Crafton Tull assisted the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) with master planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and construction services for the Stone Dam Creek Trail, completed in April of 2013.
This pedestrian and bicycle trail connects multi-family living facilities to the center of campus along the west side of numerous athletic facilities. The creek corridor is home to several wetland areas the UCA biology department uses as outdoor classrooms. The creation of this new trail also means the wetlands and creek are more easily accessible.
The majority of the project&rsquo;s funding came from the Arkansas Department of Transportation&rsquo;s Transportation Enhancement Grant Program.

Learn about Crafton Tull's work on UCA Stone Dam Creek Trail.

Crafton Tull | UCA Stone Dam Creek Trail

[X] UCA Stone Dam Creek Trail

Education

Awards

PLA, ASLA

Learn more about Dave Roberts and his role and experience at Crafton Tull.

Crafton Tull | Dave Roberts

Dave is responsible for overseeing and contributing to site planning and urban design projects that include community redevelopment plans, corridor plans, campus master plans, parks &amp; recreation system plans, as well as bicycle &amp; pedestrian network plans. Dave often presents sessions at conferences in the Mid-South region on planning healthy communities, urban planning strategies, and the benefits of placemaking. His daily responsibilities also include administration of the marketing department and business development for the firm.

Many cities prioritize improving walkability in downtowns and commercial areas, not just to enhance safety or to develop community character, but because there is real potential for financial return on investment. Investments in walkability, which measures an area&rsquo;s ease of connectivity via non-vehicular transportation, can include sidewalks, multi-use paths, streetscape enhancements, and traffic-calming measures. While these projects might be more often categorized as infrastructure, they do much more than provide a mode of transportation. They have the power to transform local economies.
Places where people feel safe and comfortable walking are places where businesses can thrive. Bustling downtown districts offer a variety of things to do - restaurants, coffee shops, art galleries, and breweries - all within walking distance of one another. Increased foot traffic creates higher property values in these areas and the surrounding neighborhoods as well. Over time, the tax value per acre in these dense, walkable areas will outpace areas that are more dependent on vehicular traffic. This has been confirmed in multiple studies by <a href="https://www.urbanthree.com/">Urban3</a>, a company specializing in revenue modeling and cost of service analysis for cities.
Not only do these compact, walkable places generate more tax revenue per acre, they require less extensive infrastructure networks compared to sprawling, car-dependent developments. For cities, this results in lower costs for road maintenance, utilities, and public services. It&rsquo;s a win-win.

<img src="https://api.www.craftontull.com/media/uploads/insights/walkable_downtowns/walk_audit.webp" alt="" width="1920" height="915" />
Any city, big or small, with goals to invest in walkability should consider these steps:
<ol>
<li>Conduct a Walk Audit: Begin by assessing the current state of pedestrian infrastructure. At Crafton Tull, I work with cities across the state hosting walk audits that bring together city and business leaders. We identify areas lacking sidewalks, dangerous intersections, and discuss best practice site planning methods. The walk audit and final report helps prioritize improvements and allocate resources effectively.I recently hosted a walk audit in Prairie Grove with Mayor David Faulk and 20 members of the community. Mayor Faulk believes the walk audit identified changes that could create a more prosperous downtown. &ldquo;The walk audit has been a great asset to us, and I would highly recommend this activity to all municipalities,&rdquo; the mayor said.</li>
<li>Engage the Community: Involve residents, business owners, and other stakeholders in the planning process. Their input can help ensure that improvements meet local needs and build support for larger initiatives.</li>
<li>Develop a Pedestrian Master Plan: Create a comprehensive strategy that outlines short-term and long-term goals for improving walkability. This plan should integrate with existing transportation and land-use policies to ensure a cohesive approach. The planning team at Crafton Tull is well-versed in creating <a href="https://www.craftontull.com/expertise/industries/active-transportation">bicycle and pedestrian master plans</a> that prioritize investments and unite communities in a shared vision.</li>
<li>Implement Quick Wins: Start with low-cost, high-impact improvements such as repainting crosswalks, installing pedestrian signals, or creating pocket parks. These visible changes can build public support and demonstrate immediate benefits.</li>
<li>&nbsp;Establish an Overlay District: Update land-use regulations to encourage mixed-use development, higher densities in appropriate areas, and pedestrian-oriented design standards. Over time, this can help create the type of built environment that supports walkability.</li>
<li>Invest in Key Corridors: Identify main streets or commercial districts that could benefit from significant pedestrian improvements. Concentrate initial investments in these areas to create showcase projects that can catalyze further development.</li>
</ol>
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While the initial costs of improving walkability can be substantial, the long-term economic benefits far outweigh the investment. Cities that prioritize walkable infrastructure often see returns in the form of increased tax revenues, reduced infrastructure maintenance costs, and a better sense of community character.
The benefits of walkability investments can compound over time. As initial improvements attract more pedestrians and businesses, they create a cycle of increased activity, further investment, and economic growth. This snowball effect can transform struggling urban areas into vibrant, prosperous districts that contribute significantly to the city's overall economic health. Connecting these walkable districts to the surrounding neighborhoods will increase visibility and activity for the businesses who will benefit from the foot traffic.
Investing in infrastructure that promotes walkability represents a strategic economic development opportunity for cities. As cities compete for talent, businesses, and investment, those that prioritize walkability will be well-positioned to thrive economically while offering a higher quality of life for their residents. The journey towards enhanced walkability may begin with small steps, but it leads to transformative economic outcomes that can reshape the urban landscape for generations to come.
&nbsp;

Related Projects

Many cities prioritize improving walkability in downtowns and commercial areas, not just to enhance safety or to develop community character, but because there is real potential fo

Walkable Downtowns Drive Economic Development

Many cities prioritize improving walkability in downtowns and commercial areas, not just to enhance safety or to develop community character, but because there is real potential for financial return on investment.

Dave's Work

LEED AP

Learn more about Gregg Long and his role and experience at Crafton Tull.

Crafton Tull | Gregg Long

Gregg is a Vice President of Infrastructure and manages the Russellville office for Crafton Tull. He is an Accredited Professional in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Gregg&rsquo;s areas of expertise include large-scale commercial site design, recreational trails, sidewalk, street, and drainage projects, as well as higher education campus infrastructure design.&nbsp;

Like many other components of our national infrastructure, streets and roads do not get much attention until there is a problem. Funding limitations often force counties, municipalities, and university campuses to put off routine maintenance of asphalt surfaces until such problems exist to the point that major reconstruction of a road, street, or parking lot is necessary. Research has shown that it is far less expensive to keep a road in good condition than it is to repair it once it has failed. In addition to the cost of major repairs, pavement in poor condition causes increased fuel use, vehicle wear and tear, and is detrimental to safe travel. One of the most underutilized tools in identifying developing problems and prioritizing maintenance schedules to extend the life of pavement surfaces is the implementation of a Pavement Management System.
&nbsp;
A Pavement Management System consists of three major components:
<div class="row customLists">
<ol>
<li>A system to regularly collect pavement condition data.</li>
<li>A method to sort and store the collected data.</li>
<li>An analysis to evaluate repair or preservation strategies and suggest cost-effective projects to maintain street conditions.</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
</div>
Larger cities may have the budget to dedicate full-time staff and use commercial software to manage their municipal pavement system.&nbsp; These systems facilitate the collection of Pavement Condition Assessment ratings, assist in prioritizing and tracking maintenance and repairs, track expenditures, and assist with annual budgeting.
Pavement condition data collection methods range from simple &ldquo;windshield surveys&rdquo; to the use of elaborate testing vehicles that measure smoothness, skid resistance, faulting, and cracking in the road surface. From this assessment, pavements are typically given a rating or grade that is used to rank order the condition of streets.
For smaller municipalities with limited budgets, city staff can conduct Pavement Condition Assessments (PCA) of existing streets.&nbsp; A &nbsp;PCA can be conducted in a low-cost manner to evaluate the existing condition of pavement surfaces without the use of expensive testing equipment that is not readily available to smaller municipalities. Such rating systems allow engineers, public works directors, street department superintendents, and physical plant directors to assess the current conditions of the pavement surfaces and address potential issues before they become major failures. The system can also be used to prioritize surface rehabilitation efforts for a city, county, or campus.
The process is quite simple and can be performed in-house or through the services of an outside engineering firm. The complexity of the project depends on the size of the municipality and the number of miles of streets to be evaluated.
Under a typical system, an inspector begins by preparing a map of the streets to be evaluated so that progress can be tracked. The inspector then slowly drives each section of street to produce an overall rating of the ride quality (smoothness) of the road on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being an excellent, smooth surface and 10 being the worst.&nbsp; Then, to get a closer look, the inspector walks each section, taking notes of the various types of failures and distress of the pavement, giving a numerical value for each distress or failure noted. Since most streets in Arkansas and Oklahoma are constructed with asphalt (vs. concrete), following are some of the typical asphalt distresses seen in local pavements:

Transverse Cracking&nbsp;&ndash; Cracks that occur roughly perpendicular to the centerline, usually a result of surface shrinking of the asphalt layer or reflection of existing cracks in underlying asphalt layers.
Longitudinal Cracking&nbsp;&nbsp;- Cracks that run parallel to the centerline and are usually a result of poor joint construction, or surface shrinking similar to transverse cracks.
Shrinkage Cracking&nbsp;&ndash; Cracks that appear on the pavement surface as interconnected cracks, forming a series of polygons. Much like transverse and longitudinal cracking, these cracks can be a result of surface shrinking caused by weather cycles, or heaving in the aggregate base or subgrade.
Alligator Cracking&nbsp;&ndash; These are interconnected cracks that form a series of small polygons that resemble the skin of an alligator. These cracks are typically signs of failure in the aggregate base or subgrade caused by poor drainage combined with heavy traffic load.
Raveling&nbsp;&ndash; The deterioration of pavement by the loss of asphalt and rock. Such deterioration can be a result of poor compaction at the time of construction, aggregate separation due to a poor mix from the asphalt plant, or the dislodging of aggregate materials in high-traffic areas.
Rutting&nbsp;&ndash; The permanent deformation of asphalt surfaces over time, usually shown by the depression of the wheel paths in the roadway. This failure is typically the result of poor compaction during construction, improper mix design for given traffic conditions, or failures in the subgrade or aggregate base course.
Potholes&nbsp;&ndash; A depression in the asphalt surface that is the result of the removal of broken pieces of pavement. They are formed as a result of expansion and contraction during freeze-thaw weather and water cycles combined with the amount of traffic load on the pavement. A pothole is typically the end result of other failures mentioned above that have not been corrected.
Other distress symptoms include corrugation, shoving or pushing, and excessive asphalt.
Once all of the evident distresses are noted and a numerical value assigned, the totals are added and the sum is subtracted from 100 to give a Pavement Condition Rating (PCR). For example, if a particular &frac12; mile of street was noted to have 6 or 8 transverse cracks, some longitudinal cracking, moderate shrinkage cracking, and two areas of alligator cracking, then the total deficiency value would likely be in the 20 to 25 point range. Subtracting this total from 100 produces a PCR of 75 to 80. A rating in this range typically means that the lifespan of the asphalt surface could be extended by sealing the cracks and applying an emulsified asphalt seal coat, or microsurfacing course.
Roads with PCRs of 60 to 75 may require more extensive repairs such as full depth patching and overlays, while roads with ratings below 60 typically require reconstruction. Obviously, a road or street with a rating of 90 to 100 is considered in good shape and little or no immediate attention is needed.
Once each street in the study has been rated, the results can then be tabulated and prioritized to develop a maintenance schedule based upon the street maintenance budget. A prioritization factor can also be assigned to some streets that should have a higher priority such as those that serve as main gateways to a city or campus that are more utilized than other streets.
In conclusion, a good Pavement Management System is a valuable tool that can help municipalities or campuses maintain and extend the life of their pavement. Systematically identifying minor problems before they become more serious can decrease the frequency of costly pavement reconstruction projects.

Pavement Condition Assessments can be conducted in a low-cost manner to evaluate existing conditions with the use of expensive testing equipment.

Gregg's Work

Learn about Crafton Tull's work on UCA Bear Hall + Stadium Suites.

PROJECTS

UCA Stone Dam Creek Trail