Letter written by Paul Ward, President, Little Rock Roadrunners

Terry Eastin, coordinator of the Headwaters Partnership for the Arkansas River Trail, spoke to the Little Rock Roadrunners Club August 19 about completing the trail from where it currently ends by Rebsamen Golf Course east to the River Market area and Clinton Presidential Library. The plans involve constructing the trail along the inner levee in the Riverdale area, then behind the Junior Deputy ball fields and in front of Bikeseller.com, under the Cantrell Road viaduct, and to the Episcopal Collegiate School, formerly the Cathedral High School, on Cantrell Road. The trail should then run behind the school before curving back by the river. Construction should begin next spring.

In addition to coordinating the Headwaters Partnership, Terry is a consultant to the Little Rock Parks and Recreation Department. The Headwaters Partnership is composed of 27 public and private entities, including federal, state, county, and municipal governments. The benefits from the trail include environmental protection, public health, and economic development. People and organizations are encouraged to support the trail both financially and by communicating their support to government officials.

The portion of the trail that will run from the River Market area west to the Baring Cross Bridge is the "Medical Mile", so named because local physicians and health related companies are sponsoring this segment of the trail to encourage preventive health and fitness. This portion will go through Riverfront Park and be close to the river.

The beginning portion of the Medical Mile will start from a plaza in the River Market called the Gateway to the Medical Mile. The sponsors are funding benches, lighting, and informational kiosks along this portion of the trail. The kiosks will contain health-related information on eating, controlling weight, and being fit. LRRC member Eleanor Kennedy said research has shown that building trails improves public health. Eleanor and Terry both credited Dr. Rob Lambert of Heart Clinic Arkansas for being a tireless promoter of the trail and Medical Mile.

The last section of the trail to be completed is the stretch from the golf course to the Baring Cross Bridge. Terry said they are talking with landowners on possible routes for this stretch and how to traverse some Union Pacific railroad tracks. If a pedestrian bridge is required, the cost and time will be much greater than if a grade crossing is allowed. The current timeline for completion is 3-5 years, although Mayor Dailey is planning to complete the trail in 2 years.

Current plans are for the Little Rock and North Little Rock sides to be connected on the east by a pedestrian bridge built over the old Rock Island Railroad Bridge, and on the west by a pedestrian bridge built over the Murray Lock and Dam. Construction on the former won't begin until 2006, but construction on the latter should begin this fall. The contract for it has been signed and construction should take 2 years.

When complete, the Little Rock and North Little Rock trails will form a 14 mile loop. Plans also exist for westward expansion on the Little Rock side to Two Rivers Park and Pinnacle Mountain State Park. From the latter park you can pick up the Ouachita Trail and go all the way into Oklahoma. Terry said eventually you will be able to walk the trail from the River Market here all the way to Tulsa.

Terry said the trails on both sides of the river will form a spine with feeder trails from different areas of both cities. Additionally, officials from Maumelle, Mayflower, and Conway are interested extending the trail in their direction.

The trail is now and when complete will be handicapped accessible. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires elevation grades to not exceed a 5-8% slope. On the Little Rock side of the pedestrian bridge over Murray Lock and Dam, this may mean some temporary interference with the existing trail during construction. The slope of the bridge and the needed length for this slope might block the existing trail, but there should be a way to go around any blockage. The bridge cannot extend too far because there is an old cemetery in the woods on the Little Rock side.

If you want more information on the trail, visit its website:  www.rivertrail.org  . You can also visit Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas' website, www.bacar.org. They have a link to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for information on the pedestrian bridge over the Murray Lock and Dam. If you want more information on the LR Roadrunners Club, e-mail paulward@psc.state.ar.us.