Have a look at the new Old Wire Road cycle track

Staff photo

Fayetteville officials this week celebrated the completion of the latest round of improvements to Old Wire Road, including a cycle track that is the first of its kind in Northwest Arkansas.

The initial phase of the cycle track runs along the east side of Old Wire Road, and measures 0.9 miles in length from Ash Street to Gulley Park. The design includes an elevated five-foot-wide pedestrian sidewalk, north- and southbound bicycle lanes with a dedicated traffic signal for crossing at Township Street, and a curbed concrete buffer with lighting. A signalized crosswalk was added at Stanton Avenue, creating a safe crossing to Gulley Park.

The next phase of the project will extend north from Gulley Park to Old Missouri Road.

The bicycle infrastructure was a request from officials with the Walton Family Foundation, who wanted to see a protected cycle track instead of a standard bike path. The foundation donated $1.36 million for the project in hopes that it could serve as a model for other improvements across the region.