• Vehicular Traveled Way – Two (2) lane section with two eight (8) foot drivable grassareas adjacent to the traveled way and a sixteen (16) foot wide grassed/ landscapedmedian (Sixty (60) feet total roadway width from back of curb to back of curb).• Pedestrian Traveled Way – Five (5) foot sidewalks located on each side of the roadwaywith a five (5) foot grassed buffer from back of curb to edge of sidewalk.• Overall Cross Section Width of Improvements – Eighty (80) feet.• Existing Right of Way – Eighty (80) feet.• Conceptual Planning Estimate - $6.6 million.

Pleasant Valley Board Statement

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On May 5, 2016 the City of Little Rock held a public meeting in which the Public Works department presented the citizens with 4 road improvement options to the section of Rodney Parham Road which goes through the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood. Rodney Parham Road has served west Little Rock and Pleasant Valley for over 50 years, more or less, as it exists today, in this section.

 

The Pleasant Valley Board is committed to supporting improvements that serve the community and our neighborhood for the next 50 years. The board looked at these key decision points: improving storm water runoff, maintaining current traffic volumes, reducing traffic speed, accommodating pedestrians & cyclists, limiting the area of paved surface, and the future impact of improvements on the neighborhood and home values. After consultation with civil engineers and meetings with neighbors, the board believes the best way to address the goals of the majority of stakeholders is with Option D of the four options presented by the City of Little Rock. Option D, which provides two travel lanes with a center median and left hand turn bays at intersections, presents the best way to cooperatively meet the long-term goals of the neighborhood and the needs of the larger community.

 

However, the board also recognizes that Option D, as shown on the study documents, fails to capitalize on the opportunity to better match the existing grades of the homes along the east and west right-of-ways.  Additionally, it fails to incorporate a center median as the catch-basin and retention area for storm water collection. Both the grade separation and the center storm water collection would better address the storm water flooding and the driveway slopes of homeowners adjoining Rodney Parham Road.  The board will continue to engage the City of Little Rock regarding these plan features if Option D is chosen. Finally, the board recognizes near universal support of a lower speed limit. The roadway design of Option D will naturally encourage this request.

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