The Fayetteville City Council approved a study to help guide its downtown growth Thursday, but the idea of a canal roaming through the streets is not underwater yet.
The study, presented by Noell Consulting Group’s Ben King, provides a roadmap for the city’s downtown growth, but as Mayor Ed Johnson said, it is only one of the tools the city will use to guide the growth.
In the study, King said three examples of urban infrastructure projects were assessed to see the likelihood of success for a Downtown Fayetteville Canal: the Bricktown Canal in downtown Oklahoma City, the Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail, and the Pueblo Riverwalk, in downtown Pueblo, Colo.
“Our analysis indicates that the most successful infrastructure projects build on existing assets and address infrastructure needs or barriers to development. When these projects address these fundamental issues, they can have large-scale impacts, as seen in Bricktown or the BeltLine.
“When they do not address underlying issues, as in Pueblo, they do not change the long-term trajectory of an area. Both Oklahoma City and Pueblo versus Fayetteville are the central city of their respective MSAs, with greater commercial tax bases over which to spread infrastructure costs.
“We find that canal projects are far more expensive than other infrastructure projects, and that linear trail systems can provide a similar benefit for a lower cost per mile,” the study reads.
King said he believes that a linear park system, such as the Beltline, which connect new infill neighborhoods surrounding downtown could be a focal point for new development and amenity for residents and provide more bang for the buck.
He said a central trail system also provides an opportunity to potentially connect with other metro trail systems if the south suburbs choose to replicate the efforts of the Silver Comet Trail, Stone Mountain Path, Path400, and Atlanta BeltLine which will eventually all connect as part of a regional system.
But Councilman Harlan Shirley said he believes a canal could be the key to downtown’s future.
“I think it would spur new businesses to come downtown and increase property values,” he said.
Councilman Scott Stacy also likes the canal idea, while Johnson said the proposition is very expensive.
The canals in Oklahoma City and Pueblo both cost north of $30 million in 2016 dollars.
Now that the study has been approved, the city will incorporate features of it into its downtown master plan before final approval.
