Emma Street

As part of the Downtown Springdale Revitalization Master Plan, MCE completed the design for the downtown enhancement along Emma Avenue from Hewitt Street east to Berry Street referred to as “The Tyson District.” The district is designed to support new office and retail uses of Tyson Foods’ new Downtown Springdale facility. 

To create a comfortable pedestrian environment that promotes walkability and usability beyond office hours, the existing narrow sidewalks are widened to at least 12 feet and are treated with a decorative concrete color and pattern. The wider sidewalks are intended to provide ample space for outdoor dining and gathering spaces within the district. Additional four-way stop signs were provided at key intersections to slow vehicular traffic and promote pedestrian activities. In addition to the widened sidewalks, the design provides two vehicular travel lanes while maintaining the existing street center line, parallel parking, decorative street lighting includes banner arms and arms for irrigated hanging planters, decorative intersections at both the Hewitt Street and Water Street intersections, pedestrian benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, and all pedestrian crosswalks are constructed with a stamped and colored concrete treatment. 

Additional landscape islands have been created along the street corridor, and in strategic locations, the landscape islands function as bioswales to treat stormwater runoff and improve water quality. Major grading revisions were made to the district in both the existing roadway and sidewalks to ensure the district meets ADA requirements. Construction was completed in early 2017, with a $1.04 million budget.