Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission

08/26/2026

Getting where you need to go shouldn't depend on owning a car or being able to drive.

According to a 2024 Pew Research study, over 30% of Americans cannot or do not rely on a personal vehicle for their daily travel needs. NWARPC is working to expand transportation choice across the region: safe sidewalks, connected bike networks, and reliable transit options that work for everyone.

This is what Forward2050 looks like in motion.

08/25/2026

Local trails belong to everyone, walkers, runners, cyclists, and four-legged friends included. A few small habits go a long way in keeping them safe and enjoyable for all of us.

Give a heads up when you're passing, keep pets leashed and close, yield to pedestrians, and stay alert to what's around you. Small habits, big difference.

See you out there 🌳🚴

08/25/2026

Your old commute called. It wants a refund.

Between gas, oil changes, and parking fees, the "cost of driving" line item adds up fast. An e-bike voucher through the Tri-Region E-Bike Program could change that math.

Vouchers up to $1,200 are available now for eligible NWA residents. Apply today at www.nwarpc.org.

08/24/2026

Getting around the region just got more affordable. The Tri-Region E-Bike Incentive Program offers vouchers up to $1,200 for income-qualified riders and $700 for standard applicants, helping cover the cost of a new e-bike so more people can leave the car at home.

Eligible across 12 Arkansas counties and 2 Oklahoma counties, with vouchers awarded on a rolling basis through 2027. Whether it's a daily commute, a grocery run, or a weekend ride on the Greenway, this program is about making everyday trips easier and more sustainable for Northwest Arkansas.

Learn more and apply through the link in our bio.

08/21/2026

An Ozone Action Advisory has been declared for Aug. 21, 2026, for northwest and central Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), recognizes that forecasted ambient air ozone concentrations in northwest and central Arkansas indicate outdoor activities may be unhealthy for active children and adults, and for individuals in sensitive groups. Health precautions include limiting prolonged outdoor exertion among active children and adults, and people with preexisting respiratory disease.

E&E's Division of Environmental Quality has issued an Ozone Action Advisory for Aug. 21 in central and northwest Arkansas.

For more information, please visit: https://ee.arkansas.gov/announcements/air-quality-advisory-code-orange-for-ozone-august-21-2026/

08/21/2026

Applications for the Tri-Region E-Bike Incentive Program are still open.

If you're in one of our 12 eligible Arkansas counties or 2 Oklahoma counties, you could get a voucher toward your next e-bike, up to $700 for standard applicants and $1,200 for income-qualified applicants.

Applications are open now. Link in bio to apply.

08/20/2026

The City of Fayetteville was just awarded $640,000 in federal BUILD funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation to support a comprehensive corridor study for the Highway 16/Wedington Drive corridor, work rooted in implementing recommendations from the regional and city safety action plans NWARPC helped develop in 2023 and 2024.

The study will include traffic and safety analysis, conceptual engineering, environmental review, public engagement, and evaluation of transportation alternatives.

This is what regional planning looks like when it moves from paper to progress.

08/18/2026

Earlier this month, NWARPC took a closer look at how our region stacks up against peer communities on transportation planning and investment.

Tim Reavis, NWARPC's Senior Multimodal Transportation Planner, prepared a benchmark report to share with our Regional Mobility Authority (RMA) Board members. This report will help examine how other peer regions have addressed growth by working to organize, fund, finance, and deliver major transportation infrastructure projects at an accelerated pace.

This is how we make sure Northwest Arkansas keeps moving in the right direction.

08/17/2026

Our team traveled to Atlanta to learn from one of the best conservation programs in the country.

NWARPC toured farms connected to the Conservation Fund, an organization that works to protect generational agricultural land through permanent conservation easements, allowing small-scale farmers to purchase and steward that land for years to come.

The team explored how Atlanta's successful urban agriculture model could be replicated right here in Northwest Arkansas.

Because planning for a region's future is not just about roads and trails. It is about land, food, and making sure the communities we are building have roots worth keeping.

08/13/2026

Bentonville is getting $2 million for intersection improvements at two of its busiest crossroads: Highway 12 at SW Regional Airport Blvd. and Highway 279 at S. Vaughn Road. These upgrades will enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and strengthen a critical connection to the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA).

This investment is part of $15.8 million in FFY 2027 federal transportation funding awarded by the NWARPC Board of Directors to support regionally significant projects that improve connectivity and accommodate Northwest Arkansas' continued growth.