FORT SMITH (KFSM) - Folks in the River Valley will soon be seeing bike trails along some of the roadways. Bike trails have been popping up across the area and Fort Smith city leaders have approved making them near the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith campus all the way to downtown Fort Smith.
They're calling this the Blue Lion Bikeway Project. The more than $30,000 project will connect the college to the downtown area. Workers would used shared, marked lanes along a seven mile span that includes along Kinkead and Park Avenue. Also in the route would be A and B Streets in downtown Fort Smith all the way to North 66th Street past the college campus.
"A sharrow is basically making traffic aware that this is a common pathway for bicyclists and it's an eye opener to make sure everybody is watching out for the bicyclists," said Park Director Doug Reinert.
City leaders said construction workers won't widen the streets, however, just put in marked bike lanes and signs in the right areas.
Work will start right away on the bike trails, weather permitting.
City leaders also approved a 90- day extension for construction of the River Valley Sports Complex at Chaffee Crossing.
Developers have been trying to off set a lot of cash costs with donated services, labor, or materials. So its been a challenge for workers to get the project done in the time frame they were given. Workers requested $1.6 million from the city for the project and that still remains the same. Workers are just asking for now is a little bit more time.
Workers don't have much more to do other than installing the lights, building the restroom facility, finishing up the fields, and fencing. After the project is complete, the sports complex just north of the golf course in Chaffee Crossing will feature eight fields that are designed to host youth and adult sports tournaments.
Leaders said they hope construction will be done on the River Valley Sports Complex by July of this summer.