Much-needed improvements on Country Club Road were approved 5-1 by the Conway City Council on Tuesday, with the mayor voting as well.
The group voted at its regular meeting to add four feet of pavement to one side of the road and six feet to the other, and to dedicate six feet of the road as a bike path.
This will make the road approximately 30 feet wide and the improvements will stretch from Prince Street to College Avenue.
"If we don't do something with this road, someone's going to get killed," Alderman Mary Smith said.
The discussion of these improvements was initiated through e-mails from several residents who were concerned with the dangers the narrow road presents.
"We have more single-car accidents on this road than we do on any other area in the city," Mayor Tab Townsell said.
City Engineer Ronnie Hall brought in several different suggestions for the project and added either the city forces could do it or a contractor could be hired.
"We are pretty much tapped out of city forces at this time," Townsell said.
Hall said for the approved project, a contractor would probably charge about $150,000 to $175,000 for the entire job.
Townsell added the city did get certification from the Census Bureau, and Conway's population is currently 52,430. He added the street department will get 70 percent of the turnback money allowed to the city since the number is more than 50,000.
Hall said for this project to be completed, the ditches will have to be moved and some trees will have to be taken out.
Design notions
The idea of suburban design vs. urban design for the future of Conway was discussed at the committee meeting Tuesday prior to the regular meeting.
"There's an area of town that we're soon going to grow into that we have the freedom to dictate whether it's suburban or urban," Townsell said.
The mayor explained suburban would mean the same style the city currently has, but "beefed up," and an urban area would look more like a downtown.
The council members said they agreed Old Conway needs to stay an urban style and that urban design should not be required in an area that is already primarily suburban.
"We need to allow for the flexibility that neighborhoods are going to evolve and change over years," Townsell said. "But for the brand new areas of the city, the council members have got to chew on that."
Other business
In other business, the city council:
Voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute amendment one to the agreement between the city of Conway and Conway County Regional Water District for allocating the expenses and water yield in an expansion of Brewer Lake.
Voted 5-0 to set a public hearing May 23 to discuss closing Bowie Street, between West and Stout streets, as requested by Longing Brothers Inverness Apartments LLC.
Voted 5-0 to set a public hearing May 23 to discuss closing Fleming Street, between West and Stout streets, as requested by Roden Berry.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee a consideration of relocating the railway crossing at College Avenue.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee a consideration of a request by Robert Evans and the Shasta Street residents that the suffix of the road be changed back to "drive."
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee, due to the lack of a quorum, an ordinance accepting the annexation of land at 1775 Siebenmorgen Road, on the south side of Siebenmorgen Road and East German Lane, to the city of Conway.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee, due to the lack of a quorum, an ordinance to rezone property at 1775 Siebenmorgen Road from R-1 upon annexation to MF-1.
Voted 5-1, with the mayor voting, to add another speed hump on Timberpeg Road.
Voted 5-0 to accept bids for turnout gear from Leeco for the Conway Fire Department.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee, due to the lack of a quorum, an ordinance waiving bids and appropriating funds for medical supplies for first responders and other emergency personnel for the fire department.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee, due to the lack of a quorum, an ordinance authorizing a levy of an additional charge in all cases classified as county or city cases pursuant to Act 1188 of 2006 and Act 1373 of 2005.
Voted 5-0 to hold in committee, due to the lack of quorum, the third reading of an ordinance repealing the city of Conway Uniformed Employee's Code and all related codes, ordinances,resolutions, rules and regulations.
Discussed a moratorium on signs that do not conform to the overlay district standards, but no action was taken at this meeting.
Aldermen Adam Weeks, Shelia Whitmore and Jack Bell were absent.
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(Staff Writer Jessica Montgomery can be reached by e-mail at jessica.montgomery@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236.)
