Ideas for improving the appearance of the entrance to Jefferson on E. Lincoln Way were shared at stakeholder meetings last Thursday at the Milwaukee depot. About 35 persons representing community organizations, elected officials and government agencies, and property owners in the area under consideration attended.
The meetings were hosted by Bolton & Menk as part of a corridor enhancement study. The city is paying $24,500 for the study.
The proposal will be for Lincoln Way between the Milwaukee depot and the east edge of the Jefferson Municipal Cemetery. Some design elements may extend west to Cedar St.
Engineer Jim Leiding (left) of Bolton & Menk’s Jefferson office and Josh Shields (right), landscape architect in the firm’s Ames office conducted the meetings.
The provided three different plans, all of which included a trail or “shared use path” to the cemetery on the south side of the road, more trees, better defined and narrower gravel driveways, and additional lighting. The plans varied with the number of trees, beds of perennial flowers or native grasses, style of lighting, etc.
No costs were offered, as the goal of the meeting was only to gather input. The input will be compiled to develop one preliminary plan that will be presented at a community open house in April. The study will be finished in May.
The city council named enhancements to the east entry to the city as a priority for the 2017-18 fiscal year.
