Rogers takes part in BikeNWA Project

The City of Rogers is holding a public kickoff meeting on September 29th, where residents and businesses are invited to take part in an innovative transportation project that will see some of the first protected bike lanes built in Northwest Arkansas. Funded by the Walton Family Foundation, and in partnership with Benton County, the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission and the Bicycle Coalition of the Ozarks, the project seeks to create a demonstration project that will connect the Railyard Bike Park to the Rogers Activity Center with a combination of protected bike lanes, neighborhood greenways and off road trails.

The project will be implemented with the technical assistance of the Street Plans Collaborative, an award-winning urban planning, design and advocacy firm with experience in helping cities implement needed transportation projects with a fraction of the budget and shorter timelines than conventional projects.

A look at one of the proposed routes for the demonstration project.

“Connectivity is key to a healthy Downtown District, and we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to improve our transportation infrastructure. With over 1,000 bicyclists visiting the Railyard each week, it’s imperative they can get around safely to experience everything Downtown has to offer. This demonstration project will encourage alternate forms of transportation and promote a healthy lifestyle, and we are excited to be one of the first in Northwest Arkansas to try it.” Greg Hines, Mayor of Rogers.

The community is invited to participate in the BikeNWA demonstration project and help guide the ongoing development of this project. Join us on September 29th, 2016 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm (Central time) at the Downtown Rogers Farmers Market for a kickoff meeting. The Downtown Market is located at 101 E. Cherry Street.

Department Highlight: Communications

New to Rogers for 2016, the communications department aims to connect with citizens, and tell the story of Rogers in a more meaningful way. The department is staffed by Ben Cline, the public relations specialist for the city.

Cline comes to Rogers from Fayetteville, where he worked as a general assignment reporter for NBC affiliate KNWA news. Goals for the department include an increased presence on social media, and more outreach opportunities, like the Frisco Express Newsletter.

"Our main focus is to help people stay informed with what is going on in the City," Cline said. "We hope to be a source for news and entertainment on Social Media, and well as more traditional methods like e-mail lists," Cline continued.

One of the easiest ways to stay informed is to sign up for the 'notify me' e-mail and SMS text list. On the rogers homepage, click on 'notify me' and fill out the selected forms. Using 'notify me', the City can inform subscribers about road closings, give updates on construction projects, and much more. Sign up for 'notify me' to stay informed and engaged in Rogers.

During the month of September, the City is giving away free t-shirts to followers on Twitter and Instagram. Each Friday, followers will be drawn to win a shirt. Follow the city on Twitter and Instagram today for a chance to win!

This Month in Rogers History

When Rogers was first platted and recorded in 1881 by the Chief Engineer for the Frisco Railroad, John Hely, it’s doubtful that anyone could image that our community would become the thriving city it is today. The original town consisted of three rows of five blocks, each block with an alley and a total of 180 lots in those five blocks. The first business was established by John Cox. Cox did not want to wait for the first buildings to go up, so he took the wheels off of his wagon, set it on the branches of a fallen oak tree near the tracks, and opened a saloon. More permanent structures soon followed as a building boom started. Land next to the rail yard became the center of commerce in Rogers as hardware stores, mercantile stores, and grocery stores opened, and several saw mills and lumber yards were located around town to keep up with the pace. By December 30, 1881, the population had grown to 600 residents and on February 19, 1882 the first native born citizen of Rogers, Roy Hooker, had arrived.

This photo shows a view of Rogers when the town was new in about 1882 or 1883. Looking west across the rail yard is part of the original downtown between Elm and Poplar Streets. The Commercial Hotel is seen at the left, which is believed to be the first brick building in downtown. The Kathon Livery is to the north with its distinctive round roofline, and the Rogers Exchange is another business identified from those years. Most of the businesses along Douglas Street (later renamed First Street) were in wooden frame structures, and were largely destroyed by fire in 1886. The brick buildings that we are familiar with today are actually part of the second downtown in Rogers' history. This photo is a great reminder that history is often about change and that Rogers, like many other communities, is a work in progress.

A view of Rogers when the town was new, around 1882. Looking west across the rail yard to part of the original downtown between Elm and Poplar Streets.

Clark Pavillion has a new look, but still has all of it's timeless charm.

Lake Atalanta

The Lake is in the final stages of construction, and landscaping will begin to take shape in the coming weeks.

The park is on schedule to open at the end of October, with a formal announcement for the opening day on September 30th.

Sod is being laid at one of the many open green spaces at the lake.

Road Projects Update

-- 52nd Bypass on the Razorback Greenway Trail – This new multi-use trail will make travel on the Razorback Regional Greenway Trail easier. It will travel through Village on the Creeks, primarily on a route away from existing roads. The trail is under construction and is scheduled to be open by the end of 2016.

--Trail Bridge at New Hope on the Razorback Greenway Trail - This new multi-use trail bridge will make travel on the Razorback Regional Greenway Trail less complicated. It will travel across Blossom Way Creek, bypassing the sidewalk along New Hope Road and 46^th Street. The bridge is under construction and is scheduled to be open by the end of 2016.

--Bellview from Pleasant Grove to I49 -2 lanes to 4 lanes & 2 bridges – This transportation and drainage improvement project to widen Bellview Road to 4 lanes is quickly wrapping up construction and should be complete in the fall of 2016.

-- Perry from Bellview to 21^st - 2 lanes to 3 or 4 lanes - This transportation and drainage improvement project will widen Perry road to 4 lanes from Bellview Road to 24^th Street, and 3 lanes from 24^th Street to 21^st Street. Construction has started and should be complete by the end of 2017.

--Multi-use Trail from Regional Sports Park to Foerster Park - This new multi-use trail will provide a connection from the Regional Sports Park to Foerster Park. It will travel primarily along Easy Street. The trail is about to start construction and is scheduled to be open in 2017.

--Bellview from City limits to Pleasant Grove - 2 lanes to 4 - This transportation and drainage improvement project will widen Bellview Road to 4 lanes from the southern city limits to Pleasant Grove Road. The project will also include improvements to Garrett Road between 41^st and 37^th Streets. Private utility relocations are on-going and road construction will start after their completion.

--Monte Ne Realignment -This project will realign the existing route from Arkansas Street south to Monte Ne Road to create a 4-lane boulevard. Utilities are in the process of relocating their infrastructure. The project has bid and is expected to start road construction this fall.