Ten years after its completion, the Razorback Greenway remains one of northwest Arkansas’ defining features, offering over 40 miles of connected trails between seven cities.
“It’s really the crown jewel of our trail system,” said Tim Reavis, AICP, multimodal transportation planner for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission. “There are cities much bigger than ours that have been working on their trails for decades, and they still don’t have anything as nice as what we’ve built here.”
The Greenway was made possible through a collaborative effort among local governments and the philanthropic community. Initially, cities had their own individual trails, but officials saw an opportunity to connect them into a larger regional network. “It started with a vision of bringing everyone together,” Reavis explained. “We had city leaders working alongside planners, and private funding helped make it a reality.” He called it “one of the biggest regional collaboration successes we’ve seen.”
Now, planners are looking ahead to the Greenway’s next phase, he said. “Northwest Arkansas is growing in population. By 2050, the Arkansas Economic Development Institute projects that there will be 1 million residents in Washington and Benton counties.”
A public survey, open until the end of May, is gathering feedback on how the trail can support smart growth and better connectivity. “It’s asking people to think about what they love about northwest Arkansas,” Reavis said. “What comes to mind when they think of this place? And then, more specifically, what about the Greenway—how do they use it, how often, and what would they like to see along it?”
The survey aims to gauge public interest in future expansions and improvements. One key focus is how cities and developers can better integrate the trail into surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. “We’ve seen in other regions that when trails are designed well, businesses actually turn to face them instead of away,” Reavis said. “We don’t want development turning its back on the Greenway. We want to activate spaces and make sure it’s part of people’s daily lives.”
Community engagement has been strong so far, with the survey promoted during the Square 2 Square Bike Ride, a popular annual biking event from Bentonville to Fayetteville. “We’ve had about 1,700 people respond so far, which is great,” Reavis said. “The more we can hear directly from residents, the better equipped we’ll be to make decisions that reflect the community’s needs.”
While the survey will help shape planning efforts, Reavis emphasized that the enthusiasm surrounding the Greenway itself is already clear. “There’s a real energy around this project,” he said. “People see the value, they want to protect it, they want to maximize it. That’s exciting.”
Officials expect survey results to play a critical role in determining next steps for the Greenway, ensuring it continues to serve both residents and businesses as northwest Arkansas grows.
Click here to take the survey by May 31!
