The Southside Greenway Council met on Monday, February 27 to discuss the next steps of the Southside Greenway project. The meeting was hosted by a resident on the route and there was lots of good conversation among the community members who attended.
On the agenda
- Review of where the project currently stands
- Next steps (short-term and long-term fixes)
- Volunteer roles
Where the project currently stands (and a bit of history)...
8 years ago, a group of residents who use 10th and 11th Avenues as a bike route gathered together to kick around the idea of a greenway that allowed them to travel safely in a north-south direction. The idea was to connect the Powderhorn Park area to Andersen School, which would also provide a safer route for kids who biked to school.
Fast forward to now, where the group of community members behind the project began to focus on engagement along the route. The project was generally well-liked by residents in the area, but there was a concern for wanting to maintain some level of on-street parking. The volunteer Southside Greenway Council group rallied together to brainstorm ways that a greenway could be implemented along the proposed route at no cost or at least low-cost. They agreed that the project could be done piece-by-piece and community engagement would be the first step in getting the ball rolling.
Next Steps...
Short-term fixes include small volunteer groups to tackle the smaller tasks, such as door knocking and contacting council members to gather support for the project. Three priorities were identified: (1) get neighborhood support, (2) reach out to council members, and (3) have council members set up a meeting with Public Works.
Those at the meeting spoke to what they personally hoped to see happen in the near future. Those wishes included:
- Getting bike access through the cul-de-sac on 10th Avenue south of Lake Street
- Improve the 38th Street crossing (for both bikers and walkers)
- Get bike access across the closed area of 10th Avenue near 34th Street (and perhaps make it a 2-way street for bikes)
- Improve the crossing at 26th Street and 11th Avenue (this is part of the Safe Routes to School project and is currently underway)
The group will continue to meet quarterly with future meetings in May, August, and November (specific dates are yet to be determined). Stay tuned for project updates and community engagement opportunities!
