MAYOR CUTS RIBBON ON NEW KANAWHA CITY STREETSCAPE
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones today joined City Councilman Rick Burka and other Council members and leaders of the Kanawha City Community Association to dedicate a new streetscape project along a key intersection of MacCorkle Avenue. The project, which cost a little more than $200,000 to complete this summer, is part of the 2013 Kanawha City Corridor Study, which includes projects aimed at making the area along and beside MacCorkle Avenue more attractive for residents and business investment.
“Four years ago, my administration joined the KCCA and several others to identify ways that this important section of our city could attract more than just a lot of cars on a four-lane thoroughfare,” Mayor Jones said. “The 42nd Street streetscape project shows what can be done to make this area more inviting to people and pedestrians – and not just cars and trucks.”
“The hope for this project just completed at 42nd street is to get more business people interested in updating their property to attract more business in Kanawha City,” said Councilman Burka, who chairs the KCCA Board of Directors. “KCCA has developed a long term plan to update this 2.8-mile corridor with improved pedestrian access to businesses and alternative parking along MacCorkle Avenue. This project is only the start of many we would like to accomplish along and near MacCorkle Avenue.”
The 42nd Street project included new curb cuts along MacCorkle, areas for plants and other landscaping, and improved parking along 42nd Street. Another streetscape project is envisioned for 40th Street, as funding could become available.
The Corridor Study was completed by GAI Consultants in conjunction with the City of Charleston, KCCA, University of Charleston, Charleston Area Alliance, Charleston Urban Renewal Authority and others. Since the plan was unveiled, the Jones administration, City Council members and KCCA worked with Charleston Area Medical Center to improve landscaping at the new CAMC Cancer Center at 35th Street and identified several areas ripe for improvement.
