If you ride Razorback Transit, you might have noticed some new installations around town. Seats made out of tree stumps are placed around town as a Tactical Urbanism project headed by the Office for Sustainability. The goal is to resolve some of the lack of seating at bus stops.
So what is “Tactical Urbanism”? The City of Fayetteville defines it as a “set of ideas, methods, and tools which help city governments and community groups work to build safer, happier, and more connected neighborhoods.” These projects are short term, low budget, and test the effectiveness of future long-term improvements.
This project was inspired by a 2015 project by Gracen Johnson called “Making Places Where I Want to Sit.” In these 2-parts blogs, she talks about the lack of seating in desirable areas. She then worked with a local arborist to procure stumps that would otherwise be bound for a wood chipper and painted their tops to make them look more inviting.
We are using Tactical Urbanism to show that there is a need for seating at bus stops. There are plans in place for future upgrades to these areas, but they’re years out from being 
implemented. By placing stumps, the hope is to get the City’s attention and bring some urgency to the project. There will be about 40 stumps placed at the following bus stops:
- Poplar Street at Chestnut Apartments
- Leveret Avenue at Lawson Street
- Gregg Avenue at Township Street
- Gregg at Lake Village Drive
- Church Avenue and Center Street
- Mountain Street and School Avenue
- Leveret Avenue at North Creekside Apartments
- McConnell Avenue and Burr Oak Drive
- Hill Avenue North of MLK
- 15th Street West of Razorback Road
Be on the lookout for these stumps around town and tag @SustainUA when you see them!
Find out more about Tactical Urbanism in the City of Fayetteville by visiting their website.
By Brianna Warren, Outreach Coordinator.