Officials hope a change of plans will solve two transportation problems in north Fayetteville with one project.

A small roundabout that was planned to replace the Fulbright Expressway interchange at Shiloh Drive will instead be constructed about a quarter mile east to also replace the intersection of Shiloh Drive and Steele Boulevard.

Members of the City Council’s Transportation Committee last month considered the change, along with a $241,850 contract with Garver Engineering for design of the project.

City Engineer Chris Brown showed the committee early concepts for the project which is expected to alleviate congestion in both areas.

Vehicles regularly stack up on Shiloh Drive as westbound vehicles wait to enter the Fulbright Expressway. Brown said the roundabout should solve that problem and also help clear up issues at Steele Boulevard.

As part of the work, the existing on and off ramps would be removed from the expressway (see conceptual design below).

Courtesy City of Fayetteville (click to enlarge)

Brown said moving the roundabout will increase the estimated cost of the work from $840,000 to about $1.4 million, but fixing two intersections with one project should be worth it. The committee agreed and voted unanimously to approve the new plan and the design contract.

The money will come from the bond issue that voters approved in April. The $226 million program includes over $70 million in transportation projects that are set to come in several phases.

Other intersection projects planned for Phase 1 include work at the Porter Road and I-49 interchange, 15th Street and Razorback Road, and at Center Street and Harmon Avenue.

Other work for Phase 1 includes construction projects on Rupple Road, Zion Road, Deane Street, Rolling Hills Drive, Steamboat Drive and Archibald Yell Boulevard. An extension of Sain Street, adding an entrance to Centennial Park, construction of the Maple Street Cycle Track and railroad crossing work on Gregg Avenue are also slated for the first phase of construction.