Some people have referred to the new sidewalk on US 62/West Van Buren between Nuttin’ Fanci and Nelson’s Funeral Chapel as “the sidewalk to nowhere” as it doesn’t connect to sidewalks on either end of the project. Now it’s being referred to as the “sidewalk work that never ends” as contractors are deconstructing and rebuilding the sidewalk project for the third time in an area that borders a steep ravine.
This past summer the town had temporary traffic lights restricting vehicles to one lane during the initial construction, and again for the demolition and reconstruction, causing disruptions during the busy tourism season. Mail carriers, delivery drivers, trolley drivers and others had to factor in extra time to get through the construction work.
Public Works Director Simon Wiley said the sidewalk work must be redone again because the contractor didn’t perform the work according to the plans and specifications. Wiley said that’s what made the project so difficult.
The sidewalk was torn up and redone the second time because of drainage problems caused by the contractor. The third time the project has a punch list of items that will need to be addressed, Wiley said.
“The modified curb sections are wrong, there are green spaces that were concreted over that will need to be removed and reestablished, and there are some sidewalk sections that will need to be redone,” Wiley said. “It’s possible that the traffic light may be back, but I have not heard one way or the other yet. Work has already started, and I don’t have an estimated completion date yet.”
Recently there were problems with water pooling on the road. Wiley said that was caused when the Eureka Matterhorn Towers emptied its swimming pool.
“They drained it towards West Van Buren and into Nuttin’ Fanci’s driveway,” Wiley wrote in an email. “It is impossible for the water from their parking lot to go to the road because the road is uphill from their parking lot.”
As for when the sidewalk will be extended, Wiley said an $80,000 federal grant to extend the sidewalk to the community center will go out for bid this month.
Concerns have also been raised about the project resulting in the deaths of a large northern red oak and a pine tree. After being killed, the oak was just cut and allowed to fall down the ravine onto private property. Wiley said the contractor killed the trees when they cut in their temporary road downhill from the wall.
“This road was not in the plans,” Wiley said. “Those trees were on Arkansas Department of Transportation property and ArDOT requested their removal. But they are supposed to cut them up and remove them. I am working with the Parks department on replacing the trees on that slope at their next tree give away.”
Work began this week on cutting up the trees and removing the stumps.
Christopher Fischer said it is an embarrassment for a Tree City USA to have trees protected by city ordinances die, including one of the larger northern red oaks in the US 62 corridor.
“What happened is contrary to a best practices approach to a construction project of this scale,” Fischer said. “The trees were not protected with adequate machinery access setbacks. The trees should have been part of a permit review by the building inspector prior to beginning the project.”
Liz Kimberlin, a resident who lives nearby, was upset about the trees dying and by the amount of noise generated by the project – particularly the loud demolition work that would begin early in the morning and run most of the day. Kimberlin is concerned the reconstruction and new construction could negatively impact traffic once again.
“What worries many of us who have spent a few winters here is what will happen when the rain, snow and ice hit,” Kimberlin asked. “Matterhorn Towers and Nelson Funeral Chapel are both uphill. In between Nuttin’ Fanci and the trolley/tram base office across the street, water accumulates downhill in what ultimately becomes a basin in the middle, freezes over and turns to an ice sheet. It becomes extremely hazardous to walk or drive on. But you can’t bypass it if you need to get out and away.”
Kimberlin said she slipped and fell there last year and hurt her back, and a friend fell and broke his wrist. “The trolley drivers, even the experienced ones, play hell just trying to get out onto the road to do their routes,” she said.