UPDATE ON THE STREETSCAPE PROJECT!!!!
Phase 1: Milling is complete, thanks to Atlas for their great work this week.
Phase 2: Temporary striping for parking purposes. Complete by 1 Jan.
Phase 3: This is long term. It entails burying new "existing" water service lines (Red's input) to replace galvanized pipe; burying both irrigation lines and conduit for electrical power to the green areas. Power will include 220V. This will most likely occur before the curbing is installed, but that is a decision that Damon and his men will make. It would appear preferable to do this (burying) work first considering the concrete work may need warmer weather to do more easily. A time estimate is 6-8 weeks to complete.
Phase 4: Put curbing in place for the green areas. This will take some time for each block and probably will be done one block at a time. Estimate two-to-three weeks per block which would indicate completion sometime in very late February or into March. This one could easily sneak into April/May as well depending on the start date.
Phase 5: A new cover of asphalt to be laid down. Estimate it will take three weeks to complete. Needs warm weather.
Phase 6: Stripe for parking purposes. Will take another two weeks.
Phase 7: While phases 5 and 6 are ongoing, fill green areas with greenery with a completion date of late April or May.
Phase 8: Construct a stone wall on Main similar to the Gateway and place a bronze plaque listing donors having made possible the new streetscape. Can be done concurrent with above phases.
Phase 9: Ceremony to dedicate all of the blocks when everything is completed; could sneak into June. Perhaps a revealing of the plaque as the centerpiece for the ceremony is in order
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of the redesign streetscape?
A: It is intended to encourage citizens to want to walk and visit downtown in a refreshing and pleasant new environment and to commence the revitalization of the area.
Q: If this streetscape becomes permanent, how will it be paid for?
A: It will be paid from grants, donations, and eventually foundation funds; NO TAX MONEY.
Q: Will this increase the parking spaces available?
A: Yes, absolutely, it is expected that 30-35% more parking spaces will be available. In addition, more off-street parking is planned at the Maxfield Park (construction complete in the next 2 years)
Q: Has this street design been tried before?
A: Yes, Definitely, in many cities both large and small. Fayetteville, for example, has a streetscape very similar to the one presented in the trial and it has been very successful in bringing people downtown to enjoy the refreshing look and feel. Those driving that streetscape have found it easy to navigate and the entire renovation refreshing.
Q: What can I do if I don’t feel that I can drive down the narrowed traffic lane?
A: You already drive down a narrowed lane at slow speed all of the time when you go to a “big-box store” parking lot with cars parked on both sides of the lane. This situation is the same as you experience often; safely and easily.
Q: What do I do if I don’t feel comfortable in backing out of the diagonal parking into the traffic lane?
A: As noted in the question above, you already do that in the parking lot of the “big-box store” and think nothing about it. You can do it here just as easily, since the traffic will be traveling very slowly as compared to the speed of cars before the streetscape was added. Those in the traffic lane will “give way” to you in this situation.
Q: What happens if, for some reason, this project is not carried out?
A: Unfortunately, this effort is the first step in the revitalization of downtown and if it’s not carried out, the downtown will continue to deteriorate with a very uncertain future.
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