PRESS RELEASE
City of Fort Smith Hires its First Mobility Coordinator to Lead Citywide Comprehensive Mobility Improvement Plan
Fort Smith, AR. On Monday, May 2, 2022, The City of Fort Smith will welcome its first Mobility Coordinator, Michael Mings. Mr. Mings will work with both public and private sector organizations to develop a comprehensive, citywide, multi-mobility plan for the Fort Smith community. The comprehensive multi-mobility plan will consider every possible mode of transportation within the Fort Smith city limits.
Mr. Mings will report directly to the City Administrator, Carl Geffken, and will work very closely with various community groups and organizations such as 64.6 Downtown, Friends of Recreational Trails, Arkansas College of Health and Education, ArDOT, Western Arkansas Planning and Development District, Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority and others within the Arkansas Western Region.
City Administrator Geffken explained the need for the new position was identified in 2020 after researching and discussing the needs with various members of the community. “We saw a need and the City Board of Directors supported funding the new position because Fort Smith needs to start promoting its existing intermodal connectivity. We are excited to start highlighting our multi-mobility options and begin the work of developing a comprehensive multi-mobility plan to strengthen and grow our current system. Transportation issues are key to a community’s workforce, economy, and an active-oriented quality of life. Many people in our community actively seek alternative means of transportation and others just need more options. By identifying transportation gaps, and improving walkability for all, we know we can strengthen our transportation network and enhance the overall quality of life in Fort Smith.”
The City of Fort Smith Parks and Recreation Department staff stays committed to developing a continuous and connected trail system across the city. The City’s Maybranch Trail, currently in its design phase, will soon connect the City’s newest park, John Bell Jr. Park, to Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. Phased plans call for the Maybranch Trail to eventually connect to the trails at Creekmore Park. In the Chaffee Crossing neighborhood, the city recently completed the first phase of a trail system that made connections to county-owned trails. The new Mobility Coordinator will work to raise awareness of, and promote the usage of, the newer transportation amenities.
Michael Mings says he is excited to get started and looks forward to serving the community in his new role. “Trails, bike lanes, and walkways will play a very important role for Fort Smith as we work towards seeing our community flourish in the future. My goal here is to build connectedness through safe and enjoyable infrastructure for a greater quality of life for all.”
Serving his community has been a big part of Mike’s professional and educational background. Currently, Mike is working on a Master of Theology with a concentration in Public Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Arkansas. Before joining the City of Fort Smith, Mike worked as the Director of Youth & College Ministries at Fort Smith’s First United Methodist Church.
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