A Trail of Two Cities

A Trail of Two Cities 

By: Samuel Harshman

          Little Rock and North Little Rock function as two different cities but they have a lot in common.  One of these commonalities is the Arkansas River.  Along this river, on both sides, there are many parks, playgrounds and even a bike/walking trail.  This fifteen mile bike trail winds up the river banks of North Little Rock, crosses the Big Dam Bridge, and then winds down the banks on the Little Rock side and then crosses back over.  However, the trail sort of stops on the Little Rock side and bikers/walkers have to ride, unsafely, on streets along with traffic.  Also, on this bike trail, there are only two bike rental shops, and they are across the river from each other in the cities, therefore people who do not live in the city do not have an easy way to rent bikes. 

         This design project will focus on master planning for a holistic bike trail and park system. It will also involve designing a new bike rental facility near the Big Dam Bridge and renovating an old warehouse into a boardwalk along the trail.  The bike rental facility will serve those who do not want to go all the way into the city to rent a bike.  It will also serve as a rest stop for bikers/walkers, so that they can get something to eat, drink, or even repair their bikes.