News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Downtown Revitalization Continues
Clinton between Main and Berry to Become Pedestrian-Friendly(May 1, 2013) – Mayor Tom Henry today announced that yet another section of downtown Fort Wayne will soon become more attractive for pedestrians. One of the five traffic lanes on Clinton Street from Main to Berry streets will be closed to make way for a wider and slightly raised sidewalk that accommodates people with disabilities, provides a buffer to traffic, and is filled with landscape planters.
The developer of the Anthony Wayne Building, RCI Development, requested closure of the easternmost travel lane of Clinton between Main and Berry to motorists; RCI also requested it be converted for use by pedestrians. The requests were approved by the Indiana Department of Transportation, and then the City’s Redevelopment Commission agreed to fund improvements to support this new investment in downtown residences, office space and retail space.
“These improvements are part of our downtown revitalization efforts and will help transform the way people enjoy downtown,” said Mayor Henry. “We’re making steady progress on creating an environment where people can enjoy walking and all our City has to offer.”
Preliminary work is underway and construction should conclude by mid-summer. Throughout construction, Clinton will remain open with some lane restrictions. Asplundh Construction Company was the winning bidder for the work, with an estimated cost of $265,839.40.
Project improvements include:
- Â wider, unimpeded sidewalk that will be raised slightly to provide full access for people with disabilities to more of the Anthony Wayne and the Journal Gazette buildings’ store frontages.
- A block-long landscape planter to extend the qualities of the Courthouse Green across the street and to provide a buffer against motor traffic; maintenance will be provided by adjacent property owners.
- Downtown-style sidewalks, with patterning and brick accent strips, improved LED historically styled lights, and street trees along Berry.
- Shorter street crossings on Clinton with improved crosswalk markings. These changes will improve safety and convenience for pedestrians.
- The remaining easternmost lane of Clinton north of Main will become a dedicated left turn lane onto Main, reappearing as a travel lane south of Berry.
This project advances the priorities of Mayor Henry’s Walk Fort Wayne Plan, adopted in early 2011. Walk Fort Wayne is a ten-year plan to make Fort Wayne a better place to walk by creating a transportation network that accommodates pedestrians and transit users along major roadways.
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