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Posts tagged
'Buddy Villines'

Buddy's bridge: A hurryup vote set

Too much happening today. I was just reminded by a letter from Gene Pfeifer of a tip I'd received earlier that County Judge Buddy Villines intended to have a hurryup Quorum Court meeting Thursday and vote on his plan to sink $20 million in county road and bridge money into a design dust-catcher on the state Highway and Transportation Department's stay-busy project to replace the Broadway Bridge.
IT Arkansas job board

Buddy's bridge to Dogtown

I mentioned the Quorum Court's discussion last night of Judge Buddy Villines' $20 million proposal go gussy up a replacement Broadway Bridge with a hump of nonfunctional ironwork and a tricolor paint job.
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Best and Worst of Arkansas, 2012

The highs and lows of 2012.

The Max Is Back Edition

The Connecticut school shooting, the fiscal cliff, House Speaker Davy Carter, the latest amendments to the Lake Maumelle watershed land-use ordinance, football comings and goings, Tim Griffin on Ways and Means, Kimbrell v. McClesky, Buddy Villines star-spangled Broadway Bridge, the UA advancement scandal and Joe Smith's election win — all covered on this rapid-fire edition.
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Somewhere beyond the sea: Bon voyage Joan

Max here, on a slow boat to Sri Lanka, where heart-breaking news from home requires a post that I can't deliver in person to all those I'd like to comfort.

Highway Department wins on Broadway Bridge UPDATE 2

Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department PO Box 2261 Little Rock, Arkansas 72203 Dear Sirs: Please register my comments below concerning the replacement of the current Broadway Bridge over the Arkansas River connecting Little Rock and North Little Rock. As mayor of the Capital City, I believe it is important to recognize that a new bridge in its current location will long outlast nearly everyone alive today. This is why the bridge should be a lasting vision of the future of central Arkansas in both function and form. The proposals submitted to the public provide several alternatives which, while perhaps functional, sacrifice the long term vision of a bridge which brings together the major commerce centers in central Arkansas. In fact, 34% of the state’s GDP comes from the Little Rock-North Little Rock metropolitan area. This justifies a collaborative effort between the AHTD and local authorities on finding the funding necessary to realize the long term vision which the bridge should reflect in both function and form as proposed by myself, Pulaski County Judge F.G. Villines and Mayor Pat Hays. Together we have collectively authored a letter that expresses our desire on how to realize that vision in both function and form with a twin arch truss bridge over the Arkansas River. We also urge that the bridge be built with a 20 foot pedestrian/bicycle way recognizing the increased demand for these alternate forms of transportation. From the renderings AHTD provided, I cannot agree to any form of a bridge constructed to the west of the existing bridge which would require that the bridge snake back into the existing Broadway Bridge R-O-W. This “snake bridge” would require a steep angle curvature as it descends down into the existing R-O-W for alignment raising additional and unnecessary safety concerns as the span descends quickly toward its intersection with Markham St. It also lacks any aesthetic qualities and compromises the city’s use of its own property and air rights. It is our understanding that the twin arch truss bridge components can be constructed off site and moved into place when complete which will help in reducing the time the bridge will be unavailable to the traveling public. I would urge the AHTD to expedite construction and thereby minimize any delay. The new bridge envisioned by our recommendation in the same location as the old one should not be compromised by the relatively short term inconvenience caused by closing the current bridge for construction. Thank you. Most sincerely, Mark Stodola Mayor City of Little Rock
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Buddy Villines: Clip and save his Broadway Bridge prediction

County Judge Buddy Villines, sometimes possessed of good sense, told the board of Metroplan yesterday that traffic disruptions are part of being in an urban area and he played down the disruptions that will be caused if the Arkansas Highway Department moves ahead with plans to close the Broadway Bridge to demolish it and build a replacement.

Maumelle watershed compromise in works UPDATE

Graham Rich, CEO of Central Arkansas Water, confirms that a series of private meetings have been held in recent weeks to come up with compromise land use rules for the Lake Maumelle watershed, a proposal tabled by the Pulaski County Quorum Court at the end of the year.
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Maumelle land use debate heats up

The Pulaski County Planning Board meets tomorrow afternoon on the proposed land use plan for the Lake Maumelle watershed.

The Facebook push for 'signature' Broadway Bridge

I'm all for signature architectural works. But, as I wrote yesterday, I'm nowhere near ready for the three amigos — Mayors Stodola and Hays and County Judge Villines — to go to the sales tax (or property tax) well again to replace the Broadway Bridge with an artistic design that would cost a great deal more if it serves art as well as simple function.
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Again with the sales tax for a bridge

I can't believe it. Wait.

Here, blue dog

Win a Rodrigue, promote the arts.
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