NDDC Meets with City on Streetscape Projects

Parking lot trim

A matter of some importance to the NDDC is this summer’s Streetscape projects. Late Monday afternoon, NDDC representatives met with Northfield’s Director of Public Services, Joel Walinski, to discuss these projects.

It was our understanding that this year’s Streetscape projects would include the completion of the Library Plaza’s paved crosswalk, an additional paved crosswalk on south Division Street, and substantial infrastructure replacement on 5th Street. The NDDC is advocating for some parking lot screening (it’s not just aesthetics, we believe that it helps visitors to locate parking), way-finding signage (we’ve got the information and the time, let’s install some signs) and some (limited) tree replacement.

That guy Joel is good; we found out that he’s already on it.

The plan is to do some example projects for the parking lot screening (along the lines of the pictured design used at the Municipal Liquor Store lot) for the “Horseshoe Lot” at Highway 3 and 3rd. There is also a goal of doing approximately 4 “test models” of the way-finding signage this summer to see how the designs actually work “in the field”. Finally, although Joel said that the tree replacement is expensive and is best included in larger projects, he is going to look at the trees that are missing, destroyed or out of control and consider some limited replacement.

As was the case last summer, the NDDC is going to work closely with business owners and city staff in an effort to limit economic distruption resulting from the Streetscape projects. Watch this website for more information.