How will the Harkrider roundabouts affect traffic throughout the city?

Is the question Mayor Townsell and the four aldermen who approved the request from Hendrix College for a roundabout along Harkrider Street at Winfield and Siebenmorgen Road. In a decision that is destined to bring more apologies by city council members it’s doubtful that this was considered.

If you take a look at the map you’ll see that once these roundabouts are completed there will be no effective way to transverse through the city without using I-40 and/or Donaghey. We wonder if the State Highway Department figured that into its plan.

In studying the maps we see several problem areas that will occur, the interchange at I-40 & Hwy 65, the light at Hwy 64 & Hwy 65 (the Wal-Mart entrance), and the stretch of Hwy 64 in front of Lowes. More traffic in these areas will be an inevitable result and will be catastrophic for drivers in those areas.

If you feel as we do then make you voice known by contacting our state representatives (since Harkrider is a state highway). Tell them that we do not want our tax dollars used to pay for the wants of a college, ask them to intervene and kill the project at the state level. A contact list is provided below:

Rep. Betty Pickett
1903 College Avenue
Conway, AR 72034
Phone: 501-329-5862
pickettb@arkleg.state.ar.us

Rep Sandra Prater
9202 Sayles Road
Jacksonville, AR 72076
Phone: 501-988-0695
praters@arkleg.state.ar.us

Rep. Robbie Wills
Phone: 501-730-4677
willsr@arkleg.state.ar.us

Rep. Preston Scroggin
59 Marshall Road, South
Vilonia, AR 72173
Phone: 501-796-8710
scrogginp@arkleg.state.ar.us

Senator Gilbert Baker
17 Cooper Lane
Conway , AR 72034
Phone: 501-327-8653
bakerg@arkleg.state.ar.us