Razorback Regional Greenway
| NWA Razorback Regional Greenway | |
|---|---|
 Bridge over Lake Fayetteville near the trailhead | |
| Length | 36 mi (58 km) |
| Location | Northwest Arkansas, United States |
| Trailheads | Walker Park, Fayetteville Lake Fayetteville, Fayetteville Goad Springs Rd, Lowell Lake Bella Vista, Bella Vista |
| Use | Walkers, joggers and cyclists |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Season | All |
| Sights | Lake Fayetteville Emma Avenue Spring Creek Lake Springdale Pinnacle Hills Promenade Walmart AMP Downtown Bentonville Compton Gardens Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Lake Bella Vista |
| Website | http://www.nwatrails.org/trail/razorback-regional-greenway/ |
The Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway (usually shortened to Razorback Regional Greenway or just Greenway in Northwest Arkansas) is a 37.6 miles (60.5 km) primarily off-road shared-use trail in Northwest Arkansas. Dedicated on May 2, 2015, the Greenway connects Walker Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas to north of Lake Bella Vista in Bella Vista, Arkansas,[1] while also serving schools, businesses and other cultural amenities along the route.[2]
History
First envisioned by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC) during long-range planning that identified regional trails, the project came to fruition following the creation of a task force, public meetings, and coordination among NWA communities. Initially, the route was to follow three historically significant routes in NWA: the Butterfield Overland Mail route; Civil War routes; and the Trail of Tears in conjunction with the Arkansas Heritage Trails program.
Funding
A grant from the Walton Family Foundation in 2009 for up to $15 million ($21.3 million in current dollars) requiring 1-to-1 match from partner cities provided a revenue source for planning and design. The routing was also finalized during public meetings to serve many community attractions. A $15 million ($21 million in current dollars) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration in 2010 assisted in right-of-way acquisition and construction of the project.[3] The Arkansas State Highway Commission also provided $855,000 ($1.13 million in current dollars) to the project.[4]
Community attractions
The Greenway serves the following community attractions:
- 6 downtowns
- 23 schools
- Campus of the University of Arkansas
- 3 hospitals
- Walmart, JB Hunt Transport Services and Tyson Foods corporate headquarters
- Arts and entertainment venues such as Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Walmart AMP
- Historic sites
- Parks and Playgrounds
- Residential communities
- Shopping areas such as Northwest Arkansas Mall and Pinnacle Hills Promenade
See also
References
- ^ Karst, Rayna (July 28, 2018). "Bella Vista Celebrates Razorback Greenway Trail Extension". Joplin Globe. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
- ^ Bartholomew, Dustin (April 17, 2015). "Razorback Regional Greenway To Celebrate Grand Opening". Fayetteville Flyer. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ Reed, Mary (April 3, 2013). "Unique Trail System to Link Six Communities". Construction Equipment Guide. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
- ^ Souza, Kim (March 7, 2012). "Springdale commits to finish trails". The City Wire. Retrieved June 27, 2015.