A Safer Connection: Bella Vista’s New Side Path Is More Than a Trail
There’s a moment happening right now in Bella Vista—and it’s easy to miss if you’re only looking at it as “just another trail project.”
Because it’s not.
This new side path is about something bigger: how a community decides to move, connect, and take care of each other.
Why This Matters Right Now
Bella Vista has always been defined by its landscape—lakes, hills, and miles of trails woven through neighborhoods and natural spaces. It’s part of what makes this place special.
But for years, there’s been a gap.
Not in vision—but in safe, everyday connectivity.
While the region has invested heavily in trail systems and the Razorback Greenway, many residents still rely on narrow shoulders or disconnected segments to get from point A to point B.
This side path begins to change that.
It creates a safer, more predictable space for people walking, biking, and rolling—whether that’s for exercise, transportation, or simply getting to a neighbor’s house.
From Idea to Implementation
This project didn’t start with a budget or a plan set.
It started with someone noticing a problem—and deciding not to ignore it.
“Bella Vista has very twisty, windy roads with very little shoulder space,” said Joe Maneiro of Pedal It Forward. “My wife didn’t feel comfortable riding in traffic, and I realized if it was that hard for her, it must be a struggle for others too.”
So he did something about it.
With a weed whacker and a lawnmower, he started cutting in a path.
“I never imagined it would become what it is today,” he said. “I thought it would be a never-ending battle against nature.”
But then something happened.
“After that first week, I saw two kids riding together on the path. Later, a whole family walking it. That’s when I knew—it needed to be something more.”
That moment—people using it—is what turned an idea into momentum.
From there, others saw the potential.
“From my position on the Active Transportation Board, I was looking for a creative, community-led way to connect residents with little to no budget,” said Kenny Williams. “Joe’s idea proved to be the perfect answer.”
What started as a grassroots effort quickly became something bigger than any one person.
A True Partnership Effort
This project works because it didn’t stay grassroots—it scaled through alignment.
The City of Bella Vista brought leadership and long-term vision.
The Bella Vista Property Owners Association helped support access, land, and ongoing stewardship.
Trailblazers helped bridge the gap between idea and execution.
And Arkansas Moves helped carry momentum forward through activation and storytelling.
That kind of coordination doesn’t just happen—it’s built.
“The POA owns the land that the majority of Bella Vista’s trails are on,” said Larry Fleury, Marketing & Communications Director for the Bella Vista POA. “We work closely with the City and partner organizations to build and maintain these systems so residents can safely access the amenities that make this place special.”
He put it more simply:
“The connections between trails will be beneficial spaces—but they require a lot of planning and collaboration to get right.”
Designing For Real Life
Side paths might not sound flashy, but they’re one of the most practical tools we have.
They work because they meet people where they are.
“In Bella Vista, where roads are narrow and terrain is challenging, side paths give us a way to separate people from vehicle traffic while still keeping routes direct and intuitive,” said Megan Workman, Trails & Active Transportation Manager for the City of Bella Vista.
This isn’t about elite athletes or destination riding.
It’s about:
Kids getting to school safely
Neighbors walking without stepping into traffic
Families riding together without stress
“This project is a key step in establishing a network of comfortable places to walk, bike, and move,” Workman said. “It shows how we can retrofit the corridors we already have to create meaningful connections between where people live and where they need to go.”
Connecting More Than Places
What’s easy to underestimate is how infrastructure shapes behavior.
When something feels safe, people use it.
When it doesn’t—they don’t.
“When people have safe infrastructure, something powerful starts to happen,” said Victor Gurel, CEO of Trailblazers. “Confidence builds. People feel comfortable getting where they need to go, they spend more time outside, and over time, you start to see real behavior change.”
And that impact goes beyond the people using the path.
“Every time someone chooses to walk or ride, that’s one fewer car on the road and one less person competing for parking,” he said. “This kind of infrastructure benefits everyone—even if you never use it yourself.”
That’s the shift.
Not just building paths—but changing how a community moves.
The Role of the POA
In Bella Vista, nothing happens in isolation.
The POA plays a unique role in shaping how people experience the community—from recreation to infrastructure access.
“Residents are always looking for ways to explore and use everything Bella Vista has to offer,” Fleury said. “As cycling has grown across Northwest Arkansas, we’ve seen that demand here too.”
Projects like this help meet that moment.
“We see the future of Bella Vista as both preserving what makes it special and continuing to grow,” he said. “With partners like the City, Trailblazers, and Arkansas Moves, we’re creating safer access to amenities and more opportunities for healthy movement.”
What Happens Next
This side path is a step forward—but it’s not the finish line.
It’s part of a much bigger picture:
Filling gaps in the network
Making connections intuitive and continuous
Building a system that works for everyone—not just the confident few
“Success, to me, means this becomes a reliable, well-used corridor,” Workman said. “And that it helps build momentum for more permanent infrastructure in the future.”
Or as Kenny Williams put it:
“We can’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. Projects like this connect people to the infrastructure that already exists—without asking them to risk riding alongside traffic in the meantime.”
Come Walk It. Ride It. Experience It.
The best way to understand this project isn’t to read about it.
It’s to use it.
Walk it with your family.
Ride it with a friend.
Notice how it feels to not have to think twice about safety.
Because that’s the goal.
Not just infrastructure—but confidence, comfort, and connection.
This isn’t just a path.
It’s a signal of where Bella Vista is headed.