HomeMy WebLinkAboutstaff report marchMarch 15, 2012
ITEM NO.: 8 FILE NO.: MSP12-01
Name: Master Street Plan Amendment — Add Chester north of LaHarpe
Location: Chester Street and extension, north of LaHarpe crossing the
Arkansas River
Reguest: Add Minor Arterial classification north of LaHarpe
Source: Staff
PROPOSAL/REQUEST:
Master Street Plan amendment in the Downtown District to add a Minor Arterial.
Chester Street south of LaHarpe is a Minor Arterial south to Wright Avenue. The
request would be to continue this classification north of LaHarpe then across the
Arkansas River to connect with the Arterial street system in North Little Rock.
This would then provide a fourth bridge across the Arkansas River in downtown.
MASTER STREET PLAN:
Currently, the Master Street Plan shows Chester as a Minor Arterial from
LaHarpe to south to Wright Avenue. North of LaHarpe, Chester is a Local
Commercial street and goes for one block. LaHarpe is a Principal Arterial. It is
State Highway 10 and goes from Interstate 30 west to Fort Smith.
There are currently three connections across the Arkansas River: Broadway
Bridge (Principal Arterial), Maine Street Bridge (Minor Arterial) and Interstate 30
Bridge (Freeway).
BICYCLE PLAN:
The bicycle plan shows a Class I - Bike Path along the River (the medical mile, a
portion of the Arkansas River Trail). It shows a Class III Bike Route along
Markham crossing Chester. However no bike path, lane or route is shown along
Chester.
PARKS:
The Arkansas River Trail is shown on the Little Rock Parks and Recreation
Master Plan as an open space. The Plan indicates there is park or open space
within eight -blocks of the alignment.
HISTORIC DISTRICTS:
There are no city recognized historic districts that would be affected by this
amendment.
March 15, 2012
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FILE NO.: MSP12-01
ANALYSIS:
There have been discussions of a fourth bridge over the Arkansas River in or
near downtown Little Rock for years. In fact, until 1995, a fourth vehicular bridge
had been proposed. This was the Midtown Expressway and it had a bridge just
west of the current railroad bridge. It was to connect Interstate 30 to Interstate
40, with a new road paralleling the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
The Broadway Bridge and Interstate 30 Bridge are at, to over capacity currently
and Main Street Bridge is around half to two-thirds capacity. Metroplan has
indicated an additional 25,000 to 40,000 trips a day are expected by 2030. This
would put all the facilities well over capacity.
Currently, Chester Street is an Arterial south of LaHarpe to Wright Avenue. The
service volume on a four -lane arterial is 18,000 ADT (average daily trips). At
LaHarpe, Chester has an ADT of around 8000 and at Interstate 630 around
13,000 ADT. Metroplan estimates that, if built, the new bridge would have
15,000 to 20,000 trips in 2030. These are projected to not be new trips but trips
that would have used one of the three existing bridges. Thus the impacts to
Chester beyond Capitol should be minimal. Some of the trips could already be
on Chester or could return to their current routes prior to getting beyond Capitol
Avenue.
A Master Street Plan amendment is needed to reclassify Chester Street north of
LaHarpe to an Arterial. This would allow regional transportation money to be
used for further review of the alignment and fully develop transportation impacts
and costs for construction of a new bridge. The North Little Rock Planning
Commission has recommended the connection to their City Council. The City of
Little Rock's action would complete the connection across the Arkansas River,
so that the alignment may be put on the regional transportations plan.
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS:
Notices were sent to the four adjacent property owners and the Downtown
Neighborhood Association as well as the Downtown Partnership. Staff has
received two contacts on this request indicating their concern with it.
STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff believes the change is appropriate.
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Area Map
Case: MSP 12-01 N
Location: Chester and extension,
north of LaHarpe
0237.5475 950 Feet
Ward: 1
PD: 5
CT: 44
TRS: TIN R12W3