Dressing up Fayetteville' s College Avenue - Axios NW ArkansasLog InLog InAxios NW Arkansas is an Axios company.

Dressing up Fayetteville' s College Avenue

College Avenue reimagined with a median. Rendering courtesy of city of Fayetteville The city of Fayetteville is looking to upgrade part of College Avenue, giving it more curb and appeal. What's happening: Local officials showed the for more trees and sidewalks — and maybe medians, too — for the roughly half-mile stretch between North and Sycamore streets, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . The city is taking through Aug. 23. Why it matters: An average of 28,000 vehicles travel through the area every day, according to the . That's more than 28% of the city's population, so traffic flow and speed control are important to keep motorists and pedestrians safe. Yes, and: Most of College Avenue, which is also part of U.S. 71 Business, north of Lafayette Street isn't attractive and doesn't provide protected areas for pedestrians or cyclists. College Avenue reimagined while retaining the center turn lane. Rendering courtesy of city of Fayetteville Details: This project is part of the city's larger , which spans 15th Street to Lake Fayetteville. The necessary rights of way for the work generally would not change, although car travel lanes would shrink by a foot or two depending on the final design. Renderings show an 80-foot cross section of College Avenue with sidewalks and green space on its east and west sides, maintaining its four traffic lanes. Two concepts under consideration include a raised median or a middle turn lane.Of note: Medians and narrower lanes tend to slow traffic down. Construction on this section of road is estimated to cost $6.2 million. The city has $1.5 million in federal aid available for the project, with another $1.8 million pending, along with money from a 2019 transportation bond. Flashback: Medians on College Avenue were added between Dickson and Lafayette streets in the early 2000s, enhancing the aesthetics in the area and generally slowing traffic. A median placed on Dickson Street west of College Avenue around the same time was later removed due to accidents and driver complaints. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

More NW Arkansas stories

No stories could be found Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios NW Arkansas.Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.